Martin Luther: Hans liv, lära och inflytande-500 år senare

by Stephen J. Nichols

Den 31 oktober 2017 är det 500 år sedan Martin Luther spikade upp sina 95 teser om avlaten på Slottskyrkans port i Wittenberg. Knappt tre år senare var han bannlyst av både påve och kejsare, men hade också gett upphov till en reformation som nu påverkar kyrka och samhälle under 500 år.

Vem var denne munk som hade en sådan slagkraft? I Martin Luther – hans liv, lära och inflytande ger Stephen J Nichols både en skildring av de viktiga händelser som alla borde känna till från Luthers liv och en inspirerande beskrivning av hans teologi och social-etik. Dessutom beskrivs hur mycket av det vi i dag tar för givet i kyrkans liv beror på just Martin Luther.

Stephen J Nichols är doktor i kyrkohistoria, rektor vid Reformation Bible College i Kalifornien och författare till ett stort antal böcker, däribland flera historiska biografier.

Genres: Biography, Theology, Christian, Church History, Nonfiction, History

222 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2002

About the author

Stephen J. Nichols (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is president of Reformation Bible College and chief academic officer of Ligonier Ministries. Previously, he served as research professor of Christianity and culture at Lancaster Bible College. He is an editor (with Justin Taylor) of the Theologians on the Christian Life series and is the author of several books, including The Reformation, For Us and for Our Salvation, The Church History ABCs, and Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life.

Reviews

[Jack Schutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third biography by Nichols this year. The man is unmatched. (Luther is great too.)

[Josh Stowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen J Nichols is a master of simplification and to pack so much in a concise work is simply wonderful. Having read “Beyond the 95 Thesis” by Stephen J Nichols I’m not sure if there are any real differences but I’ll have to compare them at a later time. If you never read on Luther this or beyond the 95 Thesis would be a great choice. I marked up this book a considerable amount, I hope you will take the time to do the same.

[Michael Galdamez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In commemoration of the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation starting with Luther's nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenburg on October 31, 1517, thought I'd brush up on my church -- and ultimately world -- history!

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four years ago I took a class on the reformation and wrote a four page review on this book after "reading" it. I figured that it was about time that I read it for real, and I'm so glad that I did. Few things stir my heart to the doctrine of justification by faith and the gravity of proclaiming it to the church like the ministry of Martin Luther.

This book is fantastic in almost every regard. The level at which it is written proves to be very comprehensive yet is accessible to the layperson. Any deeper and the book would be a burden to get through, any less and the subjects cannot be done justice. In my opinion, perhaps the book's greatest strength is how simply yet effectively Nichols writes. So often people tell me of others who are geniuses, and I simply have to take their word for it, because it appears that every bit of gray matter that contributed to their genius had been taken away from the part of their mind that helps them to communicate. Nichols is an exception to this rule, in his writing he takes profound theological concepts and historical details and makes them remarkably accessible to the average person. And even more importantly, Nichols does it with a reverent and worshipful tone, mindful of the weight of the concepts he describes.

Titled Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of his Life and Thought, his book is exactly that. It does so through three parts. Part 1 is a guided biographical tour of Luther's life. Split into early life and later life, Nichols does a great job drawing forth the tension as it built up in Luther's life and his struggles with his own life, the Roman Catholic Church, and leading the reformation. Part 2 discusses Luther's most significant contributions to the world of theology. This section was by far my favorite part of the book. Between Luther's Theology of the Cross, Three Treatises, The Bondage of the Will, and ethical writings, I have a lifetime of theological reading to catch up on. Part 3 covers Luther's efforts directed towards the church. This shows that Luther not only taught theology, he practiced what he taught as well. I was especially struck by The Small Catechism. Though it was intended for children, it contains a feast of theological truth for even the most advanced theologians and worshippers of God. And I was amazed at the variety of spheres of influence Luther had, an example of which being his prowess as a musician and composer.

Basically I'm beyond challenged and inspired by the life of Luther. However, he was far from perfect, and I don't think I'll ever get over his blatant anti-Semitism.

At the end of each chapter and again at the end of the book, Nichols gives a biography by which readers can further plunge into their Luther studies. Perfect & just what a book like this is intended for.

If only the contemporary Lutheran Church followed more closely the teachings of their founder...

Basically it kills me not to give this book five stars, but giving it five would not quite seem appropriate either. If I could I would settle for four and nine-tenths stars. Somehow I felt like Nichols treatment of Luther's view of the Lord's Supper lacked something. And I also wish Nichols had not left out a discussion of Luther's commentaries.

I hope to read this book again, but in the future to go faster, aided by all the notes I filled the margins with to help me understand and digest it. Highly recommended to anyone wanted a solid and thorough introduction to Luther, but really basically anyone.

[Binsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched. Provided valuable insights into the life of Luther. The book takes you through Luthers life before and after the Reformation, his life as a pastor and the books he penned. Martin Luther is a towering personality in history who set the stone rolling for Reformation. Thanking God for this great mans legacy !!
The book also sheds light on Luthers graciousness as a host , the loving father and the caring husband. There is also an interesting chapter on the books he wrote and some portions of the sermon he preached. However, a little more could be mentioned about the commentaries that Luther wrote.
Some undesirable traits of Luther come to the surface like his sharp tongue and his anti-Semitic comments. But in the light of his tremendous contribution to the Church we can easily forgive Luther for his mistakes. After all it only goes to prove that we are all sinners who need the grace of God. Good read. Love this man who gave us the words like Sola Scriptura, Soli deo gloria, Sola fide. Recommended for anyone who wants a detailed account of Luthers life . Very easy to understand.

