The Ninety-Five Theses and Other Writings

by Martin Luther, William R. Russell (Editor)

For the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, a new translation of Martin Luther's most famous works by leading scholar and pastor William Russell

This volume contains selections from Martin Luther's most evocative and provocative writings, freshly translated, for the 21st century. These documents, which span the Reformer's literary career, point to the enduring and flexible character of his central ideas. As Luther's reform proposals emerged, they coalesced around some basic priorities, which he delivered to wide-ranging audiences--writing for children, preaching in congregations, formulating academic treatises, penning letters to family and friends, counter-punching critics, summarizing Biblical books, crafting confessions of faith, and more. This book demonstrates that range and provides entry points, for non-specialists and specialists alike, into the thought and life of the epoch-defining, fascinating, and controversial Martin Luther. With attention to the breadth of his literary output, it draws from his letters, sermons, popular writings, and formal theological works. This breadth allows readers to encounter Luther the man: the sinner and the saint, the public activist and the private counselor, the theologian and the pastor. These writings possess a practical, accessible arc, as Luther does not write only for specialists and church officials, but he applies his chief insights to the "real-life" issues that faced his rather wide variety of audiences.

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

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 1517

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

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Educational, yes. I must circle back with this one when I wish to sit myself through more church lessons than I have consumed in the past 40 years or so.
At the risk of condemnation, I'll be derned if I am going to enter into the Bears vs Vikings game today in this sober of a mood!
Must return to Will's Sonnets, if I may thank you.

[Morgan]

read for school

[Simon Mee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Russell seems to have chosen a good range of writings to explain Luther's theology, giving a solid introduction to the idea of "justification by faith". The prefaces to each writing and the endnotes were also helpful.

Unfortunately, Luther is very heavy going, even if he eschews overly flowery language. His writings often put me in the mind of indoctrination, with a bemusing reference to "blind reason". Luther is not a cold fish but the intensity of his feelings on original sin got a bit much for me.

While I am tempted to rate it higher as it is a well put together collection, it was just far too much of a grind to describe it as enjoyable in any way.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The sun has two effects: light and heat. No Ruler has enough power to control the sun’s light. It remains fixed in its place. On the other hand, heat may be turned and guided, and yet always remains around the sun. Similarly, faith remains absolutely secure in our hearts and does not weaken. However, love bends and turns so that our neighbor may grasp and follow it. There are some who can run, others can walk, and still others who can hardly crawl. Therefore we must not look at our own abilities, but at the abilities of our sisters and brothers - so that the devil does not destroy those who are weak in faith, as the weak in faith struggle to keep up with the strong in faith.”

“But if we only spread the Word and let it alone do the work, then it tormenta the devil. Because the Word is powerful, it takes over human hearts and then deeds will follow as a result of being so captured.”

“Faith, however, is a divine work in us. It changes us and rebirths us from God (John 1:12-13). It kills the old person within and makes us completely different people in heart and spirit and mind and powers; and it brings with it the Holy Spirit.”

“So we distinguish between “being saved” and “being holy.” We are saved through Christ alone; but we become holy both through faith and through these divine foundations and orders.”

[William Adam Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contains fourteen of Luther's writings that span across his career as a church reformer. Luther is most famous for the 95 Theses, which is included here, but most of the other writings are less well known. Those who know a bit about Luther likely will have heard of The Bondage of the Will and The Three Treatises, which are not included in these writings. I wanted to dive a little deeper into Luther's other writings, so this book was a great fit.

Luther explains why he turned away from the pope and the Catholic church and sought to reform the church. He has a heart for God and explains his perspective on faith and righteousness throughout his writings. As a Lutheran myself, this was helpful to better understand what my church teaches and to help see how I can use practical steps to live out and understand my faith.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. I read it because we went to Wittenberg and I wanted to read some of Luther's writings. Sometimes there were some good turns of phrase that I liked, but I related less to his teachings that the translator thought I would, haha. That's okay! I'm not a Protestant, but I am glad that Martin Luther was!

