Although Luther’s father had been a copper miner, he studied at the Erfurt University, joining a monastic order to become an Augustinian friar. After being ordained in 1507, he lectured at the Wittenberg University, becoming a Doctor of Divinity in 1512. It was two years before this, however, that upon visiting Rome as a Augustinian monk, that he became aware of the indulgences sold to allow living and dead escape or get out of purgatory as well as all the other forms of corruption there! It was on the 31st of October, 1517, a famous day in Church History, that he pinned his 95 thesis on the church door protesting the evils within the church. It as at this stage that he came to a saving knowledge of God, realizing by reading the verse ‘The just shall live by faith’. He realized at that moment that it is not anything we do that can save us but simply accepting salvation by faith. As can be imagined he was eventually excommunicated, had to flee for his life and was opposed by Pope Leo X. Achievements of Luther was his translating the Bible into German so that the ordinary people could read it, his stand against the Pope and the evils in the church making him known across Europe in his time and the other books, hymns and pamphlets written by him. His brave stand had a great impact on the Reformation.