Abstract
The author analyzes the views of Martin Luther on Turks, based on his book “About the war against the Turks” in 1529. Luther was not a representative of the pacifism. He saw in the threat of the Turks the punishment for the sinful state of his own people, so he emphasized again and again that the cane might be taken from God’s hand when every person “will repent and confess again the Christian ...
Abstract
The author analyzes the views of Martin Luther on Turks, based on his book “About the war against the Turks” in 1529. Luther was not a representative of the pacifism. He saw in the threat of the Turks the punishment for the sinful state of his own people, so he emphasized again and again that the cane might be taken from God’s hand when every person “will repent and confess again the Christian faith” . Luther asks: What should the Christian do against this obvious threat? Because it expresses the wrath of God, Christians must either bear it or fight it and chase it through repentance and prayer. Luther’s book appeared in April 1529 and was republished seven times during the same year, which indicates the great interest shown for this book. In Luther’s conception, a Turk does not differentiate between a true Christian and a Christian in name only, because the Turk is the enemy of the Christian name. Luther was convinced that the Turks were a threat to Christians not only because of their military power, but also because of their religious teachings and way of life.
More literature (via CORE)