The Collected Works of Martin Luther: Theological Writings, Sermons & Hymns: The Ninety-five Theses, The Bondage of the Will, The Catechism

by Martin Luther

This meticulously edited Martin Luther collection Martin Luther by John Acton Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (95 theses) The Bondage of the Will To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church A Treatise on Christian Liberty A Treatise of Good Works A Treatise on Baptism Disputation on the Divinity and Humanity of Christ The Large Catechism The Small Catechism Commentary on Genesis On the Creation On Sin and the Flood Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained Epistle Sermons Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost Trinity Sunday to Advent Table Talk The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars Discussion of Confession The Fourteen of Consolation Warning Against the Jews The Smalcald Articles The German Mass and Order of Divine Service An Open Letter on Translating Letter to Several Nuns Hymns Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Savior of the Nations, Come The Martyrs' Hymn

Genres: Christian, History

3749 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2018

About the author

Martin 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.

Reviews

[Joshua Pearsall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was certainly a fun read (I read The Bondage of the Will specifically). Though aggressive, Luther's rhetorical skills certainly make for an entertaining read. If you wish to understand Martin Luther's theology this is a must read, if you simply want to understand modern Lutheran theology it is not necessary though helpful (in my opinion). It would be worth a study to see how/if Luther later developed his writing on Free Will, as this was most definitely a polemic work and impacted his writing style.