The Christian Ruler and the Worldly Kingdom

Luther was far from defending anything like a separation of church and state or religious pluralism. But just as clearly, his writings lay the seeds for those developments. Luther had to work hard block the implications of his own ideas. This pattern will be repeated as we turn to other leading reformers over the next few episodes. We'll see john calvin offering teachings that plenty of his contemporaries found heretical, while giving his blessing to the burning of a heretic. Will agree with luther that faith cannot be compelled by violence, yet he was far from willing to let other christians believe whatever they wanted.