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A minister, historian, and scholar reassesses the life and times of Martin Luther, describing his seminal role in the Reformation; his religious beliefs and fresh interpretation of the human relationship with God; his conflict with Church leaders; and his lasting influence on world history and religion. Martin Marty--professor, author, pastor, historian, and journalist is, in Bill Moyer's words, the most influential interpreter of American religion. In Martin Luther a man of unswerving faith, rooted in his own Lutheran tradition yet deeply committed to helping enrich a pluralist society, brings to powerful life the devout Reformation figure whose despair for a perilous world, felt anew in our own times, drove him to a ceaseless search for assurance of God's love. It was one that led him steadily to a fresh interpretation of human interaction with God as born solely from God's grace and not the church's mediation and to the famous theses he posted at Wittenberg in 1517. Luther's persistence in this belief, and in his long battle with church leaders embellished by rich historical background makes Martyr's biography riveting reading. Luther's obdurate yet receptive stance, so different from the travestied image of fundamentalism we currently face, restored the balance between religion and the individual. Martin Luther is at once a fascinating history, a story of immense spiritual passion and amazing grace, and a superb intellectual biography.… (more)
User reviews
The format of the short biography prevents any detailed examination of Luther’s work (more than 55 volumes of writings) and the complicated details of his evolving relationships with other religious figures. Still, Marty does an excellent job describing the contours of Luther’s conflicts with Rome, his difficult relationship with other reformers, and the political context that prevented religious authorities from quashing the dissent.