What was the Catholic Church's initial reaction to Luther?

The Catholic Church initially reacted to Martin Luther with condemnation, excommunication, and attempts to suppress his teachings.

When Martin Luther first began to publicly criticise the Catholic Church in the early 16th century, the Church's initial reaction was one of condemnation. Luther's Ninety-Five Theses, which he reportedly nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517, challenged the Church's practice of selling indulgences and questioned the absolute authority of the Pope. This was seen as a direct attack on the Church's power and authority.

The Church's first formal response to Luther came in the form of a papal bull, or official papal letter, issued by Pope Leo X in 1520. The bull, titled 'Exsurge Domine', condemned 41 of Luther's 95 theses as heretical and gave him 60 days to recant his teachings. When Luther refused to recant and instead publicly burned the papal bull, he was excommunicated from the Church in January 1521.

The Church also attempted to suppress Luther's teachings and prevent their spread. This was done through the use of censorship, with the Church banning the printing and distribution of Luther's works. However, the advent of the printing press made it difficult for the Church to control the spread of Luther's ideas, and his teachings quickly gained a large following.

In addition to these measures, the Church also sought to discredit Luther and his teachings. Church officials publicly criticised Luther, portraying him as a heretic and a threat to the Church and society. They also sought to undermine his credibility by questioning his interpretation of the Bible and his theological arguments.

Despite these efforts, the Church was unable to suppress Luther's teachings or prevent the spread of the Protestant Reformation. Luther's ideas resonated with many people who were dissatisfied with the Church's practices and corruption, and his teachings led to a major schism in the Church that had lasting impacts on European society and history.