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«O tempo de falar chegou!»: significado e importância teológico-política do apelo à nobreza cristã da nação alemã (12 de agosto de 1520)
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O texto Apelo à nobreza cristã da nação alemã, de agosto de 1520, é um dos mais importantes escritos reformadores de Martinho Lutero (juntamente com a atividade babilónica da Igreja, de outubro de 1520 e Acerca da liberdade do cristão, de novembro de 1520, entre outros). Texto de teor panfletário, não obstante as questões prementes do tempo a que queria responder, representa também um ponto de chegada nas disputas sobre as relações entre os poderes temporal e espiritual (De potestate), que tinham alimentado o debate teológico-político na Baixa Idade Média, nomeadamente no que se refere ao primado do concílio sobre o Papa (conciliarismo), primazia reconhecidamente antiga, e que, pelo menos desde João Quidort de Paris (1273-1306) a João de Gershom (1362-1429), contrariava a reivindicação papal da plenitude do poder (plenitudo potestatis papalis), não só na esfera dos assuntos temporais terrenos, mas também no plano interno da organização e administração da Igreja. A leitura papalista transgredia uma ideia do Papa Gelásio, no final século v, sobre a separação dos dois poderes ou dois gládios: o temporal e o espiritual, conceção sucessivamente traída ao longo de séculos pelo chamado augustinismo político, o qual, muito significativamente, procurava apoio no livro xixd’A cidade de Deus de Santo Agostinho. Não obstante, Lutero é também um leitor (parcial) de Santo Agostinho e de São Paulo e, como tal, procura pensar a Igreja não a partir da separação, oposição ou subordinação dos poderes, mas da graça e dos carismas (entre os quais o do dominium temporal de um dominus num reino), os quais são indispensáveis para a edificação do único Corpo de Cristo, que é simultaneamente temporal e eterno. Por este viés, todos os ministérios, inclusive aqueles considerados mais humildes, ganham grande valor espiritual (ou secularizamse, noutra perspetiva). Seja como for, na sequência da Querela das Indulgências, o apelo de Lutero que incita os príncipes alemães à autonomização face ao poder secular de Roma dá espaço depois (à custa de muito sonho e de muito sangue, tem de se dizer) à afirmação dos Estados-nação do sacro-império romano-germânico. Ao mesmo tempo, por via do primado do «sacerdócio comum dos fiéis» frente ao poder magisterial do «sacerdócio ordenado» (potestas ordinis), há neste opúsculo, no que se refere à interpretação e pregação das Escrituras, um potencial muito virulento, explosivo, e mesmo apocalíptico (estamos no fim dos tempos, o Anticristo está à porta, etc.), que, se politicamente rebenta logo os anos seguintes (1524-1525), nos campos da Alemanha, já de um ponto de vista hermenêutico mais amplo, recupera alguns processos de subjetivação e de apropriação dos «lugares de fala», bem como conceções nominalistas que já vinham ganhando relevância nos séculos xiv e xv, procedimentos que irão aprofundar-se quer na modernidade racionalista (do cogito cartesiano ao Ich denken kantiano) quer na modernidade fideísta do credo (Jansénio, Pascal, etc.). Não obstante, o que se impõe de forma premente, em 1520, é reformar a Igreja, pois «acabou o tempo do silêncio e chegou o tempo de falar!» («Die Zeit zu reden ist kommen»). E é esta decisão de Lutero de tomar palavra o que mais nos importa.
