“Bring about . . . that I may become to myself like a bitter boil”

Abstract

Chapter 4 examines how Karlstadt unfolded a unique theology and reform program following his public break with Luther. Continuing to engage the Eckhartian tradition, Karlstadt found his center in the goal of “sinking into God’s will,” and he saw earthly life as growth toward the postmortem attainment of this goal, revising the doctrine of purgatory. According to Karlstadt, God exercised divine pedagogy through inward illumination, scripture, and eternally ordained suffering; in turn, Christians were to engage in individual and communal study, self-examination, self-accusation, and improvement. Karlstadt depicted Luther and his Wittenberg allies as enemies of the cross, who refused to sink into God’s will by accusing and denying their own will, and who consequently preferred a practical reform program that did not arouse opposition. This verdict mirrored the verdict against scholastic theology and so-called papists that Luther and Karlstadt shared.