Martin Luther and Women: from the Dual Perspective of Theory and Practice
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University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2019-06-27 Martin Luther and Women: From the Dual Perspective of Theory and Practice Jurgens, Laura Kathryn Jurgens, L. K. (2019). Martin Luther and Women: From the Dual Perspective of Theory and Practice (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/110570 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Martin Luther and Women: From the Dual Perspective of Theory and Practice by Laura Kathryn Jurgens A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES CALGARY, ALBERTA JUNE, 2019 © Laura Kathryn Jurgens 2019 ii Abstract This thesis argues that Martin Luther did not enforce his own strict theological convictions about women and their nature when he personally corresponded with women throughout his daily life. This becomes clear with Luther’s interactions with female family members and Reformation women. With these personal encounters, he did not maintain his theological attitudes and often made exceptions to his own theology for such exceptional or influential women. Luther also did not enforce his strict theology throughout his pastoral care where he treated both men and women respectfully and equally. Luther’s pastoral work shows that he allowed his compassion and empathy to win over his own strict theological convictions about women. It is important to remember that Luther not only wrote about women in the abstract, but also lived both his public and private life among women. However, there have been no comprehensive studies that have examined his theological writings about women and personal encounters with women. For this reason, fundamental aspects of Luther have remained in the dark. As actions speak louder than words, scholars need to include the practical, as well as the theoretical when analyzing his attitudes towards women. In other words, his theology does not tell the whole story. This thesis explores Luther’s view of women by examining his theology and his personal correspondence. Scholarship has been slow to examine Luther’s attitudes towards women from this dual perspective; therefore, this work provides the comprehensive assessment of both his theory and practice that has been called for by many previous studies. My research not only contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Luther’s theological views on women more generally, but also how those views compare to his actual social encounters with women. This thesis argues that Martin Luther’s personal encounters with women, as well as his theology need to be examined when trying to provide an authentic assessment of the reformer’s attitudes towards women. iii Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Douglas Shantz for his continuous support during my doctoral studies. Thank you for your time and dedication to this project. I cannot express enough gratitude for everything that you have helped me to achieve over the past few years. I am so thankful for your advice and for always having confidence in my abilities. I appreciate your absolute patience, especially while editing my work. Your immense knowledge and academic expertise will always inspire me. I could not have asked for a better advisor and mentor. Dr. Shantz, thank you for everything. In addition to my advisor, I would also like to acknowledge the rest of my examination committee for contributing their helpful insights and their valuable time: Dr. Christine Helmer, Dr. Irving Hexham, Dr. Mark Konnert, Dr. Anne Moore, and Dr. Tinu Ruparell. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Linda Darwish, Dr. Robert Kennedy, and Dr. Ken Penner for sparking my interest in Religious Studies. Your support and encouragement during my undergraduate program at St. Francis Xavier University will never be forgotten. iv For all my loved ones. v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents .................................................................................................................v List of Abbreviations ...........................................................................................................x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 1 Thesis Statement.................................................................................................................. 3 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 4 Thesis Outline ..................................................................................................................... 8 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................. 12 Women and the Reformation ............................................................................................. 15 Reformers’ Attitudes Towards Women ............................................................................. 17 Women in the Scholarship on Luther ................................................................................ 18 Luther on Women .............................................................................................................. 20 Scholarship from the 1970s .......................................................................................... 20 Scholarship from the 1980s .......................................................................................... 24 Scholarship from the 1990s .......................................................................................... 25 Scholarship from the 2000s .......................................................................................... 31 Scholarship from the Past Two Years ........................................................................... 38 Notable Trends within Scholarship ............................................................................... 48 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 51 vi CHAPTER TWO: WOMEN’S LIVES IN THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD................54 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 54 INHERITED TRADITIONS ......................................................................................................... 55 Inherited Biblical Ideas..................................................................................................... 57 Inherited Philosophical Ideas ........................................................................................... 63 INHERITED IDEAS INFLUENCED HOW TO TREAT WOMEN IN SOCIETY .................................... 67 Women and the Law .......................................................................................................... 69 Women and Work .............................................................................................................. 75 Women and Education ...................................................................................................... 85 Women and Family Life .................................................................................................... 88 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 95 CHAPTER THREE: MARTIN LUTHER’S THEOLOGICAL VIEW OF WOMEN ......97 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 97 LUTHER’S INTERPRETATION OF EVE ...................................................................................... 99 Luther’s Earlier Interpretation of Eve (1523 – 1524) .................................................... 102 Luther’s More Mature Interpretation of Eve (1535 – 1545) .......................................... 108 Shifts Within the Same Text ....................................................................................... 111 A More Positive Assessment of Eve ........................................................................... 111 A More Traditional Assessment of Eve ...................................................................... 114 Contradictions Throughout Luther’s Mid-to-Late Career ............................................. 117 OTHER BIBLICAL WOMEN...................................................................................................