ABSTRACT
What was the relationship of Martin Luther to Renaissance humanism? Luther did not treat all elements of humanism uniformly, using certain elements at the beginning of his career that he later abandoned. He cultivated and developed other aspects as they became useful. For Luther, humanism was not a movement or a life's pursuit, but rather a set of tools, some highly useful and others inapplicable to the given situation. The first of these tools was education. Humanists regarded education as fundamental to progress in their studies and movement. Luther exhaustively employed his own education. Literacy, music, theology, literature, history, languages, rhetoric - all these studies facilitated his many endeavors. Education allowed him to claim authority as a church doctor, providing access to both pulpit and press to broadcast his ideas. Furthermore, Luther advanced the cause of educational reform. Motivated by more than a desire to indoctrinate young minds, he wanted people educated to improve both their secular and religious lives.
