What happened to Luther in 1521?

• A. He refused Pope Leo X's demand and was excommunicated in 1521.
• B. He was declared the Civil Rights leader of the Reformation.
• C. He translated the Bible into German and became king.
• D. His followers formed the Jesuit order.

Answer: (A)

In 1521 the clash between Luther and the papacy reached a decisive point: Pope Leo X demanded that he retract his writings and teachings. Luther refused to recant, standing by his views, and as a result he was excommunicated in that same year. This excommunication marked a formal break with the Catholic Church and helped propel the Protestant Reformation forward. The other options mix in later events or incorrect roles—Luther did translate the Bible into German, but he did not become king, and the Jesuit order was founded by Ignatius of Loyola much later, in 1540.