Martin Luther makes his bold defense before Charles 5th and the Papal legate at Worms
Written by Dr. Marcus J. Serven
“Our God is a refuge and a strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
Over five hundred years ago, Martin Luther was ordered by Charles 5th, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, to travel to Worms, Germany to make his defense. He was given a promise of “safe conduct” to and from the gathering (or Diet). His friends reminded him, though, of how John Huss had been given a similar promise over a hundred years before, but was betrayed and lost his life (1417). With that ominous threat in mind Luther had to be careful as he traveled the long road to Worms in his oxen-drawn carriage. He felt fear at the prospect of dying in the flames while chained to a stake. But he also felt that it would be a privilege to die for the sake of his Lord Jesus Christ. Once he arrived at Worms (on April 16, 1521), it was demanded that Luther reject all of his books and recant the truths he had discovered from his studies in the Bible. Under the extreme pressure of the moment, he asked for a day to think it over. This was granted. After spending an anguished night of prayer and reflection in a high tower he refused to recant and the next morning he made the following courageous speech:
Emperor Charles 5th
“Since Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes or councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. May God help me, Amen.”
— Roland Bainton, Here I Stand, 144
Luther was abruptly dismissed from the gathering by the emperor, and it appeared that he had emerged victorious from the Diet of Worms. He began his travel home to Wittenberg on April 26, 1521 trusting that he would be able to return to his studies and to his eager students. Unknown to Luther, however, ten days after he departed the emperor declared him to be a criminal and a heretic (May 6, 1521). He ordered that Luther be captured and held for future judgment. Luther’s friends, though, had a different plan. Anticipating what might happen, they schemed to get him away from all of his enemies to a place of safety and thereby preserve his life. The famous historian of the Reformation, Dr. J. H. Merle D’Aubigne, gives us the details of what happened on that fateful day:
“On the following day he resumed his journey, accompanied by Amsdorf and his brother James. In these lonely spots the reformer’s lot was to be decided. They were passing along the forest of Thuringia, on the road to Waltershausen, As the carriage was in a hollow part of the road…a sudden noise was heard, and at that moment five horsemen, masked and in complete armor, rushed upon the travelers. Luther’s brother, as soon as he perceived the assailants, leapt from the vehicle, and ran off at full speed without uttering a word. The driver was for defending himself. “Stop!” cried one of the assailants in a stern voice, and rushing upon him threw him to the ground. A second man in a mask seized Amsdorf, and prevented him from coming near. Meanwhile the three other horsemen laid hold of Luther, keeping the most profound silence. They pulled him violently from the carriage, threw a horseman’s cloak upon his shoulders and placed him on a led horse. Then the other two quitted Amsdorf and the driver, and the whole leapt into their saddles. The hat of one of them fell off, but they did not even stop to lift it, and in a twinkling disappeared in the dark forest with their prisoner. They at first took the road to Broderode; but they soon retraced their steps by a different road, and, without quitting the forest, made turnings and windings in all directions, in order to deceive those who might attempt to follow their track…nightfall having made it impossible to follow their track, the party carrying off Luther took a new direction, and about an hour before midnight arrived at the foot of a mountain. The horses climbed slowly to its summit, on which stood an old fortress, surrounded on all sides, except that of the entrance, by the black forests which cover the mountains of Thuringia. To this elevated and isolated castle, named the Wartburg…was Luther conducted.”
— D’Aubigne, The History of the Reformation, Book VII, 214
News of Luther’s kidnapping quickly spread throughout the countryside. Some people were delighted, while others responded with anguished feelings of grief and sorrow. They did not know if Martin Luther was dead or alive! But rather than being captured by his enemies, Luther had actually been kidnapped by his friends! The supportive German Prince, Frederick of Saxony, arranged for Luther’s “kidnapping” by his trustworthy knights in order to protect him from the vengeful Roman Catholic authorities.
The Wartburg–Martin Luther referred to this remote mountain refuge as “My Patmos”
Luther as “Junker George”
For almost a year Luther lay hidden in “The Wartburg” under the false name, Junker George (or “George the Knight”). During this time he grew a beard and carried a large sword to complete the disguise. Rather than remain idle, or feel sorry for himself, he used this time of concealment well and wrote a large number of pamphlets defending the doctrines he had discovered in the Bible. Moreover, he began work on translating the entire New Testament into German (completed in 1522). Finally, he wrote many stirring hymns of which “A Mighty Fortress is our God” is the best known. It has been reported that while watching the smoke rise from many peasant campfires in the valley far below, Luther became discouraged by intense feelings of loneliness and despair. A fresh wind, though, suddenly arose and blew all the smoke away. He was greatly encouraged by this sight and rejoiced that the Lord can remove our own fears and doubts as easily as the wind can blow away smoke. Indeed, “Our God is a refuge and a strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
Resources for Further Study:
Bainton, Roland. Here I Stand. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1950.
