Lutheranism is called a religious trend derived from Catholicism, founded by the German monk and theologian Martin Luther, at the beginning of the 16th century. Lutheranism dates from October 31, 1517, when Luther posted his theses on the door of the Wittenberg castle church. Although he did not separate from the Catholic Church until three years later, by then he had come significantly closer to his later positions on the plan of salvation. The new teachings, however, underwent great changes after Luther returned from Wartburg (1521). Before his death (February 18, 1546), his teachings had already been propagated in many territories of Germany, Poland, the Baltic provinces, Hungary, Transylvania, the Netherlands, Denmark and Scandinavia. Lutheranism spread from those European countries and reached the New World. In the United States it is one of the most important Protestant denominations.
