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Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career
For nearly thirty years, Luther the Reformer has been the standard Luther biography. Fair, insightful, and detailed without being overwhelming, Kittelson was able to negotiate a "middle way" that presented a more complete chronological picture of Luther than many had yet portrayed. For this revised edition, Hans H. Wiersma has made an outstanding text even better. The research is updated, and the text is revised throughout, with images, bibliographies, and timelines to enhance the experience.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2016
32 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
James M. Kittelson
7 books4 followersJames Matthew Kittelson was professor emeritus of history at Ohio State University.
He graduated from Saint Olaf College in 1963. With the support of a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship (1963) and a Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowship (1966–67), he earned the PhD (1969) in Reformation history from Stanford University under the direction of Lewis Spitz. After four years on the history faculty at the University of Iowa, he joined the history department at Ohio State University, where he taught for 26 years.
He carried on vigorously the distinguished tradition of teaching and research on the Reformation that had been established by his predecessor, Harold Grimm.
Kittelson appreciated the contributions of Ohio State University's Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, which he served with his advice, support, and many scholarly connections in the fields of Reformation, Renaissance, and early modern history. In 1983–84, he served as acting director of the center.
Kittelson was a devoted scholar who concentrated on Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation, especially as it unfolded in the city of Strasbourg, whose archives he knew extraordinarily well. Kittelson published three books, including Wolfgang Capito from Humanist to Reformer (1975), and most recently Toward an Established Church: Strasbourg from 1500 to the Dawn of the Seventeenth Century (2000).
The book that reached the widest audience was Luther the Reformer (1986), which drew on his lifelong interest in Luther and is both scholarly and readable. It has been translated into Chinese, Estonian, Finnish, Korean, and Portuguese. In addition, he published about 30 articles and essays.
His talent and intellectual achievements were recognized by prestigious awards, including a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, and grants from the American Council of Learned Societies and the American Philosophical Society.
For three decades, he was a leader in the field of Reformation studies, to which he gave generously of his time and talent, serving on the editorial boards of Studies in the Reformation and the Lutheran Quarterly. He also was a member of the board of directors of the Center for Reformation Research (Saint Louis) and of the executive committees of the Newberry Library's Renaissance Center and the Society for Reformation Research.
In his life and his scholarship, there was a continuing and enriching interaction between his proud affiliation with the Lutheran Church and his deep knowledge of its origins and development.
In 1997, he received a richly deserved offer from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that he could not refuse. He was invited to be professor of church history as well as director of the Thrivent Reformation Research Program, which specializes in gathering and making available to scholars 16th-century printed materials on Luther and the Lutheran Reformation. He welcomed the opportunity to spend the remainder of his career in such a setting, working with future pastors and leaders in the Lutheran Church. He retired from Ohio State University and took up the new positions that he held until his death.
- abbreviated, from http://www.historians.org/publication...
He graduated from Saint Olaf College in 1963. With the support of a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship (1963) and a Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowship (1966–67), he earned the PhD (1969) in Reformation history from Stanford University under the direction of Lewis Spitz. After four years on the history faculty at the University of Iowa, he joined the history department at Ohio State University, where he taught for 26 years.
He carried on vigorously the distinguished tradition of teaching and research on the Reformation that had been established by his predecessor, Harold Grimm.
Kittelson appreciated the contributions of Ohio State University's Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, which he served with his advice, support, and many scholarly connections in the fields of Reformation, Renaissance, and early modern history. In 1983–84, he served as acting director of the center.
Kittelson was a devoted scholar who concentrated on Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation, especially as it unfolded in the city of Strasbourg, whose archives he knew extraordinarily well. Kittelson published three books, including Wolfgang Capito from Humanist to Reformer (1975), and most recently Toward an Established Church: Strasbourg from 1500 to the Dawn of the Seventeenth Century (2000).
The book that reached the widest audience was Luther the Reformer (1986), which drew on his lifelong interest in Luther and is both scholarly and readable. It has been translated into Chinese, Estonian, Finnish, Korean, and Portuguese. In addition, he published about 30 articles and essays.
His talent and intellectual achievements were recognized by prestigious awards, including a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, and grants from the American Council of Learned Societies and the American Philosophical Society.
For three decades, he was a leader in the field of Reformation studies, to which he gave generously of his time and talent, serving on the editorial boards of Studies in the Reformation and the Lutheran Quarterly. He also was a member of the board of directors of the Center for Reformation Research (Saint Louis) and of the executive committees of the Newberry Library's Renaissance Center and the Society for Reformation Research.
In his life and his scholarship, there was a continuing and enriching interaction between his proud affiliation with the Lutheran Church and his deep knowledge of its origins and development.
In 1997, he received a richly deserved offer from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that he could not refuse. He was invited to be professor of church history as well as director of the Thrivent Reformation Research Program, which specializes in gathering and making available to scholars 16th-century printed materials on Luther and the Lutheran Reformation. He welcomed the opportunity to spend the remainder of his career in such a setting, working with future pastors and leaders in the Lutheran Church. He retired from Ohio State University and took up the new positions that he held until his death.
- abbreviated, from http://www.historians.org/publication...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 14, 2024
I’ve been reading several Luther biographies for a research project. Thus far, this is my favorite. Whereas other authors treat themes like family, reforms, politics—especially in Luther’s later life—Kittelson gives greater attention to chronology. This sheds greater light on the complexity of Luther’s later years.
February 13, 2020
Luther was a great man, no doubt about it, but following his words, the focus shouldn't be on him, but on the scripture and the word of God. He wanted us not to remember him or his writings since he was no more than a man like all of us, full of doubt, sins and a desire to find meaning in one's life.
