本文探尋並批判馬克思與恩格斯在討論宗教時最被忽略的其中一個特點：他們對路德的密集討論。本文以三個步驟來處理：首先，以反教權主義開始，這必須與馬、恩兩人所擁護的無神論有所區別。反教權主義乃是我們在路德與加爾文這樣的宗教改革者心中發現的一種實踐，因為他們的批判以揭露並反抗腐敗的、放縱的教會為起點。馬、恩兩人在這一點上亦步亦趨。接著，本文聚焦於恩格斯對路德的《德意志農民革命》。雖然恩格斯願意將路德界定為新興中產階級的意識型態者，但是他同時也指出路德本人提供閔徹爾激進的革命工作的種子以及1525年的農民革命。第三點，也許是最重要的一點，它處理馬克思將路德當作德意志革命第一階段的肇始者的批判性正面評價，並且探究馬克思是否將自己當作新的路德，以及馬克思是否太快地廢除了宗教改革內在和外在的革命特質。

This article traces and critiques one of the most neglected features of the engagements of Marx and Engels with religion: their extensive dealings with Martin Luther. It does so in three major steps, beginning with a consideration of anti-clericalism, which needs to be distinguished from the atheism that Marx and Engels both espoused (Engels only after his youth). Anti-clericalism is, I argue, a practice that one finds at the heart of Reformers such as Luther and Calvin, for their critique begins with uncovering and standing up to a corrupt and conniving church. Marx and Engels follow suit. Secondly, I focus on Engels’ treatment of Luther in The Peasant War in Germany. Although Engels would prefer to identify Luther as the ideologue of an emerging bourgeoisie, he also notes that Luther himself provided the seeds for the radical, revolutionary work of Thomas Müntzer and the peasant revolution of 1525. Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, I deal with Marx’s critically positive appraisal of Luther as the inaugurator of the first phase of the German revolution, asking whether Marx sees himself as the new Luther and whether Marx is too quick to dispense with the revolutionary features—both internal and external—of the Reformation..