D’Aubigne, J. H. Merle. The History of the Reformation. Originally Published in 1872; Powder Spring, GA: Powder Springs Press, Facsimile Edition, 2008.
Hildebrand, Hans J., ed. The Reformation: A Narrative History. New York, NY: Harper & Row Publishers, 1964.
Kittleson, James M. Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and his Career. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986.
Rupp, Gordon. Luther’s Progress to the Diet of Worms 1521. London, England: SCM Press Ltd., 1951.
Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin
Genevan Foundation – Copyright 2025 – All Rights Reserved
“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” Psalm 36:9
Introduction:
There are many significant Reformers who the Lord raised-up during the time of the Reformation. I am going to focus, however, on the four Reformers who made the most important contributions towards the growth and development of a thorough-going Protestant theology–Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Calvin, and John Knox. These four church leaders emphasized the sovereignty of God, the utter sinfulness of humanity, the centrality of God’s justifying grace in salvation, the necessity of preaching the Bible, the proper administration of the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper), and a church structure based on the Bible (i.e. Elder-led). As a long-time Presbyterian Minister (since 1980), I am also extraordinarily interested in the development of European Presbyterianism. It is the foundation of Presbyterianism in America and throughout the entire world, To put it succinctly, this article will be a brief summary of the lives and ministries of four Reformers from 30,000 feet!
Setting the Stage: Why was the Reformation necessary?
The coat of arms and motto of Geneva, Switzerland
The central reason why the Reformation was necessary was for the recovery of the gospel. Without it, the church had become a place of darkness. The motto for the city of Geneva, Switzerland during the Reformation explains this viewpoint well; it declared, Post Tenebras Lux (Lat. “after darkness, light!”). Moreover, consider this analogy: The Medieval church had become like a giant ship whose hull had become so encrusted with barnacles and seaweed that it could barely move through the water. Instead of racing through the ocean at top speed, this ship (i.e. the church) had become so burdened with the excessive weight of the “traditions of men” that the gospel message was completely obscured. The only way for this situation to change for the better was for the “traditions of men” to be stripped away so that the gospel message in its simplicity could be known once again. To accomplish this the Lord raised-up godly men (i.e. the Reformers) who took the ship (the church) into a dry dock where they scraped the sides of the church getting rid of all that encumbered it. Once this was done, the church became like a freshly cleaned and painted ship that was able to race through the oceans at top speed once again. The famous Reformation scholar Roland Bainton echoes this sentiment by saying, “The Reformation was above all else a revival of religion. So much is this the case that some have looked upon it as the last great flowering of the piety of the Middle Ages.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546) and the German Reformation:
Martin Luther, the Father of the German Reformation
Who was Martin Luther? Certainly he must be remembered as that preeminent Protestant Reformer who recovered the true gospel and rescued the Christian church from its slavery to the “traditions of men.” He began his religious career as a well-meaning, but misguided Augustinian monk. God endowed him with a remarkably curious mind that searched after truth—not just philosophical truth, but “true truth” that would actually make a difference in changing lives. He found that life-giving “truth” in the pages of Holy Scripture. There he learned that all men and women are inveterate sinners who are unable to help themselves. He also learned that God graciously sent forth his Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for sins, and that God provided the “gift of faith” so that we could believe and trust in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This discovery brought about a fundamental change in Luther’s life so that he realized that he had been justified on the basis of Christ’s righteousness and not his own righteousness. In gratitude he dedicated himself to live to the glory of God. The Lord used him to begin a spiritual revolution in Germany, which spread throughout Europe and in time to the rest of the world. Luther’s defense of the gospel took place at the Diet of Worms in 1521 where he stubbornly affirmed, “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen.” He famously quarreled with Ulrich Zwingli over the nature of the Lord’s Supper. Luther also wrote against Desiderius Erasmus, the most well-regarded Roman Catholic scholar of the day. Luther took issue with Erasmus’ assertion that man has a free will when it comes to the matter of salvation. In contrast, Luther wrote in his famous treatise—The Bondage of the Will—that man is completely unable to contribute to his own salvation. Eternal salvation is totally dependent upon God’s free grace. A notable associate of Luther was Philip Melanchthon who helped to craft the Augsburg Confession in 1530 which propelled Luther’s theology throughout the centuries.
