A panel of Coastal Carolina University students will present a multimedia analysis titled "Martin Luther's 95 Theses after 500 Years" on Monday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. in the Edwards Recital Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

Luther was a spiritual leader, dean of theology at the University of Wittenberg, Germany, and Catholic outlaw who changed the course of history within the Christian church. His posting of 95 theses for debate on the church door on Oct. 31, 1517, at Wittenburg marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Brian Nance, professor of history and director of graduate studies in CCU's Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts, is teaching "Reformation Europe" this semester to mark the 500th anniversary of the event; this presentation involves a multimedia critical examination of its religious and historical impacts.

"Students will consider a number of questions and issues," said Nance. "Recent research, for instance, has questioned whether Luther actually posted the theses on the church door or merely distributed them to invite discussion. It seems clear, however, that he had no idea how great the reaction to them would be. The presentation also considers such issues as the sale of indulgences, the sacrament of penance, the notion of purgatory, the role of the printing press in spreading Reformation ideas, and the reasons why Luther's reform movement permanently divided the Roman Catholic church in Europe when previous reforms had not."

Nance and students will hold a question and answer session following the presentation.

The Edwards Recital Hall is located in Room 152 in the Edwards College at 133 Chanticleer Drive W. on the Conway campus. Parking is available in adjacent lots near the back of the building or in J lot near the Singleton building; for more information, visit coastal.edu/safety/parking.

For more information, contact Nance at 843-349-2461 or brian@coastal.edu. Visit coastal.edu/history.