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Martin Luter
Martin Luther ist in fünf Jahrhunderten zu einer fast mythischen Gestalt der Geschichte geworden. Volker Leppin nähert sich dem Wittenberger Reformator aus neuer, ungewohnter Perspektive: Luther wird weniger als impulsiver Neuerer beschrieben, sondern mehr als Mönch und Theologe, der sich nur langsam von seinem mittelalterlichen Erbe löst. Keine schlagartige Bekehrung steht am Anfang, kein wuchtiger Thesenanschlag, sondern eine Stück für Stück erfolgende Umwandlung des religiösen Denkens. Selten erscheint Luther hier als Gestalter seines Umfeldes. Meist ist er der Getriebene, von seinen Gegnern zur Radikalität provoziert, von Anhängern in Nöte gebracht, und immer wieder auch der Einsame, der 1521/22 auf der Wartburg die Ereignisse beobachtet und kommentiert, der auf der Coburg festsitzt, während seine Gefährten auf dem Reichstag zu Augsburg 1530 um das Schicksal der Reformation kämpfen. Und der gerade darin seine menschliche Größe zeigt.
351 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2010
11 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Volker Leppin
146 books4 followersVolker Leppin is professor for church history in the department for Evangelical Lutheran theology at the University of Tübingen and member of the scientific advisory committee of the Luther Decade.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 6, 2018
I have read a lot of biographies on Luther. Recently, I was laying poolside reading this book when some friends and family asked me, "Why are you reading *another* Luther biography? What could you possibly learn that is new?" It's a fair question.
What was surprising to even me was the way in which this little biography (135 pp.) manages to 1) capture the general narrative movements of Luther's life while 2) incorporating the best recent historiography on Luther and 3) challenging the received interpretation of Luther's life on various important points.
For instance, Leppin challenges the telling of Luther's conversion to the monastic life, highlights Luther's increasing marginalization after 1525 as the Reformation moved more toward political maneuvering, and more. Include concise prose, socio-cultural insight into Luther's late-medieval world, and the insights of one of the world's leading Luther scholars, what this book ends up being is a remarkably insightful biography on a figure in history whom some would doubt anything new could be said.
The translators, in particular, are to be commended for their handling of Leppin's German text into fluid, clear English.
While I don't know if I would recommend this as the first biography one reads on Luther (if this was one's first biography on the man, there would be much to be desired in terms of detail), I will heartily commend it to friends and others who have spent any considerable amount of time in Luther's writings or the history of the Reformation.
What was surprising to even me was the way in which this little biography (135 pp.) manages to 1) capture the general narrative movements of Luther's life while 2) incorporating the best recent historiography on Luther and 3) challenging the received interpretation of Luther's life on various important points.
For instance, Leppin challenges the telling of Luther's conversion to the monastic life, highlights Luther's increasing marginalization after 1525 as the Reformation moved more toward political maneuvering, and more. Include concise prose, socio-cultural insight into Luther's late-medieval world, and the insights of one of the world's leading Luther scholars, what this book ends up being is a remarkably insightful biography on a figure in history whom some would doubt anything new could be said.
The translators, in particular, are to be commended for their handling of Leppin's German text into fluid, clear English.
While I don't know if I would recommend this as the first biography one reads on Luther (if this was one's first biography on the man, there would be much to be desired in terms of detail), I will heartily commend it to friends and others who have spent any considerable amount of time in Luther's writings or the history of the Reformation.
November 18, 2017
As the the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation has arrived, interest in Martin Luther and other Reformers of the sixteenth century has peaked. All manner of biographies of the father of the Reformation have appeared, each telling a version of his story. One of those biographies has been offered up by German church historian Volker Leppin.
Leppin's biography is brief, but both compelling and thought provoking. It is based on a larger biography that has yet to be translated into English. More experienced Luther scholars will likely be more interested in the larger biography, but for those of us who are not Luther scholars, this is a most worthwhile read. The subtitle is helpful, because it alerts us to the fact that Luther was a man of his times, which was medieval. Luther may have launched a movement that would stimulate a move toward the Modern Age, but he was not a modern person.
