Martin Luther

===Monastic life===
[[File:Portrait of Martin Luther as an Augustinian Monk.jpg|thumb|upright|A posthumous portrait of Luther as an [[Order of St. Augustine|Augustinian]] friar]]
Luther dedicated himself to the [[Rule of Saint Augustine|Augustinian order]], devoting himself to [[fasting]], long hours in [[prayer]], [[pilgrimage]], and frequent [[Confession (religion)|confession]].<ref name=Bainton40>Bainton, Roland. ''Here I Stand: a Life of Martin Luther''. New York: Penguin, 1995, 40–42.</ref> Luther described this period of his life as one of deep spiritual despair. He said, "I lost touch with Christ the Savior and Comforter, and made of him the jailer and hangman of my poor soul."<ref name=Kittelson79>Kittelson, James. ''Luther The Reformer''. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Publishing House, 1986, 79.</ref>

[[Johann von Staupitz]], his superior, concluded that Luther needed more work to distract him from excessive introspection and ordered him to pursue an academic career. On 3 April 1507, Jerome Schultz, the [[Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg|Bishop of Brandenburg]], ordained Luther in [[Erfurt Cathedral]].

The following year, in 1508, Luther began teaching [[theology]] at the [[University of Wittenberg]].<ref name=Bainton44>Bainton, Roland. ''Here I Stand: a Life of Martin Luther''. New York: Penguin, 1995, 44–45.</ref> He received two bachelor's degrees, one in biblical studies on 9 March 1508, and another in the ''[[Sentences]]'' by [[Peter Lombard]] in 1509.<ref name=Brecht93>Brecht, Martin. ''Martin Luther''. tr. James L. Schaaf, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–93, 1:93.</ref> On 19 October 1512, he was awarded his [[Doctor of Theology]].