[Christina (ig: baslerbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the oldest book I have ever read. At first it was daunting, but once I got to around page 30 I was understanding the writing style a lot better. Luther had so much insight and many good ideas. I’m very grateful to have read this book and I feel I learned so much. It’s interesting to see the great impact his writings have had on Christianity and the world as a whole!

[Harrison DeWalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of writings. Some are great, others don’t lend themselves very well to the format of the book- the Small Catechism particularly. Really makes this pope fellow seem like a not so nice guy.

[Dylan Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read any of Luther’s works before. I thought this was a good overview of his writings. He hits on heavy topics, but he was surprisingly funny at times and easy to follow. I enjoyed this collection.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and interesting, gained more context about the reformation.

[Colin Weeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome. Luther swings with a sledgehammer and does not pull punches.

[Geneva Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luther is very passionate and hotheaded. A very captivating read.

[Matthew Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought I should actually read more by the guy who kicked the whole thing off. Did not disappoint. Luther’s treatment of the doctrines of grace is quite simple, but that seems fitting given the context. What surprised me most was how his writing doesn’t feel entirely Protestant or Roman Catholic. It sits in that strange but fascinating transition point, and reading it gives a real sense of the great change of the Reformation era. It does drag in places, but that’s expected in a compendium like this. Still, the insight, the boldness, and the theological weight make it worth the effort. 10/10 would recommend, provided you’re a reasonably strong reader.

[Caris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It goes without saying that Luther is a controversial figure, and for good reason. He was extremely racist and particularly anti-Semitic, hostile towards women and homosexuals (though not more than most church leaders in his time), and didn’t mince words over his strict and exclusionary theological positions. Thankfully, this collection focusses almost exclusively on the latter. William R. Russell did a fantastic job of editing this collection, which is why it was so enjoyable to read. A Lutheran Pastor and Scholar himself, Russell really chose the right works to comprise the volume, focussing on those which exemplified the most formative moments from Luther’s role in the Protestant Reformation(s).

Speaking of, this collection is also interesting thanks to its historical insight in addition to the anthological approach. Reading these works, for me, was less about Luther’s ideas and more about how his ideas related to the contemporary mainstream, as well how they relate to my own past as a Christian. With the reformations spreading like wildfire across continental Europe, after less than a decade of his agitating Rome, Luther had already been engaging with—and condemning—competing offshoots of Christianity for, in his view, perverting the genuine interpretation of Scripture. On the question of infant and ‘second’ baptism, he wrote, “I altogether reject and condemn the teaching of the Anabaptists and Donatists, and all who rebaptize” (pp. 83). Luther’s many disputations with both the Catholic Church (and Holy Roman Empire) and new sects of Protestantism paint a much more complex picture than the mythos we tend to circulate today.

There’s also a personal element here for me. I grew up Brethren with Mennonite grandparents—both early branches of Anabaptism. Consequently, I found myself perpetually tossed around throughout these pages, sometimes reading words that I remember being preached verbatim at my hometown church, and other times reading condemnations of the exact practices I was raised with (like above). It was both fascinating and confounding.

At the end of the day, there are very few words of Luther’s that I agree with; as a Christian, he operates in an alternate reality that bears no resemblance to the material world. But as a historical figure, his works are incredibly insightful for scholastic purposes and still highly accessible to the casual reader. His more formal works like the Heidelberg Disputations (1518) and Smalcald Articles (1537) are very clear and easy to refer back to; while his letters and sermons are intimate, as if placing you in a pew across from him as he speaks from the pulpit.

I recommend this edition in particular; but I think the key to reading Luther ultimately is understanding to whom he is speaking and when. It wasn’t to anyone in our time, and especially not to a ‘heretic’ like myself. And yet, it’s Luther’s heretical statements that I find most admirable (because they’re provocative) and comically entertaining. For example, Thesis 86:

“Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build this one basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers?”

I mean, on this note, he was 100% right… and still is.

[Kristina Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ninety-Five Theses and Other Writings offers a sample of Martin Luther’s work, chronologically presented, tracing the development of his theology from the titular theses in 1517, through several sermons, letters, and other writings over the next twenty-two years.

