Martin Luther is one of the most prominent figures in Christian history, the founder of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Moreover, Luther had a great influence on the formation of the Western state model. It is important to mention that Luther was primarily theologian and his attitude to secular authority was predetermined by the current situation of church and Christianity.
Luther argued in his doctrines that man lives in two spheres: the scope of the gospel (religious sphere, attitudes toward the kingdom of heaven) and scope of the law (state sphere, the earthly kingdom). They are both branches of God’s rule. But the theologian distinguished the spheres of influence between state and church. Luther’s concept implies that the church is not superior to state and spiritual power should be led by God, while the secular should be led by the monarch, princes or kings. The state resulted from a human’s fall into sin and it exists to protect people and promote justice. He thought that the pope’s claim to hair the empire in the state of vacancy was outrageous (Gane 128 ). Nevertheless, the church is to have the autonomy in spiritual and doctrine spheres. Luther believed that clergy should deal with matters of ethics and morality, leaving the issues of money, laws and proprietorship to governors. These thoughts can be summarized in the expression “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”.
The theologian believed that the state was created to solve the problems that can’t be solved by the church as a social institution. According to Luther, God rules through earthly kings (Gane 131). The government is responsible for supervision over the observance of laws. In terms of Luther, the governor should be a servant of God, not a ruler of the people. The real state power is not an advantage, but duty to God and governor’s interests should be on the second place.
Luther was critical of the law, because in those days it was based on the principle of inequality: there were different systems of law for laity and clergy. Martin Luther opposed to the privileges of the church and clergy. He defended the independence of state regarding church and even urged kings and princes to struggle against the popes, cardinals and all Catholic clergy if they intervene in the affairs of state. One gains the distinct impression that he made a radical break with traditional Christian principles by separating church from secular power.
Work cited
Gane, Erwine R. “Luther’s views of church and state”. AndrUR. 1970: 120-143. Print.
