Get Insulted by Martin Luther

I was teaching today at the Catholic Adult Education Centre in Sydney, on the subject of “Christian Traditions”. Yesterday we worked on the Eastern traditions, and today we focused on the major protestant traditions.

Of course, I focused a good deal on Lutheranism, including showing a couple of YouTube videos of Lutherans teaching about their own faith – “in their own words” so to speak.

Of course, we let Martin Luther speak in his own words too, but during the coffee break I introduced the class to one of my favourite “Martin Luther” sites on the web: the Lutheran Insulter. While pointing out that the “site in no way represents Lutheranism, the Lutheran Confessions, or Martin Luther’s theology”, its creators do assure you that the insults included on this site are taken from Luther’s authentic works.

They really are great fun – many of them worth learning off by heart for use in situations in which the French Knights’ invective against King Arthur (from Monty Python’s Holy Grail) seems overused and tired. And why stop at just one? Press the button marked “Insult me again” for another round of abuse!

This is my current favourite: “You are admirable, fine, pious sows and asses.” (From On the Councils and the Church, pg. 54 of Luther’s Works, Vol. 41)

About Schütz

I am a PhD candidate & sessional academic at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Australia. After almost 10 years in ministry as a Lutheran pastor, I was received into the Catholic Church in 2003. I worked for the Archdiocese of Melbourne for 18 years in Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations. I have been editor of Gesher for the Council of Christians & Jews and am guest editor of the historical journal “Footprints”. I have a passion for pilgrimage and pioneered the MacKillop Woods Way.
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5 Responses to Get Insulted by Martin Luther

  1. matthias says:

    “You are ignorant, stupid, godless blasphemers.” must be referring to the Lutheran churches in Scandanavia that have accomodated to the prevailing culture

    • Peregrinus says:

      Close, but no cigar. It’s referring to Jakobus Latomus, a Flemish theologian who defended the divine right of the papacy and the Roman hierarchy .

  2. Matthias says:

    “You pant after the garlic and melons of Egypt and have already long suffered from perverted tastes.” ah must mean Affirming Catholics -in the Anglican Church

    • Peregrinus says:

      What’s wrong with garlic and melons? It’s almost pythonesque in its lack of intrinsic insultingness. (As in, “your father smelled of elderberries”.)

      Or is “melons” perhaps a euphemism here?

  3. Christine says:

    This made my day, what a hoot! I’m still fond of Luther’s “earthy” side but so help me, he sounds more like a Bavarian than someone from the Saxon region.

    Must go back and keep hitting that “insult” button!

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