Martin Luther: Setting the Stage

Martin Luther, the 16^th-century reformer whose work and enduring legacy is being explored in this series, was very much a man of his age. Yet in his theological response to the social, economic, and political forces that were fermenting in the Europe of his day, Luther unleashed currents of change that would reshape the face of Europe and undergird the emergence of the modern world. This introductory lecture will explore a number of the contributing factors that set the stage for Luther’s emergence as a reformer of such sweeping and enduring impact.