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Module Forum: Reformation, Politics & Rebellion (HI242)
Module Forum: Reformation, Politics & Rebellion (HI242)
Forum Debate: Was Luther a 'great man'?
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#2 15:00, Thu 14 Nov 2024
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He was only 'Great' due to being the catalyst for 'Great Change' but other than that a bit of a myth, I guess
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Luther was a great man, in the sense that he achieved great things. He believed that the Catholic Church was corrupt and tried to change it and so set the Reformation in motion. However, could be argued that this led to more division within the church. It is based on perspective – those who followed Luther would have thought he was great.
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#5 20:54, Thu 14 Nov 2024
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When considering whether Luther was a 'great' man, it all depends on how we define 'greatness' itself. In terms of impact, he undeniably shaped Western religious history by challenging the Catholic church and altering its course. However, if we interpret "great" as morally good, we must consider the ethical implications of his views, from antisemitism to his belief in the subordination of women). Ultimately, his "greatness" varies depending on whose perspective we consider.
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If viewing a “great man” in its conventional sense of influence and unique natural ability, at least on the first count, Luther was a “great man”. This largely stems from his influential role in the process of religious democratisation (i.e. access to scripture and emergence of new sects). On the count of “unique natural ability” though, Luther was not the only person capable of this (e.g. Müntzer), as he was part of a broader challenge to Catholicism and the Papacy. In this sense, while Luther could be considered a “great man”, he was not the only one of his time.
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Luther should be seen as a 'great man' because he has been so mythologised; indeed, he emerges from the past as such a distinct and iconic figure it would be hard to argue otherwise.
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We can define Luther as a 'great man' in terms of the influence of his ideas on the dramatic events of the sixteenth century and the culture of division that existed in religious terms thereafter. However, the image of him as a saintly figure on a mission to restore piety within society (presented through pamphlets and other forms propaganda) did not necessarily reflect his place in the popular culture of ordinary people in Germany. Thus, ignoring appraisals from writers at the time and in later centuries, can we see him as 'great man' in the eyes of contemporaries?
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Luther is undeniably a great man if being called a great man is determined by impact upon history. Luther’s impact on western Christianity and, therefore, world Christianity automatically qualifies him as a “great man.” However, Luther as a great moral man is questionable. Some would look upon Luther with disdain for his antisemitism or his breaking up of a “unified Christendom.” Others might critique his intolerance toward dissenting reformers. However, if we are to forgo morality, Luther is a “great man” of history.
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Applying the word ‘Great’ to Luther would seem to me to imply a moral superiority which is unhelpful and somewhat obscures his complexity. However, it is undeniable that he holds a special role in the History of the 16th century. He was unique among radicals of the pre-modern world. He combined radical theological doctrine, with a pragmatic attitude to secular authority, conforming to existing Imperial power structures. It was this desire to create a religious reformation, rather than an overall societal revolution, which legitimised his doctrine to certain authorities, giving him a unique importance among the radicals of the age.
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Luther certainly had aspects of greatness both in his impact on society and personally. He was a notably successful orator and his ability to both critique the church and translate this critique using his "media" skills into a mass movement shows a certain level of greatness as well as his appeals to German nationalism showing clever statesmanship. If we measure greatness through someone’s influence on history and their personal successes then it would be fair to call him great. However, if the concept of greatness depends on the subject having positive influence or ideals Luther’s “greatness” should be heavily critiqued.
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It is undeniable to me that Lither was a great man due to his impact which led to a more liberal Germany and a more transparent and far less corrupt system of religion.
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Luther was a 'great man' in the terms of his impact on Christianity and being the catalyst for the Reformation. The significance of Luther to history was most definitely great, his theological ideas, methods for spreading and improving understanding of the Reformation (pamphlets, catechism, translation of the Bible) and personal dedication all contributed to this. Some of Luther's personal beliefs and morals do somewhat take away from how great he was as a person but not from the greatness of his impact.
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Luther could certainly be considered a ‘great man’ due to his significant impact on the Reformation, and the ways in which this reshaped Europe. However, there is controversy with this labelling due to his traditional beliefs in a hierarchical societal structure based on male superiority over women and peasant obedience to their rulers, especially due to his harsh views on peasant punishment following the Peasant’s War. Despite this, he was clearly ‘great’ in the sense that he had a large impact on religious change and its consequences.
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Martin Luther was certainly highly influential, but the issues of a "Great Man" view on the Reformation is problematic. Focusing on Luther as sole enactor of a vast change diminishes the contribution of other contemporary theologians and the social context of the Reformation. For example, some perspectives place the Reformation as a generational anti-establishment movement, of which Luther was a part. His role was by no means insignificant, but he was part of a larger movement.
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Luther has to be seen as a "great man" simply because he was the catalyst to so many major changes and reformations across Europe. His influence has continued to be felt into the modern day and because of that it is quite easy to see how he was a "great man".
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Luther was a great man because he was able to formulate an opposition to papal hegemony which was lasting. It was Luther's action that sparked a wholesale breakdown in the previous religious and social order, even if that revolution would expand beyond just the Lutheran cause. While Luther was only able to make such an impact in the context of the changing state of Christendom in the 16th century, that does not remove his agency from affecting this environment and so by taking advantage of latent dissatisfaction with the Catholic Church, Luther was able to take his place as a great man in history.
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The concept of great men within history is an unhelpful way to view history and I think Luther shows this. Luther acted more as the spark that lit the fires of reformation; he just happened to be the right person at the right time and the acceptance of reformation ideas lies more with the reality that people were already unhappy with the church. Luther's 95 Theses spread reformation ideas but the reasons for 'needing' a reformation already existed (Jan Hus had many of the same criticisms a century before). Only through popular will would change come about regardless.
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Whilst Luther was certainly regarded as charismatic and a leader with regards to campaigning for church reform, the idea of him being a 'great man' who singlehandedly guided the reformation is a problematic one. Many alternative currents were also emerging in this time, be it among the peasantry themselves who Luther disagreed with or Zwingli in swizerland.
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Martin Luther can be considered a ‘great man’ based on his transformative impact on religion and intellectual history as well as the reformations he inspired around Europe. He challenged the long-standing authority of the Catholic Church by emphasising ‘sold scriptura’ and ‘sola fide’ which directly led to the Reformation. His use of print media spread theological debate to the masses and his doctrines redefined individual religious and spiritual agency. However, his conservatism on social issues like the Peasants’ War and anti-Semitic writing poses questions about his ‘greatness’.
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Martin Luther can be considered a “great man” due to his transformative role in the Reformation. His rejection of the Catholic Church’s authority challenged long-established practices and triggered a religious revolution that reshaped Christianity in Europe. By making complex theological ideas accessible to the masses Luther helped give individuals a sense of agency against unjust authority paving the way for significant alterations in religious and social structures.
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Luther can be considered great for multiple reasons. For instance, his resistance against the imposition of indulgences and defence of his faith at Worms is admirable. It is easy to suggest that he is a product of his time and a simple catalyst. Yet without his immense knowledge of religion, language and connection to the common layfolk, combined with his proactiveness in spreading his ideas, there may not have been a reformation as wide scale and successful as there was across Europe, and the soon to be evangelised corners of the world.
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