Episode 8 – Power struggles between Church, Society, and Family

This episode is our attempt to lay the ground work for why Martin Luther could stand up to both the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the pope and not be immediately be struck down. It is 1519, and Luther has written the 95 Theses, participated in the Heidelberg Disputation, and talked to Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg. Background After things went so poorly in Augsburg, Luther snuck out of town early in the morning, leaving a note for Cardinal Cajetan bidding him farewell. Frederick the Wise continued the negotiations on Luther’s behalf with Cajetan. Luther returned to Wittenberg and wrote his account of the proceedings there. Luther has completed the first stage of mapping out what it means for Catholic theology to have been saved by grace and not works. This work will continue as he is asked again later to answer to the Catholic leadership in Leipzig but, for now, he has a little break from that battle. How did the investiture controversy lay the ground work for a small town friar in Germany to lead a revolution of power that is built on the truth of God’s Word? The investiture controversy was an important conflict between the religious and secular powers in medieval Europe. The dispute developed in the 11th century  concerning who had the authority to appoint bishops. Martin Luther pastorally cares about the vocation that all people have in their callings in the church, state, and the family. The balance he sought for these powers is built on his desire that we use our gifts to serve others instead of seeking people to serve us. Gregory VII lays a ban of excommunication on the clergy loyal to King Henry IV; drawing from the …Leonard von Matt/EB Inc. Beer Break Huma Lupa Licious from Short’s Brewing Company. This is an India Pale Ale that is brewed with five different kinds of hops. Recognition Thanks to Josh Thanks to St. Paul Lutheran in Hamburg MI Recognize that Evan had some poor pronunciation of the Greek word diakoina (http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=347&HistoryID=aa35&gtrack=pthc) Wikipedia had a good article on the investiture controversy (http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Germany-history.htm) (https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/Charlemagne) We’d like to thank the folks at Beliefnet for the letter from James Madison referencing Luther’s influence.