What Martin Luther thinks about religion

@martin-luther · 19 positions · On ppll ↗

German theologian and leader of the Protestant Reformation (1483 to 1546); author of On the Freedom of a Christian.

Martin Luther did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

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Only Martin Luther on religion. See everyone on religion

16 dated positions, c. 1520, in their own words. Our reading of what Martin Luther has said — not written or endorsed by them.

c. 1520

Our readingThe Court of Rome is more corrupt than any Babylon or Sodom

Their wordsYour see, however, which is called the Court of Rome, and which neither you nor any man can deny to be more corrupt than any Babylon or Sodom, and quite, as I believe, of a lost, desperate, and hopeless impiety, this I have verily abominated, and have felt indignant that the people of Christ should be cheated under your name and the pretext of the Church of Rome; and so I have resisted, and will resist, as long as the spirit of faith shall live in me.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingNo law should bind how the word of God is interpreted

Their wordsMoreover, I cannot bear with laws for the interpretation of the word of God, since the word of God, which teaches liberty in all other things, ought not to be bound.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingThe Pope is not above councils and has no sole right to interpret Scripture

Their wordsThey are in error who raise you above councils and the universal Church; they are in error who attribute to you alone the right of interpreting Scripture.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingThe popes are very unlike Christ, though they claim to be his vicars

Their wordsSee how unlike Christ was to His successors, though all will have it that they are His vicars.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingA Christian is free and subject to none, yet the dutiful servant of all

Their wordsA Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingThe soul is justified by faith alone, not by any works

Their wordsHence it is clear that as the soul needs the word alone for life and justification, so it is justified by faith alone, and not by any works.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingGod's commandments show what to do but give no power to do it

Their wordsThe precepts certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. For they show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingScripture makes no distinction between clergy and laity except as servants of the word

Their wordsFor Holy Scripture makes no distinction between them, except that those who are now boastfully called popes, bishops, and lords, it calls ministers, servants, and stewards, who are to serve the rest in the ministry of the word, for teaching the faith of Christ and the liberty of believers.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingPreaching should aim to promote personal faith in Christ

Their wordsNow preaching ought to have the object of promoting faith in Him, so that He may not only be Christ, but a Christ for you and for me, and that what is said of Him, and what He is called, may work in us.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingGood works should be taught, but not done to seek justification by them

Their wordsWe do not then reject good works; nay, we embrace them and teach them in the highest degree. It is not on their own account that we condemn them, but on account of this impious addition to them and the perverse notion of seeking justification by them.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingChristians should freely help their neighbours, each becoming a Christ to the other

Their wordsAnd as our heavenly Father has freely helped us in Christ, so ought we freely to help our neighbour by our body and works, and each should become to other a sort of Christ, so that we may be mutually Christs, and that the same Christ may be in all of us; that is, that we may be truly Christians.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingIt is to be feared that few or no monasteries, altars or church offices today are Christian

Their wordsHence I greatly fear that at this day few or no colleges, monasteries, altars, or ecclesiastical functions are Christian ones; and the same may be said of fasts and special prayers to certain saints.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingA Christian lives in Christ by faith and in the neighbour by love, or is no Christian

Their wordsWe conclude therefore that a Christian man does not live in himself, but in Christ and in his neighbour, or else is no Christian: in Christ by faith; in his neighbour by love.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingFaith frees people from belief in works, not from works themselves

Their wordsIt is not from works that we are set free by the faith of Christ, but from the belief in works, that is from foolishly presuming to seek justification through works.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingOppose church lawmakers, but keep their rules alongside the weak so as not to offend them

Their wordsFight vigorously against the wolves, but on behalf of the sheep, not against the sheep. And this you may do by inveighing against the laws and lawgivers, and yet at the same time observing these laws with the weak, lest they be offended, until they shall themselves recognise the tyranny, and understand their own liberty.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book
c. 1520

Our readingCeremonies are like builders' temporary preparations: needed, but not the building

Their wordsHence in the Christian life ceremonies are to be no otherwise looked upon than as builders and workmen look upon those preparations for building or working which are not made with any view of being permanent or anything in themselves, but only because without them there could be no building and no work.

↗Concerning Christian Liberty, with the Letter to Pope Leo X (1520; English translation)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book