Luther was the son of a miner, who hoped his son could be the means of more upward mobility for the family. Thus, he was sent off to be educated, hopefully so as to become a lawyer, not a monk or a theologian. Surely he was born to be a great man or a reformer of the church. Yet, that is what he became, even though he was a man of many faults.
Leppin lays out the biography in a straightforward manner. Each of the eleven chapters highlights an aspect of Luther's life, moving forward through time. Thus, we start with his birth and early education, prior to his decision to become a monk. We learn about his religious upbringing in a world that emphasized fear of God and fear of the surrounding world, a world filled with demons. Leppin does not play up the psychological factors of Luther's early life, other than the environmental ones. We follow him as he moves from being simply a monk to being a professor of bible, at which time the early inklings of reform appear. Leppin suggests that we take with caution Luther's later reflections about monastic life, for earlier reflections suggest he embraced it fully. At the same time, he notes that the monastic life did not fully resolve his questions or provide the spiritual security that he had been looking for.
We follow the young Luther as he takes up his responsibilities as a professor, teaching the Bible, as well as preaching at the castle church. Throughout all of this he was being guided by his spiritual mentor Johannes Staupitz. With his mentor's assistance he sought to deal with his own struggles, including self-doubt, and self-obsession, which led to his concern for his own sense of unrighteousness before God. Staupitz also introduced him to the writings of Johannes Tauler, who would be influential on his development. From Tauler, Luther discovered that repentance should be define the Christian life. Leppin notes that with the emphasis on Tauler, Luther's reforming impulses were rooted in late medieval pietay and mysticism, as well as the emergent humanism that brought to his attention Erasmus' Greek New Testament. Indeed, it was his encounter with humanism that drew him to the Bible and to the early church fathers, especially Augustine and Augustine's writings against Pelagius. For Luther the Bible and Augustine became formative, it also led to a rejection of Aristotle and scholasticism.
From professor we move to Luther the publicist, which features his theses published against indulgences on October 31, 1517. Theses that were printed and sent out to the public, including the archbishop of Madgeburg and Mainz, among others. From there the were copied and printed, and within a short period he was famous (whether or not they were originally nailed to the door). With that Luther began to write and publish feverishly, pushing his newly emerging theological vision. Luther the publicist/writer soon became a prophet. When the pope threatened him with excommunication in 1520, Luther responded by accusing the pope of being an enemy of Christ -- a mutual excommunication. With that the gloves were off, and there was no going back. When he appeared before the emperor at the Diet of Worms in 1521, he refused to recant of his teachings. He would not recant. He may not have stated as boldly as later reported "here I am, I can do nothing else," but in effect that was the message. That event, however, led to Luther's new status as outlaw, protected only by his own prince who "kidnapped" him and hid him in Wartburg Castle, where he continued literary output. It's important to note that even then, he had yet to give up his monastic vows, and he would continue living as a monk until 1525. It was also during this period that he translated the New Testament into German, an event that helped standardize the German language.
As the Reformation progressed, and Luther left the safety of Wartburg, he became a preacher and defacto bishop. Wittenberg became the center of reform and he was its center. It was during this period in 1521-1522 that Luther broke with Karlstadt, who sought to push the reform in a more radical direction -- one of the reasons Luther returned to Wittenberg. The one who resisted emperor and pope, now became the one who worked to bring order to the emerging Reformation.
