In God's Country

Tim Cavanaugh's review of the new Madalyn Murray O'Hair biography ("In God's Country," February) was interesting, if not especially perceptive. I am interested, however, in his rather strong and gratuitous characterization of Martin Luther as "a churlish priest and an anti-Semite even by the standards of his day." I wonder what basis he has for this statement: Is it his own research into Luther, or his reliance on questionable secondary and tertiary sources?

I suspect Cavanaugh was exposed to materials demonizing the man during his formative years in Catholic school. But a review of some of Luther's writings will reveal him as a highly principled lawyer and professor of theology as well as a loving pastor, friend, and parent--certainly less churlish and anti-Semitic than was typical of the Roman Church of his day.

Tim Cavanaugh replies: Much as I'd like to blame all my adult failings on a lousy parochial education, the quality of religious instruction at Blessed Sacrament School was in fact so poor that we learned little even about Catholic doctrine, let alone the beliefs of Protestant schismatics. I was well out of grammar school before I realized that when people referred to "Martin Luther" they weren't using a familiar name for Martin Luther King. Luther's letter "On the Jews and Their Lies," I think, is a pretty damning document. It's certainly possible that many or most Christians at the time shared Luther's anti-Jewish sentiments, but few or none were as prolific--and prescriptive--in making their feelings known.

Richard G. Lehrer Dyer, IN

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