On War Against the Turk (German: Vom Kriege wider die Türken) was a book written by Martin Luther in 1528 and published in 1529.[1] It was one of several pamphlets and sermons by Martin Luther about Islam and resistance to the Ottoman Empire, during the critical period of territorial expansion of the Ottoman Empire in Europe, marked by the capture of Buda in 1526 and the siege of Vienna in 1529.
Initially, in his 1518 Explanation of the Ninety-five Theses, Luther had argued against resisting the Turks, whom he presented as a scourge intentionally sent by God to sinning Christians, and that resisting it would have been equivalent to resisting the will of God.[2] This position had been initially shared by Erasmus as well, but was strongly criticized by authors such as Thomas More:
"It is a gentle holiness to abstain for devotion from resisting the Turk, and in the meanwhile to rise up in routs and fight against Christian men, and destroy as that sect has done, many a good religious house, spoiled, maimed and slain many a good virtuous man, robbed, polluted, and pulled down many a goodly church of Christ."
With the Turkish advance becoming ever more threatening, however, in 1528 Luther modified his stance and wrote On War against the Turk and in 1529 Sermon against the Turk, encouraging the German people and Emperor Charles V to resist the invasion.[4]
Compared with his anger over what he perceived as the annoying-but-not-incurable stubbornness of Judaism, Luther's positions against Islam portrayed an attitude of hopelessness and acceptance of failure, resulting in milder condemnation.[5] On the one hand Luther extensively criticized the principles of Islam, but on the other hand he also expressed a view that the practice of the Islamic faith was not worth the effort to combat as strongly:
"Let the Turk believe and live as he will, just as one lets the papacy and other false Christians live."
In On War Against the Turk, Luther is less critical of the Turks than he is of the Pope, whom he calls an anti-Christ, or the Jews, whom he describes as "the Devil incarnate".[7] He urges his contemporaries to also see that some Turks, guided by their beliefs, had good intentions. He refers to some who were favorable to the Ottoman Empire "who actually want the Turk to come and rule, because they think that our German people are wild and uncivilized – indeed that they are half-devil and half-man".[8]
He also argued that the fight against the Turks should not be a holy war, but only a secular one, made in self-defense (thus a war not to gain territory but to protect neighbors' lives and property as taught in the Ten Commandments[9]), and led by the secular authorities of the Emperor and the Princes, and strongly warned against leading it as a religious war:
"...as though our people were an army of Christians against the Turks, who were enemies of Christ. This is absolutely contrary to Christ's doctrine and name"
Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort, a 1542 hymn by Martin Luther "for the children to sing against the two arch-enemies of Christ, and His Holy Church, the Pope and the Turks".
^Quoted in The Ten commandments. William P. Brown, p. 258.
External linksedit
On War against the Turk (English translation)
Referencesedit
Martin Brecht, Martin Luther: Shaping and Defining the Reformation, 1521–1532, Fortress Press, 1994, ISBN0-8006-2814-4
William Miller, The Ottoman Empire and Its Successors, 1801–1927, Routledge, 1966, ISBN0-7146-1974-4
Daniel Goffman, The Ottoman Empire and early modern Europe, Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN0-521-45908-7
Andrew Cunningham, Ole Peter Grell, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Religion, War, Famine and Death in Reformation Europe, Cambridge University Press, 2000, ISBN0-521-46701-2
January 01, 1970
against, turk, german, kriege, wider, türken, book, written, martin, luther, 1528, published, 1529, several, pamphlets, sermons, martin, luther, about, islam, resistance, ottoman, empire, during, critical, period, territorial, expansion, ottoman, empire, europ. On War Against the Turk German Vom Kriege wider die Turken was a book written by Martin Luther in 1528 and published in 1529 1 It was one of several pamphlets and sermons by Martin Luther about Islam and resistance to the Ottoman Empire during the critical period of territorial expansion of the Ottoman Empire in Europe marked by the capture of Buda in 1526 and the siege of Vienna in 1529 On War Against the TurkAuthorMartin LutherOriginal titleVom Kriege wider die TurkenCountryHoly Roman EmpireLanguageGermanGenreWar religionPublication date1528 Contents 1 Content 2 See also 3 Notes 4 External links 5 ReferencesContent editInitially in his 1518 Explanation of the Ninety five Theses Luther had argued against resisting the Turks whom he presented as a scourge intentionally sent by God to sinning Christians and that resisting it would have been equivalent to resisting the will of God 2 This position had been initially shared by Erasmus as well but was strongly criticized by authors such as Thomas More It is a gentle holiness to abstain for devotion from resisting the Turk and in the meanwhile to rise up in routs and fight against Christian men and destroy as that sect has done many a good religious house spoiled maimed and slain many a good virtuous man robbed polluted and pulled down many a goodly church of Christ Thomas More 3 With the Turkish advance becoming ever more threatening however in 1528 Luther modified his stance and wrote On War against the Turk and in 1529 Sermon against the Turk encouraging the German people and Emperor Charles V to resist the invasion 4 Compared with his anger over what he perceived as the annoying but not incurable stubbornness of Judaism Luther s positions against Islam portrayed an attitude of hopelessness and acceptance of failure resulting in milder condemnation 5 On the one hand Luther extensively criticized the principles of Islam but on the other hand he also expressed a view that the practice of the Islamic faith was not worth the effort to combat as strongly Let the Turk believe and live as he will just as one lets the papacy and other false Christians live Excerpt from On war against the Turk 1529 6 In On War Against the Turk Luther is less critical of the Turks than he is of the Pope whom he calls an anti Christ or the Jews whom he describes as the Devil incarnate 7 He urges his contemporaries to also see that some Turks guided by their beliefs had good intentions He refers to some who were favorable to the Ottoman Empire who actually want the Turk to come and rule because they think that our German people are wild and uncivilized indeed that they are half devil and half man 8 He also argued that the fight against the Turks should not be a holy war but only a secular one made in self defense thus a war not to gain territory but to protect neighbors lives and property as taught in the Ten Commandments 9 and led by the secular authorities of the Emperor and the Princes and strongly warned against leading it as a religious war as though our people were an army of Christians against the Turks who were enemies of Christ This is absolutely contrary to Christ s doctrine and name Excerpt from On war against the Turk 1529 10 See also editErhalt uns Herr bei deinem Wort a 1542 hymn by Martin Luther for the children to sing against the two arch enemies of Christ and His Holy Church the Pope and the Turks Islam and ProtestantismNotes edit Brecht p 364 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Andrew Cunningham p 141 Quoted in Cunningham p 141 Miller p 208 The Ottoman Empire and early modern Europe by Daniel Goffman p 109 1 Quoted in Miller p 208 Goffman p 109 Goffman p 110 The Small Catechism by Dr Martin Luther 2 Quoted in The Ten commandments William P Brown p 258 External links editOn War against the Turk English translation References editMartin Brecht Martin Luther Shaping and Defining the Reformation 1521 1532 Fortress Press 1994 ISBN 0 8006 2814 4 William Miller The Ottoman Empire and Its Successors 1801 1927 Routledge 1966 ISBN 0 7146 1974 4 Daniel Goffman The Ottoman Empire and early modern Europe Cambridge University Press 2002 ISBN 0 521 45908 7 Andrew Cunningham Ole Peter Grell The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Religion War Famine and Death in Reformation Europe Cambridge University Press 2000 ISBN 0 521 46701 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title On War Against the Turk amp oldid 1072315056, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