Leppin calls 1525 the "year of climax." Things were coming to head politically and theologically. The Reformation fires including the message about Christian freedom lit other fires, including revolts by peasants, a move Luther rejected. It was also a year in which Luther faced the more radical views of Thomas Muntzer. All of which led Luther to develop a vision of church and state that gave the princes increasing power. At the same time, Luther found himself serving as matchmaker for former nuns, who had fled the nunnery. It was also the time at which he himself would marry -- to Katharina von Bora. Leppin introduces us to their marriage, but does explore it in depth. The move from monk to husband, however, was momentous. 1525 was also a year in which Luther would confront a different force -- that would be Zwingli and his own movement for reform that led to division as the two could not agree on the meaning of the Lord's Supper,
As the story continues we encounter an aging Luther who is increasingly marginalized. His great strengths as prophet and teacher of scripture and theology did not prepare him well for the next stage of the reformation, which required the diplomat's touch. Luther and Zwingli would face off in 1529 at Marburg, where their differing views of the Eucharist were put on display. But when the Diet of Augusburg gathered in 1530, Luther would be absent and Melanchton, who had more deft touch was the key negotiator. Finding a way forward was difficult because the differences of view on the eucharist, with Luther and Zwingli offering differing views. Luther had to watch the proceedings at Augsburg from afar, even as the essence of what became Lutheranism was laid by Melanchton. While Luther was concerned about theology, the Protestant leaders were seeking alliance and Luther was not helpful in that. Then as time passed Luther became more focused on internal matters -- teaching and serving as defacto bishop among churches that were aligned with his vision.
By the 1540s, he was even more on the margins, with others taking the lead in formulating a theological vision. Unfortunately, as he neared the end of his life, he engaged in writing some of his most unfortunate tracts, especially those directed toward the Jews. He was always a supersessionist, but at the end he wrote angry and despicable pieces, which are difficult to account for, and which have had unfortunate consequences for the Jewish people.
In death Luther became a Protestant hero. He was enshrined as its leader. Unfortunately, though he tried to leave Katie with a healthy living, circumstances led her into poverty and unfortunate death from an accident. Leppin concludes that Luther followers created a vision of Luther as "messenger of salvation" who "ushered in a new turning point in history that could never be undone" (p. 135).
What Leppin wishes to do is release Luther from the bondage to historiography so that Luther the person can emerge. He seeks to set him in his context, a late medieval age, in which he was an important actor. While his actions would initiate a new age, he was not in control of it. What we have here is a very human Luther, a Luther who is released from legend (and psycho-analysis). Luther scholars will debate his frame of mind, but in Leppin's view, it seems, Luther is not consumed by angst. If Luther is wracked by guilt and fear, it's not necessarily from within, but is part of his late medieval context.
There are many new biographies of Luther. I've only read Martin Marty's small book focused on the anniversary date, but I can recommend this book. It's unencumbered by notes and scholarly apparatus. It's brief, but expansive. When you finish the book you have new appreciation for Luther the human being, who burned brightly for a moment and then began to fade with time. You can sense his frustration at being sidelined. Luther was very complex person, and Leppin captures well that complexity. Thus, this is a book to be recommended for all readers.
Leppin's biography is brief, but both compelling and thought provoking. It is based on a larger biography that has yet to be translated into English. More experienced Luther scholars will likely be more interested in the larger biography, but for those of us who are not Luther scholars, this is a most worthwhile read. The subtitle is helpful, because it alerts us to the fact that Luther was a man of his times, which was medieval. Luther may have launched a movement that would stimulate a move toward the Modern Age, but he was not a modern person.
Luther was the son of a miner, who hoped his son could be the means of more upward mobility for the family. Thus, he was sent off to be educated, hopefully so as to become a lawyer, not a monk or a theologian. Surely he was born to be a great man or a reformer of the church. Yet, that is what he became, even though he was a man of many faults.
Leppin lays out the biography in a straightforward manner. Each of the eleven chapters highlights an aspect of Luther's life, moving forward through time. Thus, we start with his birth and early education, prior to his decision to become a monk. We learn about his religious upbringing in a world that emphasized fear of God and fear of the surrounding world, a world filled with demons. Leppin does not play up the psychological factors of Luther's early life, other than the environmental ones. We follow him as he moves from being simply a monk to being a professor of bible, at which time the early inklings of reform appear. Leppin suggests that we take with caution Luther's later reflections about monastic life, for earlier reflections suggest he embraced it fully. At the same time, he notes that the monastic life did not fully resolve his questions or provide the spiritual security that he had been looking for.
