Final answer:
Francis of Assisi's conversion experience emphasized a life of poverty and imitation of Christ’s humanity, influencing Christian art, while Martin Luther's experience brought about doctrinal change leading to the Protestant Reformation, emphasizing salvation through faith alone and Scripture as the sole authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conversion experiences of Francis of Assisi and Martin Luther were significant in their impacts on the Christian faith and the direction of the church, although they happened under different circumstances and led to different outcomes.
Francis of Assisi's conversion led him to embrace a life of poverty and charity, reflecting the humility and simplicity of Christ. He emphasized Christ's humanity and suffering, directly influencing the visual arts with the depiction of Christus patiens or the patient Christ, symbolizing the observance of Christ's humanity and poverty.
On the other hand, Martin Luther's conversion experience led to a more doctrinal shift. Discontent with the Roman Catholic Church's practices, including the sale of indulgences, sparked his Protestant Reformation. Luther's teachings included the idea that salvation is attained through faith alone, Scripture as the sole authority for Christian life and practice, the rejection of religious orders, and the idea that a life in clergy was no greater than any other vocational calling.
Their conversion experiences reflect two different approaches to faith and practice within Christianity, Francis through his imitation of Christ's life and Luther through a radical doctrinal transformation leading to the Protestant tradition.