Martin Luther's Works

Daniel Ritchie · #1 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:24 PM

What do you all think of Martin Luther's works? I ordered one volume (9) today.

Backwoods Presbyterian · #2 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:31 PM

I find Luther quite intriguing and an interesting read. Luther's "Bondage of the Will" is one the top 5 most important books in the history of man.

Daniel Ritchie · #3 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwoods Presbyterian

I find Luther quite intriguing and an interesting read. Luther's "Bondage of the Will" is one the top 5 most important books in the history of man.

I have that; but the only thing I have read by him so far is the commentary on Romans - which I fought was very good (mind you, it was about 7 years ago). He (like Calvin) seems to be fairly easy to read, or at least he is in the bits of his works I have skimmed through in libraries.

KMK · #4 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:33 PM

I have his sermons but they are not indexed which has greatly disappointed me. Same with Spurgeon's Encyclopedia of sermons.

Daniel Ritchie · #5 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KMK

I have his sermons but they are not indexed which has greatly disappointed me. Same with Spurgeon's Encyclopedia of sermons.

You have a PM.

Backwoods Presbyterian · #6 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwoods Presbyterian

I find Luther quite intriguing and an interesting read. Luther's "Bondage of the Will" is one the top 5 most important books in the history of man.

I have that; but the only thing I have read by him so far is the commentary on Romans - which I fought was very good (mind you, it was about 7 years ago). He (like Calvin) seems to be fairly easy to read, or at least he is in the bits of his works I have skimmed through in libraries.

His Commentary on Galatians is a must have!!! Luther is an engaging writer. I find him to be a German Knox.

Daniel Ritchie · #7 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwoods Presbyterian

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwoods Presbyterian

I find Luther quite intriguing and an interesting read. Luther's "Bondage of the Will" is one the top 5 most important books in the history of man.

I have that; but the only thing I have read by him so far is the commentary on Romans - which I fought was very good (mind you, it was about 7 years ago). He (like Calvin) seems to be fairly easy to read, or at least he is in the bits of his works I have skimmed through in libraries.

His Commentary on Galatians is a must have!!! Luther is an engaging writer. I find him to be a German Knox.

Shame on me for not reading (or even owning) Luther on Galatians.

Backwoods Presbyterian · #8 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:42 PM

No prob here it is online...

R. Scott Clark · #9 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 07:05 PM

This is a very important issue. For reasons I don't fully understand Presbyterians have a weird aversion to Luther. They tend not to read him.

This is bizarre. If no Luther, no Calvin, no Bucer, No Zwingli, no Reformed Church. Luther is foundational to our theology and piety. Do we agree with everything Luther said? No, but we don't agree with everything Calvin said!

I urge everyone to read Bondage of the Will, his lectures on Galatians, and his lectures on Romans among other things. Folks tend to read the Three Treatises from Aug-Fall 1520, and they are worth reading, but we need to read the Large Catechism and other texts in Luther. One of the great needs of Reformed churches/Christians today is to get to know the fount of the Reformation.

rsc

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

What do you all think of Martin Luther's works? I ordered one volume (9) today.

Bladestunner316 · #10 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 07:28 PM

to R. Scott Clark. One of my future goals is to read his works!!

DMcFadden · #11 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 08:11 PM

I purchased the complete works a couple of years ago and find it quite useful. I have not, however, tried to read straight through them.

CaseyBessette · #12 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 08:45 PM

I've got an old Baker set of his select works -- 6 whole volumes worth -- plus his Bondage of the Will. Unfortunately I haven't had time to read them. I look forward to, though.

Ron Henzel · #13 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 08:49 PM

The American edition of Luther's Works have been available on CD-ROM using the Libronix Digital Library System for a few years now. I made extensive use of it when I recently taught an adult Sunday school class on Luther and the Reformation. You have to watch out for typos, however.

