[Natural Law]

"Are you maintaining it was the Renaissance that led Luther to state his own opposition to corruptions which could be then seen in the Latin Church of that era?"

The Reformation did not begin with Luther, the Reformation was not entirely a Lutheran issue, nor did it end with him. We can argue whether Luther was a champion or a dupe, whether he was sincere or not, but Luther could not have publicly opposed the Church had the Renaissance not created a political environment for a public opposition.

Peace be with you.

[BlueDragon]

Your last post reveals much. Champion or dupe. How about spark plug? And the methane-like gasses were dense enough to ignite, and the flames spread. Luther did not cause the concentration of the flammable gasses in the first place. Those had been building up for some time...

"... but Luther could not have publicly opposed the Church had the Renaissance not created a political environment for a public opposition."

The charter was to go and preach the Gospel to every creature, not go and seek to CONTROL every creature using the gospel, and the powers of Church "authority", combined with powers of State, sending armies at times to KILL those whom would not bow the knee towards Rome's claim to authority, and prostrate themselves to the tender mercies of the Latin church, be those what they may... (with the winning generals amongst the armies divvying the land, real estate, and wealth).

That last is doing it Islam style, and that's how it was (at times) done in centuries prior to Luther.

yeah, the Latin church wanted Luther hanged or burned, but by then had lost some of the pull they once had over German princes, to have them do that dirty work for them. Is this the Renaissance you speak of? A renewal of freedom of conscience? If so, it reveals much as to the true nature of things doesn't it?