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Martin Luther: Difference between revisions

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=='''Final Years'''==
=='''Final Years'''==
Luther's rhetoric became more severe in his final years concerning Jews and Christians alike. In the context of the opening of the Council of Trent in 1545, Luther wrote a pamphlet entitled, <cite>Against the Roman Papacy an Institution of the Devil</cite>.<ref><cite>LW</cite> 41:259–376.</ref> It was his bitterest attack against the institution of the papacy.<ref><cite>LW</cite> 41:259.</ref> In some of his later writings, popes, bishops, and cardinals were referred to as "Roman sodom."  He once blessed a group of followers, saying: <Blockquote>''"May the Lord fill you with His blessings and with hatred of the Pope."''<ref>Emanuel Valenza, "[http://www.sspx.ca/Angelus/1985_March/Christ_Among_Us.htm  Christ Among Us? No. Heresy and Revolution, Yes!]" <cite>The Angellus</cite> 8 (1985) No. 3.</ref></blockquote>


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Luther's health declined in the years before his death. Throughout his years as a reformer, Luther had suffered from a variety of ailments, including constipation, hemorrhoids, heart congestion,<ref>In January of 1527, Luther was overcome by "a violent rush of blood to the heart, which well-nigh killed him."  For an account of this event, see: Wilhelm Rein, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Jwb1sRs_dhgC&vid=OCLC03736518&dq=%22The+Life+of+Martin+Luther%22&jtp=139 ''The Life of Martin Luther''],  New York, Funk & Wagnalls (1883), pp. 139–146.</ref> fainting spells, dizziness and roaring in the ears. From 1531–1546 Luther experienced a series of more severe health problems,<ref>Some of these may have been stress related; the years of struggle with Rome, the various antagonisms with and among his fellow reformers, and the scandal which ensued from the bigamy of Philip of Hesse incident, in which Luther had played a leading role, all may have contributed to Luther's  declining health.</ref> including ringing in the ears, and, in 1536–1537, Luther began to experience kidney and bladder stones, which caused him particular agony during the rest of his life.  He also suffered from arthritis, and experienced a ruptured ear drum due to an inner ear infection. In December 1544, he suffered from severe angina and finally suffered a heart attack which led to his death in February 1546.<ref>Edwards, 9.</ref>
Luther's health declined in the years before his death. Throughout his years as a reformer, Luther had suffered from a variety of ailments, including constipation, hemorrhoids, heart congestion,<ref>In January of 1527, Luther was overcome by "a violent rush of blood to the heart, which well-nigh killed him."  For an account of this event, see: Wilhelm Rein, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Jwb1sRs_dhgC&vid=OCLC03736518&dq=%22The+Life+of+Martin+Luther%22&jtp=139 ''The Life of Martin Luther''],  New York, Funk & Wagnalls (1883), pp. 139–146.</ref> fainting spells, dizziness and roaring in the ears. From 1531–1546 Luther experienced a series of more severe health problems,<ref>Some of these may have been stress related; the years of struggle with Rome, the various antagonisms with and among his fellow reformers, and the scandal which ensued from the bigamy of Philip of Hesse incident, in which Luther had played a leading role, all may have contributed to Luther's  declining health.</ref> including ringing in the ears, and, in 1536–1537, Luther began to experience kidney and bladder stones, which caused him particular agony during the rest of his life.  He also suffered from arthritis, and experienced a ruptured ear drum due to an inner ear infection. In December 1544, he suffered from severe angina and finally suffered a heart attack which led to his death in February 1546.<ref>Edwards, 9.</ref>