Luther’s Contribution to the Just War Tradition
Luther appropriated much of the Medieval “just war” tradition, although he also reduced the legitimate grounds for war and made original contributions, including a rejection of crusades and an assertion of the right of conscientious objection. His critical reception and contributions emanated from h...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2021
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| In: |
Lutheran quarterly
Year: 2021, Volume: 35, Issue: 3, Pages: 273-300 |
| IxTheo Classification: | CG Christianity and Politics KAG Church history 1500-1648; Reformation; humanism; Renaissance KDD Protestant Church NCD Political ethics |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Luther appropriated much of the Medieval “just war” tradition, although he also reduced the legitimate grounds for war and made original contributions, including a rejection of crusades and an assertion of the right of conscientious objection. His critical reception and contributions emanated from his distinction between the two kingdoms as well as his teaching on the three orders of creation., Luther has been portrayed by scholars, especially post-war Anglo-American scholars, as an absolute supporter of governmental power and obedience to it. These claims are mistaken considering statements scattered throughout his huge corpus and even in several locations in his few treatises written on these topics. He significantly added to Medieval justifications for resisting political power. While Luther originally denied that evangelical princes had legitimate grounds for resisting the emperor, he later reversed course. Luther’s reversal was based on positive law that he did not previously understand, namely, the imperial constitution. His contributions were refined by subsequent Lutherans, especially those who resisted the emperor in Magdeburg, and found their way into Calvinism and Anglo-Saxon traditions. |
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| ISSN: | 2470-5616 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Lutheran quarterly
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