One of the most significant individuals in history, Luther’s contribution to the Protestant Reformation cannot be understated. This collection offers essential texts such as select works by Luther in a modern translation, resources on his theological growth, and confessional documents produced during his lifetime. Explore his doctrine of the church, notion of Christian liberty, views on worship, and beliefs about the role of the state. Learn about his views on the Jews, his exegetical writings, and how he moved away from medieval Catholicism. Covering a variety of subjects within Luther studies, this collection enables you to deepen your understanding of Luther and his legacy.
Martin Luther (1483–1546), one of the most significant figures in Western history, was the key figure in the Protestant Reformation. Over the course of his life, Luther was a monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a Reformer, a husband, and a father.
Luther is most noted for his Ninety-Five Theses (1517), in which he argued that indulgences were not acts of penance which could replace true repentance. His refusal to retract all his writings, demanded by Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521, resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.
Luther has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. Luther’s translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular greatly influenced the church. His works continue to impact all Christians and animate the movement that bears his name.