1521
The Diet of Worms opens.
Th religious turmoil begun by Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses in 1517 reached a climax when the German parliament (Diet) met in the town of Worms. Luther’s defenders had demanded that he be tried only in a German setting and so he was summoned to meet the emperor Charles V and representatives of the Church and nation. His defiance of these authorities would result in his outlawing and the beginnings of a separate religious movement that later in the decade would come to be known as Protestantism.
1547
Henry VIII dies.
The death of the king who had pulled the Church of England from obedience to the pope meant the succession of young Edward VI who, along with his closest advisers, were committed to a deeper reformation of that church along Protestant lines. Within six years England will have a new theology, married clergy, ceremonies in English, and an English prayer book but the population will remain split between Catholic supporters, those content with the new order, and those who wanted further reform. These divisions will continue for decades more.
1962
The birth of a prosperity preacher.
Few clergymen have been as aptly named as Creflo Dollar, a clergyman who ended up boasting the ownership of two Rolls-Royce automobiles, multiple multi-million dollar residences and a private jet. Born in Georgia, he began his ministry in 1986 in a school auditorium with only 8 people in the congregation. Preaching the message that God wishes his followers to be be wealthy and healthy, Creflo succeeded in creating a church of 30,000 members, satellite churches across America and an international organization, World Changers Church. His television program is broadcast around the globe. Dollar’s wife Taffi is co-pastor and is developing an outreach to women in the sex trade.