Martin Luther Quiz and DQ's
Quiz Questions
- Whose view on the soul after death did Luther contradict?
- What did Luther call Islam in his writings?
- What is one way we can follow Luther's example of questioning authority?
- What term is associated with making religion and the Bible accessible to the masses?
Discussion Questions
- What would Luther think of the Trump presidency? How would he respond?
- In what ways can Luther's views on religion be applied to American politics and political involvement?
- What are your views on the human soul after death? How is this influenced by your beliefs and/or upbringing?
- Is religious liberty more or less relevant in modern America than it was at the time of America's founding?
Turner, I quite enjoyed this presentation. It was good to see you continue your exploration of Luther, while also making connections to contemporary ideas. Your presentation was very well-organized and the brief review of Luther's thoughts at the outset was super helpful. I appreciate that you drew some distinctions between Luther and other reformers, like Calvin. Popular misconception can lump them all together even though on some key issues they passionately disagreed. I did not know that Luther was so "tolerant" concerning Islam. Of course, I disagree with associating it with the Devil, but Luther's somewhat "live and let live" stance is represented today in many places where religious pluralism and diversity is a reality. Regarding the death penalty, religious opposition––especially in Catholic circles––remains pretty staunch. A few years ago, I did some state legislative advocacy with a representative of a KY catholic diocese, and the abolition of death penalty was one of those issues we were trying to push. So, it's interesting to see Luther come down at that position. In some way, it may show just how "Catholic," if you will, Luther remained even after the Reformation. As much as he's touted as a champion for individual questioning, Luther didn't set out to effect to sort of mass break from the Church that eventually happened. At first, he was perfectly content to hash out the problems listed in the 95 theses among other theological/ecclesiastical elites. In fact, when he posted the document, it was in Latin not German, so it was hardly meant for "the folk." Great job, and what a lively discussion after your presentation!
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