Forgotten Reformers: Andreas Karlstadt

Everyone knows that Martin Luther had 95 theses and nailed them to the door of a church in Germany. But did you know that there was another reformer from the same city who had 151 theses? And who actually went to Rome and hand-delivered them to the Pope?

There was, and his name was Andreas Karlstadt.

Karlstadt attended theology grad school at the University of Wittenberg, and got his doctorate in 1510, two years before Luther did. Karlstadt stayed at Wittenberg and soon became chair of the theology department.

In 1515, Karlstadt decided to attend law school at Sapienza universty at Rome. This was during the Papacy of Leo X, the famously corrupt Pope who authorized the sale of indulgences in Germany and would later excommunicate Luther. While in Rome, Karlstadt witnessed Catholic church corruption first hand. This led him to write his 151 Theses in 1517 -- a year before Luther wrote his 95 theses. Since he was in Rome, he was able to present his theses directly to the power center of the Church.

Karlstadt returned to Germany and supported Martin Luther's movement. When Luther had to leave -- first to defend his ideas at the Diet of Worms, then to hide from Holy Roman Empire authorities in Wartburg Castle -- Karlstadt became the leader of the reformed church in Wittenberg.

At this time, Karlstadt began to drift towards a more radical view than Luther. Karlstadt rejected infant baptism (thus becoming an Anabaptist), a step that Luther was unwilling to take. Karlstadt also denied the Real Presence -- the belief that Christ was not physically present during Communion, another step that Luther was unwilling to take. Finally, Karlstadt invited the Zwickau Prophets to preach in Wittenberg. The Zwickau Prophets were three radical Anabaptists who, among other things, claimed to be receiving spiritual revelations and preached that the apocalypse was near.

When Luther returned to Wittenberg, he was outraged at this. He expelled the Zwickau Prophets and returned to a more moderate form of Protestantism.

As for Karlstadt, he left Wittenberg. For some years, he wandered Europe and served as pastor in several cities. However, no Protestant group today really traces their heritage to Karlstadt.