To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation
[1] Von Sickingen and Silvester of Schauenburg wanted to place Luther under their protection by inviting him to their fortresses in the event that it would not be safe for him to remain in Saxony because of the threatened papal ban.In Wittenberg each interested party – prince, town council and commune – wished to expand its influence on the governance of the church in accord with its own values and needs.[1] This treatise, which has been called a "cry from the heart of the people" and a "blast on the war trumpet," was the first publication Luther produced after he was convinced that a break with Rome was both inevitable and unavoidable."[6] From this statement Luther calls for religious office to be held by elected officials, stating that "if a thing is common to all, no man may take it to himself without the wish and command of the community."Further, Luther delegates the "temporal authorities" to be best suited for calling a council as they are "fellow-Christians, fellow-priests, sharing one spirit and one power in all things, and [thus] they should exercise the office that they received from God.This document asked if military force employed to stop uprising violence, whether applied by the government or the church, is the Christian thing to do.
GermanMartin Lutherpriesthood of all believerstwo kingdomsvernacular languageDisputation of LeipzigMelanchthonReuchlinErasmusUlrich von HuttenFranz von SickingenEdict of WormsWartburgReformationpriestsRelations between theCatholic Church and the StatePapal deposing powerDonation of ConstantineDictatus papaeUnam sanctamPapal Jurisdiction Act 1560Disputationes de ControversiisDignitatis humanaeConstantinian shiftConstantinianismInvestiture ControversyCisalpinismUltramontanismLetitia Dunbar-HarrisonEvo Morales and the Roman Catholic ChurchSaint PeterBook of RevelationPapal primacysupremacyinfallibilityPrimacy of PeterPapal supremacyPapal infallibilityRavenna DocumentEastern Orthodox oppositionto papal supremacyConciliarityUltrajectinesFebronianismThe Ratzinger ReportGallicanismPatronato realDevelopment of doctrineCum ex apostolatus officioPascendi Dominici gregisSedevacantismReformation.WikisourceLibriVoxBibliographyResources about Martin LutherNinety-five ThesesSermon on Indulgences and GraceOn the Babylonian Captivity of the ChurchOn the Freedom of a ChristianAgainst Henry, King of the EnglishLuther BibleThe Adoration of the SacramentFormula missaeFlood prayerAgainst the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of PeasantsOn the Bondage of the WillThe Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ—Against the FanaticsDeutsche MesseConfession Concerning Christ's SupperOn War Against the TurkSmall CatechismArticles of SchwabachLarge CatechismSmalcald ArticlesOn the Councils and the ChurchOn the Jews and Their LiesVom Schem HamphorasLuther's Table TalkWeimar edition of Luther's worksList of hymnsFirst Lutheran hymnalErfurt EnchiridionEyn geystlich Gesangk BuchleynEs spricht der Unweisen Mund wohlGott sei gelobet und gebenedeietA Mighty Fortress Is Our GodSie ist mir lieb, die werte MagdChrist unser Herr zum Jordan kamLutheranismHeidelberg Disputation, 1518Leipzig Debate, 1519Exsurge Domine, 1520Diet of Worms, 1521Decet Romanum Pontificem, 1521Marburg Colloquy, 1529Augsburg Confession, 1530Luther's canonTheology of Martin LutherTheology of the CrossSola fideSola scripturaBeerwolfMarian theologyEucharist in LutheranismSacramental unionAntisemitismPropaganda during the ReformationDie Lügend von S. Johanne Chrysostomo (1537 edition)Katharina von BoraMagdalena LutherPaul LutherAlbert of BrandenburgBartholomaeus ArnoldiGeorg RörerJohann CochlaeusJohann von StaupitzJustus JonasKarl von MiltitzAndreas KarlstadtPhilip MelanchthonPope Leo XCharles V, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick the WiseAlbrecht VII von MansfeldAll Saints' Church, Wittenberg