Most individuals believe America’s beginnings originated with The Sons of Liberty, the Committees of Correspondence, or fiery speeches like Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty, or give me death. ”  The ideas that influenced this nation’s foundation actually began with the Protestant Reformation.  In 1517, Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses to the door of the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenberg, Germany.  The Pope ordered him to stand trial for his actions.  During his trial, Luther argued on behalf of the principle of “liberty of conscience.”  Liberty of conscience is the belief that people should be free to form their own religious beliefs concerning God, and that no king or government has the right to force a person to believe a certain way.  This was the beginning of religious liberty, and this thinking would profoundly influence the development of the government of United States and ultimately, the First Amendment.

Martin Luther believed in what is termed the “creator-redeemer distinction.”  The creator-redeemer distinction states that a person’s life is divided into two spheres. One sphere pertains to an individual’s physical life in society and how he/she interacts with other people. This is the creator sphere. God governs this sphere through what is known as “natural law,” or the “law of nature.”  Natural law includes physical laws, such as physics and chemistry.  It also includes outward morality.  Luther believed all people, Christian and nonchristian, must obey God as creator, because we are all created by God. Government can, and must, enforce laws governing outward behavior in order to preserve society.(1)  The Bible speaks of natural law in the first chapter of Romans, verse twenty: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made….”  In other words, right and wrong, good and evil, can be understood by observing nature.

The second sphere of life involves a person’s spiritual life and his or her need of redemption.  Luther believed the government’s role in this sphere must be restricted.  In this sphere, the individual relates to God as redeemer through Christ and the need for salvation.  No government laws are to be written that interfere with a person’s beliefs in God.  Luther believed people must be free to adhere to their own religious beliefs.  He went so far as to state it was folly for a government to attempt to coerce correct religious beliefs.  Luther wrote, “Faith is free and no one can be compelled to believe.”

By reading Luther’s writings, it is clear his main concern was to limit the state’s interference in the affairs of the church, and more importantly, the individual’s personal beliefs about God.  As stated above, this became known as freedom of conscience. The movement started by Martin Luther has been named the Protestant Reformation.  There were others involved this world shaking movement, and next time we will look into the teachings of another individual who shared Luther’s world view.   We will begin to see how their teachings, and others down through the years, would influence the brilliant minds of our founders two centuries later.  Eventually, it will become clear that the Protestant Reformation did not end in Europe.  It culminated with America’s Revolutionary War and some contend, the Civil War. (2)

 

Interesting tidbits:

After leaving the Roman Catholic Church, Martin Luther married.  He is said to have suffered severe bouts of depression and was reported to be antisemitic, but throughout history, God has used imperfect men and women to reveal his will for the best form of government.

 

(1) Amos and Gardner, NEVER BEFORE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, Haughton, 1998, pp. 6-11.

(2) Ibid.