Martin Luther was a German priest whose criticism of the Roman Catholic Church initiated the Reformation and the establishment of Protestantism. As professor at the University of Wittenburg, he compiled the 95 Theses that attacked the church for actions such as selling indulgences, and spreading the belief that salvation is attainable through good acts alone. He denied the authority of the pope, rejected Catholic iconography, and disputed theories such as transubstantiation. Widespread discontent with the state of the church was set alight by Luther's criticisms, thus resulting in a call for reform.

In 1520, Luther published three celebrated wo

Martin Luther, Voltaire, and Christopher Marlowe are three men that epitomize a time period of great religious persecution, reform, and uncertainty. Although they were all from different countries, much of their literature resonates a single tenet: a firm belief is essential. Luther advocated belief in a simplified style of religion, Voltaire advocated belief in religious tolerance and a universal brotherhood, and Marlowe advocated the belief that despite one's religion, one's actions must be accounted for. These men are three of the more important figures in religious criticism and reform.

His first and most ambitious work, the Essay on General History and on the Customs and the Character of Nations, was published in 1756. This piece of literature exemplifies Voltaire's contempt for theories of supernaturalism and the political power of the papacy. With equal fervor, he attacked the church's control over the common man. By standing up for the common man and placing himself in the shoes of peasant, Voltaire became a spokesman for the poor and downtrodden. As he grew older, he wrote against tyranny and religious persecution with unmatched audacity.

rks to broadcast his views on religion and the church. In his Address to the Christian Nobility, he invited the German princes to take the reform of the church into their own hands; in A Prelude Concerning the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, he attacked the overwhelming importance placed by the papacy on the sacraments; and in The Freedom of a Christian, he stated his position on justification and good works. After The Freedom of a Christian was published, the Catholic Church attempted to force Luther to recant on his statements. As religious legend has it, Luther refused to recant his beliefs by stating: "Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise ."

The time period in which Doctor Faustus was written and initially performed was a transition period in both religious and social realms. During this time period, the Protestant Reformation was sweeping through

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