Post 3: Using Martin Luther's Morals for Secular Gains

Martin Luther, as discussed in the documentary "Reluctant Revolutionary," was a man who has been remembered throughout history as one who stuck by his morals. Upon seeing the wrongdoings of the Catholic Church, he responded by calling for changes, and did not stop even when the Church threatened excommunication. He started a faith revolution in Europe and eventually in other parts of the world, despite the fact that he looked down upon many of those who were inspired by him. Ultimately, however, what is most interesting is the fact that he was often propelled by the secular needs of others, driven forward by life rather than faith. From his early days of dissent to the aftermath of his revolution, Luther May have continued on his path for moral reasons, but many of those most affected by his call for change were involved for other, more personal results.

Luther's call for church reform was heard throughout the German-speaking lands of the day, second in 

popularity only to its mother, Catholicism. 

Frederick the Wise was known as such for not attempting the call to religious action felt by Luther and his followers. In many ways, including his dissent at the Diet of Worms, Frederick was an ally to Luther, allowing him to continue his work and preventing others from silencing him. Frederick's support, however, was not morally based as much as it was fiscally--his desire to stop the flow of funds to Rome was strong, and Luther gave him an effective (if not also impressive) excuse. In this way Frederick the Wise was one of many exploiters of Luther's morality--in this case, however, that exploitation saved his life. 

At the notorious Diet of Worms, Luther's vivacious responses to the Catholic Church's demands could have very  easily gotten him killed; Frederick, however, saw an opportunity to help himself, all while appearing to be emotionally and morally affected by this man. Clever play, Frederick the Wise, clever.

In another example of Luther's removal from moral context, peasants in German-speaking lands of the time used Luther's claims against the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church to defend their own personal, political uprising. Despite the fact that Luther himself saw these peasants as lowly and "instruments of the devil," the words he wrote could not be stopped. But religious fervor alone was not the driver of this great uprising: the desire for equality and rights as citizens made German lower classes take a stand against their rulers. Suddenly, Luther's moral compass became a code of righteousness for peasants, and once again his ideas were used for secular gains.

While it remains uncertain if the 99 Theses were ever actually tacked to a door, Luther's tenacity and belief in his own morals struck a chord with his contemporaries, so much so that they took his words far further than he ever intended, reforming not only their faith but their political lives. He may not have intended to create such an uproar, but the essence of his beliefs were, to peasants of the day, undeniably applicable to their current situations.

Martin Luther is seen by many Christians as a theological revolutionary, and for good reason: his call for changes in the Catholic Church started a chain of events that led to the creation of many new Christian churches, some of which still celebrate and worship today. The religious freedoms eventually won by many Christians could not have even been thought of without Martin Luther's unwavering morality and defense of his beliefs. Called the first propagandist for his distribution of his printed texts throughout the German-speaking lands, Luther helped to create a new age of religious thought, one in which there was more than one answer to the question of how God should be worshipped. His legacy lives today not only in the Lutheran Church, but in every sect of Christianity.

Word Count: 493 (excluding captions)