Martin Luther

Martin Luther (1483-1546) is most famously known for shattering Christian theology in Catholic Europe and for destroying the unity of the Christian Church. Luther also held an immense hatred for witches. When describing the actions of witches, he would ofter ascribe to them the misdeeds of his rivals.

Although Luther had complete faith in the ability of Jesus to triumph over the Devil and his cohorts, he believed witches had awe-inspiring powers. He once wrote, "I should have no compassion on these witches; I would burn all of them."

In his A Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, Luther wrote:

When I was a child, there were many witches and sorcerers, which bewitched both cattle and men, but specially children, and did great harm also otherwise; but now, in the light of the gospel, these things be not so commonly heard of, for the gospel thrusteth the devil out of his seat, with all his illusions. But now he bewitcheth men much more horribly, namely, with spiritual sorcery and witchcraft.

Paul reckoneth witchcraft among the works of the flesh, which notwithstanding, as all men know, is not a work of fleshly lust or lechery, but a kind of idolatry. For witchcraft covenanteth with the devil; superstition or idolatry covenanteth with God: albeit, not with the true God, but with a counterfeit god. Wherefore idolatry is, indeed, a spiritual witchcraft. For as witches do enchant cattle and men, so idolaters, that is to say, all justiciaries, or justifiers of themselves, go about to bewitch God, and to make him such a one as they do imagine. Now they imagine him to be such a one as will justify them, not of his mere grace and mercy, and through faith in Christ, but in respect of their will-worshippings, and works of their own choosing, and in recompence thereof will give them righteousness and life everlasting. But whilst they go about to bewitch God, they bewitch themselves: for if they continue in this wicked opinion which they conceive of God, they shall die in their idolatry and be damned. The works of the flesh are well known for the most part, therefore they shall not need any further declaration (Kors & Peters 195).

Luther was also a misogynist, and claimed, "If a woman grows weary and at last dies from childbearing, it matters not. Let her die from bearing, she is there to do it" (Luther 201).

Martin Luther

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