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The Life & Times of Martin Luther
Written in the 1840’s, this book was long recognized as the finest biography of Martin Luther available. As well as containing remarkable insights into the man, Martin Luther, this volume also presents a survey of the ecclesiastical, political, and social events leading up to the Reformation, the atmosphere in which it took place, and the part played by men like Luther. The Life and Times of Martin Luther is a masterly portrayal of the motives, beliefs, and actions of one of the men God used to break the chains of Rome in the sixteenth century. His words and life still speak to us today.
- GenresBiography
559 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
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About the author
Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné
522 books16 followersJean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné (16 August 1794 – 21 October 1872) was a Swiss Protestant minister and historian of the Reformation.
D'Aubigné was born at Eaux Vives, a neighbourhood of Geneva. A street in the area is named after him. The ancestors of his father, Robert Merle d'Aubigné (1755–1799), were French Protestant refugees. The life Jean-Henri's parents chose for him was in commerce; but in college at the Académie de Genève, he instead decided on Christian ministry. He was profoundly influenced by Robert Haldane, the Scottish missionary and preacher who visited Geneva and became a leading light in Le Réveil, a conservative Protestant evangelical movement of spiritual revival.
When d'Aubigné went abroad to further his education in 1817, Germany was about to celebrate the tercentenary of the Reformation; and thus early he conceived the ambition to write the history of that great epoch. Studying at Berlin University for eight months 1817–1818, d'Aubigne received inspiration from teachers as diverse as J. A. W. Neander and W. M. L. de Wette.
In 1818, d'Aubigné took the post of pastor of the French Protestant church at Hamburg, where he served for five years. In 1823, he was called to become pastor of the Franco-German Brussels Protestant Church and preacher to the court of King William I of the Netherlands of the House of Orange-Nassau.
During the Belgian revolution of 1830, d'Aubigné thought it advisable to undertake pastoral work at home in Switzerland rather than accept an educational post in the family of the Dutch king. The Evangelical Society had been founded with the idea of promoting evangelical Christianity in Geneva and elsewhere, but a need arose for a theological seminary to train pastors. On his return to Switzerland, d'Aubigné was invited to become professor of church history in such a seminary, and he also continued to labor in the cause of evangelical Protestantism. In him the Evangelical Alliance found a hearty promoter. He frequently visited England, was made a D.C.L. v Oxford University, and received civic honours from the city of Edinburgh. He died suddenly in 1872.
The first portion of d'Aubigne's Histoire de la Reformation – History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century – which was devoted to the earlier period of the movement in Germany, i.e., Martin Luther's time, at once earned a foremost place among modern French ecclesiastical historians, and was translated into most European languages. The second portion, The History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin, dealing with reform in the French Reformer's sphere, exhaustively treats the subject with the same scholarship as the earlier work, but the second volume did not meet with the same success.
Among minor treatises authored by d'Aubigné, the most important are his vindication of the character and the aims of Oliver Cromwell, and his sketch of the trends of the Church of Scotland.
(From Wikipedia)
D'Aubigné was born at Eaux Vives, a neighbourhood of Geneva. A street in the area is named after him. The ancestors of his father, Robert Merle d'Aubigné (1755–1799), were French Protestant refugees. The life Jean-Henri's parents chose for him was in commerce; but in college at the Académie de Genève, he instead decided on Christian ministry. He was profoundly influenced by Robert Haldane, the Scottish missionary and preacher who visited Geneva and became a leading light in Le Réveil, a conservative Protestant evangelical movement of spiritual revival.
When d'Aubigné went abroad to further his education in 1817, Germany was about to celebrate the tercentenary of the Reformation; and thus early he conceived the ambition to write the history of that great epoch. Studying at Berlin University for eight months 1817–1818, d'Aubigne received inspiration from teachers as diverse as J. A. W. Neander and W. M. L. de Wette.
In 1818, d'Aubigné took the post of pastor of the French Protestant church at Hamburg, where he served for five years. In 1823, he was called to become pastor of the Franco-German Brussels Protestant Church and preacher to the court of King William I of the Netherlands of the House of Orange-Nassau.
During the Belgian revolution of 1830, d'Aubigné thought it advisable to undertake pastoral work at home in Switzerland rather than accept an educational post in the family of the Dutch king. The Evangelical Society had been founded with the idea of promoting evangelical Christianity in Geneva and elsewhere, but a need arose for a theological seminary to train pastors. On his return to Switzerland, d'Aubigné was invited to become professor of church history in such a seminary, and he also continued to labor in the cause of evangelical Protestantism. In him the Evangelical Alliance found a hearty promoter. He frequently visited England, was made a D.C.L. v Oxford University, and received civic honours from the city of Edinburgh. He died suddenly in 1872.
