Luther and the ‘church mothers’ Deeper understandings
They jump-started justice for women By Kirsi I. Stjerna
L
utherans begin the story of the Reformation on Oct. 31, 1517. On the eve of All Saints Day, a
German monk and professor, Mar- tin Luther, made his concerns for the injustices he witnessed known in the form of the 95 Theses. He knew the sorrows of people who suffered physically from inescapable plagues, the tortures of famine and poverty, the endless violence of wars, but also spirituality—Christians were afraid of God and unsure of God’s design for their lives on earth and thereafter. Firing up the engine of the word,
Luther sought to return the church to its original mission. He led reforms of church practices and teachings that fueled people’s anxiety and put a price tag on forgiveness in the form of sell- ing indulgences and required chari- table contributions. The preaching- teaching theologian labored to readjust people’s spiritual perspec- tives so they could confidently believe in a God of grace and experi- ence God’s love as truly “theirs.” With his radical Jesus-based
vision of Christian equality in grace- induced freedom, Luther taught that, in sin and in redemption, men and women are equal with different vocations. Luther’s proclamation of the lib-
erating power of the gospel jump- started a movement for promot- ing equality. In gender matters, the
quest for full equality of women remains an ongoing battle. Luther’s vision of grace generates the spark for an uncompromising reformation toward justice, a reformation where human lives take priority over doc- trinal disputes.
The Reformer and women Many women have found Luther’s message appealing and empowering. In 16th-century Wittenberg, women flocked to listen to the preacher and sought his pastoral counsel, espe- cially mothers who had buried their unbaptized children, whose teenag- ers had eloped or whose husbands had left. For the empowerment of women in their vocations, Luther and fellow reformers established school- ing for girls and secured a common chest that would have funds for wid- ows, orphans and poor maidens. Luther even offered hospitality
to women in need at his home. A most difficult houseguest (per his own words) was the eccentric noble- woman Elisabeth von Brandenburg (1485-1555), who was exiled because she confessed to the Lutheran faith. Luther’s teaching of marriage and
motherhood as holy God-instituted vocations had an enormous impact on women’s self-worth. When he married (1525), Luther shared his ministry with his wife and had, in many ways, his theology tested with real life experiences. Through the women in his life, his view of God
Editor’s note: This series is intended to be a public conversation among theologians of the ELCA on various themes of our faith and the challenging issues of our day. It invites readers to engage in dialogue by posting comments online at the end of each article at
www.thelutheran.org.
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www.thelutheran.org
evolved. His last lectures on Genesis reveal his earnest fascination with all matters female and gender issues. His letters evidence his respect of the val- iant reforming women who are “out there” in every community.
Women take the wheel Women were central players in the Reformation drama (see page 16). As mothers and wives, as daughters and friends, rulers and writers, visionar- ies and charity workers, and healers and weavers, women embraced ref- ormation concerns and theologies on their terms. With their hunger for meaning-
ful spiritual direction and a desire to build a better world, women pas- sionately responded to Luther’s novel preaching. Most famously, a young nun, Katharina von Bora (1499-1552), was so inspired by his sparkling pam- phlets describing Christian free- dom and responsibilities with a new tone that she left her safe convent. Little did she know that she would become the life partner of the most famous religious leader of the time and become a model for women tak- ing control over their households as cradles of new Protestant faith. Women transmitted faith to
their children and surroundings in word, song and deed, especially in the home—their territory—which served as the church where they preached. For some, that wasn’t enough. Each needed to creatively negotiate around the many conven- tions regarding what “good” women ought to do or ought not to do. Women supposedly did not preach, offer the sacraments, lead, rule, write
KATHRYN BREWER/MARTIN LUTHER MONUMENT IN WORMS, GERMANY.
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