tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post3468480513629363231..comments2024-01-24T04:02:06.466-05:00Comments on Why I De-Converted from Evangelical Christianity: Carl Trueman on the Connection Between Martin Luther and the HolocaustKen Pulliamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12161943466797514854noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-70651240323345923402010-08-30T11:52:44.914-04:002010-08-30T11:52:44.914-04:00ATime,
I think conservative Protestants such as T...ATime,<br /><br />I think conservative Protestants such as Trueman feel a need to try to defend Luther because after all he is the father of Protestantism.Ken Pulliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12161943466797514854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-78546691729823316702010-08-30T11:51:06.505-04:002010-08-30T11:51:06.505-04:00J.S.,
I would agree that Luther's views did n...J.S.,<br /><br />I would agree that Luther's views did not cause the holocaust but I think it is naive to say that it did not lay a foundation upon which something as horrible as the Holocaust could be rationalized by Christians.Ken Pulliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12161943466797514854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-73548936133195346222010-08-30T11:41:56.952-04:002010-08-30T11:41:56.952-04:00Disclaimer: I have not read Trueman's articles...Disclaimer: I have not read Trueman's articles yet.<br /><br />If Trueman is trying to refute a direct claim of Luther having guilt for the Holocaust, rather than defending Luther as a person, I still don't think it can hold water. Luther was an influential leader, then and carrying through until today. His writings have endured, and without question were used by the Nazi's to justify their cause. Therefore his actions had a direct impact on the Holocaust, whether or not it was a commonly held attitude in the 1500's.<br /><br />Ken, curious as to why Trueman wrote these. Obvious reason I suppose is that Luther is revered today by protestants tracing there heritage and theology back to him. But it seems so pointless, to defend people whose actions were reprehensible. I am always surprised when people go down that path.<br /><br />As a side, I was at a conference years ago where John Piper, after quoting extensively from Luther in a sermon, added the disclaimer to those who might be offended by Luther because of unnamed wrongdoings. He said something to the effect of, "Luther sinned much, but repented much." Then, as now, my thought was, why quote from him in the first place then? And also, "Is that supposed to make it OK?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-13015507242143131912010-08-30T11:30:01.744-04:002010-08-30T11:30:01.744-04:00Hi Ken,
I think he's just addressing the comm...Hi Ken,<br /><br />I think he's just addressing the common claim that Luther's actions "led to" or caused the Holocaust. From his blog:<br /><br /><i>"But didn't Luther hate the Jews and write pamphlets about them that led to the Holocaust?"</i><br /><br />The facts that Trueman present don't make Luther's views any less reprehensible, but they do provide some context to go along with Hector's chapter. Some people read Hector to be saying that Hitler was directly motivated by Luther's anti-Semitism.JSAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00681934865643964687noreply@blogger.com