WI: Cardinal Martin Luther

Let's say the wiley old cardinals of the 14th century decide to try co-opt Martin Luther rather than fight him after the Diet of Worms and nominate him for a cardinal position in southern Germany

How could they make Luther accept and how does this effect his movement if he does?
 
Let's say the wiley old cardinals of the 14th century decide to try co-opt Martin Luther rather than fight him after the Diet of Worms and nominate him for a cardinal position in southern Germany

How could they make Luther accept and how does this effect his movement if he does?
I think you mean 16th century.
Cardinals were not appointed for specific regions.
The way I think Luther may have accepted is if a new Pope had appointed him with the explicit promise to task him with the preparation of a reform Council.
The Pope could then try to slug things down, or maybe he doesn`t even have to, because Councils rarely really came to far-reaching agreements those days, and Luther´s ideas wouldn`t be embraced by a majority.
Either way, some of those with similar ideas like Luther might also get involved in the conciliar process, while others may turn away. It would certainly absorb and weaken a lot of the impetus.
 
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