People are humans, not robots. We have the ability to think and make our own decisions. We own our own destiny and we can choose what to do. But what would happen if the ability to make decisions for ourselves became corrupted? What would become of society? In this day and age and in the society we live in, we have the right to pursue whatever we want and desire. These rights, throughout the Middle Ages, were not available to the common man. The Church told you what to think and what to believe. However, there was hope because Martin Luther was determined to change this. He was a man who noticed many faults in the papacy and desired to change them. Martin Luther changed society enormously, to the point that a religion was based on his ideals. He ultimately changed society for the better because he exposed corruption, translated biblical texts, and pointed out many flaws in the Church's teachings. in the Middle Ages, can only be characterized by corruption. When such a supreme power has no boundaries, it begins to overstep its power. The Church at this time had more power than secular rulers; this means that ultimately the Church had power over the people and everything else. (Gerrish 45-53) The Church, in a way, can also be compared to a tree. A tree starts from the ground and begins to grow bigger and stronger, but over time the original tree has become nonexistent. The roots it was based on are no longer visible now, but the tree itself continues to grow. The tree from the time it was planted to the time it reaches its peak is very different. The roots are what the Church was essentially based on. In this case, the roots were the Bible. The Bible is said to be in the middle of paper......as Roman Catholic and there was Protestantism. Protestants differ because they place more emphasis on accurately translating God's words. They take the Bible literally and believe God's words. For the most part, only the Holy Roman Empire converted to Protestantism while in the rest of Europe they remained Catholic. (Lord, 96-99, 103-108) Martin Luther had a lasting effect on society because he reformed the Church by exposing their corruption. , translated biblical texts and eventually a religion was named in his honor. Martin Luther's work has had a lasting impact on society. His works and ideas spread throughout Europe and they would greatly change the future. Even though the corruption of the Church threatened prosperity, Martin Luther had managed to improve his life. The work of Martin Luther had a considerable and monumental impact on European society.