Disclaimer: When I talk about the endings of movies, I usually do so in a green font, but I don't think it's necessary in this case. Everyone who is familiar with Martin Luther knows what he did—so I didn't include any green fonts in the post.
#6: Luther, starring Joseph Fiennes (as Martin Luther) Released in 2003.Here's a brief blurb about the movie from Amazon.com: "Biography of Martin Luther, the 16th-century priest who led the Christian Reformation and opened up new possibilities in exploration of faith. The film begins with his vow to become a monk, and continues through his struggles to reconcile his desire for sanctification with his increasing abhorrence of the corruption and hypocrisy pervading the Church's hierarchy. He is ultimately charged with heresy and must confront the ruling cardinals and princes, urging them to make the Scriptures available to the common believer and lead the Church toward faith through justice and righteousness."
I've been reading about and hearing about Martin Luther since shortly after I became a Christian. That's why I was so excited when I heard about this movie. I was skeptical that it wouldn't live up to everything I've learned about Luther, but I was willing to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed in the least. This is an inspiring film about a man who changed the world without any intentions of doing so. He simply stood for what he believed and his courage, coupled with the truth of his principles, led to changes that are still being felt today.
I love this movie because it displays Luther as a human being—complete with flaws. As a young monk, he's depicted as a man who can't come to terms with his own sin or with an impersonal God. He talks to himself, and at times, appears to be on the verge of insanity over his inability to relate to God. He didn't have access to the New Testament, so he had a limited view of the faith. But as he studied at the University of Wittenberg, he became immersed in the scriptures and they changed his life. He saw that biblical Christianity didn't necessarily line up with what the church taught.
He journeyed to Rome and was greatly offended by indulgences (a practice in which a person paid a priest to receive a pardon for his or her sins), and by various other corruptions he saw. He began to speak and write pamphlets and booklets (including his 95 Theses) against such teaching…and in favor of salvation by faith in Christ alone. In the process, he offended many in the Roman Church and he was summoned to the Diet of Worms to give account for his writings. That's when he gave his famous speech which includes these rather inspirational words: "Unless therefore, I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture...I cannot and will not retract...Here I stand, I can do no other. So help me God, Amen."
I got goose bumps at this point in the movie. And I was just as moved by the church leaders who eventually saw the error of their ways and stood with him in the end. The director of this movie did a great job of depicting the actions of the people who were swept up in The Reformation that Luther started. Luther's character appears to be quite upset at what his follower's do in his name, and I suspect that he truly was upset with their actions. The difficulty with doctrine usually comes in its application and this movie doesn't gloss over that fact in Luther's case. It just takes an honest look at who he was and more importantly, the results of his ideas and convictions.
Previous posts in this series:
#7, Serendipity
#8, Message in a Bottle
#9, A Walk to Remember
#10, In Love and War
