This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more

History Notes Luther and the German Reformation Notes

Jews, Turks And The Devil Notes

Updated Jews, Turks And The Devil Notes

Luther and the German Reformation Notes

Luther and the German Reformation

Approximately 514 pages

These notes contain all the work that I did during the term on the Oxford University module: Luther and the German Reformation.

They include extremely detailed notes on Luther's writings in relation to the following topics:
The 95 Theses and the Early Reformation
1520 Treatises
Luther and Carlstadt
The Peasants' War
Anabaptists and Spiritualists
Jews, Turks and the Devil
Marriage
Biographies of Luther

The notes contain extensive background reading in addition to notes on the relevan...

The following is a more accessible plain text extract of the PDF sample above, taken from our Luther and the German Reformation Notes. Due to the challenges of extracting text from PDFs, it will have odd formatting:

! Protestant Scholars and Yiddish Studies in Early Modern Europe -- Aya Elyada ! Interest in learning Yiddish -- Jewish--German vernacular at the time ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! *> Wider interest in Jews and Judaism at the time *> Roots in the Reformation era and work of reformers -- German phenomena Broader theological and cultural discourse -- texts produced by Protestant Yiddish scholars reveal perceptions of Jews and Judaism and contrasts with Protestantism Mainly seen as a degenerate language -- mix of German and Hebrew *> Language of German underworld, Rotwelsch, contained words from Yiddish *> Linked Jews and their language with moral and social corruption Learn Yiddish to read their literature and to missionise among the Jews *> Luther's call from the 1520s to deal kindly with the Jews 16th century -- Yiddish translations of the Bible and the New Testament Image of Yiddish as the Jews' 'secret language' used to conceal Jewish affairs from Christian eyes *> Yiddish literature was confined to the private sphere of the Jewish home *> Familiarity with Yiddish was an important tool for Christians who wished to expose and censor all Jewish blasphemies against Christianity Body of philological knowledge created by the Christian scholars on the Yiddish language and literature was directly linked to the exercise of power -- conceived as an effective tool for exerting control over the Jews Idea that the Jews had insufficient knowledge of Hebrew -- did not understand what they were saying in their prayers *> Strongly criticised by Protestants *> Implied a lack of devotion -- worthlessness and superstitious nature of practices *> Protestant authors -- prayed only with their lips and not with their hearts *> Incorporation of Christian polemic -- Jewish women praying in Hebrew compared with Catholic nuns praying in Latin => lack of understanding Criticism of word--for--word translation of the Bible -- seen as stylistically inferior Jewish 'Other' -- spoke Yiddish => further cultural distinction ! Luther, Bucer and Eck on the Jews -- Steven Rowan ! Should look at other writers -- context of Luther's writings ! Expulsion of the Sephardim from Spain in 1492 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! *> Simply the most dramatic episode in a series of acts against the Jews *> Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland harboured the remaining handholds for Jewish activity and residence outside of Islam - Increasingly precarious and marginal position Printing -- extensive literature hostile to Judaism *> Yet they were not a staple of publication even in the 16th century *> Often an embarrassment to governments -- could be seized in periods of relative calm Purported martyrdom of Simon of Trent in 1475 *> Classic blood accusation incident *> Celebrate in text and picture in the Nuremberg Chronicle in 1495 1539--44 major period for anti--Jewish polemic *> Most articulate, dramatic and memorable statements on Jews Erfurt -- Opinion on Whether a Government Can Allow Jews to Live Among Christians (1539) *> Intended for Landgrave Philip of Hesse *> Moderately tolerant charter for Jewish residence -- practise peddling and mercantile trade in communities without guilds - Bucer and others did not agree with the petition -- went on to question the basic premises of Jewish residence in any Christian community Looked at Roman Civil law and canon law -- many restrictions on the Jews Praise of princes who took Jewish children away to be raised in a Christian household Forbidden contact with Jews Usury must be stopped Landgrave Philip of Hesse -- used the Bible => Jews are a noble race and it is the duty of a Christian prince to prevent harm from coming to them *> Bucer, therefore, came off very badly in this exchange Jews published Bucer's opinion and its refutation by the Landgrave of Hesse *> Bucer published a response in May 1539 -- letter to an unnamed correspondent - Denigrates the Jews through their association with the Catholics - Jews should not be allowed to practise any craft which relies on a shared trust - Money trades -- gave them power over others because they refused to accept a community of love with the Christian neighbours Dr Johannes Eck -- professor of theology at Ingolstadt, Bavaria *> Wished to confute a pamphlet defending the Jews by Andreas Osiander *> September 1541 -- Refutation of a Jew--Book - Compendium of every horror story medieval anti--Jewish polemic could encompass Said he had personal experience of Jews killing Christian children -- Jews of Waldkirch in the Breisgau in 1503 *> Eck's book represents the absolute nadir of anti--Jewish polemic in the early modern period *> Comments that Lutheranism is the new Judaism since it upset Church discipline and excused Jewish crimes Luther ! *> That Jesus Christ Was Born a Jew (1523) *> By 1537 -- reports of Jewish practices by Christian radicals in Moravia and dark rumours of conversions to Judaism *> Against the Sabbatarians (1538) *> On the Jews and Their Lies (1543) - Futility of the Jewish faith - Reduction to hard menial labour and ultimately expulsion -- similar to Bucer *> Last sermon at Eisleben, preached the day before his death in 1546 - Against the residence of Jews in a nearby principality - 'Warning against the Jews' All these writers spoke polemically from a position of weakness rather than strength ! *> Large, sceptical opposition *> Did not win general applause or even grudging support *> Should listen to the other half of the argument -- silent response or refusal to alter established patterns => shows failure of these men's arguments ! ! Political element ! Later 1530s and early 1540s -- revival of Habsburg claims to rule in the German Reich *> Josel of Rosheim tried to lead Jews into a public alliance with the emperor as their only protector *> Emperor supported the Jews ! Attacks on the emperor may have been expressed through attacks on the Jews *> His protection of the Jews could be attributed to bribery ! Pacifist voices of Andreas Osiander, Philip of Hesse and Josel of Rosheim

Buy the full version of these notes or essay plans and more in our Luther and the German Reformation Notes.