Overall a very good book, I enjoyed it much because it portrayed Luther as a normal man in a way that is easy to read and to understand. The idea that stood for me the most was the fact that Luther was obedient, faithful and believed in the church at first and wrote the 95 theses not with the intent to oppose or to create reform but with intent to signal a useless custom. Once he was notified of the magnitude of his act, he was afraid like any of us would be that he would end as Jan Hus.
This proved that he was a normal person just trying to follow the purpose he was giving himself thought the word of God.
Overall a very good book, I enjoyed it much because it portrayed Luther as a normal man in a way that is easy to read and to understand. The idea that stood for me the most was the fact that Luther was obedient, faithful and believed in the church at first and wrote the 95 theses not with the intent to oppose or to create reform but with intent to signal a useless custom. Once he was notified of the magnitude of his act, he was afraid like any of us would be that he would end as Jan Hus.
This proved that he was a normal person just trying to follow the purpose he was giving himself thought the word of God.
May 17, 2021
An amazing biography of an amazing man! Kittleson’s biography is the standard for the late 20th and early 21st century study of Martin Luther. Kittleson’s writing is very accessible and he covers quite a bit of information in 253 pages.
Martin Luther was a brilliant and complicated man. His understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that one is justified by Christ through faith alone, sola fide, shook the foundations of the medieval Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation intended to be just that: a reformation of the Roman Catholic Church. Alas, such reforms didn’t happen as evidenced in the fact that the Roman church still offers indulgences (for visits to the Vatican during jubilee years).
Luther got Scripture right. He understood correctly that one cannot merit salvation. It is given as a gift to those who receive the Gospel. And all of the work is God’s alone. A gift cannot be earned. I cannot recommend this book enough to those interested in learning about Martin Luther.
Martin Luther was a brilliant and complicated man. His understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that one is justified by Christ through faith alone, sola fide, shook the foundations of the medieval Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation intended to be just that: a reformation of the Roman Catholic Church. Alas, such reforms didn’t happen as evidenced in the fact that the Roman church still offers indulgences (for visits to the Vatican during jubilee years).
Luther got Scripture right. He understood correctly that one cannot merit salvation. It is given as a gift to those who receive the Gospel. And all of the work is God’s alone. A gift cannot be earned. I cannot recommend this book enough to those interested in learning about Martin Luther.
July 3, 2023
This is a great biography. It is expansive in covering his life, his friendships and academics, his politics, and most importantly his theology. There is an extensive amount of reference material that is cited or received recommended. Well worth the read for a dive into Luther and his shepherding of the Reformation.
February 20, 2023
Lord have mercy this was boring. Just read the Wikipedia page and call it a day.
November 26, 2025
A shorter biography of Luther than many that are out there with a reading level suitable for most laypeople. This volume focuses on Luther's journey through life and the main arguments he gives for the Lutheran faith (as opposed to biographies that go into a lot of details or wrestles through theological argumentation). I recommend this for undergraduates hoping to understand more about the Reformation and Luther himself.
August 20, 2020
A wonderful biography about Luther that gives a history of his family before he was born, his early life with Hans Luder, his life as an Augustinian monk, and, finally, his life as Martin Luther the Reformer.
It is dense with a lot of history and interpretation of both modern thinkers and Luther’s contemporary, and covers quite a bit so the book cannot quite be understood to be considered brief by no means. It’s not so much that the book is too heavy with big words or semantics as much as it simply contains a lot of words and explanations throughout it. If anything, it may be that the book has too much explanation in it in trying to make sense of Luther himself.
I recommend it. The book is compelling and encouraging that we should stand boldly against the devil and his forces even if it is alone. We should consider Luther’s life, as well as the lives of all the great saints that have gone before us and are with us now (Heb. 13.7).
It is dense with a lot of history and interpretation of both modern thinkers and Luther’s contemporary, and covers quite a bit so the book cannot quite be understood to be considered brief by no means. It’s not so much that the book is too heavy with big words or semantics as much as it simply contains a lot of words and explanations throughout it. If anything, it may be that the book has too much explanation in it in trying to make sense of Luther himself.
I recommend it. The book is compelling and encouraging that we should stand boldly against the devil and his forces even if it is alone. We should consider Luther’s life, as well as the lives of all the great saints that have gone before us and are with us now (Heb. 13.7).
July 5, 2020
This was a well written piece on one of the most consequential persons who has ever lived. The book was a good overview of Luther, including his upbringing, education, conversion to serving the Lord as a monk, and his growth through considerable study of the Holy Scriptures. The book moved along at a pretty good pace, and I learned much more about the personal danger that he placed himself in as a result of challenging long-standing church dogma. There was enough personal insights on Luther o get a feel for his earthy, humanity, and his own recognitions of where he had flaws. Nevertheless, he seemed to get his greatest joy around both his family and in his role as a teacher/pastor, in spite of being a major luminary on the religious and political scene in Europe.
September 24, 2017
Of all the biographies on Luther I have read so far, this has been the best of the lot. It combines his personal life with his theological beliefs while giving a general overview of the start of the Reformation. You may get more out of this book if you start with Roland Bainton's "Here I Stand", but you could start here if you wanted as well. The author provides plenty of examples of the highlights of his writings, or lowlights, depending on if you are on the receiving end of his verbal attacks. That style of writing was common, however, Luther was know for being rather exceptional at this style. Easy to read with short chapters that could be read 1 or 2 to a sitting with no problem.
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July 27, 2023Recommended by Doth Protest Too Much:
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews