To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation

Martin Luther1520

Luther’s appeal of 1520 to the emperor and the German nobles to reform the church themselves. It attacks three walls behind which, he says, Rome has shielded itself from reform.

Martin Luther dated the dedication of this book 23 June 1520. It is written in German and addressed to the new emperor and the lay rulers, because, he says, the clergy have grown indifferent to reform. The first part attacks three claims: that the spiritual power is above the temporal, that only the pope may interpret Scripture, and that only the pope may call a council. Against the first he argues that all Christians are of the spiritual estate through baptism. The rest of the book lists abuses and proposes remedies.

It is a polemic, and its language about Rome is violent. It is cited here as the statement of what Luther was asking the lay powers to do in the months before his excommunication.

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