The debate between Erasmus and Luther is one of the most important public exchanges of the 16th century. While the Protestant Reformation began with Luther’s questions about church teachings and practices in the Roman Catholic Church, the emerging movement included many other voices, which all contributed to a changed understanding of human beings and their place in the world. The debate between Erasmus and Luther, which comprises our reading, became an important dividing line that opened two distinct perspectives on the power of human decisions and actions. On the one hand, Erasmus defended the freedom of the will, thereby imbuing human beings with significant power to shape the world in which they lived, including influencing their own salvation. Luther, on the other hand, in order to ensure that salvation remained in God’s hands, emphasized the omnipotence of God and concluded that human beings were powerless to save themselves. This debate ended up pitting two understandings of human will and its power against one another: the freedom of the will vs. bondage of the will.
INSTRUCTIONS
Write a 2 page response paper (which includes your name, a descriptive title, and pagination) that answers the following question:
In responding to Erasmus, Luther, drawing on an image from Psalm 73 (page 28), compares the human will to a beast that goes wherever the rider leads it. This is a clear description of Luther’s understanding of the human will. If Luther correct, restate his position, citing words from his essay; on the other hand, if Luther is wrong, use Erasmus’ argument to refute Luther’s position. In either case, defend your position; in other words, why is he right or wrong?
Be specific in your answer by basing your response on the assigned reading.
