Here I Stand

In 1975, while doing my degree in Theology, for its History component I read Roland Bainton’s 1950’s account of Luther’s appearance at the Diet (Council) of Worms in 1521. The book was called “Here I Stand.” Its impact on me was enduring, and I here recount some of its content. In the current crisis the story is well worth your time to consider.

By 1521, Martin Luther (1483–1546) had become the leading voice of the Reformation. Studying the Scriptures in their original languages, the Augustinian monk, who became a professor of biblical theology at the University of Wittenberg, arrived at two major conclusions, both enforced by Paul’s theology. First, that the justification of the sinner is based on God’s grace and accepted by the sinner by faith; this idea translated into the Protestant Reformation principles of sola gratia and sola fide (solely by grace and faith alone.) Second, that the Scriptures constitute the self-sufficient revelation of God and that the Bible, not the church, council, or pope, is the only, and final, rule of faith and authority in the church. This idea was encapsulated into the sola scriptura (the Bible only) principle of the Reformation. While these ideas were increasingly shaping up in Luther’s mind, Johann Tetzel’s sale of indulgences, that could buy people out of purgatory, near Wittenberg inspired Luther to rise against flagrant corruption in the church by publishing his famous Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517. He nailed these to the church door at Wittenberg.  However, instead of witnessing a wave of deep reformation in the church, Luther was confronted with a tsunami of attacks aimed at breaking and silencing him. By the time of the 1518 Diet of Augsburg, Luther already regarded Scripture as the sole basis for faith, morality, and theology. However, caught between his growing popularity in Germany and high pressure from the Papacy, Luther agreed in 1519 not to publish his views if his opponents would refrain from attacking him. But when, in 1520, he came under repeated attack, Luther decided to let his calls for a profound reformation of the church go fully public. Luther published a series of pamphlets as a result. 

In these pamphlets, the Reformer used the Scriptures to debunk (1) the papal claim to absolute authority over the church and world through its hierarchy and (2) the church’s claim to control God’s grace through its sacraments and priesthood. Instead, Luther proposed that the church needed to return to the principle of the priesthood of all believers, who have direct access to God and His grace through their faith. The church of Rome responded via Pope Leo X’s 1520 bull, Exsurge Domine (arise, O Lord), in which the pope identified some 41 alleged theological errors in Luther’s writings. Luther was excommunicated in the same year, and his books were ordered to be burned. Luther responded in kind: when the papal bull reached his place in December of 1520, he burned it publicly. The tense situation turned into an open war. Charles V, the new emperor, attempted to bring order in his domain by summoning Luther to the Diet (counsel) in the spring of 1521, in the Imperial Free City of Worms (close to the city of Frankfurt), where Luther would be required to answer for his views and his actions.

 The Reformer was to travel, and attend the Diet, under the protection of Frederick of Saxony, the founder of the University of Wittenberg and a defender of Luther. Luther was well motivated to fight for God, as illustrated in his exclamation before traveling to Worms: “I will enter Worms under the banner of Christ against the gates of hell.”(Bainton p179). Luther arrived at Worms on April 16, 1521, and was ordered to appear before the Diet at four o’clock in the afternoon of the following day. On April 17, Luther was brought before the Diet. The presider proceeded directly to questioning Luther as to whether the books arranged on a desk were his and whether he was ready to recant the views written in them. Realizing the cruciality of the moment and its impact on the future of the gospel, Luther hesitated and requested additional time for consideration. His request was granted, and he returned to the Diet on April 18, at six o’clock in the afternoon. His appearance and voice differed from the day before: he was well composed, and his voice sounded strong  and confident. After acknowledging that the books piled up before him were authored by him, the Reformer explained that he could not recant the ideas in those books because they fell into three categories, each of which held truths that he could not recant: (1) proclaiming general Christian teachings, (2) denouncing the corruption of the Papacy that was oppressing the German nation, and (3) exposing the corruption of certain individuals. For this reason, Luther requested to be shown his errors by Scripture and not by ecclesiastical mandates. The presider rebuked Luther for claiming Scripture as the final authority, pointing out that the church would be exposed to shame if it were found in error after so many centuries. For this reason, the presider then challenged Luther to give a direct answer to the question of whether he was renouncing his works and his teachings. Luther’s ringing voice proclaimed the famous answer: “Since then 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 and 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. God help me. Amen.”—Bainton, p. 185.

 Luther’s stand before the Diet of Worms was a courageous act: he stood up for truth, for the gospel, for God, and for the salvation of humanity. When one sincere, Spirit-filled, devoted Christian stands up for Christ, the whole world changes. Also, Luther did not make his defense loudly or unnaturally. He took his stand in faith. He did not speak based on his own power or schemes; he went to Worms as one already condemned to death. But Luther spoke as Christ’s soldier, covered in the armour of God. The battle he went to fight was not his battle. It was God’s battle. All he needed to say was “Here I stand,” and God changed the course of history forever.