History Notes Luther and the German Reformation Notes
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...
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Introduction
• 2 aspects to the beginning of the Reformation
Coherent theology for new beliefs
Action based on beliefs / consequences of Luther’s ideas
• 1517 - famous date of apparent 95 theses
• Definition of Reformation - internal development of theology v. external reforms
• Issue of having convenient date of 31 October or 1 November 1517 - can the 'Reformation' merely begin at a certain place and a certain time?
More nuanced view of spreading ideas of reform and coalescing around certain dates
• Further importance of the notion of schism - claimed that he did not want it => yet becomes acceptant of the idea and this can be said to determine later relations
Much more aggressive and eager to immediately condemn
• Other prime mover is the pope - defines whether the Reformation as a schism must occur
95 theses
Attack on indulgences and mercenary church
Repentance
Contrition cannot be bought - indulgences should include ideas of regret
• Some foreshadowing of later radicalism - emphasis on scripture, faith + repentance
Christians being misled + 'treasure' of word of God
Convenient date to provide beginning
Doubt whether there is an actual date
Not 1517
• Carlstadt had also had theses
Catholic remnants + lack of action
• Theology of 1517 was in no way fully developed
• Still accepted purgatory and indulgences - did not question sacrament of penance and very notion of good works
• Importance of repentance
• Still hoped for reform
• Issue of schism - wishes to get reform => hoped that pope was unaware of abuses
• Radical ideas led to Diet of Augsburg + Leipzig Debate (1519)
Justification by faith alone - 1517 => defends at Augsburg 1518
The more important potential 'event' of 1517 - tower moment
• Difficult to date
• 1517 - Justification by faith alone - due to grace of God
The main Christian tenet of faith
1515 lecturing on St Paul’s letter to the Romans + the just living by faith alone => meaning?
• Generally dated before 1518 + c. 1517- described later his tower experience
~ Sat in a tower and gets to Romans 1.17 - ‘the righteousness of God is revealed . . . the righteous shall live by faith’
~ Revealed in the Gospel
~ Reinterpretation - not behaviour but grace of God
~ Onus is on God rather than on humanity
~ Peace to the terrified heart
• It is this which truly refutes indulgences and informed the priesthood of all believers
Underlying doctrine of all Luther's theology
• Central importance of faith - how to achieve salvation => formulated by 1518 with justification by faith
Yet promulgated in the vernacular in 1520 => new religion + reformation
• It was particularly this which informed his aggression in 1518-19
1518 Cajetan + Augsburg 1519
• By 1518, however, Luther was becoming more aggressive
Large group taken to Augsburg - clerk saw them as aggressive
• 1518 Cajetan - Augsburg
Pope could and did err
Justification by faith - 'no one can be justified except by faith'
Uses Spalatin to disseminate certain points to the Elector - letters
• Leipzig 1519 - Eck
Public statement of beliefs
Word of God
Impossible reconciliation with Church
• Critical of Eck's envy
It was only after this - 3 years later - that pope issued exsurge domine, 41/95 theses were heretical
1520 + Excommunication
• 1520 treatises date the real turning point
First proper written message of justification by faith - the main tenet
Vernacular
Beginnings of schism due to exsurge domine - To the Christian Nobility uses the word 'reformation' a lot more => laying down what must be done
Acceptance of schism following Exsurge Domine in June 1520 => martyrdom + schism
• Time when the 1517 theses became the 'Ninety Five Theses'
• Major consolidation of theology => Excommunication
• Beginnings of Reformation - creation of Cranach's etchings
Bob Scribner - major importance of images to spreading ideas
• To The Christian Nobility
First proper definition of priesthood of all believers
Sola scriptura
Intervention of nobility
• Babylonian captivity
3 sacraments
Lord's Supper
• Freedom of a Christian
• First and third were written in German - transition to a vernacular reformer => turning point
• Turning point from reform in tradition of Erasmus - this is what constituted the Reformation
OTBC - 'the breach is irreparable'
1521-2 - radicalising of the Reformation
• Triumphal progress to Worms - already popular by this point
McGrath and biographers such as Oberman - major importance of this event
Luther is risking martyrdom
Yet also first large 'external' event => becoming popular and demand for woodcuts
• Yet dangerous - made comparison to Christ travelling to crucifixion => in favour of truth
• Hus had had safe conduct - yet had still been burnt - precedent
• Major importance of hearing him speak
Duke of Schleswig-Holstein - later King of Denmark
Larger room on the second day
Merchants hear him and spread ideas
• Also importance of letters - Luther creates semi-public documents and expects them to be preached (Lyndal Roper)
1522 => action based on 1520 treatises
• McGrath - Reformation started when Luther returned from the Wartburg to Wittenberg
• Carlstadt's actions in Wittenberg - removal of images + vernacular mass
May mark start of Reformation proper
• Dependent on definition of Reformation
Could be defined as when Carlstadt started to make real changes
• Transition from theology to reality
Conclusion
• Reformation was a continuous process - despite major importance of 1517, it was only a preliminary => only in Latin, aim for reform and reconciliation without desire for schism
More important theological developments in 1517 => yet had to wait until 1520 for these to be disseminated widely
• While Luther is the central character and his aggression influences our beliefs - the pope was the major factor
Excommunication threat in 1520 stimulated major treatises and actual excommunication in 1521 led to Diet of Worms =>...
Buy the full version of these notes or essay plans and more in our Luther and the German Reformation Notes.
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...
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