The Babylonian Captivity of the Church

Regimen Books Christian Classics publishes high-quality texts of important books. Each includes an informative, insightful introduction written today by an expert. The year 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of one of the most important events in history. In 1517 in Wittenberg, the German monk and theologian Martin Luther posted on the door of the town’s church his “Ninety-Five Theses.” The event lit the match that ignited the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s The Babylonian Captivity of the Church struck at the core of the doctrines of the Catholic Church and stands as an immensely important point in the ongoing reformation of the church. At the heart of the book was Luther’s criticism of the Catholic sacramental system. Basing his arguments on Scripture, Luther rejected Church practices and traditions that had been instituted over the centuries. Luther’s arguments over the sacraments have influenced, over the centuries, the doctrines of not only the Catholic Church but also of the Orthodox Church and Protestant denominations. They still resonate today in the beliefs of Christians worldwide.