[Keith Warne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tantalizing insight... overview, leaves you wanting more.

[Paul Kurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Luther is, without doubt, my favorite historical figure and I love reading about him. The book was a fun and informative read. I especially enjoyed the chapter about Luther's music. A fact about Luther than is probably not as well known as it ought to be is that Luther was an excellent musician and did much to restore congregational singing to the church. The Middle Ages had seen church music revert to the realm of the professional and the congregants did not participate in the singing, or even understand what was being sung as it the church service, including the singing, was conducted in Latin. Luther wrote hymns for congregational singing in the language of his congregants (German). Sadly, it seems to me that church music is slowly reverting to the expert or professional once again as much church music is too difficult to be conducive to congregational singing and only exceptional musicians tend to participate.

[Shea Riniker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book (easy to read and written in narrative form) covering Martin Luther's life and a summary of his key writings. Nichols shows how we owe a great debt to Luther, not only for recovering the doctrine of justification by faith and the authority of scripture, but also for his work to elevate Christian marriage, the training of children, and bringing back music as Christ-exalting worship in the church.

[Kasey Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy, comprehensive biography of Martin Luther. Coming from someone who doesn’t know much about Luther, this book wasn’t overwhelming or daunting with historical facts. Nichols did a great job outlining Luther’s life and the Reformation. This book made me realize the large impact Luther had on the church, home life, and Scripture in his day and in our day. A very good read if you want to learn more about him and church history!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Portrait of Luther

This is a good introduction to the life and thought of Martin Luther. We see how the Reformation came about, and the struggles Martin Luther had. Although far from perfect, Martin Luther was committed to the Word of God, and to the church. Justification by faith may not be known if it weren't for Luther.

[Corby H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I enjoyed the way Nichols weaves together Luther's life, theology and the historical backdrop of 16th century Germany. Luther the Reformer is the cool guy, but after reading this I have developed a heartfelt appreciation for Luther the pastor. If you can get your hands on this book you should.

[M.J. Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because someone said it was the best biography on Luther under 250 pages. Really enjoyed getting to learn about his major works, and how they fit into his life and teaching.

[Timothy]

this is an excellent introduction to the work of Martin Luther.

[Benjamin Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview!

[Jeremy Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen J. Nichols gives a very succinct and easy-to-understand account of Luther's life events and theological developments. I found Nichols’ book to be attention grabbing and inspiring. His brief biography of Luther’s life at the beginning helped me to understand all the events of Luther’s life more clearly. Further, Nichols breakdown of Luther as a reformer and a pastor got me away from linking Luther only with the Ninety-Five Theses, but more with a major part of my Christian heritage. At times, Nichols writing on Luther was very convicting as I could almost see the desire and urgency with which Luther worked and preached, that desire and urgency that I most often lack. Nichols discussion of Luther’s view on the sacraments was particularly impacting for me as I saw the reverence with which Luther administered and received the sacraments. I have never thought so specifically about the use of the sacraments as a way to preach the gospel. This book has encouraged me, challenged me, and called me to live a life committed to serve Christ, just as Martin Luther did.

[Mark Stratton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author was very upfront and honest about this book being a sort of flyover view of Luther, his life and a selection of his writings and legacy. He wasn't kidding.

In some respects, I found the book to be more of an introduction than anything else. I know more than I did before, but I am left with questions and a desire to learn more, both about Luther the man, the Reformation and to read some of his writings (but not all...I'd be at that for the rest of my days) to get a bit better feel for what he was saying, not what somebody else says he was talking about.

I will say that this book was a quick read, Nichols has an easy to follow style and format and I will probably read part or all of this again quite soon. Need to narrow down where to go next, and all that.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book about Luther, and if you haven't either, this is a great place to start. As a self-described "Luther primer", this book did exactly what a primer should do - inspire me to dig deeper! It touches on biographical highlights, theological highlights, and highlights of his written works, giving just enough detail for each that you feel like you understand the context and results, but still leaving you with a desire to know more. At 229 pages, it's not exactly a quick read, but Nichols' writing style is easy to digest - thou he does repeat info a bit much for my tastes. Still, something that should be on your shelf if you have any with interests in political history, church history, or theology.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for both those who have read on Luther's life, his writings and his importance in history.
A well laid out introduction to Martin Luther his Life, Luther the Reformer, the Pastor, the Preacher, the Musician, the untiring Author...who burned with passion for the TRUTH of God's Word.

[Ted Scofield · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a concise introduction to Martin Luther's life and theology, this is the book for you. The first portion is primarily biographical, then the author transitions into an analysis of Luther's theology and his contributions to the protestant church. Five Stars!

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Nichols style of handling the giants of church history if you have read his book on Edwards this follows the same format. A couple chapters offering a brief history and the remaining chapters tackle his major works.

[Bradley Trull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reveals the true Luther

Martin Luther is one of the most important figures in history. This book does a great job to describe not only Luther but also his major works.

[Mark A. Padgett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic introduction to Martin Luther.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Loved this book, very informative and enjoyable. Very well written and I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand Martin Luther.