Branko baletic biography of martin luther

With his wife, Katharina von Bora they had five children. During —there was a widespread peasants revolt in Germany and Central Europe. The revolt, which had a mixture of economic, social and religious causes was often supported by Protestant clergy who emphasised the equality of all people. However, Martin Luther vigorously opposed the Revolt, writing a pamphlet Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasantswhich made his opposition clear.

In these final years, he spent more time writing anti-Semitic tracts. At first, he wished to see the Jewish people converted to Christianity. But, when they seemed uninterested in conversion, he called for the force-able removal of Jews from Germany. This strong anti-Semitic stance has coloured his reputation as a reformer. However, by setting the seeds of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther had a huge influence on the development of Western Society.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. Published 3rd August Last updated 3rd March His thinking, while remarkably consistent, does develop over time. He nuances his positions on various issues as he faces challenges which his own Reformation theology generated. Thus, knowing what issues he is facing and when is important when reading him. The benchmark biography of Luther in English is the three volumes by the German historian, Martin Brecht.

These look rather forbidding: nearly pages of text, excluding notes. It was my first introduction to the Reformation and remains a favourite. Bainton was a radical thinker himself, not doctrinally sympathetic to Luther but rather emotionally so: he knew what it was like to be a beleaguered outside, a man at war with his times. Thus, he writes on Luther with considerable passion.

A more recent short biography is that by the distinguished Lutheran historian, Martin Marty, in the Penguin Brief Lives series. On December 10,Luther burned it. This was tantamount to treason. Luther wrote more theological works, many of which spoke against the sacramental system of the Roman church. On April 17,Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms — an imperial council held in Worms, Germany which would decide the fate of this troublesome monk.

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the 5 th presided over the affair. The Roman officials demanded to know if these were his writings and whether or not he would recant. Luther had expected to debate his ideas, not be forced to recant them. He asked for a day to consider the branko baletic biography of martin luther. If he recanted, his life would be saved.

If he did not, he would be declared a heretic, which was a death sentence in those days. Although he had a letter granting him safe passage to and from Worms, when this expired he knew he could be killed by anyone and they would not be punished. The civil government would likewise put him to death, as they had countless others who crossed Rome.

Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason-for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves-I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Here I stand, I can do no other.

God help me. Luther took a stand that his highest authority was going to be the Word of God, regardless of what the church taught. To protect his life, his friends kidnapped him and hid him away in Wartburg Castle. Here he hid for ten months in disguise. He grew a beard and took the name Junker Jorge, or Knight George. He was not simply laying low.

During his time in exile, Luther undertook the translation of the New Testament into the language of the German people. Remember, at this time Scripture was only available in Latin. Reading and studying Scripture was something reserved only for the academics and the elite. Luther did not simply take the Vulgate and translate the Latin into German.

He translated his German New Testament out of the original Greek.

Branko baletic biography of martin luther

Within three months Luther had translated the whole of the New Testament. This is an amazing feat, and is even more so considering the monumental impact that this translation would have on the German people. For the first time, an ordinary believer could read the Bible for themselves. Luther was helped by his friend and fellow reformer Phillip Melanchthon a much better Greek scholar and, having begun the New Testament in November or December ofcompleted it in March of — just before he left Wartburg Castle to return to Wittenberg.

After some revising, the German New Testament was made available in September of Luther immediately set to work on translating the Old Testament. This list is, perhaps predictably, tilted a bit heavily to Luther and the Reformation in Germany. A different or supplementary list could be provided that gives the best books on Calvin, Zwingli, the Radical Reformers, etc.

This list includes some books that cover the full breadth of the Reformation, but some are certainly Luther-centric. The prose is lively and the storytelling is rich—though reader beware: it gets dense at times in the historical weeds. With so many books focused on the Luther and continental Europe, this gives a wider picture of the movement, focusing on the unique eruption of the Reformation and its tensions in England and Scotland.

We know that the Reformation involved a tangling of politics and power strugglesecclesiology, technology, and theology. The English variant is an especially interesting example of that intermingling—and it also shows how these powerful ideas traveled across lands and seas. Plus, Yale University Press does just beautiful books. Ryrie explores how the Bible, as a complex document which only grows in complexity and ambiguity over time and with every new translation, continues to inspire both faith and divisions.

Eire Yale University Press, If you asked me for a single book, just one resource on the Reformation, this would be the one. He also gives positive attention to the diversities within Catholicism and its own internal reformation movements—with a final part dedicated to early extensions of Reformation, through movements like German pietism. And did I mention that Yale University Press does beautiful books?

This book has received a lot of attention, and rightly so.