What do you think?
Rate this book
Works of Martin Luther
95 THESES
The world changed on October 31, 1517. This fateful day birthed the Protestant Reformation, as German monk and theologian Martin Luther nailed 95 Theses—a request for an academic disputation—to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg. These theses decried the unjust and unbiblical Catholic practice of selling indulgences, and were quickly copied, reprinted, and spread around Germany and Europe, beginning one of the most significant cultural and religious events in the history of the western world.
THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL
The Bondage of the Will, published in December of 1525, is Martin Luther’s response to Desiderius Erasmus’ work On Free Will. Luther argues in this treatise that Erasmus—and others who hold a similar view of human freedom—has greatly overlooked the detrimental effects of sin on human nature. Due to the sin nature human beings inherit from the fall of man in Genesis 3, Luther argues, our will is bound, and can only be freed by the grace of God.
The world changed on October 31, 1517. This fateful day birthed the Protestant Reformation, as German monk and theologian Martin Luther nailed 95 Theses—a request for an academic disputation—to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg. These theses decried the unjust and unbiblical Catholic practice of selling indulgences, and were quickly copied, reprinted, and spread around Germany and Europe, beginning one of the most significant cultural and religious events in the history of the western world.
THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL
The Bondage of the Will, published in December of 1525, is Martin Luther’s response to Desiderius Erasmus’ work On Free Will. Luther argues in this treatise that Erasmus—and others who hold a similar view of human freedom—has greatly overlooked the detrimental effects of sin on human nature. Due to the sin nature human beings inherit from the fall of man in Genesis 3, Luther argues, our will is bound, and can only be freed by the grace of God.
395 pages, Leather Bound
First published June 1, 1982
33 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Martin Luther
5,136 books820 followersMartin 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 8, 2011
This book really helped me understand protestantism a lot more.
Displaying 1 of 1 review