Title: Why did Martin Luther go against the peasants in 1525 | History Forum
Headings: Why did Martin Luther go against the peasants in 1525
Why did Martin Luther go against the peasants in 1525
Jake10
pikeshot1600
Jake10
gaius valerius
Sankari
Bismarck
Jake10
gaius valerius
Pancho35
gaius valerius

Content: What Luther wanted was 'religious revolution', what happened in the 1520's was abhorring to him: religious revolution was being confused by the stupid peasants as 'social/political revolution'. Guess again you savage farmers and learn your place! Inspired by Luther and his actions Germany was thrown into turmoil. Imperial knights saw the perfect excuse to wage war upon each other in the hope of enlarging their own territories by outright annexations while in the countryside preachers were stirring up the peasants with ideas that went much beyond anything Luther ever said (for example in asserting that each individual for himself could understand what was right and wrong). Though triggered by religious ideas, the aims of these revolts were socio-economic. Luther's reaction was a retreat to conservatism and a re-alignment of his theological views so that they couldn't be so easily mistinterpreted by peasant rabble. The organised (Lutheranised) clergy was given a prime role as shepards of their flock and they always had to be well disposed towards the secular rulers. Lutheranism at this point acquired that character of submissiveness to the state which went to play such an important role in German statebuilding. Christian liberty was individual and purely spiritual - in all other worldly matters a good Christian was one who knew his place, which was translated into perfect obedience to established authority.