Martin Luther, Volume 3: The Preservation of the Church, 1532–1546

Martin Luther #3

by Martin Brecht, James L. Schaaf (Translator)

The third volume of Brecht's magnificent biography describes the final fourteen years of Luther's life, beginning with the accession of Elector John Frederick in 1532. The period is often treated briefly because some Reformation developments continued without him, his Catholic opponents paid only partial attention to him, his personality displayed great tensions, and his judgment, errors. Yet the preservation of the churchthose confessing the Reformation gospel being identical, according to Luther, with the truechurchdominated Luther's concerns. A work of immense and engaging scholarship, gracefully translated by James Schaaf, this volume offers comprehensive and original interpretations of Luther's private life, his congregation and the church in Saxony, his professorial lectures and theological controversies, Bible translation, Luther and the council of Trent, and his later writings about the Jews and Turks. With 34 illustrations.

Genres: History, Biography, Theology, Church History, Christianity

546 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Martin Brecht is Professor Emeritus of Reformation and Modern Church History at the University of Muenster, Germany.

Reviews

[Lauren Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Brecht 3 Volume work on the Life of Martin Luther is, in my opinion, _the_ work on Luther. It is very thorough and presents in a relatively unbiased voice. It is long, but worth it. A great resource for research, written in a way that makes you feel as if you are in those pews and seats, eye-witnesses to the birth, growth, and establishment of the early Reformation. You are in the Wartburg, you are at Luther's table, you are by the dying man's bedside, Brecht has a way of writing history that lures you in, tells you the play by play, and makes it engaging. Who knew the Sacramentarian controversy could be read like listening to an excited sports announcer? As someone who reads a lot of and about Luther, I couldn't imagine _not_ having this three part set on my shelves.

[Albert Meier · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy to see why more biographies focus on the early years of Luther's life than on these later years. In the early years there is focus and motion forward as one event leads to the next. In the final years of his life, Luther was involved in so many diverse events and projects that a merely chronological treatment would be difficult. In addition, he was more longer creating a reformation, but preserving, deepening and helping it mature.

Again, Brecht handles these events in a thorough and organized fashion. While he keeps a chronological flow, he groups Luther's endeavors with a chapter on his involvement in education, in dealing with the Sacramentarians, etc. In so doing he makes it easy to understand both where the events lie within Luther's life and their connection to other events or writings that may have taken place earlier or later.

The later years of Luther's life also contain some of his writings often considered problematic. Brecht addresses these squarely. He is neither an apologist who defends everything Luther wrote, nor a critic who seeks to condemn. He always explains the context, cause and intent of Luther's writings and where appropriate shows how they fail to meet the Gospel principles Luther himself confessed (and not how they fail to meet modern standards or expectations).

It is plain to see why this entire biography is the gold standard for Luther's life. It is a significant read, but well worth the effort.

[Wilhelm Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

It´s still the standard of Luther biographies. To the point and well informed - I look forward to the electronic versions with multimedia, links and more detail. Perhaps such lock-downs will provide the necessary space and time to deligent scribes.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great with great detail! Tracks Luther's mature thoughts and grumpy polemics as he tries to consolidate the German Reformation.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 3 out of 5]

These three volumes on Martin Luther have to be most exhaustive account of his life. And I have learned the most new in this last one. Unfortunately I have also learned more about his faults and failings. The good news was that Luther would not compromise on anything. The bad news is that Luther would not compromise on anything.

Luther is one of my greatest heroes in history. His absolute commitment to the Bible alone as the source for belief and salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone virtually rescued the gospel and the church. I would argue that he is the most revolutionary figure in history since Jesus and Paul.

But like all humans he had definite weaknesses and often our strengths can turn into weaknesses:
1) He was the catalyst of the Reformation but there were numerous areas in which he did not take reform nearly far enough. In many ways Luther was almost a "half-way" house between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. He was so focused on the nature of authority and the gospel that there were other important issues that he would not seriously consider. Virtually all the other leading Reformed leaders challenged different aspects of his views on Baptism and the Lord's Supper and he refused to budge an inch. From my perspective, despite his commitment to Scripture, he was more committed to his Roman Catholic presuppositions on these issues than to Scripture.

2) His obstinance enabled him to risk everything for the Gospel and the Bible but it also made him unable to consider that the other Reformers might have some things closer to Scripture than he did.

3) His outspoken, cruel, even profane references to even other Reformers that he should have been allies with.

4) Sometimes this led to tragic commitments. For example: a) His siding totally with the rulers against the peasants during the peasant revolts; b) His awful statements against the Jews after few of them came to faith like he thought they would once he clarified the gospel; c) His recommendation of bigamy to Philip of Hesse.

Having said all of this I would still argue that we are all hugely indebted to Luther for his humanly speaking virtually rescuing the gospel and the church. God certainly could have done it without him but God called him to this incredible task. Thankfully God also called John Calvin to greatly improve upon the Reformation begun by Luther.

[James Ruley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final work by Brecht about Luther provides closing detail about the last two decades of Luther’s life. Although slightly less engaging than the previous works, this book documents Luther’s efforts on behalf of the Protestant church in Germany and throughout Europe. A solid conclusion to a great series.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done

Brecht's biography of Luther is amazing for its detail and insight. Here we see the Reformer fairly and as a man of his time, but also as a maker of history.