This is Communio Sanctorum, the history of the Christian Church, season two.

The title of this episode is 500 Years, Part 2, The Gift.

We left off last time with the close of the diet of

Verms, where Martin Luther informed the august assembled officials of both civil government and

church that he'd not recant what he'd either written or said because his opponents weren't

able to refute him with Scripture. From the now emerging Protestant perspective,

Verms was a turning point from which there was no going back.

Reading of the events in that improvised hall in the German town of Verms,

we get the idea that Luther issued his memorable declaration of devotion to scripture and conscience,

then strode from the room to the cheers of the supporting German nobles, the chagrin of his

imperial and Roman opponents. And that was that. The trial was over. But not so fast. Luther's speech,

in fact, did not close the diet. His words weren't the last spoken.

Emperor Charles V's secretarial spokesman, who was conducting the inquiry, replied to Luther on that April day in 1521.

He deserves also to be heard. He rebuked Luther for making himself superior to the historic church councils

that had already ruled on several of the issues that Luther declaimed.

Regarding Luther's arrogance and supposing that he could sit in judgment on the church,

he said, quote, in this, you're completely mad. For what purpose does it

serve to raise a new dispute about matters condemned through so many centuries by church

and counsel? Unless perhaps a reason must be given to just anyone about anything whatsoever,

but if it were granted that whoever contradicts the councils and the common

understanding of the church must be overcome by scripture passages, we will have nothing in

Christianity that is certain or decided, unquote. That secretary raised an important point,

...