The Anxious Monk

Erfurt

The storm, the vow, the cloister

About 3 minutes to read, more if you open Go deeper

Scene card

Who's here
  • Martin Luther. A 21-year-old law student who became a monk.
  • Hans Luther. His father, furious that Martin quit law school.
  • Johann von Staupitz. The leader of Luther's order of monks, and his mentor. He kept pointing Luther to Jesus.
  • St. Anne. Remembered as the mother of Mary and the patron saint of miners. Luther cried out to her in the storm.
Where
Erfurt, a big university city in central Germany. The storm caught him near the village of Stotternheim.
When
University from 1501. The storm hit on July 2, 1505. He entered the monastery two weeks later.
See it on the timeline

Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt in 1501. In 1505 he began to study law, at his father's wish. On July 2, 1505, he was caught in a violent thunderstorm on the road near the village of Stotternheim. Thrown to the ground by a bolt of lightning that struck close by, he cried out in terror to St. Anne, the patron saint of miners: “Help, St. Anne! I will become a monk.” Two weeks later, to his father's fury, he kept the vow and entered Erfurt's Augustinian monastery.

The years that followed were not peaceful ones. Luther threw himself into monastic life: fasting, confession, long hours of prayer. He wanted to be certain where he stood with God, and the certainty never came. He confessed constantly, sometimes for hours, terrified of sin he couldn't even name. It was here, under the guidance of his mentor Johann von Staupitz, that the questions began to form that would eventually take him to Wittenberg.

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Your turn

A quick question just for you

Luther worried all the time about whether God was angry with him. Which is closest to you?

Nothing you pick is saved or shared. If something here feels heavy, talk with a pastor, leader, or other trusted adult.

Back then

What life was like at the time

Many people believed storms could be signs from God. A vow made in danger was taken very seriously. Breaking it was thought to be a serious sin.

Monks prayed together several times a day, starting in the middle of the night. They fasted, worked, and studied.

People were taught to confess every sin they could remember. Luther worried he could never remember them all.

Story or history?

Things people often get wrong
  • You might have heardLuther became a monk because he had done something terrible.What we knowHe was a careful, serious student. He became a monk because he was scared and wanted to be sure about God.
  • You might have heardLuther was a lazy monk.What we knowHe worked so hard at being a good monk that he wore himself out. He later said that if anyone could reach heaven by being a monk, it would have been him.

Play Story or History? Who Said It?

Taking it literally

Words that can trip you up
  • Did St. Anne answer him?The story doesn't say anyone answered. Luther kept the vow anyway. Later he taught people to bring their prayers straight to God through Jesus.
  • “Terrified of sin he couldn't name.” Was Luther a criminal?No. He worried about sins inside his heart, like pride or not loving God enough. He felt he could never confess them all.

How people felt

The feelings behind the story
WhoFeltWhy
MartinTerrified, then anxious for yearsHe wanted to know God loved him, and he couldn't feel it.
HansAngry and hurtHe felt his son threw away a good future.
StaupitzPatient and worriedHe told his anxious friend to look at Jesus instead of at his own record.
The lesson that goes with this stopTen WordsThe Ten Commandments, with Luther's explanations. The puzzles below are practice.›

Play this stop

Same story, three ways to learn it.

Word Search Find the names and words from Erfurt's story. Crossword A harder look at the same names and words. Key Terms Match each clue to the word it describes.
← Back to the trail Next: Wittenberg →

At the kitchen table

A 10-minute guide for parents, grandparents, and mentors

You don't need the answers. Just ask, and listen.

“God, help us be honest with each other tonight. Amen.”

  1. Caught in a terrible storm, Luther promised to become a monk. Have you ever made a promise because you were scared?

    Listen for
    Fear-promises are very human. It opens a door to talk about God's promises, which don't depend on ours.

  2. For years Luther worried he could never be good enough for God. What would you tell him?

    If they say “try harder”
    Luther tried that. What finally helped was learning that God's love is a gift, not a grade.

  3. What does this mean for us this week?

    Why this question
    Luther's own question. Maybe: we don't have to earn love in this family either.

Share: Tell about a time you felt you weren't good enough, and someone showed you grace.