Martin Luther

MARTIN LUTHER: THE RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARY
PROF. M. M. NINAN
12 Articles of the Peasant Revolt of 1525
The Peasants appealed to Scripture to justify their revolt, and vowed that they
would withdraw their demands if they were proved to be contrary to the word of God.
They demanded:
1. The right to choose and depose their own pastors
2. That the grain tithe be used for the remuneration of the pastor and relief of the
poor, in as much as it is commanded in Scripture, and that that tithe on cattle, an
invention of man, be withdrawn.
3. Release from serfdom, inasmuch as men a.re free as Christians.
4. The privilege of hunting and fishing on those lands that do not rightfully belong to
overlords.
5. Communal ownership of forests so that poor people may gather firewood and
have access to lumber.
6. Relief from excessive services demanded of peasants.
7. Payment for services not previously agreed upon by the lords and peasants.
8. Redress of excessive rents so that peasants may reap a retum from their labors.
9. Judgment according to the old laws, not according to laws recently imposed.
10. The return of communal meadows and fields to the community, with
reimbursement to those who may have purchased such lands.
l1. The abolition of the Todfall or death tax (heriot) which places unwarranted
burden on widows and orphans.
12. The right in the future to present or withdraw demands in accordance with the
Scriptures.
The Twelve Demands are supposed to have been drawn up, with all the Biblical phraseology and
references at the small imperial town of Memmngen, in March, 1525, and they are from the pen of
the Swiss pastor, Schappeler, who is known to have been present at the conference at
Memmingen, and who was one of the most prominent advocates of the peasant cause in south
Germany. The above is only a summary.
(https://libcom.org/library/peasant-war-germany-belfort-bax)
They were supported by some and objected by others within the church hierarchy. One of their
leaders was Thomas Muunzer a pastor, a dreamer and a prophet. Munzer believed that the Bible is
the story of God’s revelation in history and how God interacted through prophets to whom he
revealed his plan and purposes to action. He taught that God continues to reveal and direct his
elect through visions and dreams and other revelations to lead his people on earth. The bible is
only the past history and his elect should be guided at present by his prophets. Thus it was in
direct conflict with the Sola Scriptora (Bible alone) principle as propounded by Martin Luther. H
claimed that he was the prophet Daniel and he has direct revelation and guidance from God
leading to the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the model of the Apostolic Communes where
everything was common.
Act 2: 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their
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