The first portion of d'Aubigne's Histoire de la Reformation – History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century – which was devoted to the earlier period of the movement in Germany, i.e., Martin Luther's time, at once earned a foremost place among modern French ecclesiastical historians, and was translated into most European languages. The second portion, The History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin, dealing with reform in the French Reformer's sphere, exhaustively treats the subject with the same scholarship as the earlier work, but the second volume did not meet with the same success.
Among minor treatises authored by d'Aubigné, the most important are his vindication of the character and the aims of Oliver Cromwell, and his sketch of the trends of the Church of Scotland.
(From Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 30, 2017
Though basically skipping the last 25 years of Luther’s life, this book is clearly a classic and vital biography of Martin Luther with regards to the reformation and Christianity as a whole. I especially enjoyed the lengthy quotes from his works, as well as his opponents, the portraits of those connected to him in the reformation, and the part about the Leipzig disputations, just to give a few examples. Nadia May is a good reader, though I regret her mispronouncing many words. Overall still worthy of the highest score.
March 21, 2018
This is a detailed description more about the reformation, and follows the progress of how this happened. Really enjoyed getting a better understanding of the reformation and how God used Luther and so many others to do the impossible
January 16, 2021
Great reading!
I have enjoyed this biography of Martin Luther by Merle D’
‘Aubigne. This translation was considerably easier to read than his histories of the Reformation, All well worth reading.
I have enjoyed this biography of Martin Luther by Merle D’
‘Aubigne. This translation was considerably easier to read than his histories of the Reformation, All well worth reading.
December 9, 2023
Very sparse in everything other than the few years before and after October 1517. Fascinating detail in that decade though.
February 20, 2015
3.5 out of 5 but due to the Goodreads system it appears as a 4.
What the book covers it covers in great detail. The score is lowered because of what the book fails to cover.
As explained in the introduction to the book it is complied from selections of D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century or Histoire de la Reformation au XVIie sicle (Paris, 1835–1853; new ed:, 1861–1862, in 5 vols.). It was translated from French by H. White.
Because of the nature of the book, being taken from a larger work that is focused on the reformation not on Luther the parts of his life that have less influence on the reformation are not covered in details. The majority of book set between initial placement of the 95 Thesis (1517) and the Diet of Worms (1521). Large amounts of details are given to the Diet of Worms and the Leipzig Debate (1519). For these things and this preiod of his life it is very informative.
The only thing that given any sort of detail after 1522 is Luther's marriage in 1525 and even then this is only covered as a part of the last chapter. His married life, the peasant's war, his setting up of the church, his bible translation etc are not covered.
As Luther died in 1546 there is some 20+ years of his life not covered by the book.
The book has some editorial comments, especially towards the Catholic Church, but actually less than I expected from at 19th century book written by a Protestant.
Overall worth the read, but I would have preferred some more detail on the 2nd half of Luther's life.
What the book covers it covers in great detail. The score is lowered because of what the book fails to cover.
As explained in the introduction to the book it is complied from selections of D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century or Histoire de la Reformation au XVIie sicle (Paris, 1835–1853; new ed:, 1861–1862, in 5 vols.). It was translated from French by H. White.
Because of the nature of the book, being taken from a larger work that is focused on the reformation not on Luther the parts of his life that have less influence on the reformation are not covered in details. The majority of book set between initial placement of the 95 Thesis (1517) and the Diet of Worms (1521). Large amounts of details are given to the Diet of Worms and the Leipzig Debate (1519). For these things and this preiod of his life it is very informative.
The only thing that given any sort of detail after 1522 is Luther's marriage in 1525 and even then this is only covered as a part of the last chapter. His married life, the peasant's war, his setting up of the church, his bible translation etc are not covered.
As Luther died in 1546 there is some 20+ years of his life not covered by the book.
The book has some editorial comments, especially towards the Catholic Church, but actually less than I expected from at 19th century book written by a Protestant.
Overall worth the read, but I would have preferred some more detail on the 2nd half of Luther's life.
January 20, 2014
this bio, which i finished only a week ago was even better than "Here I stand" i read a few years ago. i love detailed biographies! this was an exiting over 600 pages long! i so much more appreciate the reformer, the reformers, and the reformation! the writer of this bio was converted in the revival in the early 1800s in Switzerland through the expositions of Robert Haldane on the Letter to Romans!
September 18, 2015
More of a hagiography than a biography. Often repetitive. It would have been nice to have an index so I could reference names and events throughout the book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews