Basic Theological Writings

by Martin Luther, Timothy F. Lull (Editor), William R. Russell (Editor)

- New features orient students into the Luther's life, context, and Reformation history
- Additional readings allow teachers to explore further dimensions of Luther's thought

Genres: Theology, Religion, History, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Church History

491 pages, Paperback (with CD-ROM)

First published October 1, 1989

About the author

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.

Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.

Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.

Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.

Reviews

[Ray LaManna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a very good overview of Martin Luther's revolutionary thought. What's interesting is how many of his ideas about Christian theology are now, 500 years later, relatively standard such as the primacy of the Bible, importance of faith over works, communal singing in the liturgy, the use of the vernacular in the liturgy and the great value of preaching. Thank you, Martin Luther, for opening the eyes of all Christians!

[Shane Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read...I had no idea of how powerful a theologian Luther was!!!

[Jared Mindel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read most of it; some stuff I skipped because they weren't particularly of my interest (more pastoral or political things as opposed to strictly theological) but everything I read was really good. It's a good selection of the works Luther has and I'm Lutheran so I obviously like what he says - for the most part.

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luther didn't explicitly sit down to write theology, but these are most/all of his most famous works, many of which deal heavily with theology. The translation is easy to read. If you are interested in Luther, look no farther than this book.

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

By "Basic Theological Writings" the title really means "Theological Minutiae".

If you're a person who is not currently enrolled in seminary, you'll probably fall asleep.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough translation of many of Dr. Luther's more important writings - in 755 pages. To be clear this is not just a casual read, but the average high-school graduate might need to take their time. Perhaps reading several pages (12-20) a week over a year. Dr. Lull has included several footnotes which help to explain certain points. It should be remembered that these are books & tracts which were originally printed on the Gutenberg Press, and are a slight minority of what Luther actually wrote.

Later editions include a CD-ROM, which I assume the digital version of the book does also.
These would prove invaluable to any budding scholar.

[Mark Seeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to the theological thought of the great Reformer.

[Dane Jöhannsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luther is always fun to consult. He was brash and brave, earnest and eccentric, faithful and flamboyant, doctrinal yet digestible. We owe much to Luther as Christians, whatever his flaws.

[S.H. Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and re-read this book. It is the standard for Luther scholars.

[Carlos Montijo]

Recommended by Doth Protest Too Much:
https://player.fm/series/doth-protest...

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect selection. I applaud the editors.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batta-bing botta-boom the Gospel was PREACHED

[Pamela Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very thick book of 736 pages so it will take some time to read. These writings are the material that will captivate the mind and prove invaluable to Teacher and Student. In Part I he discusses the Ninety-Five Theses distributed in 1517 against the Catholic Church and their abuses. This is a vast amount of information to briefly point out in each part as in this Part II on what to expect in the Gospels his discovery of being Christ minded or how Christ opens the mind of people. Part III The Righteousness of God in Christ. He speaks on A meditation of Christ's passion displays many scripture's relating to God's grace and sin. Where his emphasis is on Apostle Paul. The Father of Theology in my way of thinking. Part IV The Promise of the Sacraments of course the Christian Sacraments are far less than the Catholics. We are to observe the Lord's supper, Baptism. The outside is truly seen in the outward presence of the bread and wine, but what is more importantly is the inward change that takes place. Part v The Reform of the Church what stands out is the meaning of the Catechism 1529. As it was spoken true then it is today..."Christian, are baptized, and receive the holy sacrament, they do not know the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments, ..." VI Living and Dying as a Christian... The Freedom of a Christian 1520 he combines I Cor. 1:23; Luke 2:34 this is what is called dividing the scriptures rightly. "Admittedly it must be that Christ, set as a stumbling block and sign that is spoken again, will be an offense and a cause for the fall and rising of many.

[Ryan Linkous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luther is brilliant and this a great collection of his works.

Some of my favorites are:
#1 "Disputation Against Scholastic Theology"
#5 "A Practical Way to Pray."
#29 "Concerning the Order of Public Worship."
#31 "The Small Catechism"
#36 "The Freedom of a Christian"

I would recommend this for anyone interested in Luther, even at a lay level. I would probably recommend an older edition though just to save money.

I didn't read all of the writings and I'm sure there are many more beneficial ones than that I have read.

[wyclif · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you can only have one book by Martin Luther, this is it. An excellent basic collection of the German reformer's most important theological writings, and a great reference to have on the shelf. Lull's edition is best viewed as a companion to "Three Treatises" by Fortress Press (which is the second Luther book to have at hand). I've been bouncing around here lately and re-reading works like "The Freedom of a Christian", and "Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed."

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Assigned for Dr. Whitford's seminar on Luther at Baylor (Spring 2014). We read the following:
- Disputations against Scholastic Theology
- The Ninety-Five Theses
- Concerning the Letter and the Spirit
- Preface to Romans
- Preface to the New Testament
- Preface to the Old Testament
- The Babylonian Captivity of the Church
- Eight Sermons at Wittenberg
- The Freedom of a Christian

This current edition cannot be the "gold standard" because it excludes "To the Christian Nobility."

[Drew Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Luther's theology. Given the current indigestion within Reformed circles regarding the relationship between the law and the gospel, I found reading Luther very helpful. The editors did a great job of choosing selections that focused on Luther's gospel. I appreciated that.

[Lucy Samuelsen]

Lectures on Galatians, Heidelberg Disputation, Two Kinds of Righteousness, Small Catechism, and Freedom of a Christian: April 23, 2013