Presbyterian Deacon · #14 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 10:33 PM

Read Luther's Table Talk: Conversations with Martin Luther. It is a wonderful way to get acquainted with his wit and wisdom. Covering a wide variety of subjects from "The Diet of Worms" to "Music" to "Justification, Predestination," and "the Papacy" this book is full of "gems for practical living gleaned from dinner table conversations with one of the great, most eloquent Christians in history."

Also worth reading is Luther's Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and Jude (Kregal Publications) 1982.

Staphlobob · #15 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 05:55 AM

Luther's commentary on Galatians and his Bondage of the Will are perhaps his two best works. Though and incredibly prolific writer, he never came out with a systematic theology. Probably because he was so busy addressing issues on all sides.

His Table Talk is fascinating. Though it's a redaction of notes taken from those who listened and wrote and not from Luther's actual hand, it nonetheless provides a wonderful insight into his day-to-day thought. (His language was less-than-pristine.)

Though I've got the Libronix version (and I really don't like Libronix at all) the three books mentioned above are, imo, the best.

Zadok · #16 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 10:26 AM

As well as reading the above mentioned works you should definitely read his "Postils". These sermons are quite brilliant, and reveal Luther as the warm and tender hearted Pastor that he was!

Daniel Ritchie · #17 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 10:35 AM

I am just off the phone with Martin Foulner who is going to send me a few of the volumes on the Christian and Society that Luther wrote for $5 each. Great.

R. Scott Clark · #18 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 11:31 AM

Be a little cautious with the Tabletalk(s). They are generally regarded as less reliable indicators of Luther's theology. There are text-critical problems for starters. They are, or can be, fun and suggestive of important ideas in Luther's thought.

DMcFadden · #19 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R. Scott Clark

Be a little cautious with the Tabletalk(s). They are generally regarded as less reliable indicators of Luther's theology. There are text-critical problems for starters. They are, or can be, fun and suggestive of important ideas in Luther's thought.

Plus, do you really want to get your introduction to Luther from things he said after too many beers? Some of his comments sound as if he indulged in too much of Katie's product from their basement brewery that they ran and managed.

Zadok · #20 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMcFadden

Plus, do you really want to get your introduction to Luther from things he said after too many beers? Some of his comments sound as if he indulged in too much of Katie's product from their basement brewery that they ran and managed.

That's a slurrrrrr !

DMcFadden · #21 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 03:06 PM

How else do you explain the following, if not for too much of Katie's beer? . . .

Quote:

[Martin Luther said,] “Christ was an adulterer for the first time with the woman at the well, for it was said, ‘Nobody knows what he’s doing with her’ [John 4:27]. Again [he was an adulterer] with Magdalene, and still again with the adulterous woman in John 8 [:2–11], whom he let off so easily. So the good Christ had to become an adulterer before he died.”

Luther, M. (1999, c1967). Vol. 54: Luther's works, vol. 54 : Table Talk (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (54:154). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

Such a radical statement required the following footnote in the American edition of Luther's Works:

Quote:

This entry has been cited against Luther, among others by Arnold Lunn in The Revolt Against Reason (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1951), pp. 45, 257, 258. What Luther meant might have been made clearer if John Schlaginhaufen had indicated the context of the Reformer’s remarks. The probable context is suggested in a sermon of 1536 (WA 41, 647) in which Luther asserted that Christ was reproached by the world as a glutton, a winebibber, and even an adulterer.

Or, perhaps, John Schlaginhaufen had too much beer when he was transcribing his master's words?

Zadok · #22 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 03:33 PM

Dennis

It was a play on words

slur = term of disparagement

but also

slur = unable to enunciate words normally - especially if under the influence !

I was using it in the latter sense.

DMcFadden · #23 (**permalink**) 04-24-2008, 03:39 PM

I got it. Buuuuut . . . (urp) . . . the quoooote was pret . . . (urp) . . . ty owwwwwwt . . . rage . . . (urp) . . . ous.