7. Appeal to the Laity for Reform
From the time of his disputation at Leipsic, Luther came into relations with the humanists, particularly with Melanchthon, Reuchlin,
Erasmus, and Crotur. The last was intimately associated with
Ulrich von Hutten (q.v.), who in his turn influenced
Franz von Sickingen (q.v.), so that, when it became
doubtful whether it would be safe for Luther to remain in Saxony if
the ban which threatened should be pronounced against him, both Franz von Sickingen and Silvester of Schauenburg invited him to their
fortresses and their protection. Under these circumstances,
complicated by the crisis then confronting the German nobles, Luther issued his
Anden Christlichen Adel deutscher Nation
(Aug., 1520), committing to the laity, as spiritual priests, the
reformation required by God but declined by the pope and the clergy. The subjects proposed for amelioration were not points of
doctrine, but ecclesiastical abuser: diminution of the number of
cardinals and the demands of the papal court; the abolition of annats (see
Taxation, Ecclesiastical
8. Doctrine of the Sacraments
The climax of Luther's doctrinal polemics was reached in his
De captivitate Babyloniaca, especially in regard to the sacraments.
As concerned the Eucharist, he denied transubstantiation, the
sacrificial character of the mass, and the withholding of the cup. In regard to baptism, he taught that it brought justification only
when conjoined with belief, but that it contained the foundation
of salvation even for those who might later fall. As for penance, its essence consists in the words of promise given to belief.
Only these three can be regarded as sacraments, in virtue of the
promises attached to them; and strictly speaking baptism and the Eucharist alone are sacraments, as being a sign divinely
instituted. The sacrament of unction was discarded by Luther with his
doubts of the authenticity of the Epistle of James. In like manner, the acme of Luther's doctrine of salvation and the Christian life was attained in his
Von der Freiheit eines
Christenmenschen. Here he required complete union with Christ by means of the Word through faith, entire freedom of the Christian as a priest and king set above all outward things, and perfect
love of one's neighbor. The three works may be considered the chief writings of Luther on the Reformation. [For their English translation by Buckheim and Wace see below.]
In Oct., 1520, at the instance of Miltitz, Luther sent his
De libertate Christiani to the pope, adding the significant phrase: "I
submit to no laws of interpreting the word of God." Meanwhile
it had been rumored in August that Eck had arrived at Meissen with a papal ban, which was actually pronounced there on Sept. 21. This
last effort of Luther's for peace was followed on Dec. 12 by his
burning of the bull, which was to take effect on the expiration of 120 days, and the papal decretals at Wittenberg, a proceeding defended in his
Warum
des Papstes und seiner Jünger Bücher verbrannt sind and his
Assertio omnium articulorum.
