Final answer:
Martin Luther's objections to Catholicism centered on the sale of indulgences, the authority of the pope, and the role of good works in achieving salvation, advocating for faith alone (Sola Fide) and scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) as the basis for Christian belief and sparking the Protestant Reformation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Martin Luther's main objections and arguments against Catholicism, highlighted in his Table Talk (1535) and other writings, focus primarily on opposing the Catholic Church's practices and doctrinal beliefs related to salvation. Luther was firmly against the selling of indulgences, which were documents that the Church claimed could absolve sinners of their errant behavior. He argued that salvation was not earned through good works or financial contributions to the Church, but solely through faith. Furthermore, Luther criticized the papal authority, especially concerning the pope's purported control over purgatory and the belief in the treasury of merit.
Luther emphasized that the Bible alone should be the source of Christian beliefs and practices, a principle known as Sola Scriptura. He stressed that the Mass should be delivered in the vernacular language of churchgoers to make scripture accessible to all.
Additionally, he rejected the notion that a life in the clergy was superior to other vocations, challenging the idea of clerical celibacy and the existence of monastic orders. Luther's alignment with theologically grounded beliefs, his push for making scripture available in the common tongue, and his views on faith alone as the means to salvation set the stage for the Protestant Reformation.