William Tyndale (c.1494–1536) and the English Reformation:
William Tyndale, the Father of the English Reformation
Long before the Reformation, God raised-up a significant individual to bring the Bible to England; his name was John Wycliffe (c.1329-1384). His Bible translation positively affected the spiritual well-being of his own country for over two centuries. In the early days of the Reformation, though, the Lord raised-up another intrepid Reformer to continue Wycliffe’s work; his name was William Tyndale. Little is known of Tyndale’s early life, however he had an innate gift for languages and it is reported that he became fluent in seven different ancient and foreign languages—Greek, Hebrew, Latin, German, Dutch, French, and Spanish! Tyndale attended Magdalen Hall at Oxford University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1512 and a Master of Arts in 1515. Later while teaching at Oxford he became deeply disturbed by the lack of Bible knowledge amongst his students and resolved to produce a new translation of the Bible. He famously quarreled with an English clergyman and said, “If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.” This kind of combative attitude offended the leaders of the English church, and in time Tyndale was treated as a trouble-maker, an outcast, and eventually as a heretic. He fled to the Netherlands and quietly continued his work of Bible translation. The normal way of getting copies of his Scriptures into England was to smuggle them into the country hidden in a bolt of fabric. Several sympathetic Dutch merchants assisted Tyndale in this effort. Despite the determination of the authorities in the English church to intercept these Bibles, copies of Tyndale’s work spread throughout England. Finally, while in the Netherlands Tyndale was betrayed by a fellow Englishman and captured by agents of King Henry VIII. After suffering in a dark and dank prison cell for seventeen months he was put to death by strangulation and his body was burned (1536). His final words were, “Lord open the King of England’s eyes!” In a short time, Tyndale’s prayer was answered and his associate, Miles Coverdale, was able to produce a translation of the Bible sponsored by the leader of the English Privy Council, Thomas Cromwell. Three years after Tyndale’s death The Great Bible—which is comprised mostly of Tyndale’s work—was published in 1539 and spread throughout the land. Tyndale has been rightly called “The Father of the English Reformation.”
John Calvin (1509-1564) and the Swiss Reformation:
John Calvin, Reformer of Switzerland and Western Europe
Many Christians today have distinct impressions of who John Calvin was, but most have never read a single line from his Institutes of the Christian Religion, or benefited from the careful exegesis found in his Commentaries on the Bible. In brief, it must be noted that the Reformer John Calvin has often been misinterpreted, misread, and misunderstood. He is, perhaps, best known for his views on the doctrines of election, predestination, and reprobation. He is also known for his pivotal role in the prosecution of the arch-heretic Michael Servetus who rejected the Trinity and the deity of Jesus Christ. But, none of these disconnected pieces of information can demonstrate, in my opinion, the true character of the man. And so, who really was John Calvin? Hughes O. Old, a noted scholar of Calvin’s life and theology, states the opinion that, “John Calvin is chiefly remembered as a biblical scholar and a systematic theologian.” While it is clear that Calvin distinguished himself through his theological writing and teaching ministry, he also was the preeminent pastor of the city of Geneva. After being tutored by Calvin, the Scottish Reformer John Knox stated that Geneva was “the most perfect school of Christ that ever was since the time of the Apostles.” Following Calvin’s death he was succeeded in Geneva by Theodore Beza. The spiritual children of Calvin are found amongst the French Huguenots, Dutch Reformed, English Puritans and Pilgrims, Scots-Irish Presbyterians, and especially amongst the Presbyterians of North America and Korea. In time, these disparate groups around the world became known as “Calvinists.” It is the Calvinists who acknowledge the sovereignty of God over all things, the covenantal relationship that God has with his people throughout history, and who emphasize the grace of God in salvation. Good works naturally follow the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, so that they are recognized as the “fruit” of salvation. Also, Calvinists identify their beliefs as a “Reformed theology.”
