Luther for Armchair Theologians

Armchair Theologians

by Steven D. Paulson

Martin Luther started a reformation movement that revolutionized Europe in the sixteenth century. His far-reaching reforms of theological understanding and church practices radically modified both church and society in Europe and beyond. Steven Paulson's discussion of Luther's thought, coupled with Ron Hill's illustrations, provides an engaging introduction to Luther's multifaceted self and the ideas that catapulted him to fame. Written by experts but designed for the novice, the Armchair series provides accurate, concise, and witty overviews of some of the most profound Christian theologians in history. This series is an essential supplement for first-time encounters with primary texts, a lucid refresher for scholars and clergy, and an enjoyable read for the theologically curious.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theology, Audiobook, Christian, Religion, Biography, History

232 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2004

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Lutheran language in here.
I'd expect nothing less from the great Steven Paulson.
I want to read Lutheran Theology.

[Jimmy]

This is the third book in the Armchair Theologians series and thus far my favorite one out of the three. I originally considered to stop reading this series since the other two were not what I expected (specifically, the one on Augustine and Aquinas). However, this book was enjoyable. It went through the biography of Luther and also discussed his theology. Excellent exposition on Luther's view of justification. I enjoyed the author's explanation of what the Gospel is and is not. Though I don't agree everything with Luther's theology neverthess I'm grateful that this book is able to show Luther's theology accurately without resorting to trying to make him relevant at the expense of being no longer an accurate portrayal of Luther's life and theology as I felt the work on Aquinas has done. I thought this particular book was accessible for the general reading audience while remaining theological enough without resorting to silly humor compare to one other book in this series. The author even drove home Luther's theology that theology is not just something done for arm-chair theologians but during life--an irony that the author even noted contrary to the book's title. Good introduction to Luther and I would recommend it.

[Jonathan White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read quite a number of books about Luther and have read snippets by Luther, but this book so far has been the most helpful in really helping me contextualize his thought and teaching.

I listened to the audiobook read by Simon Vance and I must say he takes the cake as best audibook reader I've ever heard. Just really pleasant.

Rather than being a biography, this book takes you through the main innovations of Luther's thought. Makes me thankful for Luther, even with his poop-slinging scatology.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)

I tell everyone I know that it's much easier to have someone else read and absorb a theologian and then explain it to you, than to actually read the theologian yourself. I know this is heresy among people that actually, you know, read theologians for themselves, but since that is .00000001% of the population, I shall not worry about their disapprobation.

Mr. Paulson does a good job of exposing the reader to Luther's theology and I actually found this book quite engaging, I'm sure much more engaging than actually wading through Luther myself. The big takeaway for me from Luther's theology was his Christocentrism. I don't think I've read about any theologian that ran their interpretation of Scripture through a Christ-centric frame more than Mr. Luther and I suppose that isn't a surprise given that he was coming out of Roman Catholicism and their reliance upon the church and tradition rather than Scripture alone.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy-to-read introduction to Luther's life and theology. It well captures his down-to-earth language, his intensity, and his shocking ideas -- some widely integrated into Protestantism, others distinguishing him from other Reformers and especially from Roman Catholic theology. The book compels us to read Luther to try to understand his paradoxes and to witness his radical commitment to the Bible.

[Ryan Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Overall, this is a solid introduction to Luther's theology. My main critiques are (1) that it felt quite biased towards a Lutheran appreciation of him, (2) at times the distinguishment between Luther's thoughts and the author's commentary feels unclear, and (3) it could have been a little more biographical on Luther's life.

Nevertheless, this is a helpful resource for understanding one of the most prominent theologians in Church history.

[larry l. jerke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get through this book and only with the assistance of an in-house theologian. I learned a lot about individual faith of Martin Luther and therefore how our Lutheranism came to be. There are also great movies on this subject which helped a little. I could read this book a dozen more times and learn something new every time. Very thought provoking.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. It didn't quite fit the need that I had -- I was looking for more of a biographical account, and not a theological discussion and defense. But it was interesting, and if you are wanting to get into the what's and the why's of Martin Luther, this is a really good starting place.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago and forgot to mark it down (it was probably before Goodreads was a thing). I may need to re-read it, because Martin Luther had some damn fine points, especially considering the unending, unfolding horror of the Catholic Church in this year of Our Lord 2018.

[Cliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of Martin Luther's teachings and the times in which they were formed. At times, even for an overview, the book feels a little wordy, but throughout Christ is preached and how we are saved by His grace and mercy and not our own will.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not bad but I hate to say that I didn't get much new or helpful out of this one.

[h · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ for the understandableness of the book. 1st book on Luther that I didn’t struggle with. C.S. Lewisesce.

[James P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luther was a mover and a shaker in the reformation movement and was certainly instrumental in overcoming the oppression of the Papacy, but was not a systematic theologian...

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading about Martin Luther.

[JoJo Ames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward and clear exposition of Biblical Christianity and what it means when Lutherans state that we are saint and sinner.