We follow the young Luther as he takes up his responsibilities as a professor, teaching the Bible, as well as preaching at the castle church. Throughout all of this he was being guided by his spiritual mentor Johannes Staupitz. With his mentor's assistance he sought to deal with his own struggles, including self-doubt, and self-obsession, which led to his concern for his own sense of unrighteousness before God. Staupitz also introduced him to the writings of Johannes Tauler, who would be influential on his development. From Tauler, Luther discovered that repentance should be define the Christian life. Leppin notes that with the emphasis on Tauler, Luther's reforming impulses were rooted in late medieval pietay and mysticism, as well as the emergent humanism that brought to his attention Erasmus' Greek New Testament. Indeed, it was his encounter with humanism that drew him to the Bible and to the early church fathers, especially Augustine and Augustine's writings against Pelagius. For Luther the Bible and Augustine became formative, it also led to a rejection of Aristotle and scholasticism.
From professor we move to Luther the publicist, which features his theses published against indulgences on October 31, 1517. Theses that were printed and sent out to the public, including the archbishop of Madgeburg and Mainz, among others. From there the were copied and printed, and within a short period he was famous (whether or not they were originally nailed to the door). With that Luther began to write and publish feverishly, pushing his newly emerging theological vision. Luther the publicist/writer soon became a prophet. When the pope threatened him with excommunication in 1520, Luther responded by accusing the pope of being an enemy of Christ -- a mutual excommunication. With that the gloves were off, and there was no going back. When he appeared before the emperor at the Diet of Worms in 1521, he refused to recant of his teachings. He would not recant. He may not have stated as boldly as later reported "here I am, I can do nothing else," but in effect that was the message. That event, however, led to Luther's new status as outlaw, protected only by his own prince who "kidnapped" him and hid him in Wartburg Castle, where he continued literary output. It's important to note that even then, he had yet to give up his monastic vows, and he would continue living as a monk until 1525. It was also during this period that he translated the New Testament into German, an event that helped standardize the German language.
As the Reformation progressed, and Luther left the safety of Wartburg, he became a preacher and defacto bishop. Wittenberg became the center of reform and he was its center. It was during this period in 1521-1522 that Luther broke with Karlstadt, who sought to push the reform in a more radical direction -- one of the reasons Luther returned to Wittenberg. The one who resisted emperor and pope, now became the one who worked to bring order to the emerging Reformation.
Leppin calls 1525 the "year of climax." Things were coming to head politically and theologically. The Reformation fires including the message about Christian freedom lit other fires, including revolts by peasants, a move Luther rejected. It was also a year in which Luther faced the more radical views of Thomas Muntzer. All of which led Luther to develop a vision of church and state that gave the princes increasing power. At the same time, Luther found himself serving as matchmaker for former nuns, who had fled the nunnery. It was also the time at which he himself would marry -- to Katharina von Bora. Leppin introduces us to their marriage, but does explore it in depth. The move from monk to husband, however, was momentous. 1525 was also a year in which Luther would confront a different force -- that would be Zwingli and his own movement for reform that led to division as the two could not agree on the meaning of the Lord's Supper,
As the story continues we encounter an aging Luther who is increasingly marginalized. His great strengths as prophet and teacher of scripture and theology did not prepare him well for the next stage of the reformation, which required the diplomat's touch. Luther and Zwingli would face off in 1529 at Marburg, where their differing views of the Eucharist were put on display. But when the Diet of Augusburg gathered in 1530, Luther would be absent and Melanchton, who had more deft touch was the key negotiator. Finding a way forward was difficult because the differences of view on the eucharist, with Luther and Zwingli offering differing views. Luther had to watch the proceedings at Augsburg from afar, even as the essence of what became Lutheranism was laid by Melanchton. While Luther was concerned about theology, the Protestant leaders were seeking alliance and Luther was not helpful in that. Then as time passed Luther became more focused on internal matters -- teaching and serving as defacto bishop among churches that were aligned with his vision.