Despite legend, the ninety-five theses which began the Reformation were not defiantly nailed to the door, but placidly mailed to the Archishop as preparation for a university debate, as was the custom for “academics who proposed disputations in their field of expertise.” To the modern reader, even the modern Catholic reader, these criticisms of the practice of indulgences seem inoffensive and self-evident. The 27th, for instance, states: “The chant, ‘When the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs,’ is simply a human doctrine.” The 49th declares: “papal indulgences are useful, only if [Christians] do not put their trust in them, but very harmful if they lose their fear of God because of them.”

The Heidelberg Disputation shows Luther’s view of faith and works: “it is not that righteous folks do nothing – it is just that their works do not make them righteous. In fact, their righteousness produces works.” Today, this view is so much the mainstream Christian view that it is easy to miss how revolutionary it would have been to the Church of his day.

By 1522, Luther was already developing the concept of sola fide: “doing the works of the law and fulfilling the law are two very different things… we fulfill it by faith … faith alone justifies.” He was careful, however, not to swing the pendulum into what is now called cheap grace, separating himself from those who would “by their own powers create an idea in their heart that says, ‘I believe’; they take this then to be a true faith… Faith, however… changes us… Actually, such faith is righteousness.”
“A Regular Way to Pray” offers a lovely practical guide to praying through the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. The Smalcald Articles provide a comparison of his core doctrines to the Catholic view, showing what is agreed upon as well as where the differences lie.

In spite of Luther’s opposition to the papal imposition of works, he does not refrain from imposing works of his own. In his “Small Catechism,” he demands certain prayers and creeds must be memorized: “those persons who will not learn these things…are denying Christ and they are not Christians… let them go back to the Pope and his functionaries (and along with them, to the devil)...” He also warns parents that if they “do not help the formation of young people into pastors, preachers, civil servants, etc… they face a horrible punishment from God.”

This book is a fascinating look at the writings of the Reformer who brought the idea of faith over works into mainstream Christianity. His accomplishment is rendered no less remarkable by the understanding that he was no more than a flawed and inconsistent man like any other. Indeed, it is all the more reminder that it is only through God that great things are accomplished, and that His grace is made perfect in man’s weakness.

[Arnold hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the introduction of this book, the following is said:

"Martin Luther talked his way into human history. From private conversations with Katie and their children to

Public events of epoch--changing magnitude, he spoke. As a congenial host, he talked about matters great and small with the countless folks who enjoyed the hospitality of the Luther's table.

As a stirring teacher, he talked about theological matters and their connections to church practice with

students, colleagues, and church types of all kinds.

As a powerful preacher, he talked about the gospel with congregations of peasants and princes, saints

and sinners.

As an interpreter of the bible, he talked with shop owners and household servants about how they described

their lives-listening for the right words to translate the scriptures into understandable German."

in April 1521, all that talking got him into big trouble. Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor

of the German Nation ordered Luther to attend the imperial Diet of April 1521.

They stacked his books on the table before him. He was to retract it all and confess his colossal mistakes in front of God and everybody. every Saxon knew what had happened a century earlier to John Hess, a reform-minded

Priest from nearby Bohemia. In 1414, Huss, like Luther had been granted to give an account of his teaching.

For Huss, it was the counsel of Constance. Huss, like Luther, had promise of safe-conduct to attend, without fear

of retribution. At Constance condemn his teaching as blasphemous released the emperor of his promise

and Huss was burnt at the stake. William R. Russell

Martin Luther replied the following:

Because your sublime majesty and your lordship seek a straight answer, I will provide it.........

I need to be convinced by the testimony of the scriptures or by obvious reason because I do not

trust the pope or councils in themselves. We know they have, all too frequently, made mistakes

and contradicted themselves. I am bound by the scriptures I have quoted. My conscience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. That's all

I can do. God help me. amen." Martin Luther

This is some of the writings he shared with us.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I read this guy, the more I like him. The theses are good (and surprisingly non-pugnacious), and a few of the sermons were just fantastic.

[Emily]

Gr8* unless you wanted to keep being a catholic post-1517

*except for the weird misogynistic parts