Martin Luther on Music

My favorite excerpt from this writing of Martin Luther is this:

“A person who gives this some thought and yet does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.” – Martin Luther

As quoted by Carl F. Schalk in “Luther on Music”. More thoughts on Martin Luther’s views on music and the quoted text in context follows:

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Martin Luther to the Christian Reader – 1545

Martin Luther’s letter “To The Christian Reader” was written in 1545, a year before he died. It has a tenor of reconciliation. He asks readers to cut him a little slack for at one time being a monk and upholding the Pope’s theology to the point that he would have “committed murder” to keep it in force.

A simple quick read overview might be this excerpt:

“Therefore, Christian reader, thou wilt find in my earliest books and writings how many points of faith I then, with all humility, yielded and conceded to the pope, which since then I have held and condemned for the most horrible blasphemy and abomination, and which I would have to be so held and so condemned forever. Amen.”

Here is the letter in it’s original context, translated into English:

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Martin Luther Letter to Pope Leo X

This is the English translation of a letter sent by Martin Luther to Pope Leo X in 1518. Martin Luther had previously published his “95 Theses” and was starting to get into trouble with Rome. This letter accompanied his “Resolutions to the 95 Theses”.

Martin Luther tells the Pope that clergy are using the Pope’s name to intimidate people into giving money they cannot afford to give. He also tells the Pope he will follow whatever punishment the Pope declares for Martin Luther speaking out.

My favorite quote from this letter is: “But necessity compels me to be the goose that squawks among the swans.”

Here is the full letter in context:

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Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in Latin and English

The original text of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in original Latin and translated English text. More correctly the 95 Theses was actually called the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” by Dr. Martin Luther (1517).

English text first, Latin text follows:

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