Torchlighters The Martin Luther Story DVD

Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story

Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story tells the dramatic and intriguing story of Martin Luther. Presented in an enjoyable animated format for children, this film packs all the information about Luther's life into a film that kids and adults will both enjoy. Follow the story of the monk who refused to do what he knew to be wrong simply because the authority told him to do it. His amazing and unexpected actions sparked a great revolution that changed the fate of the Church forever. Luther's inspiring story is brought to life in a new and exciting way through this film. Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story is a film that your family will not want to miss.

An Unexpected Revolution

The Martin Luther Story takes the life of this famous monk and presents it in all new and thoroughly enjoyable format. The remarkable thing about Martin Luther is that he did not succumb to fear. Though he had ideas that were extremely controversial and in direct opposition with the Catholic Church, he did not shy away from declaring those ideas. He knew in his heart what was right and decided that he couldn't stand by any longer and watch false doctrine be taught to the people.

Luther's ideas were vastly different from the church's long held beliefs, because he believed that salvation came through faith and the grace of God, not through works. This idea first came to him when the Church started selling indulgences to the people. These indulgences could be purchased for a hefty sum and were supposed to reduce one's time in purgatory. Part of a sinner's debt could be erased if they simply gave their money to the Church and bought an indulgence. These could be used for a loved one's soul or one's own soul. Most everyone blindly followed the Church, believing that they had divine authority and knew what they were doing.

Luther, however, saw that something was very, very wrong with this. Because he was involved in the leadership of the church, he knew their true motives. He saw how the leaders in the church were driven by a desire for money and power, and did not seem to care at all about the souls of the people. Luther decided that he couldn't stand by any longer and let the Church take the money of the people for something that was all a lie.

Wholly devoting himself to his work, Luther began to pore over the doctrine of the Church. In doing this, he found many more points in their basic beliefs that he was opposed to. Each rule seemed to be there simply for the reason that the leaders wished to benefit monetarily or in another way. The deception and greed that was just beneath the holy exterior of the Church caused Luther great pain. He knew that speaking up could cost him his life, but he also knew that he had to declare the truth.

In a bold and courageous move, Luther posted ninety-five theses on the door of the Church. These theses stated his opposition to the Church and showed the discrepancies between the beliefs of the leaders and what was truly displayed in the Bible. Focusing on money and power was the Church's main goal, and Luther decided that he could not stand by and watch them mislead thousands of people.

As soon as these theses were posted, many different events took place. The Church became outraged and took a stand against Luther. They did not like being labeled as heretics, so they labeled Luther as a heretic himself. They felt guilty, knowing what they had done, so they turned this into anger and attacked Luther. Though this was a terrible thing to endure, Luther knew what he was getting himself into. The good result of him being vocal in his beliefs was that the people began to see through the Church. They realized that they had given their money to the Church for indulgences that would never do anything to save them or their loved ones from purgatory, and this greatly angered them. Soon enough, a revolution began, led by Luther.

He never intended to start the Reformation, but simply wanted to declare his beliefs and what he knew to be true. However, the people looked up to him greatly and desired to follow him. His ideas were fresh and new, and were in line with the teachings of the Bible. One man's courage and desire to speak the truth had an incredible impact on the future, changing the face of Christianity in the world forever.

Lessons for Kids

Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story is a film that tells the life of Luther, but geared toward children. The story is animated and simplified, aiming right toward the minds of kids. This film takes Martin Luther's life and illustrates several different aspects of his character in order to provide children with a lesson.

The value of courage is shown in this film, as Luther is depicted as being an extremely brave and courageous man. Though he knew that the church would most likely persecute or excommunicate him from the church, Luther knew that he had to do the right thing. He could easily have been held back by fear, but he let the truth lead him and stood strong in what he believed. This point is illustrated for children, encouraging them to stand strong in their own beliefs and hold firmly to what they know to be true. Courage is not something that is easy to have, but it is a trait found in all great leaders.

Another value taught in this film is that of honesty. Though courage was not easy and he was afraid sometimes, Luther knew that he had to tell the truth. The Catholic Church was spewing lies to the people in order to better themselves, and Luther saw this. Because he had an earnest desire to be honest, he posted his theses and challenged the authority of the Church.

Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story teaches all of these lessons and more, presenting the life of an extraordinary man in a way that will both educate and entertain children.