Ohne Sultan keinen Luther

Abstract

Abstract Reflecting on Human Rights issues and on Minority Rights issues, needs a historical perspective. Confessional conflicts have been and are central for European minority problems. Since the 7th century, European history has always been at odds with Islam. This is especially true since the early modern era when the Ottoman threat posed by the war of conquest by Suleiman I. led to a politicisation of Islam and a religionisation of European politics. At the 500th anniversary of the publishing of Luther’s theses, the reformer has come into focus. The success of the reformation is mainly due to the considerations by the pope and the emperor in relation to the Ottoman threat. The short period of office of Pope Hadrians VI. and his opposition within the Roman Curia prevented the integration of reformation-stimuli. The protection of reformatory teachings became a prerequisite that ensured the participations of Protestants in the defense against the Turks. The exceedingly successful author Luther viewed the threat as just punishment by God. Later, he authored a harsh critique of the “Turcken”. The narratives of the Turkish threat still linger today. Nowadays, the dialogue between Muslims and Christians is an important basis for a peaceful coexistence in Europe’s ever changing societies.