Light

Priesthood of All Believers

Definition

The Priesthood of All Believers is a concept in Christianity, particularly emphasized by Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation, that asserts all Christians have direct access to God and can interpret the Bible for themselves without needing an intermediary like a priest.

Related terms

Martin Luther: A German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk and seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation who strongly advocated for the concept of 'Priesthood of All Believers'.

Protestant Reformation: A major 16th century European movement aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Its religious aspects were supplemented by ambitious political rulers who wanted to extend their power and control at the expense of the Church.

Indulgences: In Catholic theology, an indulgence is a remission of temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt has already been forgiven. The abuse of selling indulgences was one catalyst for Martin Luther's 95 Theses which sparked off the Protestant Reformation.