John Knox (c.1514-1572) and the Scottish Reformation:
John Knox, Reformer of Scotland
Briefly stated, John Knox was born in Scotland, attended classes at St. Andrews University, experienced a life-changing conversion to Jesus Christ at twenty-nine, and a call to the ministry shortly thereafter. Following a year-long exile in St. Andrew’s Castle due to civil war, Knox was enslaved by the French and forced to row all over the North Atlantic. He came close to death while in captivity, but in God’s kind providence he was released and became a diligent and esteemed pastor in England. During the reign of Mary Tudor (i.e. “Bloody Mary”) he fled to Europe, and while there he ministered to English exiles in Frankfurt, Germany and later in Geneva, Switzerland. Knox studied Bible and theology at the feet of John Calvin. He was a husband to Marjorie Bowes, and after her untimely death, to Margaret Stewart; he was a father to two sons and three daughters. In 1559 he returned to his native Scotland where he courageously advanced the cause of the Reformation as an evangelist and later as the pastor at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. By his preaching and teaching, he was able to bring virtually all of Scotland to a thorough-going knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and he engendered in the Scots a stalwart resolve to advance Christ’s Kirk (or, Church) here on earth. The rallying cry of the Scottish Presbyterians (i.e. the Covenanters) was “For Christ’s Crown and Covenant.” This motto is directly connected to the preaching of John Knox, but it also expresses how the Scots rejected the claim that a King or Queen could rule over Christ’s Church. Knox and his followers assert that only Jesus Christ is head of the Church (or Kirk). After his death, Knox became widely known as the author of his gripping book, The History of the Reformation in Scotland.
Note: Three additional names could be added to this brief summary–Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603), Andrew Melville (1545-1622), and Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661). Each man made significant contributions to the development and progress of early Presbyterianism in England and Scotland. In time, I intend to add them to this article. ~MJServen
The Westminster Assembly (1643–1649):
The Westminster Assembly (1643-1649)
The Westminster Confession of Faith was composed during a time of intense strife and armed conflict in England (1642-1660). The two warring parties—the Royalists who were led by King Charles I and his son Charles II, and the English Parliament which was dominated by the Puritans, Independents, and Oliver Cromwell—struggled over the theological reform of the Anglican Church and the right of the reigning monarch to impose a religious system upon the English people. The English Civil War arose from this contentious struggle. In the midst of this conflict the English Parliament urged the writing of a statement of faith that would more clearly reflect the doctrines of the Protestant Reformation. As a result, the Westminster Assembly was made up of English pastors, scholars, and laymen; which consisted of 121 Divines, 10 Lords, and 20 Commoners. Representatives of the Scottish Covenanters were also invited to participate in the debate and formulation of a new Confession of Faith. These sessions were held from July 1, 1643 through February 22, 1649 and took place in St. Margaret’s Chapel, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. Amongst its key documents are a Confession of Faith in thirty-three chapters with numerous proof-texts from Scripture, a Larger Catechism of 196 questions, a Shorter Catechism of 107 questions, a Directory for Public Worship, and a Form of Presbyterial Church Government. Later a Book of Discipline, based on the Second Book of Discipline (1578) crafted by Andrew Melville of Scotland, was added to the Book of Church Order by many Presbyterian denominations to establish a procedure for dealing with church discipline and for settling disputes within the church. A volume containing a metrical version of the Psalms was also approved by the Westminster Assembly to be used in congregational and family worship. The Westminster standards were adopted by the Church of Scotland in 1647 and by the English Parliament in 1649. They are the sole foundational documents for all Presbyterian Churches throughout the world, especially those that are English-speaking. Those who hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith assert that the Bible is the primary standard, and the Confession of Faith and its Catechisms are considered to be a secondary standard.
— The Westminster Confession of Faith & Presbyterianism click here
These three volumes are a good place to start for an exploration of the Reformation–they are readable, reliable, and full of interesting anecdotes!
Resources for Further Study:
Atherstone, Andrew. The Reformation: Faith and Flames. Oxford, England: The Lion Press, 2011.
Bainton, Roland. The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century. Boston, MA: The Beacon Press, 1952.
Daniel, David. William Tyndale: A Biography. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1994.
Dawson, Jane. John Knox. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015.
George, Timothy. Theology of the Reformers. Revised Edition. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2013.
Estep, William R. Renaissance & Reformation. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986.
Kelly, Douglas F. The Emergence of Liberty in the Modern World. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1992.
Kittelson, James M. Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and his Career. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986.
Letham, Robert. The Westminster Assembly: Reading its Theology in Historical Context. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2009.
Lindsey, Thomas M. The Reformation: A Handbook. First Published 1882; Edinburgh, Scotland: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2006.
Marshall, Peter, ed. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Reformation. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2015.
The Confession of Faith and Catechisms. American Edition (1788). Jointly published by Great Commission Publications (PCA) in Atlanta, GA, and the Committee on Christian Education (OPC) in Willow Grove, PA, 2005.
Westminster Confession of Faith. First Published in 1646; Glasgow, Scotland: Free Presbyterian Publications, 1946.
Vollmer, Philip. John Calvin: Man of the Millennium. San Antonio, TX: The Vision Forum Inc., 2008.
Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin
The Genevan Foundation – Copyright 2025 – All Rights Reserved
