Despite the contested notion of Martin Luther’s concrete influence over the development of the modern world, Luther mattered in the time of the Christian Reformation, and his impact on both Reformist and Catholic thought long after his death. What is most astounding about Martin Luther in the Islamic context, is that he was, for his time, relatively nuanced and not on either extreme as relates to war with the Ottomans. Despite numerous calls for a holy war from a myriad of parties, Luther argued for, at most, a war led not by the church, but a secular war.

It is important to note that the Fall of Constantinople was the starting point for a concrete Ottoman presence in Europe. No longer could the Ottomans (referred to at the time as the Turks) be considered a temporary invader. The Ottomans were a European power who posed a genuine threat to an evermore fragmented Christendom. Luther was unique in that he was quite educated on Islam for a Christian in his time. While Luther never said that it is better to be ruled by a smart Turk than a dumb Christian, he did believe that a sincere Christian who spent an extended period of time with the most devout adherents to Islam would not remain a Christian for long period. It was this sympathy that led Luther to be more nuanced with regards to war. Despite this, Luther still said Christians who were killed in a secular war should be considered martyrs.

Such is the ambiguity that is Martin Luther.

Téa Erickson would like to thank their faculty sponsors Dr. Mark Ruff and Dr. Fabien Montcher for their support of this project.