By the 1540s, he was even more on the margins, with others taking the lead in formulating a theological vision. Unfortunately, as he neared the end of his life, he engaged in writing some of his most unfortunate tracts, especially those directed toward the Jews. He was always a supersessionist, but at the end he wrote angry and despicable pieces, which are difficult to account for, and which have had unfortunate consequences for the Jewish people.
In death Luther became a Protestant hero. He was enshrined as its leader. Unfortunately, though he tried to leave Katie with a healthy living, circumstances led her into poverty and unfortunate death from an accident. Leppin concludes that Luther followers created a vision of Luther as "messenger of salvation" who "ushered in a new turning point in history that could never be undone" (p. 135).
What Leppin wishes to do is release Luther from the bondage to historiography so that Luther the person can emerge. He seeks to set him in his context, a late medieval age, in which he was an important actor. While his actions would initiate a new age, he was not in control of it. What we have here is a very human Luther, a Luther who is released from legend (and psycho-analysis). Luther scholars will debate his frame of mind, but in Leppin's view, it seems, Luther is not consumed by angst. If Luther is wracked by guilt and fear, it's not necessarily from within, but is part of his late medieval context.
There are many new biographies of Luther. I've only read Martin Marty's small book focused on the anniversary date, but I can recommend this book. It's unencumbered by notes and scholarly apparatus. It's brief, but expansive. When you finish the book you have new appreciation for Luther the human being, who burned brightly for a moment and then began to fade with time. You can sense his frustration at being sidelined. Luther was very complex person, and Leppin captures well that complexity. Thus, this is a book to be recommended for all readers.
January 1, 2019
Het boek leert ons een andere Luther kennen dan alleen die van de kerkhervormer. Hij is minder revolutionair dan zijn bekende naam liet vermoeden, hij had veel revolutionairder collega’s of beter tegenstanders die niet enkel de kerk wilden hervormen maar ook al de Middeleeuwse samenleving. Luther koos voor de bestaande civiele macht en had geen begrip voor de boerenopstanden die de samenleving van onderuit wilden veranderen. Hiervoor was hij zelfs bereid zijn vredelievend karakter op te geven en de strijd met de wapens “christelijk” te legitimeren. Het boek bevat moeilijke passages maar blijft interessant om te lezen.
October 31, 2017
For nearly 70 years, English-language readers have been well served by Roland H. Bainton’s classic biography of Martin Luther,
Here I Stand
. A slew of new biographies has come off the presses in time for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, but I still consider Bainton’s the best choice for the general reader, especially if you’re only going to read one book this year about him or the Protestant Reformation.
However, if you’re going to read more than one book, I think you should consider Volker Leppin’s Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life, translated by Rhys Bezzant. Leppin is professor of church history at the University of Tübingen in Germany, a well-regarded scholar of the late medieval period, and author of a scholarly, German-language biography of Luther, Martin Luther: Gestalten Des Mittelalters Und Der Renaissance (2010), which this much shorter book epitomizes.
Leppin’s biography is a model of economy, clarity, and historical thinking. In his Foreword, Timothy J. Wengert highlights what makes this biography distinctive: “Leppin’s chief contribution to our understanding of Luther stems from his careful distinguishing of Luther’s later accounts of early events in his life from earlier accounts, especially given the influence of the later accounts in relating Luther’s life story.” Wengert also writes that Leppin “demythologizes the standard view of Luther.”
Whether or not you agree with all of Leppin’s demythologizations—and there are ongoing scholarly debates about some of them—it is always helpful, in the pursuit of historical knowledge, to know where the controversies lie.
