Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church

Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church is a theological treatise, one of the major tracts published by Martin Luther in 1520. In this work Luther examines the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church in the light of his interpretation of the Bible. With regard to the Eucharist, he advocates restoring the cup to the laity, dismisses the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation but affirms the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist, and rejects the teaching that the Mass is a sacrifice offered to God.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk, and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly disputed the Catholic view on indulgences and he proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his famous Ninety-five Theses of 1517. Luther's refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor.