“I never approved of a schism, nor will I approve of it for all eternity . . . That the Roman Church is more honored by God than all others is not to be doubted . . . It is not by separating from the Church that we can make her better.”

Martin Luther, Letter to Pope Leo X
January 6, 1519

Mind you that Luther posted the 95 Theses on October 31 of 1517. The statement above is therefore about one year and two months after his posting of the famous objections. This showes that even over a year after the Wittenburg incident, Luther still saw himself as a Roman Catholic opposed to schism.