Luther And The Jews

Description

In 1517 a young monk, Martin Luther, nailed 95 Theses to the door of a church, challenging the accepted teachings and practice of the Catholic Church, and sparked a religious revolt, with a radical restatement of Christianity. Luther was a man of vision, and courage. He was however also profoundly anti-Semitic, and his sermons and comments against the Jews were reprinted by Adolf Hitler, in support of his policy of exterminating Jews. With the 500th anniversary in prospect, it is time to examine what the dark side of the Lutheran legacy; what he said, the impact it had, and what Catholics, Protestants and Jews alike can now do to heal the divisions he fostered so terribly. After reviewing Luther's words and deeds, Richard considers their ongoing impact, before debating what needs to be done to heal the wounds of the past. What would reconciliation really look like?