In contributing to the Reformation, Martin Luther played a huge, influential role. Not only did he finally stand up for what he, and many others, believed against the Catholic Church, but at the time the church was also the government and political power so he risked everything to come out in the public with his beliefs. Though the government attempted to force him to take back all he had said and done, he refused to give in. His 95 Theses are a huge mark in history, making him a huge contribution to the Reformation. Martin Luther began the start of new ways of thinking, and not only thinking but acting upon these opinions in public. Before Luther people had been scared and passive, but he brought his opinion out aggressively in public, which sparked a fire in other believers; marking the beginning of the Reformation.