Martin Luther was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor and former Augustinian friar who became the central figure of the Protestant Reformation. His theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism, and he is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western and Christian history. Born in Eisleben in 1483, he was ordained a priest in 1507 and later rejected several teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, especially those concerning indulgences and papal authority.