The The Christian Nobility

The following is a paper I wrote for my Reformation and Enlightenment class that I am taking at Capital University, where I am seeking a minor degree in religion.

Martin Luther: To The Christian Nobility

Jesse Harmon

RELIG 321

January 24, 2011

To The Christian Nobility

            Several things about Martin Luther’s To The Christian Nobility document popped out at me.  This paper, written in 1520, is about how the Roman Catholic Church has made reformation very difficult for itself.  He argues that secularism should do the reformation of the church.  This paper proves to the intended audience that Martin Luther was frustrated with the Roman Catholic Church and

            Luther stated, “If a priest is murdered, the whole country is placed under interdict.  Why not when a peasant is murdered?  How does this great difference come between two men who are both Christians?  It comes from the laws and fabrications of men…” I think this is because people viewed priests as the upmost holy of people.  When a priest is murdered, it’s almost like Christ was murdered again.  Luther disagrees with this.  He views priests as ordinary people, (humans), like you and me, and ordinary people were not just born into sin, but born to sin.

            Martin Luther talks about how the pope has been wrong before.  This goes back to Luther viewing priests, (and evidently, the pope), as ordinary humans, born into sin, and born to sin.  Luther later says, “[when] the pope acts contrary to the Scriptures, it is our duty to stand by the Scriptures, to reprove him and to constrain him, according to the word of Christ…” This should still be the case.  If someone notes an error made by a minister during a sermon, the person should go up to the minister and discuss the situation. 

            One thing really stood out to me.  Luther talks about the wealth of the pope.  He says, “In my opinion, if the pope were to pray to God with tears, he would have to lay aside his triple crown, for the God we worship cannot put up with pride.  In fact, the pope’s office should be nothing else but to weep and pray for Christendom and to se an example of utter humility…” This strikes true for me even today.  It took me a trip to an old Time Magazine photo slideshow to figure out what the garments the pope wore were called.  I had always seen the pope dressed in elaborate garments with gold sashes and jewels.  The Mitre, or the crown, is an extremely large “hat.”  The pallium is usually very elaborate, with many symbols representing different things such as Chi-Ro.  The very famous ring also comes to mind, but is not included in this slideshow.  I personally think a pope’s wardrobe should be very modest, consisting of a simple white alb, a colored vestment, (for the season), a cincture, and a small cross, (but who am I to judge?).

            Luther wrote a number of small phrases for this paper.  Some of these show the humor that Luther had.  For example, one of them was, “Next time we come to the masses… It is the bittersweet truth that the further building of mendicant houses should not be permitted.  God help us, there are already too many of them…”  Another example of Luther’s humor is this.  “We also see how the priesthood has fallen, and how many a poor priest is overburdened with wife and child, his conscience troubled…” Luther, not in this paper, once stated, “If you can’t laugh in heaven, I don’t want to go there.” 

            Luther said it best when he said he’d rather have the wrath of the world upon him than the wrath of God.  This is true today.  What may seem wrong in the eyes of society, but right in the eyes of God, i