Promoting Peace, Protecting the Innocent, and Punishing the Wicked. Luther’s Responses to Peasants' Revolt.

This paper analyses Luther’s theological and political outcomes in 1525 with a focus on his responses to the violence and devastations of the Peasants' War. In addition, the paper provides an analysis of how Luther’s emphasis had changed from his earlier writings promoting universal priesthood to promote a more authoritative and hierarchical approach to biblical interpretation. The paper aims to present an overview of the events and Luther’s writings to analyze the development and premises behind Luther’s often polemic and controversial argumentation with long-lasting consequences.  By clarifying Luther’s theological premises his societal thought is built on, the paper argues that by placing justifying grace and society based on reliable, just, and fair government as directive premises to conduct theologically sound life as a Christian, Lutheran theology can promote theologically grounded peace and oppose violence in the variety of contexts 500 years later in contemporary societies and times to come.