Was Martin Luther a conservative or a revolutionary?

Answer 1

The answer to that always depended on who was asked, and it may still depend on who is asked today. Historically, to those who clung tenaciously to the traditions of the medieval Roman Church in Europe, Martin Luther was a dangerous radical out to destroy Christianity. On the other hand, those who saw the medieval Church as apostate or turned aside to error and in need of correction, viewed Luther as a true and much needed reformer and a loyal son of the Church.

Answer 2

That's one answer.

Here's another: Martin Luther was upset with how the religious and political authorities had come to an imbalance of power. He lead a reformation which accomplished several things. It questioned the newly appointed power of the bishop of Rome as supreme, infallible head of the Church- or pope. He also restored the Church's teachings to the those which were more in line with those of the early Church and those which were compatible with what is taught in the ancient Canon of Christian Scripture. For this reason, the Lutheran reformation, as the Anglican one, was a conservative reformation in contrast to the abolitionist style reforms of the Anabaptists, Calvinists, Zwilnglians and other protestant groups. The latter are the founding reforms of the more "protestant" or "Evangelical" churches. Luther condemned those radical reformers for abandoning ancient, authentic practices and teachings of the Church and questioned their new approach to the Bible and the orthodox tenants of the Church. He also condemned those militant radicals who started violent political upheavals in his name. His work did, however, revolutionize the western world in areas of religion, politics, women's rights, literacy, education and humanitarian issues. Luther was a product of his day and did hold some personal beliefs which the Lutheran Church does not and has never supported such as European anti-semitism.

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