Book Reviewed
Volker Leppin, Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life, trans. Rhys Bezzant (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
However, if you’re going to read more than one book, I think you should consider Volker Leppin’s Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life, translated by Rhys Bezzant. Leppin is professor of church history at the University of Tübingen in Germany, a well-regarded scholar of the late medieval period, and author of a scholarly, German-language biography of Luther, Martin Luther: Gestalten Des Mittelalters Und Der Renaissance (2010), which this much shorter book epitomizes.
Leppin’s biography is a model of economy, clarity, and historical thinking. In his Foreword, Timothy J. Wengert highlights what makes this biography distinctive: “Leppin’s chief contribution to our understanding of Luther stems from his careful distinguishing of Luther’s later accounts of early events in his life from earlier accounts, especially given the influence of the later accounts in relating Luther’s life story.” Wengert also writes that Leppin “demythologizes the standard view of Luther.”
Whether or not you agree with all of Leppin’s demythologizations—and there are ongoing scholarly debates about some of them—it is always helpful, in the pursuit of historical knowledge, to know where the controversies lie.
Book Reviewed
Volker Leppin, Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life, trans. Rhys Bezzant (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
October 30, 2017
Being Lutheran, I have been looking lately for more books on Martin Luther. For some reason, they are in short supply at my (larger) local library, so I was excited to find this book, especially given that it is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation - when Martin Luther nailed (allegedly) his 95 criticisms of the Catholicism to the door of the church . This book is quite informative, and ideal for using as research for papers and the like. However, light reading it's not. It's a bit (ok, maybe a bit more than a bit) dry, and it is certainly not for those below a high school or college age reading level. Each chapter is generally between six and 10 Kindle pages long, so it is easy to read through, length-wise. The book is separated into chapters so the reader can easily follow Martin Luther's life: The Son, The Monk, The Young Professor, The Publicist, The Prophet, The Preacher-Bishop from Wittenberg, The Year of Climax, the Educator, The Outsider, The Old Professor, and The End of Life. Again, while the book is incredibly informative, I would have appreciated something a bit easier to sink my teeth into.
February 7, 2018
An excellent short introduction to the life of Luther. Leppin does a good job covering a lot of history and theology with great care and precision. On the more debated issues of Luther's life, Leppin provides a brief and clear explanation of the issues but never bogs the reader down with extraneous details. I thoroughly enjoyed how Leppin seemed to take a step back from Luther and analyzed his life on a broad scale, specifically showing the rise and decline of the Reformer within his own lifetime. He also did a good job exposing Luther's harsher side and his own frustrations as he aged. Overall, a well rounded short biography of such an intense figure.
January 12, 2022
For fan's of Oberman's biography of Luther who seek to understand Luther in his historical context this work will be appreciated. Leppin's short biography busts a great deal of myths and deals with Luther's ideas and influence over the Reformation movement he inaugurated. I really appreciated the succinct and faithful presentation of Luther's life and thought.
Those seeking a more introductory biography of Luther might be better served by going elsewhere. Either to Bainton's "Here I Stand" or Kittleson's "Luther the Reformer" provide excellent on-ramps to Luther's personality and unique (and too often misunderstood or overlooked) insights.
Those seeking a more introductory biography of Luther might be better served by going elsewhere. Either to Bainton's "Here I Stand" or Kittleson's "Luther the Reformer" provide excellent on-ramps to Luther's personality and unique (and too often misunderstood or overlooked) insights.
September 3, 2024
An extremely accessible biography of the Reformer from a titan in Luther scholarship. This translation is a gift for anyone seeking go beyond the simplistic ways Luther is oft-portrayed and evaluate him as a man of his age and who defined his age.
January 15, 2024
Was a difficult read, as it is a translation of an academic piece.
December 11, 2022
Aardig overzicht van zijn leven, wat karig over de dilemma’s van de tijd waarin hij leefde. Het wordt daarom niet zo duidelijk waarom zijn boodschap zoveel invloed had, ook al omdat hij niet zo handig was.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews