Restoration Reform

The historical role of Martin Luther. This drama is set in the year 1525, the year in which Luther and Katharina von Bora would be married, and also when Friedrich the Wise would die.

Cast: 3
Martin Luther (early 40’s)
Katharina, Luther’s wife-to-be (mid 20’s)
Friedrich the Wise, Luther’s friend and protector (early 60’s)

Costumes: those from 1525 time frame

Props: table and three chairs teapot and cups a cane for Friedrich the Wise

Special Instruction: Background information regarding Luther and his times can be found on various Internet sites including:
http://www.reformation.org/luther.html

Sample of script:

Luther and Friedrich are sitting at the table, talking

Luther: Reform. Reorganization. Restructuring. Renewal. Promises from Rome! Words. Only words. Rome talks but does nothing!

Friedrich: Now, now, Martin, calm yourself! It is not good for the heart or mind to carry on so! Trust me, I know these things, my health is not well, and, having now achieved my sixty-second birthday, I can warn you young pups to take better care of your health than did I.

Luther, laughing: Young pup am I? Dear Friedrich the Wise of Saxon! You know very well that I am exactly but twenty seasons younger than yourself.

Friedrich: Oh what I would give to be forty-two again, to be as you, Martin Luther, with my whole life still ahead of me.

Luther: Do not be too sure on that matter, friend Friedrich! With the attitude of the Emperor and of Rome itself, my longevity is hardly assured.

Katharina comes on stage carrying a teapot, winces at Luther’s words

Katharina: Please don’t speak so frivolously of such things Martin.

Luther: My apologies, Katharina, but you of all people are aware that the church would do anything to silence me, to have me burned at the stake as a heretic.

Katharina: Fine, so it is, but must you talk about death in such a cavalier manner? You know full well of my feelings for you.

Luther: Dear, dear Katharina! As you know, I have found husbands for all of the other nuns who have left the convent; I could have found a worthy husband for you as well.

Katharina: Stop speaking of me as one who needs assistance to find a man. I have found the man who will be my husband, and if he cares not marry me then I shall die a spinster . . (looks at Luther and smiles) . . or perhaps I might simply return to the monastery, I am sure that the nuns would welcome my return.

Friedrich, chuckling: Dear sweet Katharina von Bora! You, a former nun, presently one of the most beautiful young ladies I have known, and headstrong as well! I hardly think there is chance that you shall ever again be a nun. And if my good friend Martin Luther here has any brains in that learned head of his he will, here and now, be down on his knee to you, begging you to be his bride!

Katharina, smiling: On his knee you say? Now that I would give the world to see!

Friedrich: Oh my, what is this modern world coming to? A former priest marrying a former nun! Keeping you two safe will strain the influence which I am supposed to have with Emperors and princes! You are a marked man Martin!

Luther: A marked man, yes, but for a cause worthy of the shame. I find it unthinkable that we still, in the year 1525, remain slave to outmoded practices from the past. Surely Rome must know that change, reform, is long overdue. Yet it is so entrenched that no one in power wishes to upset a system that makes them rich. And those not in power have not this much, (snaps fingers), input.

Friedrich: It is not that I disagree philosophically with what you say Martin. But the wheels of progress turn slowly.

Luther: Slowly indeed, and with great squeaking and squealing! My prayer is that God may use me as the lubricant to move change along at a faster and less frivolous pace.

Katharina: God has used you mightily Martin! History, I just know it, will record the contribution you have made as a church reformer.

Luther: The shame is that I am seen not as a reformer but as a destroyer of the church. Of all who would be church reformers, no one has wanted to destroy the Holy Roman Catholic Church less than I. But the efforts at reform have done so little. Councils have created some better laws, but laws are neither kept nor enforced. This is an enlightened age, with learning spread with the invention of the printing press, yet men have not grown wise. Erasmus, Ximenes and others have tried, but in spite of their accomplishments the face of the Church is still soiled.

Friedrich: As you well know it is my habit to form my opinions after exact consideration of the state of affairs by my advisers and listening to the opinion of recognized experts. And there is no expert more skilled and clear-minded than Erasmus von Rotterdam, he a firm believer in your position versus Rome.

Katharina: It is frightening to see how this is developing into a struggle of Martin Luther versus Rome. They are so powerful, so rich, so many, and dear one, you are so alone in facing them.

Luther: It is not my wish that I be seen in opposition to the church of Rome. My wish is and always will be to develop close friendship with God. Always I have believed: “Man is little, God is great. Man is evil, God is good. And because God is good he must be angry with the evil in man. And because he is great, his anger is dreadful.”

The complete script, plus all 1,600+ other DramaShare scripts, are available at no charge to DramaShare members, non-members may purchase the individual script.

