What the Protestant Reformation Really Was — and Wasn’t

What the Protestant Reformation Really Was — and Wasn’t

The Protestant Reformation is often portrayed as a bold stand against a corrupt Church. But from a Catholic perspective, the truth is more sobering: it was not simply a reform, but a break from the Church Christ founded, resulting in theological error, wounded unity, and lasting confusion. Yes, the Church needed reform — but the Reformers chose revolt over renewal, and that choice changed Christian history.

Even more startling, Martin Luther himself claimed to have spoken with Satan — not figuratively, but literally. While that may sound unbelievable to modern ears, these claims are well-documented in his own writings and in testimonies recorded by his followers. These experiences were not just personal — they had a direct impact on his rejection of the Catholic Church.

 

Yes, the Church Needed Reform

By the early 1500s, parts of the Church were in serious need of renewal. Some clergy were corrupt, indulgences were abused, and many faithful Catholics were under-catechized. But these were not errors in doctrine — they were moral failures, caused by human weakness and sin.

The Church had already begun reform efforts. Saints like St. Catherine of Siena, St. Bernardine of Siena, and St. John of Capistrano had all preached reform and personal holiness. The need for purification was real — but the Church itself, founded by Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, remained faithful in its doctrine and sacraments.

 

Martin Luther: A Troubled Conscience and Dark Voices

Martin Luther, a German monk and theology professor, was deeply tormented by scrupulosity — the obsessive fear of never being good enough for God. Instead of turning to the mercy of Christ through the sacraments, he eventually rejected the Church’s authority and formulated new doctrines to ease his distress.

What many don’t realize is that Luther claimed to have had direct conversations with the devil — and this is not a legend, but something found in Luther’s own writings and recollections. For example:

“When I was celebrating Mass in private, the devil said to me, ‘God does not want you to offer this Mass. It is enough. You are not a priest forever.’”1

Rather than rejecting this as a demonic temptation, Luther accepted it as revelation — and it helped form his denial of the Mass as a sacrifice and the priesthood as a sacrament.

In his famous Table Talk, recorded by his students and followers, Luther said:

“The devil often assails me with this argument: ‘How if your doctrine is false and erroneous?’”2

In another account, Luther threw an inkwell at the devil while living in Wartburg Castle. This story, though colorful, was confirmed by multiple visitors and noted in several early biographies.3 For Luther, these were not just figures of speech — they were part of his lived spiritual battle, and they directly influenced his theological decisions.

 

From Scrupulosity to Schism

Luther’s spiritual torment led him to create a new theology centered on:

Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)

— rejecting Sacred Tradition and the Church’s authority

Sola Fide (faith alone)

— denying that good works, done in grace, play any role in salvation

Denial of the sacraments

— rejecting five of the seven sacraments, especially the Eucharist and confession

Rejection of the papacy

— refusing the authority Christ gave to Peter and his successors

 

From the Catholic standpoint, these are not just alternative views — they are theological errors. The Catechism affirms that Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium form one sacred deposit of faith.4 And salvation, while a gift, requires cooperation with grace (Philippians 2:12; James 2:24).

 

The Catholic Response: True Reform

In response to the crisis, the Church called the Council of Trent (1545–1563). This was no reactionary clampdown — it was a Spirit-guided, global renewal. The Council:

  • Clarified doctrine on the Eucharist, justification, and the sacraments
  • Reformed seminary training and clerical discipline
  • Condemned the errors of the Reformers without condemning every criticism

It was during this time that the Church saw a great flowering of saints:

Unlike Luther, these saints experienced spiritual battles — even demonic attacks — but they responded with greater obedience to Christ and deeper fidelity to the Church.

 

The Fruits: Unity Lost, Truth Fragmented

Jesus prayed “that they may all be one” (John 17:21). The Reformation shattered that unity. Today, there are tens of thousands of Protestant denominations, many teaching contradictory doctrines. This is not the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church — despite human weaknesses — remains one in faith, sacraments, and apostolic authority. The Catechism teaches that the Church “subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter” and possesses the “fullness of the means of salvation.”5

 

Conclusion: The Real Reformation Is Holiness

From a Catholic perspective, the Reformation was a tragedy. Yes, the Church needed renewal. But the answer was not to rebel or create new doctrines — especially ones shaped by what a man believed the devil told him.

“Outside the Church there is no salvation because salvation is the Church.” — St. Cyprian of Carthage6

True reform comes through the saints, not the schismatics. Luther chose to break away. The saints chose to stay — and transform the Church from within.

The Church continues to invite all Christians home, not to an institution of man, but to the Body of Christ, full of truth, grace, and unity.

 

Footnotes

  1. Martin Luther, Table Talk, ed. Theodore G. Tappert, Fortress Press, 1967, p. 272. ↩
  2. Ibid., p. 281. ↩
  3. Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther, Abingdon Press, 1950, pp. 225–226. ↩
  4. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §97–100. ↩
  5. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §816. ↩
  6. St. Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church, c. AD 251. ↩
Back