Luther Reforms

This dramatic monologue presents Martin Luther as he passionately reflects on the need for church reform in 1517. He begins by questioning whether society has progressed enough to break free from outdated religious traditions. Luther criticizes Rome’s corruption, emphasizing how the entrenched system benefits the powerful while leaving common people powerless.

He shares his spiritual struggles, detailing his attempts to earn God’s favor through fasting, confession, and devotion to saints—only to realize that salvation comes through faith, not works.

Cast: 1 (monolog)

Bible Reference: Romans 15:19

Set: standard

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 25

Sample of script:

Actor comes on stage.

Reform. Reorganization. Restructuring. Renewal. Words. Only words.

Has not man progressed sufficiently in this, the year 1517, that we should not remain slave to outmoded practices from the past? Surely Rome knows in their heart of hearts that change, reform, is long overdue. Yet the system is so entrenched that no one in power wishes to upset a system that makes them rich. And those not in power have not this much, (snaps fingers), input.

The many efforts at reform have done so little. Councils have created some better laws, but laws are neither kept nor enforced. We are truly in an enlightened age, as the invention of the printing press has spread learning, but, it seems, men have not grown wise. Erasmus, Ximenes, and others have tried, and I grant you, they have accomplished much, yet the face of the Church is still soiled.

Of all reformers of the church, none wanted to confront or destroy the Holy Roman Catholic Church less than I, Martin Luther. My wish was to develop close friendship with God. Always the belief in my mind has been: “Man is little, God is great. Man is evil, God is good. And because God is good he must be angry with the evil in man. And because he is great his anger is dreadful.” Even Christ seemed little more than an uncaring traffic director, seated on some rainbow, sending the saved to heaven and the damned to hell.

Make no mistake; I gave my all to meet the demands of God and Christ. I have fasted until my very cheeks caved in; I have confessed my sins for six hours without ceasing. But I came to see that man will never gain a claim on God, since man's goodness, even at best, is not worthy to satisfy the Almighty, All-holy One. And certainly, never good enough to make up for wrong already done. In desperation, I turned to the Virgin Mary and all the other saints for help, hoping they might use their extra goodness to cover my deficit. But I learned that no human has any extra goodness. And I discovered no one can stand before God unless first he be called by God, and be forgiven and healed through the suffering, the love, the power of Jesus Christ. It is left to man to believe and trust in what God has done. It is as Paul said: “we are saved by faith and not by works.”

I am a monk, and have tried to be a good one. As well as teaching at university, I preach in the little German town of Wittenberg. It has come to my attention that the members of my congregation are buying indulgences from the church in Rome. Thus, poor German people with little or no possessions are required to sustain the pope and his supporters, all of whom had grown rich through years of this tradition. I am shocked with the very idea of indulgences. The indulgence is supposed to release dead persons from years of purgatory by transferring to them extra credits of the saints. Yet the Bible clearly states that no one has any extra credits. So, in order to initiate dialogue, I have, as custom dictates, written down my ideas and affixed them to my Wittenberg church door. Some have said I have no conception of the chain of events I set in motion by this action.

In what do I believe? I believe that what is clearly indicated in the Bible. I believe there is no such thing as a treasury of stored-up credits; and if there were, the pope should use it to empty purgatory. And although I admit not to knowing all about God’s plan for purgatory, clearly there should be no charge for the forgiveness of sins or for the reduction of penalties. It is preposterous to expect that the poor German people should finance the rebuilding of the church of Saint Peter in Rome.

I hoped my comments on the church door would initiate debate by university leaders and churchmen on the concept of indulgences. But now all Germany is discussing the issue. The Ninety-five Theses I wrote were translated into German and duplicated on the printing press. I expect few Germans understand all that I am trying to say, but they do understand that the money from the sale of indulgences is going out of Germany to Rome. They can grasp the image of Christ driving out the money-changers while the pope receives their hard-earned money.

The pope, while realizing the severity of the matter, was slow in doing anything, as he did not wish to anger the German princes. Perhaps things might have quieted down had I not been led in a debate to attack the power of the pope himself. I made the statement that popes may be wrong, as only the Bible is always right. But if the Bible alone is to be followed, then the Church should give up what the Bible does not teach.

I disagree with the church on the issue of Mass. The Bible teaches a Lord's Supper, not Mass. Christ said, "This is my body," meaning the bread is already his body, not that the bread becomes his body when a priest says certain words. Christ said, "Drink ye, all of it," meaning everyone should take the wine, not only the priest. Nor did the Bible indicate that the sacraments could be said only in Latin. Why not in German?

Now, as to the use of sacraments, Christ did not implement seven sacraments, only two: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The other five are not sacraments. This does not necessarily mean they are all to be curtailed, although, some such as extreme unction for the dying, may well be. Marriage is not to be given up, even if it is not to be a sacrament. Marriage is not a sacrament since marriage holds among all peoples, whereas sacraments belong solely to Christians.

So, then, marriage should be kept, monasteries given up. Monks, nuns, and clergymen should be free to marry as they wish. In ancient times when the entire world was the brunt of barbarian invasions, there was merit in leaving the world, in living in monasteries. But now, Europe being a Christian society, let Christians remain in the world to do that work to which God has called them, whether as shoemakers, teachers, rulers, and even priests.

You ask how such a reform of the Church is to be carried out? The pope will not do it. Some bishops might, many will not. Just as the papacy in its beginnings was helped by the State, so now must we, in pursuing reform, turn to the State. Bear in mind, however, that the State I speak of is not the sadly divided Holy Roman Empire, which is unquestioningly on the side of resisting change in the Holy Catholic Church. The State from which we will receive our support is the diminutive German state of Saxony. We acknowledge that Frederick the Wise, prince of Saxony, runs the risk of being punished by Emperor Charles V. Charles is a sincere Catholic, who would rather lose his lands than have them tainted by heresy.

Want to see how the story unfolds? DramaShare members get this complete script— and access to our entire library—free! Not a member? You can still grab this individual script and bring it to life.