The historical role of Martin Luther. This drama is set in the year 1525, the year in which Luther and Katharina von Bora would be married, and also when Friedrich the Wise would die.

Cast: 3
Martin Luther (early 40’s)
Katharina, Luther’s wife-to-be (mid 20’s)
Friedrich the Wise, Luther’s friend and protector (early 60’s)

Costumes: those from 1525 time frame

Props: table and three chairs teapot and cups a cane for Friedrich the Wise

Special Instruction: Background information regarding Luther and his times can be found on various Internet sites including:
http://www.reformation.org/luther.html

Sample of script:

Luther and Friedrich are sitting at the table, talking

Luther: Reform. Reorganization. Restructuring. Renewal. Promises from Rome! Words. Only words. Rome talks but does nothing!

Friedrich: Now, now, Martin, calm yourself! It is not good for the heart or mind to carry on so! Trust me, I know these things, my health is not well, and, having now achieved my sixty-second birthday, I can warn you young pups to take better care of your health than did I.

Luther, laughing: Young pup am I? Dear Friedrich the Wise of Saxon! You know very well that I am exactly but twenty seasons younger than yourself.

Friedrich: Oh what I would give to be forty-two again, to be as you, Martin Luther, with my whole life still ahead of me.

Luther: Do not be too sure on that matter, friend Friedrich! With the attitude of the Emperor and of Rome itself, my longevity is hardly assured.

Katharina comes on stage carrying a teapot, winces at Luther’s words

Katharina: Please don’t speak so frivolously of such things Martin.

Luther: My apologies, Katharina, but you of all people are aware that the church would do anything to silence me, to have me burned at the stake as a heretic.

Katharina: Fine, so it is, but must you talk about death in such a cavalier manner? You know full well of my feelings for you.

Luther: Dear, dear Katharina! As you know, I have found husbands for all of the other nuns who have left the convent; I could have found a worthy husband for you as well.

Katharina: Stop speaking of me as one who needs assistance to find a man. I have found the man who will be my husband, and if he cares not marry me then I shall die a spinster . . (looks at Luther and smiles) . . or perhaps I might simply return to the monastery, I am sure that the nuns would welcome my return.

Friedrich, chuckling: Dear sweet Katharina von Bora! You, a former nun, presently one of the most beautiful young ladies I have known, and headstrong as well! I hardly think there is chance that you shall ever again be a nun. And if my good friend Martin Luther here has any brains in that learned head of his he will, here and now, be down on his knee to you, begging you to be his bride!

Katharina, smiling: On his knee you say? Now that I would give the world to see!

Friedrich: Oh my, what is this modern world coming to? A former priest marrying a former nun! Keeping you two safe will strain the influence which I am supposed to have with Emperors and princes! You are a marked man Martin!

Luther: A marked man, yes, but for a cause worthy of the shame. I find it unthinkable that we still, in the year 1525, remain slave to outmoded practices from the past. Surely Rome must know that change, reform, is long overdue. Yet it is so entrenched that no one in power wishes to upset a system that makes them rich. And those not in power have not this much, (snaps fingers), input.

Friedrich: It is not that I disagree philosophically with what you say Martin. But the wheels of progress turn slowly.

Luther: Slowly indeed, and with great squeaking and squealing! My prayer is that God may use me as the lubricant to move change along at a faster and less frivolous pace.

Katharina: God has used you mightily Martin! History, I just know it, will record the contribution you have made as a church reformer.

Luther: The shame is that I am seen not as a reformer but as a destroyer of the church. Of all who would be church reformers, no one has wanted to destroy the Holy Roman Catholic Church less than I. But the efforts at reform have done so little. Councils have created some better laws, but laws are neither kept nor enforced. This is an enlightened age, with learning spread with the invention of the printing press, yet men have not grown wise. Erasmus, Ximenes and others have tried, but in spite of their accomplishments the face of the Church is still soiled.

Friedrich: As you well know it is my habit to form my opinions after exact consideration of the state of affairs by my advisers and listening to the opinion of recognized experts. And there is no expert more skilled and clear-minded than Erasmus von Rotterdam, he a firm believer in your position versus Rome.

Katharina: It is frightening to see how this is developing into a struggle of Martin Luther versus Rome. They are so powerful, so rich, so many, and dear one, you are so alone in facing them.

Luther: It is not my wish that I be seen in opposition to the church of Rome. My wish is and always will be to develop close friendship with God. Always I have believed: “Man is little, God is great. Man is evil, God is good. And because God is good he must be angry with the evil in man. And because he is great, his anger is dreadful.”

The complete script, plus all 1,600+ other DramaShare scripts, are available at no charge to DramaShare members, non-members may purchase the individual script.