Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507. He came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; in particular, he disputed the view on indulgences. Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517. His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Holy Roman Emperor.
the movement can not be not be attributed to the actions of one man alone. Discontent with the Catholic Church had been rising within the European population for a long time. The poor were unhappy at the wealth of the Church and the way that having more money meant that people could essentially buy their way into being deemed a ';better' Catholic. The rich were jealous of the power and influence that the Pope and clergy held in society.
