On April 18, 1521, three and a half years after he nailed the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Martin Luther made his historic stand at the Diet (official meeting) in the German city of Worms (pronounced “Vorms”). Accused of fostering heresy, he was directed by Charles V and other leaders to recant his teaching about the pure Gospel or face death.
Luther concluded with this statement to the Diet: “Since then your serene majesty and your lordships seek a simple answer, I will give it in this manner, neither horned nor toothed: Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.
“I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me, Amen” (LW 32:112-13).
Come, join us on Sunday April 18, 2021, as we commemorate the 500th anniversary of Luther’s defiant defense of the pure Gospel.