What Is The Purpose Of Martin Luther's Letter To Pope Leo

In Martin Luther’s letter to Pope Leo X, Luther expresses his deepest concerns for the doctrine and well-being of the Roman Catholic Church to the most powerful figure in Europe, being very careful not to insult the Pope himself. He addresses several issues that have arisen within the church, such as corrupt men who are in positions of leadership, people who are treating the Pope as though he is a God, and people convincing the Pope that he alone has the right to interpret scripture. Luther also proposes several solutions to the Church’s dilemma, beseeching the Pope to remain humble and not comply with those who attempt to worship Him, as well as asking that he not be convinced he is the only one capable of interpreting scripture. Above all else, Luther’s main purpose in writing to the Pope himself is to both clarify his misunderstood intentions to the Holy Catholic Church and to also earn the favor of Pope Leo in spite of his condemnation of the Church, both

of which he accomplishes quite effectively.
In “The Defense of the Seven Sacraments,” King Henry VIII of England fervently scorns both the teachings of and character of Martin Luther, especially in regards to his opinions and treatment of sacraments such as Eucharist.

He goes as far as to completely discredit Luther’s entire movement against the Catholic Church on the basis that Luther contradicts everyone, even himself. In light of the ideas presented in this source, it is evident that King Henry VIII holds the Roman Catholic Church in the highest esteem, and sees the seven sacraments as something worth defending against men such as Luther who seek reform within the Church. Although the title of this work leads readers to believe that the most important matter to the author is protecting the traditions and beliefs of the clergy, the majority of the treatise focuses on demoralising Luther himself; he pleads with the reader to remain loyal to the Holy Catholic Church and to reject the “sacrilegious opinions” of Martin Luther (King Henry

VIII).

Works Cited
Henry VIII, King of England. “Henry VIII. Excerpt from ‘Defense of the Seven Sacraments’, Treatise against Luther.” Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature, English History in the Making, 1967, www.luminarium.org/renlit/defense.htm.
Luther, Martin. “Letter of Martin Luther to Pope Leo X.” Received by Pope Leo X, Internet History Sourcebooks, Paul Halsall, 6 Oct. 1998, sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/luther-freedomchristian.asp.