Why are Martin Luther’s followers known as Protestants?

The Reformation began in 1517 when a German monk called Martin Luther protested about the Catholic Church. His followers became known as Protestants. Many people and governments adopted the new Protestant ideas, while others remained faithful to the Catholic Church. This led to a split in the Church.Click to see full answer. Subsequently, one may also ask, why were Martin Luther’s followers called Protestants?The term, Lutheran was actually first used by Luther’s critics, in 1519. Ten years later, in the late 1520s, Luther’s followers were called Protestants because of their protests about the church.Beside above, why are Protestants called Protestants? Protestants generally trace to the 16th century their separation from the Catholic Church. Mainstream Protestantism began with the Magisterial Reformation, so called because it received support from the magistrates (that is, the civil authorities). In this way, what was Martin Luther’s role in the Protestant Reformation? Martin Luther is one of the most influential figures in Western history. His writings were responsible for fractionalizing the Catholic Church and sparking the Protestant Reformation. Although Luther was critical of the Catholic Church, he distanced himself from the radical successors who took up his mantle.What were Martin Luther’s problems with the Catholic Church?Luther had a problem with the fact the Catholic Church of his day was essentially selling indulgences — indeed, according to Professor MacCulloch, they helped pay for the rebuilding of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Later, Luther appears to have dropped his belief in Purgatory altogether.