How Much Religeon Should Be Discussed In Our Public Schools?

[exboyfil]

38. I am not sure that Lutheranism

had much impact except of the margins. The system existed prior to Luther and continued after Luther. The princes did consolidate more power in the region that would become Germany, but whether it was the Catholic church or the Lutheran church it still would have been some form of state church.

The "original" sin of the Christian church was becoming the state church of Rome. When it was a faith of persecuted and marginalized people, it had power to change lives. Once it had the power of the state behind it, it became tyrannical. We are still fighting that battle today.

It would be interesting to play what if games regarding decisions that Luther made. Most Lutherans do not view him or his writing as being sacramental - merely informative when establishing doctrine. He had many flaws and his siding with the princes was the worst of them.