"In 1517, the religious reformer Martin Luther wroteNinety Five Theses criticising many of the practicesand rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. A printedcopy of this was posted on a church door in Wittenberg. It challengedthe Church to debate his ideas. Luther’s writings were immediatelyreproduced in vast numbers and read widely. This lead to a divisionwithin the Church and to the beginning of the ProtestantReformation. Luther’s translation of the New Testament sold 5,000copies within a few weeks and a second edition appeared withinthree months. Deeply grateful to print, Luther said, ‘Printing is theultimate gift of God and the greatest one.’ Several scholars, in fact,think that print brought about a new intellectual atmosphere andhelped spread the new ideas that led to the Reformation." frame a question and answer it according to the extract in 5 pts

Question: What role did Martin Luther and the invention of printing play in the Protestant Reformation according to the extract?

Answer:

1. Martin Luther, a religious reformer, wrote the Ninety-Five Theses in 1517, criticizing many practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church.
2. He posted a printed copy of this on a church door in Wittenberg, challenging the Church to debate his ideas.
3. Luther's writings were widely reproduced and read, leading to a division within the Church and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
4. Luther's translation of the New Testament was a bestseller, with 5,000 copies sold within a few weeks and a second edition appearing within three months.
5. Luther acknowledged the significant role of printing in spreading his ideas, calling it the 'ultimate gift of God and the greatest one.' Scholars also believe that print created a new intellectual atmosphere that helped spread the new ideas leading to the Reformation.