Overview of Church History Part 2: 1500-1800 Session 1

Session 1: “The Life and Times of Martin Luther”

At the end of the 15th century, the Church was in shambles, superstition and ignorance was rampant, the clergy were better known for their immorality than their knowledge of the Bible. Several attempts at reform had failed miserably. But just when things looked most bleak, lightning struck. In a few short decades, the landscape of Christianity changed forever. In this series, we will look at the Holy Spirit’s moving in the Church from 1500 AD to 1800 AD. This period is filled with men and women who make tremendous sacrifices to bring the light of God’s Word to a crumbling society and advance Christ’s Kingdom in earth-trembling ways. Their example inspires us to continue their mission to shine the glory of God into every corner of our lives.

According to one historian's estimation, more books and articles have been written about Martin Luther than anybody else besides Jesus. What made this man have such a huge impact on this world and the course of history? In this first podcast episode of my second church history series, I take a detailed look at the tumultuous life and times of Martin Luther and the bleak spiritual backdrop he was born into. Luther was a coarse and crass individual, but he found a fear bigger than the fear of man and it led to tremendous courage and conviction on his part. If you want to sample this church history series, I recommend this episode. Listen and see what explosive power there is in even one man truly understanding the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.