(Written to the pope)
Therefore, my Father Leo, do not listen to those sirens who pretend that you are no mere man but a demigod so that you may command and require whatever you wish. It will not be done in that manner and you will not have such remarkable power. You are a servant of servants, and more than all other men you are in a most miserable and dangerous position. Be not deceived by those who pretend that you are lord of the world, allow no one to be considered a Christian unless he accepts your authority, and prate that you have power over heaven, hell, and purgatory.
Martin Luther, 1483-1546, The Freedom of a Christian, Open Letter to Pope Leo X, (translated by W. A. Lambert, Luther's Works, Harold J. Grimm and Helmut T. Lehmann, Muhlenberg Press, 1957, Vol. 31, Career of the Reformer I, pp. 341-342).
How should we speak to those who disagree with us? What pitfalls should we avoid?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think it depends on both the message we are conveying and the one who is receiving the message. Mostly though, I think that our words needs to be filled with both love and truth. It seems that Luther did it that way.
ReplyDeleteWith that I firmly agree.
ReplyDelete