Martin Luther and Islam: A Study in Sixteenth-Century Polemics and Apologetics

The History of Christian-Muslim Relations #8

by Adam S. Francisco

Drawing upon a vast array of Martin Luther's writings while also focusing upon a few key texts, this book illuminates the Reformers thought on Islam, and thereby provides fresh insight into his place in the history of Christian-Muslim relations

Genres: History, Islam, Nonfiction, Religion

276 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2007

Reviews

[David]

I have a long and increasing backlog of reviews, so let's make our way through them, starting with this well-done intellectual history of Islam in Luther's theology.
Luther argues that Muslims don't drink or eat pork, their women dress modestly, they pray all the time, and clean themselves frequently, but despite living their everyday lives much more devoutly than Christians, they are infidels, the idolatrous followers of a Satanic sect. They reject the divinity of Christ, which emerges, for Luther, as the core of the Christian faith. Muslims carry forth good works, but their faith is lacking, and therefore, they're all going to burn in hell forever. Sounds familiar? Luther defines Islam in such a way as to define Christianity in its opposition, and the emerging definition is designed in such a way as to exclude Catholics. Cool stuff.