Final answer:
Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses, sparking the Protestant Reformation and leading to the emergence of Lutheranism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Martin Luther is credited with posting the 95 Theses, which sparked the Protestant Reformation. This event had the long-term effect of dividing European Christianity. As a result of the Protestant Reformation and Luther's work, people started to question the authority and practices of the Catholic Church and a new branch of Christianity emerged called Lutheranism.
The posting of the 95 Theses by Martin Luther led to the Protestant Reformation, shifting the way people interpreted the Christian faith and diminishing the traditional authority of the Church.
The posting of the 95 Theses by Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation. One of the long-term effects of the Protestant Reformation and the work of Martin Luther was that people started to interpret the Christian faith based on personal understanding of the Bible and placed less emphasis on the traditional authority of the Church. Martin Luther's protest began as an attempt to address issues such as the sale of indulgences and the need for the Church to clarify its teachings on salvation. Despite initially seeking reform within the Catholic Church, the unintended consequences of Luther's actions led to the formation of new denominations and changes in Christian worship and governance across Europe. After his excommunication, Luther's teachings about salvation through faith alone and scripture as the sole authority resonated with many, leading to the establishment of Protestantism as distinct from Catholicism.