This question refers to the passage below: "To the count of Katzenellenbogen, Ziegenhain, and Nidda, my gracious lord.
Pope Leo X, in the bull in which he put me under the ban, condemned my statement that 'to fight against
the Turk is the same thing as resisting God, who visits our sin upon us with this rod.' I still confess freely
that this statement is mine. The popes and bishops called for war against the Turks in the name of Christ.
Yet because Christ taught that Christians shall not resist evil with violence or take revenge, it is against
His name.
In how many wars against the Turks have the bishops and clergy prevented Christians from enduring
heavy losses? Indeed, the king of Hungary and his bishops were beaten by the Turks at Varna and more
recently a German army would perhaps have fought with more success, if it had not contained priests. If I
were an emperor, a king, or a prince in a campaign against the Turks, I would encourage my bishops and
priests to stay at home and mind the duties of their office, praying, fasting, saying mass, preaching, and
caring for the poor, as not only Holy Scripture, but their own canon law teaches and requires. To this I say
Amen, Amen."
*a reference to a failed Christian Crusade launched against the Ottoman Turks in 1444
Martin Luther, German theologian, sermon addressed to a
German prince, 1528
The views expressed in the passage were most strongly influenced by Protestant desires to
justify warfare between different types of Christians
change Christian society by following the words of the Bible more closely
advocate for a German state that would not be influenced by the Pope
show that everybody's destiny was decided by God even before birth