Luther and the Peasants’ War

Through 1524 into 1525, a popular uprising swept across what is now Germany, touching Alsace, Austria, and Switzerland. Luther, himself very much a man of the people, moved from ambivalence to condemnation, putting the worst of himself on display. The revolt was soon brutally crushed. In this paper we will trace the causes, progress, and collapse of the Peasants’ War, considering some of the social and theological currents flowing through Reformation Europe, and assessing Luther’s navigation of these streams.

Conference Title

Creeds, Confessions, and Controversies

Speaker

Phil Arthur

Date

December 4, 2024