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The Reformation, 500 YearsLaterTom Gjelten October 27, 20175:00 AM ET

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The man who started it all: German theologian and religious reformerMartin Luther (1483-1546)

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Five hundred years after a rebellious act by a single German monk dividedthe Christian world, religious leaders on both sides of that split have finallyagreed their churches share responsibility for the historic rupture.

On Oct. 31, 1517, an outspoken university lecturer and Augustinian monknamed Martin Luther posted a list of objections to the dominant RomanCatholic beliefs and practices of his time. Chief among his grievances wasthe church's claim that Christians could buy their way out of punishmentfor sin — and thus shorten their time in purgatory — by purchasing a letterof "indulgence" from their local parish. In practice, much of the moneywent into the pockets of corrupt local princes.

Worshippers gather at the Schlosskirche church inWittenberg Germany where Martin Luther isthought to have nailed his "95 Theses" to thechurch's doors in 1517.

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Whether Luther nailed his list to the door of his hometown church, aslegend has it, or simply mailed it to his archbishop is in dispute, but his "95Theses" represented a stunning challenge to papal authority and the entireHoly Roman Empire.

The split that followed, known as the Protestant Reformation, fostered the

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development of religious and political freedoms in Europe but also set thestage for persecution and war. Catholic-Protestant enmity endured forcenturies.

On the Reformation anniversary, however, the Lutheran Church, foundedby Luther himself, and the Roman Catholic Church that rejected Luther'sprotest have achieved at least a partial reconciliation.

True Christians participate in all the blessings ofChrist and the church, and this is granted to themby God even without indulgence letters.

Martin Luther

"Catholics should do penance for setting the stage for the [division]," saysBishop Denis Madden of Baltimore, who heads the Committee onEcumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops. "It was not out of the blue that [Luther's protest] happened. Thesociety, the church, the way things were being done at that time, called forreform, and there were very few courts of appeal where that reform couldbegin."

For their part, Lutheran leaders are approaching the Reformationanniversary with comparable humility. "We've had to say that breaking upthe western church was not a gift to the church," says the Rev. ElizabethEaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,the largest of the Lutheran denominations.

In fact, many of the issues that Martin Luther highlighted have since beenaddressed by Roman Catholic leaders. The sale of indulgence lettersproved especially indefensible.

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The closing ceremonies of Vatican II's first phase are held at St. Peter'sBasilica in Vatican City on Dec. 8, 1962. The Catholic Church acceptedmany of Luther's teachings in the Vatican II Council.

Jim Pringle/Associated Press

"True Christians," Luther wrote, "participate in all the blessings of Christand the church, and this is granted to them by God even withoutindulgence letters." (Thesis 37) Such letters, he wrote, "are nets with whichone fishes for the wealth of people." (Thesis 66) In 1567, Pope Pius Vabolished the sale of indulgences.

It took us only 450 years to see Luther's point.

John Borelli

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The associated theological issues were not so easily resolved. Luther hadobjected to the Catholic teaching that one could attain salvation throughhis or her own efforts, arguing instead that salvation was a gift freely given,bestowed upon all those who have faith and accept God's grace. Thatdoctrine, which was known as "justification by grace," was resisted untilthe Vatican II Council largely accepted it in the 1960s.

"It took us only 450 years to see Luther's point," says Catholic scholar JohnBorelli of Georgetown University. "In many ways, Vatican II was Luther'scouncil."

Roman Catholics have also accepted other Luther arguments, including hisbelief that people should be able to worship and read the Bible in their ownlanguage and participate freely in the Eucharist, a privilege restricted tothe clergy in Luther's time.

In 2015, Eaton and Madden spearheaded the preparation of a "Declarationon the Way to Unity" that identified 32 issues on which Catholics andLutherans were approaching convergence. A year later, on Oct. 31, 2016,Lutheran and Roman Catholic leaders held a joint ecumenical prayerservice in Sweden, launching a yearlong commemoration of theReformation. Both sides hold out hope for an agreement that would enableLutherans and Catholics to celebrate Communion together.

"This is something that our people long for," says Eaton.

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Joint Catholic-Lutheran Reformation Commemoration

Pope Francis of the Catholic Church (center right) and the Rev. Dr. MunibYounan of the Lutheran Church (center left) lead the Joint Catholic-Lutheran Reformation Commemoration on Oct. 31, 2016.

Lutheran Church of Australia YouTube

On other issues, such as the role of the pope and his bishops, the role ofwomen in the church and same-sex marriage, significant differencesremain. More work is also needed with the laity and clergy alike topromote the value of ecumenism. Some Catholics and Protestants havebeen slow to welcome the efforts or are opposed outright. WithinLutheranism, neither the Missouri Synod nor the Wisconsin Synod are yetwilling to open their Communion table to those who do not share all theirbeliefs.