Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German professor of theology, priest and seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. His Ninety-Five Theses of 1517 denounced certain Catholic Church practices and helped spark the Reformation. Luther’s theology challenged the authority of the Pope by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of Christian doctrine. His translation of the Bible from Latin into German made Scripture more accessible and had a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. Luther is a hugely influential, revered figure in church history.
However, Luther also made a number of deeply troubling statements about Jews during his lifetime that raise the question – was Luther anti-Semitic? This article will examine Luther’s writings and views on Jews and Judaism to shed light on this complex issue.
Background on Christian-Jewish Relations
Before analyzing Luther’s position, it is helpful to understand the broader context of Christian-Jewish relations in medieval and early modern Europe. Jews faced frequent prejudice, persecution and expulsions due to discriminatory church laws and social exclusion. Negative stereotypes proliferated, with Jews often depicted as greedy moneylenders or Christ-killers. While Augustine argued that Jews should be protected to preserve witnesses to the true faith, other prominent theologians like Chrysostom preached vehemently against Judaism.
The “teaching of contempt” toward Jews was common in the pre-Reformation church. Christians were forbidden to associate with Jews socially, and Jews were forced to live in segregated ghettos. Jews were subject to accusations of blood libel, host desecration and well poisoning that often led to mob violence and executions. Jews were pressured to convert, and converted Jews were viewed with suspicion as potentially insincere “New Christians.”
The Reformation period offered brief hope of improved relations, as Luther and others insisted on fairer treatment for Jews. But gains were limited, and old prejudices remained strong. This difficult context is crucial for understanding Luther’s position on Jews amid widespread anti-Judaism.
Luther’s Early Views on Jews and Judaism
Early in his career, Luther expressed hope that Jews would convert to Christianity as a result of his reform efforts. In his 1523 essay “That Jesus Christ Was Born A Jew,” Luther urged Christians to treat Jews with love and compassion in order to win them over.
Luther argued that Christ’s incarnation as a Jew should be a sign for Christians to treat Jews with respect. He criticized the medieval church for oppressing Jews and denying them a fair hearing of the gospel. Luther’s positive attitude was shaped by his conviction that the papacy had distorted true Christianity, giving Jews understandable reasons for rejecting it.
Luther insisted that the only way to persuade Jews was through reasoned explanation of the Scriptures, not compulsion and force. He stated that past mistreatment of Jews “makes it all the more necessary to deal with them kindly” in evangelism efforts. Luther instructed clergy to accept Jews into their homes, treat them as friends and demonstrate the true loving gospel to them.
In his 1523 sermon “Guardians of the Soul,” Luther even declared that if he were a Jew, given the corruption of medieval Christendom, he may not have converted either. Early on, Luther placed the blame for Jewish unbelief largely on a deficient Christian witness.
Luther’s Later Views on Jews and Judaism
In the late 1530s, Luther’s position shifted dramatically. No longer confident of Jewish conversion, he became bitterly hostile toward Jews and recommended harsh persecution. What accounted for this drastic change? Several factors help explain Luther’s shift.
As it became clear that relatively few Jews were converting, Luther grew increasingly angry. He was frustrated that Jews remained resistant to his understanding of the gospel message. Luther likely also felt betrayed, after investing such hope in Jewish assimilation earlier.
The more radical aspects of the Reformation stoked fears and instability, leading many to look for scapegoats and greater uniformity. Jews were perceived as a stubborn threat to Christian society. Luther’s religious authoritarianism progressed over time.
Luther was profoundly disappointed that his theology did not bring greater moral and societal improvement. This may have fueled greater cynicism and severity regarding perceived enemies of biblical faith. He grew more reactionary against other divergent groups like Anabaptists as well.
Luther’s 1543 treatise “On the Jews and Their Lies” represents the depths of his hostility. He urged that synagogues and Jewish homes be destroyed, prayer books burned, rabbis forbidden to teach and Jews removed from German territories. Luther’s anger boiled over, and he accepted anti-Jewish stereotypes.
Luther’s proposed measures shocked many even in his time. But his standing gave these radical calls legitimacy that contributed to widespread anti-Semitism in Germany across subsequent centuries, paving the way for the Holocaust. Other leading Reformers like Bullinger, Erasmus and Calvin criticized Luther’s position.
Key Components of Luther’s Anti-Judaism
Several key components characterized Luther’s increasingly vitriolic anti-Judaism:
- He argued that contemporary Jews were guilty of continuing errors and crimes of ancient Jews, including rebellion against God’s prophets, idolatry and the crucifixion of Jesus.
- Luther perpetuated negative Jewish stereotypes, demonizing Jewish customs, rabbis, religious texts and practices.
- He rejected a continuing, faithful Jewish covenant with God, declaring Israel forsaken and the Old Testament invalidated by Christ’s new covenant.
- Luther insisted on forced exclusion of Jews from Christian society, whether expulsion or conversion.
- He claimed that allowing Jewish influence corrupted Christian society and undermined God’s kingdom.
This sharp theological break distinguished Luther from medieval prejudice. Earlier anti-Judaism sought to preserve Jews as witnesses to Christianity, albeit in an oppressed state. Luther lost all hope in future Jewish conversion and assimilation.
Passages in Luther’s Writings
Looking closely at a few representative passages conveys the strength of Luther’s hostility toward Jews:
“Know, O adored Christ, and make no mistake, that aside from the Devil, you have no enemy more venomous, more desperate, more bitter, than a true Jew who truly seeks to be a Jew.” (From The Schem Hamphoras, 1543)
“Their synagogues or schools are to be set fire to, their homes likewise demolished, that these base people may not boast so arrogantly…Their rabbis must be forbidden to teach under threat of loss of life or limb.” (From On the Jews and Their Lies, 1542)
“We are at fault for not slaying them [Jews]…If I could I would gather them all under my arm and execute them.” (From Table Talk conversations, 1543)
Even allowing for rhetorical exaggeration, the contempt and hatred in these statements is jarring. Luther used crude, dehumanizing language and called for brutal antisemitic measures. His proposals helped provide justification for subsequent violations against Jews for centuries.
Defenses of Luther Regarding Anti-Semitism
How have Luther’s defenders responded to charges of anti-Semitism? Several explanations have been offered:
- His comments reflected common views of his era, however disturbing they appear today.
- Luther’s arguments were theological critiques of Judaism, not racial condemnations of Jews.
- He prioritized Christian evangelization, desiring to undermine Judaism to win more converts.
- Luther’s diatribes were largely ignored in practice; Catholics persecuted Jews far worse during the Inquisition.
- He grew frustrated with perceived Jewish blasphemy toward Jesus and the gospel message.
- In later life, Luther was angry, sick and prone to excessive rhetoric on many topics.
Each of these explanations contains elements of truth. Luther did not typically target Jews on racial grounds as modern anti-Semites do. He was responding to Jewish resistance to conversion in his eschatological fervor. His declining health exacerbated his vitriol. Yet ultimately these defenses ring hollow.
Though Luther did not intend genocide, his inflammatory tirades went beyond justifiable theological critique. His dehumanizing words fueled attacks on Jews for centuries. And he ignored past persecution that understandably bred Jewish skepticism. Despite his protest for liberty, Luther called for oppressing dissenters, betraying the spirit of his early reforms.
Perspectives on Luther’s Anti-Judaism
Scholarly assessments of Luther’s anti-Jewish writings have shifted over time. Earlier generations of German Lutherans justified or overlooked his intolerance, accepting it as an inevitable perspective of his era. But in the wake of the Holocaust, his rhetoric appears morally indefensible.
Widespread modern consensus, even among Lutherans, harshly condemns his proposed antisemitic measures as beyond any possible justification. Luther showed blind inconsistency in demanding liberty from Rome while denying freedom to others. Critics present a number of perspectives on his anti-Judaism:
- His proposals against Jews violated his own teachings that faith must be free and voluntary, not compulsory.
- Luther failed to recognize how centuries of Christian mistreatment bred Jewish distrust of Christianity.
- He interpreted the Old Testament using Christological and anti-Jewish assumptions rather than trying to understand texts on their own terms.
