¶ … War Against Turks" writings Martin Luther, I attached additional material file. Instruction: Discussion
In attempting to discuss the principle argument that the author of this reading is attempting to make, one must understand that the reading discussed in this assignment actually consists of numerous writings by Martin Luther. In fact, some of these writings are distanced from one another by several years' time. However, the fact that they are all written by the same author and are presented within chronological order enables the discerning reader to see a theme and central purpose to these works. Essentially, Luther's chief idea is to preserve the sanctity of the Christian religion as it is manifested within the hierarchy of religious factions. What varies between all of these writings is from who exactly Luther is attempting to save the ideals of the church. Early on in this collection of his written work, for example, he is advocating saving the ideals of Christianity from the heretical actions of the Roman Catholic Church. Later on, he is advocating preserving the sanctity of this religion from the rebellious masses of peasants that took up arms in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Still later on again he is advocating a preservation of the holiness and 'correct' spirit of Christianity from a force invading outside of his native Germany -- the Turks.
What is pivotal to realize about the author's central argument...
Luther views all of these entities as bona fide threats to the true way in which Christianity is supposed to be practiced. Implicit in such sentiment is the fact that there is a political rectitude that he associates with the Christian Church -- one which all of the aforementioned parties have the potential for ruining. He laments the Popes' frequent abuses of "temporal power" (Luther 39) as much as he warns against the invading Turkish heathens. He does so because both of these foes, and numerous others, are perceived as adversely impacting the political state necessary to properly practice Christianity.
The author proves his argument by buttressing it again and again with the values of Christianity. Everything he is writing and propounding is true, because it is in adherence to the Christian faith. Moreover, it is in adherence to the heart of the Christian faith -- which is the belief in Jesus and in the redemption that such belief gives one. This notion, that "the righteousness that makes men good in the sight of God" is attributable to "only faith in Jesus Christ" (Luther 102) is at the backbone of the rectitude that he posits. Beyond using concepts of Christianity, he also uses a surfeit of references to Biblical scriptures to reinforce many of his concepts that pertain to the fact that what Luther is advocating is best of the…
