Welcome back to another episode of five minutes in church history. On this episode of five minutes church history we are once again on location and this time we are on location here at Verms in Germany. Of course it's here at Verms in Germany.

Of course it's here at Verms

that Luther delivered his famous speech.

Probably just a few hundred yards

from where I'm standing is the exact site.

Luther was told he had to recant of his writings and Luther said,

oh your serene emperor and you illustrious princes and gracious lords,

you demand a clear and direct answer.

Here it is, plain and unvarnished.

I cannot and I will not recant.

My conscience is captive to the word of God.

Here I stand. I can do no other, God help me, Amen. It was

here in this city of Verms that Luther made that bold and courageous stand.

To commemorate that event and all that it stands for behind me,

this monument was constructed.

The main reason I want you to think about this monument

is the foundation of the monument.

Of course that's Luther, towering high above and reminding us of his prominence

as the one who started the Protestant Reformation, but you'll see that he has four figures

at each of the four corners of the monument.

And those figures are crucial.

Those are pre-reformation reformers.

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