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Overview Martin Luther (1483–1546) was the leading figure of the Reformation era, itself an age of outsized personalities. While there were other “evangelical” or “Protestant” reform movements in the 16th century, Luther’s was first both in time and influence. An erudite scholar, impassioned polemicist, formidable opponent in debate, expert in Hebrew and Greek, and a masterly writer in both Latin and German, Luther was the most widely published author of his time. His immense literary output included theological treatises and disputa…

1. Term In contemporary historiography “Reformation” is a specialized (but not exclusive) designation for the complex series of ecclesiastical, theological, political, and academic events that led, in 16th-century Europe, to the emergence and establishment of Protestant churches (“confessions”), with their distinctive patterns of belief and practice. The present article will principally use this understanding of the term. The term also refers to a wide variety of religious protests and proposals for reform (of church and society, of theolog…