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Laura Brady
Dr. Melinda Rice
History 356
December 5 2014

Luthers Plea for Reform

Martin Luther broke from the Catholic Church because he felt that the
church leadership had strayed from the teachings found in the scriptures.
Prior to 1520 Luther had hoped the church would recognize how it had
strayed and embrace reformation. However, his instructions in, To the
Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the
Christian Estate, show that he no longer believed a conciliatory reformation
was possible. His writings during 1520 were instrumental in the reformation
of the Catholic Church. Martin Luther emphasized in these writings the
importance of scripture and diminished the importance of the church
hierarchy when it came to ones salvation.
In To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the
Reform of the Christian Estate, he argued that the Romanists have, cleverly
built three walls around themselves. The three walls in which the church
had built included, the churchs stance on spiritual power being above

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temporal power, the belief that only the pope may interpret scripture, and
the stance that only the pope may summon a council. These walls
supported and strengthened the hierarchy of the church. In his writings,
Luther not only admonished the church but also gave instruction on how to
break down the walls it had built.
The churchs stance on spiritual power being above temporal power
was, pure invention that the pope, bishop, priests, and monks are called the
spiritual estate while princes, lords, artisans, and farmers are called the
temporal estate. (Luther, 1520) Luther argued that there was no difference
between them except for their title. He believed from his readings in First
Corinthians that all one needs is baptism, gospel, and faith to make them a
Christian. This makes all Christians the same; one is not above the other.
The power that the church had given themselves, was just that, power that
they had decided they had, not a right given to them based in scripture.
Luther believed that in order to crumble this first wall canon law
must be done away with. He thought it was intolerable that canon law
protected the clergy but laity did not receive the same treatment. He did not
believe there was any difference between the two. He argues that spiritual
leaders should stick to their jobs which consists of the administration of the
Word of God and the sacraments and temporal leaders should stick to their
own office which included the need to bear the sword and rod in their hand
to punish the wicked and protect the good. (Luther, 1520) He believed that

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if this was the case, everyone would be equal as Christians and the church
would no longer have power over the temporal leaders of the world.
Luther also felt the churchs teachings that only the pope could
interpret scripture was false. 1 Corinthians 14:30 says, If something better
is revealed to anyone, though he is already sitting and listening to another in
Gods word, then the one who is speaking shall hold his peace and give
place. This commandment makes no sense if everyone is to just believe the
pope and his interpretation of scripture. He argued that to follow blindly
ones teachings made them vulnerable to being led astray. Luther felt that
the second wall, was another power that the church had bestowed upon
itself that had no scriptural base.
In his work, Freedom of a Christian, Luther said, Not only are we the
freest of kings, but we are also priest forever, which is far more excellent
than being kings, for as priest we are worthy to appear before God to pray
for others and to teach one another divine things. Luther believed that
every Christian had the right to read, learn and interpret scripture for
themselves, a fairly radical view in a time where hierarchy was the rule. In
his letter to Pope Leo X, Luther said, I acknowledge no fixed rules for the
interpretation of the Word of God, since the Word of God, which teaches
freedom in all matters, must not be bound. (Luther, The Freedom of a
Christian, 1520) If there were not fixed rules for interpretation of scripture

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than the popes monopoly of scripture interpretation would come to an end,
and the power that this held over the people would also end.
This belief that all Christians could read and interpret scripture for
themselves was radical and incredibly damning to the hierarchical church.
In the past, few were literate, and scripture was not available in their own
language so the church clergy were instrumental in teaching and interpreting
scripture for laity. However, Luther lived in a time where the invention of the
printing press had made scripture in the vernacular more widely available
and people were becoming more literate. This made Luthers proclamation
that all could read and interpret scripture key in diminishing the power of the
church hierarchy.
The third wall, the church had built that Luther believed was non
scriptural was the belief that only a pope could call a council, a meeting to
discuss and rule on church policy and doctrine. If the people had a problem
with the decisions the church had made or the doctrine being taught, they
had no recourse. Luther felt this was scripturally incorrect. He argued that
in Acts, the apostles and elders were the ones who called the apostolic
council, not St. Peter. Luther felt that there was, no authority in the church
except to promote good. If the pope refused to call a council, hindering the
progress of the church, or no longer promoting good, this would invalidate
his authority.

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Luther believed that if the first two walls were torn down, the third wall
would fall on its own. By making all Christians equal and allowing one to
discern scripture for themselves, it gave all Christians the ability to question
and have opinions about the church and its doctrine. This ability meant that
all should be able to ask questions or call councils to discuss concerns. This
freedom would replace the practice that only popes could call councils, a
practice that Luther felt was scripturally inaccurate.
If Christians could break down the walls that the Catholic Church had
built, walls that gave the church power, then they could get back to a gospel
centered on scripture. Luther strongly believed in scripture and the
importance of adhering to it. He said, I have attacked many things too
severely. But how else ought I do it? I am duty bound to speak, if I had the
power, these are the things I would do. I would rather have the wrath of the
world upon me than the wrath of God. (Luther, To the Christan Nobility of
the German Nation Concerning the Reform fo the Christan Estate, 1520)
Luther felt the need to write both Freedom of a Christian and To the Christian
Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate
not only to show how the church had drifted from scripture but also to steer
Christians to a reformation centered on the Word of God. He felt, The whole
of Christendom has fallen abominably. (Luther, 1520) Without realigning
themselves with scripture, Catholics would not be able to obtain salvation.

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Works Cited
Luther, M. (1520). The Freedom of a Christian.
Luther, M. (1520). To the Christan Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the
Reform fo the Christan Estate.

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