Documents 8 and 9 show how gender roles and norms were shifting towards a more egalitarian society. However, the Reformation also meant targeting the Jews as scapegoats. Twenty years after Martin Luther wrote "That Jesus was Born a Jew," he wrote one of the most significant anti-Semitic texts in the history of Europe. "Concerning the Jews and their Lies" (Document 14) calls for the mass burning of synagogues, death threats on rabbis, and refers to the Jews as "poisonous bitter worms" and "burdens." Document 15 indicates that the Nazis used this very document as part of its propaganda campaign. Luther's propaganda campaign targeted the Jews, while paradoxically championing for individual rights and freedoms. Luther questions the authority of the Catholic Church in all religious matters, instead calling for a direct personal connection with Christ and scripture in Document 6. Luther also...

Document 2 defends the "letters of safe conduct" that the Church issued to psychologically appease followers who hoped to be cleansed of original sin. Luther lambasted the Church's clergy system and its ritualized version of Christianity, instead proposing for an individual approach to religion. Ironically, his belief in freedom of worship did not extend to the Jews.
The Protestant Reformation continues to show a great divide between the great religions of the West. Although Rome is far less powerful than it once was, Catholicism continues to hold sway over the lives of millions of people worldwide. Protestantism has become an equally as powerful force, and sometimes a nefarious one. The anti-Semitic remarks that Martin Luther wrote fomented hatred towards the Jewish…