The text Appeal to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, written in August 1520, is one of Martin Luther’s most signifcant reforming writings (alongside On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, from October 1520, and On the Freedom of a Christian, from November 1520, among others). This pamphletlike text, despite addressing the pressing issues of its time, also represents a culmination in the debates about the relationship between temporal and spiritual powers (De potestate), which had fueled theological-political discourse during the Late Middle Ages. This includes, notably, discussions regarding the primacy of the council over the Pope (conciliarism), an ancient recognition that, at least since John of Paris (1273-1306) to John of Gerson (1362-1429), opposed the papal claim to the fullness of power (plenitudo potestatis papalis), not only in temporal matters but also in the internal organization and administration of the Church. The papalist interpretation transgressed an idea from Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century about the separation of the two powers or two swords: temporal and spiritual. This concept was continuously betrayed over the centuries by socalled political Augustinianism, which significantly sought support in book XIX of The City of God by Saint Augustine. However, Luther, also a (partial) reader of Saint Augustine and Saint Paul, sought to think of the Church not from the separation, opposition, or subordination of powers, but from grace and charisms (among which is the temporal dominium of a dominus in a kingdom). These are indispensable for the edification of the one Body of Christ, which is both temporal and eternal. Through this lens, all ministries, including the most humble ones, gain great spiritual value (or secularize, from another perspective). Regardless, in the wake of the indulgence controversy, Luther’s appeal urging German princes to assert their autonomy from Rome’s secular power eventually paved the way (at the cost of much dreaming and much bloodshed, it must be said) for the affirmation of the nation-states within the Holy Roman Empire. Simultaneously, through the primacy of the «common priesthood of believers» over the magisterial power of the “ordained priesthood” (potestas ordinis), this pamphlet carries a potentially very virulent, explosive, and even apocalyptic interpretation and preaching of the Scriptures (we are at the end of times, the Antichrist is at the door, etc.). Politically, this erupted soon after (1524-1525) in the fields of Germany. From a broader hermeneutical perspective, it recovers some processes of subjectivation and appropriation of «speaking places» as well as nominalist conceptions that had been gaining relevance in the 14th and 15th centuries. These processes would deepen both in rationalist modernity (from Descartes’ cogito to Kant’s Ich denken) and in fideist modernity (Jansenism, Pascal, etc.). Nevertheless, the urgent call in 1520 is to reform the Church, for «the time for silence has ended, and the time to speak has come!» («Die Zeit zu reden ist kommen»). And it is this decision of Luther to speak out that is most important to us.
The text Appeal to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, written in August 1520, is one of Martin Luther’s most signifcant reforming writings (alongside On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, from October 1520, and On the Freedom of a Christian, from November 1520, among others). This pamphletlike text, despite addressing the pressing issues of its time, also represents a culmination in the debates about the relationship between temporal and spiritual powers (De potestate), which had fueled theological-political discourse during the Late Middle Ages. This includes, notably, discussions regarding the primacy of the council over the Pope (conciliarism), an ancient recognition that, at least since John of Paris (1273-1306) to John of Gerson (1362-1429), opposed the papal claim to the fullness of power (plenitudo potestatis papalis), not only in temporal matters but also in the internal organization and administration of the Church. The papalist interpretation transgressed an idea from Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century about the separation of the two powers or two swords: temporal and spiritual. This concept was continuously betrayed over the centuries by socalled political Augustinianism, which significantly sought support in book XIX of The City of God by Saint Augustine. However, Luther, also a (partial) reader of Saint Augustine and Saint Paul, sought to think of the Church not from the separation, opposition, or subordination of powers, but from grace and charisms (among which is the temporal dominium of a dominus in a kingdom). These are indispensable for the edification of the one Body of Christ, which is both temporal and eternal. Through this lens, all ministries, including the most humble ones, gain great spiritual value (or secularize, from another perspective). Regardless, in the wake of the indulgence controversy, Luther’s appeal urging German princes to assert their autonomy from Rome’s secular power eventually paved the way (at the cost of much dreaming and much bloodshed, it must be said) for the affirmation of the nation-states within the Holy Roman Empire. Simultaneously, through the primacy of the «common priesthood of believers» over the magisterial power of the “ordained priesthood” (potestas ordinis), this pamphlet carries a potentially very virulent, explosive, and even apocalyptic interpretation and preaching of the Scriptures (we are at the end of times, the Antichrist is at the door, etc.). Politically, this erupted soon after (1524-1525) in the fields of Germany. From a broader hermeneutical perspective, it recovers some processes of subjectivation and appropriation of «speaking places» as well as nominalist conceptions that had been gaining relevance in the 14th and 15th centuries. These processes would deepen both in rationalist modernity (from Descartes’ cogito to Kant’s Ich denken) and in fideist modernity (Jansenism, Pascal, etc.). Nevertheless, the urgent call in 1520 is to reform the Church, for «the time for silence has ended, and the time to speak has come!» («Die Zeit zu reden ist kommen»). And it is this decision of Luther to speak out that is most important to us.
Description
Keywords
Martinho Lutero, 1483-1546 Nobreza alemã Papado Teologia-política Martin Luther, 1483-1546 German nobility Papacy Political theology
Citation
Rosa, José Maria Silva - «O tempo de falar chegou!»: significado e importância teológico-política do apelo à nobreza cristã da nação alemã (12 de agosto de 1520). "e-LCV" [Em linha]. ISSN 2184-4097. Nº 12 (jan.-junho de 2024), p. 70-93
Publisher
Centro de Estudos Globais da Universidade Aberta (CEG/UAb) | Instituto Europeu de Ciências da Cultura Padre Manuel Antunes (IECCPMA) | Associação Internacional de Estudos Ibero-Eslavos (CompaRes)