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Martin Luther: The Eight Sermons
The Reformation also had its setbacks. We shouldn't imagine it as linear, without tremors, like a calm river following its course. Martin Luther (1483-1546) faced not only Catholic rejection but also a wide range of internal challenges. Some of his collaborators proposed much more radical versions of reform, which caused unease.
Martin Luther / Source: Credo ergo sum
Such an "incident" occurred during Luther's stay at Wartburg (1521-1522).
Withdrawn there to be protected, the reformer was informed that things in Wittenberg were moving in an undesirable direction. Andreas Karlstadt, one of the earliest supporters of the Reformation and an important professor at the University of Wittenberg who helped Luther spread his ideas, had taken the reins.
Among the proposed dogmatic and liturgical changes were: the removal of religious images from churches (iconoclasm), considering them idolatry; the complete abolition of the Latin mass and its replacement with preaching in German; the reconsideration of the Eucharist's significance, transitioning from the real presence (of Christ) to a purely symbolic understanding. Luther, on the other hand, was cautious about overly rapid reforms, considering that changes should be gradual to avoid disorder. He believed that religious images could serve an educational and pastoral function if they were not idolized.
The chaos in Wittenberg and the fear that the Reformation might fatally radicalize led Luther to make a firm decision: on March 6, 1522, he left Wartburg and returned to his beloved city. Here, without hesitation, he began – on Sunday, March 9 – a series of sermons (eight in total), which he delivered daily, calling for balance and love. It was Lent, and these lectures addressed the hot topics of the moment. Thus, we have a coherent position on the mass, images, communion under both kinds, the consumption of meat, and confession. Regardless of the subject, the reformer urged faith and love.
"Faith is directed toward God, love toward man. The latter consists of that service to others which we received from God without our work and merit. Thus, there are two things: one, which is most necessary and must be done in one way and not another; the other, which is a matter of choice and not necessity, which can be observed or not, without endangering faith or incurring damnation. In both, love must treat our neighbor as God has treated us; it must go straight ahead without swerving to the left or the right. In matters that are 'mandatory' and are matters of necessity, such as faith in Christ, love, however, never uses unjustified force or coercion."
Martin Luther / Source: Credo ergo sum
This series of sermons is considered the definitive victory of the Reformation, not only against Catholicism but also against radical factions. Karlstadt symbolizes the failure of the radical movement, especially due to his association with various prophetic and charismatic groups. Luther represented a moderate and gradual approach to the Reformation, aiming to maintain some continuity with the Church's tradition. Karlstadt, on the other hand, advocated a more radical reform, based on a strictly literal interpretation of the Bible and an almost complete rejection of Catholic tradition.
The problematic relationship between the two illustrates the early fractures within the Protestant movement, which led to the formation of several branches of Reformed Christianity (Lutheranism, Zwinglianism, Anabaptism, etc.). The Reformation arena thus had protagonists from both camps: moderates and radicals. Both claimed the truth and, implicitly, influence. In their own way, both prevailed.
The moderate movement (initially Lutheran, later Calvinist, Reformed, etc.) was to make pacts with the state and formalize its position; the radical movement (Anabaptism, Methodism, revival movements, etc.) was to take the difficult path of illegality, marked by acts of martyrdom that should not be forgotten.
Ghita Mocan
The article evokes the famous series of eight sermons by Martin Luther, delivered during Lent in 1522. This approximately one-week period is considered a crucial moment for the Reformation's success in Europe.
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