With All the Pages Open: Rethinking Martin Luther and the Reformation

I recently watched a documentary on Martin Luther—not to argue with it, but to understand it. As someone who strives to be open-minded, I’ve always believed in listening before judging. Luther’s bold stand against the abuses of the Catholic Church in 1517 is often seen as the birth of the Reformation. And rightly so. He challenged the sale of indulgences, exposed clerical greed, and reminded Christians that salvation is a gift from God—not something to be bought or bartered.

But history, if we’re honest, is rarely black and white.

Lately, I’ve also found myself in a number of intense online conversations—particularly with aggressive anti-Catholic “faith defenders” who love to quote Scripture while condemning Catholic teachings. Ironically, they trace their beliefs back to Martin Luther, the very founder of Protestantism, often without realizing the full story of the man himself. So I took a step back to explore his life—not just his theology.

✦ The Gist of the 95 Theses

Luther’s 95 Theses—nailed to a church door in Wittenberg—called out the abuse of indulgences, which were being sold as if salvation could be bought. His main points were:

• True repentance is internal, not purchased.

• The Pope has no power over purgatory or eternal forgiveness.

• Indulgence sales distort the Gospel and lead people away from true faith.

• If the Pope has power to release souls, he should do so out of love—not for money.

  
  

Luther wanted a theological debate. He didn’t intend to break the Church—but his words sparked a firestorm that led to a split. He started with a sincere cause. And yet, like many human movements, the story didn’t end with untainted purity.

✦ The Peasants’ War: When Luther Chose Power Over People

By 1525, many German peasants, inspired by Luther’s teachings on Christian freedom, rose up against their oppressive rulers. They weren’t just revolting for political gain—they sincerely believed Luther’s Reformation included liberation from feudal injustice.

But when the uprising turned violent, Luther turned his back on them. In his harsh pamphlet Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants, he called on princes to crush them mercilessly. Over 6,000 peasants were killed.

The man who once stood bravely against papal authority now stood with the political powers of his day.

He chose the protection of his Reformation over the cries of the poor.

✦ From Reform to Replication

This shift raises difficult questions.

Was Luther really different from the corrupt popes he denounced?The Pope sold salvation through indulgences.Luther offered spiritual freedom—then withdrew it when it became politically inconvenient. One abused papal power. The other weaponized theology.Different robes, same pattern.

Revolutionaries, when clutched by fear or power, often become gatekeepers of the very control they once fought against.

✦ Reform or Revolt? Why One Man’s Edits to the Bible Still Matter Today

In trying to understand the passion behind Protestant objections, I took a deeper look into the origins of their theology. And what I found made me ask questions many modern Christians avoid.

Because somewhere along the way, Martin Luther’s reform turned into revolt.

And one of his most daring moves in Christian history?He changed the Bible.

Yes. The man who accused the Church of adding to Scripture is the same man who removed books, rewrote verses, and rejected centuries of Spirit-led discernment.

✦ Who Gave Martin Luther the Authority to Change the Bible?

The Bible wasn’t invented in the 1500s. It was prayerfully discerned over centuries by early Church Fathers, bishops, and theologians—united in councils and guided by the Holy Spirit. The canon of Scripture was settled as early as 393 A.D. at the Council of Hippo and reaffirmed in 397 A.D. at the Council of Carthage.

The same Catholic Church that critics now call “unbiblical” is the very Church that compiled, preserved, and protected the Bible.

So when Luther removed seven Old Testament books (the Deuterocanon), it wasn’t a return to biblical purity—it was a personal revision of sacred tradition.

✦ “My Will is Reason Enough” — A Closer Look

Let’s be clear: Luther didn’t just remove books. He added a word to Romans 3:28, changing:

“We hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law”into:“We are justified by faith alone.”

The word “alone” is not in the original Greek. When questioned about it, Martin Luther unapologetically responded:

“Dr. Martin Luther will have it so… my will is reason enough.”

This statement was not metaphorical. It was literal—and deeply alarming. It unveils a critical turning point where personal conviction overtook ecclesial discernment and centuries of sacred tradition.

