Eleven years after pinning his his ninety five theses on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany, Martin Luther wrote a letter a friend telling him that he was warn down by frequently being challenged and attacked.

Intrepret the letter in today’s language and the monk who challenged the Catholic Church and kick started the reformation is telling his friend that he is suffering from depression and is thanking him for his support.

The letter was discovered in the many documents within Manchester’s John Rylands Museum and forms the centrepiece of a new exhibition which marks the five hundredth anniversary of the moment in time that through a of events that changed the course of history forever.

In October 1517, German monk and scholar Martin Luther began questioning the Catholic Church, particularly for its sale of ‘indulgences’, or sins that could be forgiven – for a price.

Luther may have remained a little-known scholar but for the fact that his words took shape in printed form, reaching thinkers all over the world – including radical scholar William Tyndale, and one of history’s most notorious monarchs, King Henry VIII.

Luther’s theses gained traction from the development of the printing press, the original document, if indeed it ever existed , and some scholars argued that it hadn’t, has never been discovered, but it was printed before the end of the year.

A pamphlet printed in Basle arrived in England, the impact surprised Luther and he began to write more publications.This is on show here, one of the few copies in the UK included in a case with an indulgence, dated 7th March 1455 printed by Gutenberg.This particular one was written to raise money for a crusade to take back Constantinople from the Ottomans.

In 1520 Luther was declared a heretic by the Pope, Luther burned the papal bull in the town square and then
called before the Holy Roman Emperor, was declared an outlaw.

Hiwever he would continue to publish in Latin and German translated into many other languages including English.

By that same year there are records of a bookseller selling Luther’s works in Britain. Henry VIII banned his work and wrote a denunciation of his writing, defending the seven sacraments, written in Latin.

A copy of the book is here, this version presented by Henry to the King of Denmark, again this was discovered by the Library while researching for the anniversary and is only one of two parchment books in the exhibition

The book would gain Henry the title of Defender of the Faith  from the Pope.

Luther inspired many followers of whom William Tyndale was the best known, forced though to flee the country settling in Antwerp, where he translates the New Testament into English.

Copies were smuggled back into England, it was illegal to own, those found were confiscated and burnt. Later the consequences of the Reformation would see not only books, but people would also burn for their beliefs

The translation was made in today’s language user friendly and would be used in the later King James Bible.

Tyndale though would interpret the Latin and change the context, using his version to promote his own ideas of the faith particularly to attack the Pope.

The Exhibition also contains Luther’s own interpretation of Bible.On show here is the a page from the book of his Revelation, complete with his illustration equating the Pope with the whore of Babylon.

As we know Henry would break with Rome, but he would not immediately move to the Protestant camp, instead remaining a Conservative trying to marry the two sides of the argument

For Tyndale, this would lead to capture in 1535, imprisonment for a year before being burnt at the stake.

Twenty years of religious would follow during the reign of Edward VI and Mary which would see the County teeter between the two sides of the debate.

When Elizabeth I came to the throne, Protestantism would become the religion of England and John Fox would produce his Book of Martrys, of which Tyndale would be one of many.

The fifty edition is on display here.

Much like the digital communications revolution of the 21st century, the invention of the printing press meant that news, ideas and opinions could spread rapidly across the globe,” said Lead Curator Julianne Simpson, the Library’s Rare Books and Maps Manager.

“It’s been fascinating to delve into these three characters and explore how their radical ideas and actions changed our society.”

Julianne says that she wants people to reflect on the consequences of the reformation, Europe would be split almost geographically between the old and the new.

Protestant Refugees would travel to England, one of the things they would bring to Manchester would be weaving skills that would have an impacts on the future city.

Julianne added: “I’m sure our visitors will be intrigued by the items in the exhibition. We want them to discover why the Reformation happened, and we also hope they take the time to reflect on the impact of the Reformation and how it has shaped the modern world 500 years later.”

The Reformation runs from 7 September, until 4 March next year at the John Ryland’s Library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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