- His argument that rejecting Christ negated God’s covenant with Jews contradicted Romans 11 and his own doctrine of grace.
- Luther’s anger at Jewish unbelief blinded him; he reacted self-righteously rather than examining potential Christian shortcomings.
A frequent verdict is that Luther betrayed the spirit of his own reforms. His invective also contradicted Jesus’ acceptance of the marginalized and Paul’s attempts to remove barriers separating Christian Jews and Gentiles.
Luther and the Holocaust
How direct was Luther’s influence on modern antisemitism and the Holocaust? Views vary on this complex issue. Some describe a straight line from Luther’s proposals to Hitler’s death camps. But others challenge this simplification given the vast gaps of time, context and worldview separating them.
While acknowledging Luther’s rhetoric was horrifically destructive, these scholars present a more nuanced position:
- Luther’s comments were religiously, not racially, motivated. He wanted to convert or expel Jews, not exterminate them. Hitler’s racial theories differed fundamentally.
- Centuries of social changes and ideological shifts separate these periods. Reducing Nazism to Luther oversimplifies a complex history.
- Luther inspired both antisemites and the Confessing Church that resisted Hitler. His legacy is mixed.
- Lutheran leaders condemned the Nazis’ distortion of Luther’s writings and betrayed ideals to justify oppression.
Yet even these arguments generally admit Luther’s rhetoric offered encouragement to those already inclined toward antisemitism. And the Holocaust occurred in Luther’s homeland among his cultural heirs. While Luther did not cause Nazism, his extreme words surely contributed to the climate that enabled Hitler’s horrors.
How Should Luther’s Legacy Be Evaluated?
Given the undeniable stench and stain of Luther’s later anti-Jewish writings, how should his legacy be assessed by Christians today? This remains a disputed question with multiple perspectives offered by theologians and historians:
- Some argue Luther should be utterly repudiated due to his hatred and cruelty toward Jews. His name and memory should be condemned and disavowed to avoid any association.
- Others insist his theological greatness outweighs his flaws, which should be acknowledged but not permitted to negate his importance. Christians cannot reject every imperfect historical figure.
- A mediating view appreciates Luther’s immense contributions but criticizes his shortcomings. Christians should be open about his prejudices and promote healing with Jews.
- Some emphasize Luther’s anti-Judaism was not as bad as Catholic persecution of Jews during the Inquisition and elsewhere in the period.
In recent decades, many Lutheran denominations have officially condemned Luther’s anti-Jewish writings and expressed repentance. But debate continues on how to remember this pivotal but deeply flawed figure.
Key Lessons for Christians
The question of Luther’s anti-Semitism offers several vital cautions and lessons for Christians today seeking to avoid similar errors and harms:
- Beware condoning oppression of any groups, however supposedly justified.
- Remember that hostility and demonization often say more about the speaker than the opponent.
- Do not immediately assume disagreement implies evil intent – try to understand different perspectives.
- Recall that no human authorities are infallible, no matter how greatly used by God.
- Let experiences of prejudice prompt empathy rather than retaliation.
- Follow Christ’s example of welcoming the marginalized.
- Heed Paul’s warning that everyone sees imperfectly until Christ’s return (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Luther left a mixed legacy that should prompt careful introspection about the lures of power, certainty and coercion. Christians must continually submit themselves to the deeper ethic of compassion and grace embodied by Jesus.
Conclusion
Martin Luther’s polemics against Jews and Judaism present profound moral difficulties. His vicious rhetoric contributed to horrific consequences over subsequent centuries. Though the context somewhat explains Luther’s anger, it does not excuse the merciless harm of his writings.
Luther remains a titan within Christian history, and his positive legacy should not be forgotten. But neither can his destructive failures be ignored or minimized. They stand as a sobering warning of what can happen when fallen human leaders become blinded by rage and self-righteousness.
All people and traditions are tainted by sin on this side of eternity. Luther’s flawed example underscores the need for humility, self-criticism, dialogue and the pursuit of ever greater faithfulness. Christians must denounce religious hatred while still leaving judgment to God alone.
