Key Thinkers and Topics: Martin Luther, Catholic Social Teaching

🧠 Key Thinkers & Topics Martin Luther  Christian Freedom: Luther argued that Christians are spiritually free through faith, not bound by law to earn salvation.  Temporal Authority: Christians must still obey secular authorities in civil matters (Romans 13), unless they conflict wi...

🧠 Key Thinkers & Topics Martin Luther  Christian Freedom: Luther argued that Christians are spiritually free through faith, not bound by law to earn salvation.  Temporal Authority: Christians must still obey secular authorities in civil matters (Romans 13), unless they conflict with God’s commands.  Violence: o Permitted: When serving under legitimate civil authority (e.g., a soldier fighting for a just government). o Not Permitted: For personal vengeance or if civil authority demands actions against God’s will. Four Variations on the Christian Stance 1. Withdrawal (e.g., Mennonites) – Christians separate from the state and refuse violence. 2. Endorsement (e.g., Constantinianism) – Full support of state power and even war if deemed righteous. 3. Critique and Engagement (e.g., MLK) – Engage and transform society through nonviolence. 4. Dualism (e.g., Luther) – Two kingdoms: spiritual and temporal, with different roles for each. Natural Law & Divine Command Theory  Natural Law: Ethical truths accessible through reason and nature (Aquinas).  Divine Command Theory: Morality is rooted in God’s will or commands (more prominent in Protestant thought).  These two often represent Catholic vs. Protestant ethical approaches. Pope Leo XIII – Catholic Social Teaching  Rerum Novarum (1891): Response to industrial capitalism.  Advocates: o Just wages, workers’ rights o Private property (but not absolute) o Subsidiarity: Problems should be addressed at the most local, competent level. o Distributism: Widespread ownership of property. Walter Rauschenbusch – Social Gospel  Protestant theology focusing on the Kingdom of God on Earth.  Believed social injustice (e.g., poverty, labor abuse) was sin.  Saw Jesus as a social reformer.  Emphasized structural change, not just personal piety. Reinhold Niebuhr – Christian Realism   Critical of both pacifism and naive optimism.  Humans are inherently sinful → power must be checked.  The church must engage with politics realistically.  Advocates “justice through compromise” rather than utopia. MLK & Mennonites on Peace  MLK: Nonviolent resistance as a tool for justice rooted in love, agape, and Christian ethics.  Mennonites: Historic peace church; reject violence entirely; embrace nonresistant pacifism (do not retaliate or engage politically). 📘 Key Terms  Justification: Being made right with God—by grace through faith (Luther).  Sanctification: The process of becoming holy or Christ-like.  Grace: Unmerited divine favor—central to Protestant thought.  Faith: Trust in God, the vehicle of salvation (especially for Luther).  De facto: “In fact” – existing in reality.  De jure: “By law” – legally established.  The social problem: The challenge of inequality, injustice, and poverty in modern society.  Subsidiarity: Handling issues at the lowest competent level (Catholic principle).  Distributism: Economic model promoting widespread property ownership. ❓ Sample Questions & How to Approach Them ➤ Under what conditions did Luther think Christians could and could not use violence?  Use permitted: When acting under secular authority in just causes (Romans 13).  Use not permitted: Personal vengeance, rebellion, or violating conscience/God’s law. ➤ How do Leo, Rauschenbusch, and Niebuhr think the church should address the social problem?  Leo: Uphold traditional values, defend workers, support family and local solutions (subsidiarity).  Rauschenbusch: Transform society via social reform and justice— Kingdom of God on Earth.  Niebuhr: Realistic engagement with power; aim for justice, not utopia; accept political compromise. ➤ Is Rauschenbusch's position more like Leo's or Niebuhr's?  Closer to Leo in caring about systemic social justice.  But more idealistic than Niebuhr, who was skeptical of perfectibility.   Unlike Leo, Rauschenbusch's approach is more Protestant and reformist than traditional. ➤ What are the relevant differences between progressive and nonresistant pacifism?  Progressive pacifism (MLK): Active, confronts injustice nonviolently, believes in political engagement.  Nonresistant pacifism (Mennonites): Withdraws from political action, refuses all violence or resistance.