Stephen Burnett: “Martin Luther, the Devil, and his anti-Jewish Polemics”

Luther’s anti-Jewish polemics of 1543 are among his most notorious works. In them he sought to demonize Jews and to demand that the political authorities treat them harshly, by confiscating their wealth, homes, books, and synagogues, or even forcibly exiling them. Previous scholars have tried to explain Luther’s harsh rhetoric and demands by using a variety of approaches, including the following: they were an inevitable outgrowth of his theology; they were an expression of his growing impatience with the refusal of Jews to convert; and they were a reflection of Luther’s physical and mental illnesses. Burnett’s current book project differs from all previous works because he has analyzed the rhetoric of the three books within the context of Luther’s earlier polemical works, and what is known about his fears and concerns during the early 1540s. Burnett also interprets Luther’s characterization of “the Jews” within the context of German Jewish history and the medieval Christian tradition of anti-Jewish polemics. He argues that after 1540 Luther came to believe that Jews were a danger to church and society because they were taught from childhood to hate Christ and Christians. They expressed this hatred through blasphemy, through using moneylending to bring Christians into debt slavery, and through secret violence. Luther also believed that Jews sought to convert Christians to Judaism, using their false interpretations of Scripture to mislead them. Luther wrote to warn ordinary Christians to be “on their guard” about the dangers that Jews posed for them.

Part of the CMEMS Wednesday Workshops, this session is cosponsored by the Department of History, the Department of Religious Studies, and Jewish Studies. Lunch provided.