Martin Luther

MARTIN LUTHER: THE RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARY
PROF. M. M. NINAN
+ His third manifesto, "On the Freedom of a Christian Man", more moderate in tone, though
uncompromisingly radical, he sent to the pope.
In April, 1520, Eck (Johann Eck was the principal adversary of Luther on the side of Roman Church
and Pope) appeared in Rome, with the German works, containing most of these doctrines,
translated into Latin. They were submitted and discussed with patient care and critical calmness.
Some members of the four consistories, held between 21 May and 1 June, counseled gentleness
and forbearance, but those demanding summary procedure prevailed. The Bull of
excommunication, "Exsurge Domine", was accordingly drawn up 15 July. It formally condemned
forty-one propositions drawn from his writings, ordered the destruction of the books containing the
errors, and summoned Luther himself to recant within sixty days or receive the full penalty of
ecclesiastical punishment.
Three days later (18 July) Eck was appointed papal prothonotary with the commission to publish
the Bull in Germany.
The Bull itself became the object of shocking indignities. Only after protracted delays could even
the bishops be induced to show it any deference. The crowning dishonor awaited it at Wittenberg,
where (10 Dec.), in response to a call issued by Melancthon, the university students assembled at
the Elster Gate, and amid the jeering chant of "Te Deum laudamus", and "Requiem aeternam",
interspersed with ribald drinking songs, Luther in person consigned it to the flames.
The Bull seemingly affected him little. It only drove him to further extremes and gave a new
momentum to the movement…….
The enforcement of the provisions of the Bull, was the duty of the civil power. This was done, in the
face of vehement opposition now manifesting itself, at the Diet of Worms, when the young
newly-crowned Charles V was for the first time to meet the assembled German Estates in solemn
deliberation.
Pope Leo X's Bull against the errors of Martin Luther, 1521, commonly known as Exsurge Domine.
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