Q: Luther’s Jews – Professor Thomas Kaufmann – Intro:

A:

• Theologian & Historian

• Understand problematic Luther views

• Attitude towards Jews & Judaism

• Train students as pastors in Germany

• Consequences of Luther’s writing today

Q: What were the early influences that shaped Luther?

A: 

• Background of 1500’s

• Jews were separate from society

• Pogroms, Ritual Murder Accusations

• No contact with Jews

Q: What was the Reformation?

A:

• Occurred in Latin European Christian World

• Conflict with Papacy

• Attempt to change traditions, rules

• Claim that beliefs not rooted in Scriptures

• Role of worldly authorities

Q: What made Luther & his Writings so Impactful?

A:

• Luther was a very talented author

• Broad literary facilities

• Played different roles

• Strong polemicist

• Leveraged “new media” --printing press

• Published and published

• Short texts for an eager audience

Q: What is ”That Jesus Was Born A Jew”

A:

• Published in 1523

• First part: attack on Catholic Church

• Did not do enough to convert Jews

• Part 2: biblical proofs

• Political: Christians & Jews living together

Q: What was the Impact of “That Jesus was born a Jew”?

A:

• Essay was published ten times

• In Latin as well

• Jews still were separated

• And associated with money

• 1520s, 1530s – situation better for Jews

Q: Why did Luther write The Jews and Their Lies?

A:

• Written in 1543

• Involved a “policy change

• Advocated extreme, hateful measures

• Such as burning of synagogues, expulsion

• Opposite of what he wrote 20 years earlier

• Fight to make the Jewish Bible, ”Christian”

• Fought against other Protestant s on this issue

Q:  Was Luther’s anti-Semitism: Theological, Racial, Political?

A:

• Luther’s anti-Semitism as a crude mixture

• Elements of pre-Modern racism

• Jewish People are their own type of mankind

• Biological  aspect

• Also theological, based on Bible

Q: Did Luther’s anti-Semitism impact the Reformation?

A:

• Difficult to say

• Jewish population was small

• Not much influence, marginalized

• Cooperation between Rabbis & Reformation figures

• Worked together on translation of the Prophets

• Luther was not interested

Q: How did Luther view Johannes Reuchlin?

A:

• Initially Luther supported Reuchlin

• Reuchlin was attacked & Luther defended him

• Luther’s studies Reuchlin’s Hebrew translations

• Luther tried to bring Reuchlin to his side

• But Reuchlin stayed with the Church

• And Reuchlin supported rights for the Jews

Q: How did future Protestants view Luther?

A:

•  Changes over the centuries

• Early Orthodox Lutherans supported 1543 treatise

• Pietists in late 17th, 18th favored 1523 work on Jews

• In 19th century it’s a mix

• 19th, 20th Germany know Luther’s works

• Some Protestants use Luther to justify anti-Jewish

• Direct line from Luther to Kristalllnacht

Q: Why Should Young People Study Luther’s Jews?

A:

• Important to have awareness

• Learn how theology can be impacted by Ideology

• And how that can be very dangerous

• Entrenchment of one’s position

• Luther is difficult

• Teaching Luther’s views is not simple