From Open Letters to Church Ordinance: The Construction and Application of Information Network by Martin Luther During the Reformation

Letters were the primary means to convey information during the Reformation, while open letters were a particular communication channel between Martin Luther and the German people. As the leader of the Reformation, Luther's correspondence involved citizens, cities, and local princes. His letters provided spiritual comfort and doctrinal guidance to the public and promoted social reform and church visitation in Protestant cities and regions. With the help of the printing press, Luther's exchange of letters with the people led to a rapid expansion of the information network. His works began to be published in southern German cities. Some of these areas enacted church ordinances to consolidate the reform after conversion. From open letters to church ordinances, Martin Luther based his own writings on the public opinions of the ordinary people, both horizontally and vertically, intensifying and sustaining the religious movement in Germany.