“Martin Luther downgraded the significance of Revelation. It portrays God as inflicting horrendous punishments on humanity — a concept that is today sometimes called ‘Ambush Theology.’”
The Book of the Apocalypse is the Word of God, and so Luther had no authority to downgrade it. Revelation 9:21 states:”Nor did they repent of their murders”. Does this not describe the obstinate defense of abortion we have seen for decades? When a world unrepentantly commits the gravest sins, does not the final door, the door of God’s Justice have to open at some point? I’m not sure God will so much inflict punishment as get out of the way and permit countries who don’t respect human life to inflict it upon each other. Why would that be God’s fault? Martin Luther was probably a manic-depressive. His fear of damnation is probably what had him searching the Scriptures to find a way he could say he was saved once and for all. Sorry if I offend others, but I say throw his errors out, not the Book of Revelation.
question — why do you say the Book of the Apocalypse is canonical? It was disputed by many and even today the Ethiopian Orthodox (an Oriental Church, not Eastern Orthodox) pretty much reject it.