[Eric Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been several years since I studied Luther's theology so I picked up this book as a primer. I thoroughly enjoyed the Aquinas book in the same series and was hoping for an equally light-hearted, accessible overview of Luther.[return][return]I am not at all disappointed with this book. I found it to be quite good at getting inside Luther's head. Paulson could have written this book one of two ways. He could have portrayed Luther as a theologian whose thought is everywhere , showing readers how many of their own assumptions (e.g., justification by faith alone) can be traced back to Luther's revolutionary take on the apostle Paul and the Bible.[return][return]Instead, Paulson takes a different approach. Paulson decides to show his readers what he belives is the heart of Luther's theology; a core that will surprise nearly everyone but the professional theologian. Paulson discusses the big Luther topics like Law & Gospel, but he does so while emphasizing what he believes are the the central, but forgotten themes of Luther...topics like people's lack of free will, the creative power of the Word, and that it is Scripture that interprets you (not the other way around).[return][return]I loved this book, but I am concerned that it may not be as accessible as other books in this series. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who has a passion for theology, is planning to study theology, or wants to go back and refresh their understanding of Luther. The casual reader, I fear, may need to take this book slow...though the payoff is huge. I do not mean to say that to some this book is inaccessible...rather I want to warn people that the book may not be as easy to read as the fun pictures make it seem.[return][return]This is a wonderful, complete portrait of Luther, one that does not gloss over things, and invites the reader to experience the Word in a way that is truly revolutionary. This book challenges common theological assumptions and brings Luther's down-to-earth theology into everyday life. Whether you end up agree with Luther or not, most readers will appreciate Luther's desire to be faithful to the Bible.

[Justin Tapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars out of 5. The book would more properly be titled "The Gospel According to Luther," as the author focuses on Luther's theological evolution towards the understanding of the Gospel that caused him to nail his theses to the church door and work out his understanding of the Gospel in everyday life. I have become more interested in the Luther's views on work recently, and that is mentioned toward the end of the book.

In many places it is not clear what thinking is the author's and what is Luther's. Luther said a lot of disturbing things or supported some causes that in hindsight were not very Gospel-centered (as this website shows). But the author doesn't give much biographical information as the context for these or explain their theological underpinnings. That said, his quotes from various Luther writings inspires the reader to dig deeper.

This is the third Armchair Theologians book I have read. It contained some cursory biographical material, mostly at the beginning and end (paraphrase, "oh, by the way, he got married and it meant a lot.") I would recommend reading something like Civilization of the Middle Ages for the pre-Lutheran context so you can better understand Germany and the state of doctrine in the Roman Catholic Church when Luther came onto the scene.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, precise and accessible read to explore Luther's theology by. I was surprised to see a "for Armchair Theologians" title in my seminary class list, thinking it would be a light read lacking substance. I was wrong. Paulson's good writing draws out the essence of Luther very well. The concepts came through strong. Paulson wrote the book in a way the paraphrases Luther. You don't get quotes or indented paragraphs containing Luther's exact words all the time (yes, sometimes). So, you're getting things in a secondary way, though he does a good job with conveying the message -- like any good Lutheran pastor would do.

Luther's theology of the cross is the section I'm most struck by. I'll be re-reading those highlights for a while.

[Alexis Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with other books in this series, I definitely learned something. I still don't feel like I got my head completely around Luther's theology; I sometimes found myself balking at the ideas Luther espoused, but I suspect that was more due to terminology and word choice than to issues of substance. I would have liked to delve a little deeper, as the book was fairly summary in nature. But then it is, after all, for armchair theologians; it doesn't claim to be comprehensive. Still, it's a helpful book.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio and found that the narrator spoke way too fast for me to really comprehend Luther's writings and views. I feel like there were many beliefs of Luther's that I didn't really understand and might not even agree with, but I think that's a product of the author's diction and not necessarily attributable to Luther himself. I also felt that some of the illustrations the author used were a bit off putting. I think I'll look for a different book to read (vs. listen to) on the venerable Martin Luther.

[Skipr · Rating 4 out of 5]

No matter how often I disagree with Luther, when the going gets tough, I always find myself going back to his understanding of the Good News, grace, and faith for consolation and reassurance. This book certainly gave me more insight into the context of how Luther developed that understanding and a broader understanding of his theology. A caution: despite the title's claim that this is for "armchair" theologians, it's definitely not for "novice" theologians. Some of it's pretty heady stuff.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and readable explanation of Lutheran theology with a touch of humor for good measure. Actualy found myself laughing at one point (a rare statement for books of this sort). I've read a few others in the armchair series and while they also clearly prsent theology they are not nearly as enjoyable. Kudos to Paulson and his illustrator / cartoonist.

[Mark Talley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn't quite get rid of all the high falutin talk of philosophers and theologians, but does pretty good. What this book does really well with is bring out how unique Luther's theology was and still is today.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was muddled in its approach to the subject, almost like a series of articles cobbled together. There was no real attempt to be objective. A Luther book for Lutherans. That might not a problem, except this is intended for a general audience.

[Fr. Thomas Reeves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Previewing for potential use with parishioners in class this fall.

Not sure how many of the laity would actually give this work an honest read. That said, this could be a good introduction for students into Luther's seminal teachings.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is basically Lutheranism for dummies or cliff notes to Luther's thoughts.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes Lutheran doctrine more accessible for the most part though, by stringing out some of its explanations, it seems too dense in places.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun read as an introduction to Luther. Love the cartoons and ideas. Recommend it for anyone who is curious about Martin Luther.

[Brook · Rating 1 out of 5]

I suggested this book for a men's group and rather than an accessible overview of Luther's theology, as the title suggests, it's actually rather dense and also quite boring. Disappointed.

[Dan Mayville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book but a few things were hard to grasp, just need to ponder it a bit more ;)
Loved the illustration !