Reformation

The David is created

Nov 17, 1502

Michelangelo begins his famous sculpture, The David, and completes his work in 1504. The masterpiece is a renaissance sculpture that measures 17 feet high and portrays the Biblical hero, David, who defeated the giant Goliath in a short battleof faith and wit.

Luther becomes a monk

Jun 1, 1505

While traveling from his parent's house, Luther was nearly struck by lightning in a terrible thunderstorm. He prayed to St. Anne for safety, promising that in return, he will commit to being a monk his whole life. Returning home unharmed, he felt he should stick to his promise and became a monk. He joined the Black Monastery in Erfurt and became an Augustinian Hermit about two weeks later.

Henry the VIII becomes King

Apr 22, 1509

Henry the Eighth's father, Henry VII, passes away. At only 18 years of age, Henry VIII is coronated. He was a handsome king, who later became the figure of the plump, balding, red-bearded man we think of today.

King Henry VIII marries Katherine of Aragon

Jun 11, 1509

King Henry VIII marries Katherine of Aragon, his first wife, who gave birth to his first son, Henry, in January two years later. The child died to months later, starting the cycle of unseccessful births the couple will experience together.

95 Theses are written and nailed

Oct 31, 1517

Luther writes and nails his 95 Theses full of grievences to the Catholic Church on the church doors. This occurred due to Luther's impatience and frustration towards the way the Catholic Church ran things, including accepting Indulgences from believers who desired santification.

Luther's Trial

Jan 3, 1521

Luther was exiled and a trial was set for him in 1521, at which the Church pressured Luther to take back all he said. Luther refused and was condemned to where anybody was free to kill him without penalty. Luther’s friends hid him and took him to the castle at Wartburg where he translated the Bible into German.

Diet of Worms

Jan 28, 1521

Luther asked to retract his opinion that he put out so openly into the public, which he refused to do. Held at Worms, Germany, Roman Emperor Charles V conducted the Diet of Worms from January 28 to May 25.

Luther's health declines

Nov 17, 1531

He begins complaining of dizziness, weakness, and ringing in his years. His symptoms progress over the next couple of years, and at one point he stops preaching for 8 weeks due to the painful side effects.

Nicholas Copernicus esttablishes Heliocentric theory

Jan 1, 1543

The Polish monk Nicholas Copernicus publishes his book On the Revolution of the Heavenly Bodies, which replaced the traditional geocentric, or earth-centered, picture of the cosmos with the heliocentric, sun-centered, theory, which is how we view our solar system today.

Martin Luther dies

Feb 18, 1546

Martin Luther passes away due to natural causes, which is surprising, seeing as how he had been constantly escpaing conviction his whole life. The last words he ever wrote were, "Know that no one can have indulged in the Holy Writers sufficiently, unless he has governed churches for a hundred years with the prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha, John the Baptist, Christ and the apostles... We are beggars: this is true."

Calvinism

Nov 17, 1550

Calvinism, a theological system and an approach to the Christian life, becomes the dominant protestant religion in Europe. Created by John Calvin, a french reformer, this system can be summarized in the 5 Points of Calvinism: "Total depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistable Grace, and Perserverence of the Saints."