Martin Luther · World History

Which Catholic practice did Luther define as 'The Babylonian Captivity of the Church'?

  1. The move of the Papacy to Avignon
  2. The sacramental system of the Catholic Church
  3. The invasion of the Ottoman Turks
  4. The use of the Latin Vulgate Bible
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Correct answer: The sacramental system of the Catholic Church

In his 1520 treatise, Luther compared the Church's control over the sacraments to the Israelites' exile in Babylon. He argued that the Church had 'kidnapped' the Gospel by making salvation dependent on its own rituals and hierarchy.

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