It wasn’t humility. It was hubris.

Luther, who criticized the Church for allegedly adding to Scripture, now claims the authority to alter the Word of God because he willed it. This wasn’t a theological clarification—it was a doctrinal takeover rooted in self-assuredness.

Imagine the weight of such a claim: that one man’s “will” was sufficient to modify divine revelation, sidestepping the Church Fathers, the councils, the saints, the martyrs, and even the apostolic traditions that preceded him.

This isn’t reform—it’s self-exaltation.

Even the apostles themselves submitted to the authority of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul didn’t preach a gospel “of his own will”—he went to Jerusalem to consult with Peter and the other apostles (Galatians 2:1–2) to ensure he was not running in vain.

And yet Luther, in a single sentence, elevated his will over centuries of prayerful discernment and Spirit-led unity.

This quote matters. Because it shows us the spirit behind the so-called “Reformation” wasn’t just about correcting abuses. It became a movement where the authority of self began replacing the authority of the Church.

✦ A Church Founded by Christ vs. A Theology Built on Ego

Yes, the Church has sinners. Scandals. Failures. But the perfection of the Church does not rest on the moral performance of its members. The Church is perfect because:

Jesus is the Church.

He is the Bridegroom.

She is His Bride.

The Church is holy not because of who leads it—but because of Who founded it.

“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

The Catholic Church never claimed her popes and priests were sinless—but she never changed the Bible, and never claimed private authority over the Word of God. Her teachings come from Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium, safeguarded through apostolic succession for over 2,000 years.

While our saints and martyrs chose to die in the name of Christ and their faith, Martin Luther chose the protection of his Reformation over the cries of the poor.

When the peasants—many of whom were inspired by Luther’s own words—rose up seeking justice, he didn’t offer his life for them. He condemned them. In his 1525 pamphlet “Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants”, Luther called for the princes to smite, slay, and stab the rebels, comparing them to mad dogs and saying rebellion must be crushed with the sword.

Jesus died on the Cross to redeem mankind and reunite us with God. He sacrificed Himself for sinners. If Luther had truly believed his cause was of God, would he not have risked himself to protect those who believed in it?

A true Christian does not call for the death of others—especially not the poor and oppressed. That is not Christlike. That is not reform. That is not of God.

✦ Why It Still Matters Today

Many modern-day anti-Catholic voices condemn “unbiblical traditions” while quoting Scripture from a Bible their movement altered.

So yes—we should talk about what Martin Luther did.

Not to start fights, but to ask the deeper questions.

Because once you know the truth, it’s hard to unsee it.

✦ Did You Know?

Even among early Protestant reformers, there was no unity:

• Ulrich Zwingli denied the Real Presence and banned images and music in churches.

• John Calvin pushed predestination and strict theocracy.

• John Knox brought Presbyterianism to Scotland with an anti-Catholic agenda.

• King Henry VIII, once called Defender of the Faith, broke from Rome not for doctrine—but for a divorce.

  
  

Yet all of them used a Bible given to them by the Catholic Church—and reinterpreted it to match their agendas.

✦ Honest Reflection as a Catholic

Let me be clear: I’m not writing this to throw stones. We Catholics don’t pretend our Church is spotless. Scandals, corruption, and failure? Yes—they happened. And they still do. But the difference is this:

• We don’t follow the Church because her leaders are perfect.

• We follow her because Christ is perfect—and He never left her.

• Jesus didn’t choose perfect apostles. He chose sinners and transformed them by grace.

• The holiness of the Church flows from Him, not from human merit.

So yes, there are wounds. But the wounds are not the Church. The wounds are ours, waiting to be healed by the one true Physician.

✦ Final Thought

Martin Luther’s story is not just a chapter in history. It’s a mirror.

It reminds us that even well-intentioned reform can go astray.

It asks whether we will stand for justice, truth, and mercy—even when it costs us.

And it challenges all Christians—Catholic or not—to ask:

Are we truly following Christ?

Or are we just echoing someone else’s protest?

Because if we’re going to talk about truth, reform, and authority...

Let’s do it with all the pages open.