Interesting and worth the read | Luther: Man Between God and the Devil

Luther | Luther: Man Between God and the Devil | Heiko A. Oberman

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	• Luther: Man Between God and the Devil Heiko A. Oberman Yale University Press, 2006 - 400 pages average customer review:based on 19 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Indeed, a "Remarkable [ and Erudite ] Study" on the times, writings, and complex persona of Martin Luther

The New Yorker calls this book a "Remarkable Study"

Okay, so this is the first biography of Luther that I have ever read. My previous knowledge of who was the "great Reformer" is from movies, religious literature quotes, preachers talking about church history and Reformation - a very limited view on the complexity of the Martin Luther's persona. The image on the cover is of Luther as Junker Jörg, Martin's moniker while hiding in the Wartburg castle after the papal excommunication.

For anyone intersted in seriously getting a good-enough grasp of who Martin Luther was and the times the he lived in, look no further. Oberman 's expectation of his work has had its effect on me - I am more interested in reading Martin Luther's original works.

The reason why I selected this to be my first biography on Luther is for a couple of reasons:

1) it is a book used by some Lutheran seminaries,
2) the author has used original sources and also German scholarly works for his research (his chapter notes alone span 23 pages)
3)wrote and published the first printing in German, and
4) the author has been true to his mission stated in the preface to "grasp the main in his totality - with head 'and' heart."

My impression, as I was slowly making my way through the book (underlining and writing notes), is that the author really understands the times in which Luther lived. I really felt that the author took me back to the early 1500's, central medieval Europe (aka Holy Roman Empire). Thus this book is not about exploring the "Catholic" or "Protestant," or even the "modern" Luther (although they are encountered in the book) but understanding Martin Luther as the man between God and the Devil. For Luther the work of the Devil was as real as the work of God; and he thought that the times he lived in were leading to the apocalyptic End Times.

Oberman, does an excellent job at showing the reader how Luther came to "discover the Gospel" again (who knew that the first book Luther taught as a professor of theology were the Psalms?) and understand "the righteousness" of God (not as a legalistic monk anymore but as a free Christian living by grace thru faith in Jesus Christ). The author understands well the climate of the late Medieval times: historical events (and the power struggles that played a role in the birth and the survival of the Reformation), theological disputes (not only between Rome and Luther, but also amongst the various reformers and European scholars), cultural and social barometer (how monks were viewed, what the lives of the peasants was, the medival superstitions that prevailed, etc.), and much, much more.

While the book has a tendency to read like a textbook, the author is not afraid to explore all aspects of the life and character of Luther and follows Luther in three stages:
1) the national, medieval, and Luther's familial atmosphere of "The Longed-for Reformation" (the word "reformation" at the time was as widely used as the word "democracy" is in our modern western times),
2) "The Unexpected Reformation" (even the Catholic theologian Hans Kueng admits that this church-dividing effect could have been prevented if the issue of indulgences and the charges against them would have been taken seriously by the pope and his legates), and
3) "The Reformation in Peril" (the debates amongst reformers about the meaning of Baptism and the Eucharist; Luther vs. Erasmus; Luther's inflamatory writtings against the 3 "enemies" of God: pope, revolting peasant, and Jews; his marriage to a nun being a medieval taboo and Luther's secret advice for bigamy to a prince; and more).

In conclusion, this erudite study will present all aspects of the life, writings, and complex persona of Martin Luther (who interestingly did not see himself as a "reformer" but rather as a preacher, evangelist, and doctor of theology, accordig to Oberman). It is not a work that will exagerate the virtues or biases seen in Martin Luther, but that will challenge the reader to understand the preacher and Wittenberg doctor of theology in the context of his times with the implications that his life and writings have on our modern times.

The brilliant research that Oberman has done brings to light many factoids that were both interesting and surprising to me. I will not spoil the fun and let you find out for yourself what these surprising factoids are. :-)

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Interesting and worth the read

This was not what I expected. The author wrote as a historian & theologian, combined. It's a very deep read and will take some time.
I don't agree with the author on all points and at times felt he was supporting the Roman Catholic Church and/or denouncing Luther. It would have been more interesting if the author would have provided information on exactly how followers of Luther started the Lutheran Church.

Luther

I appreciated the evident scholarship in the book's objective yet sensitive treatment of the man, his life (including his foibles), his pastoral and theological work, and the historical context of the times in which he lived and labored. I especially appreciated the book's being written by a man personally (spiritually) familiar with the historic doctines of grace recovered during the time of the Protestant Reformation. This is no 'liberal,' 'higher-critical' or 'revisionist' diatribe against one of Christianity's greatest saints -- or for that matter against Christianity itself as merely one among many true paths to God in our post-modern world. I would have a hard time envisioning how this book could be improved upon, either in content or expression.

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Portrayal of Satan, God, and Luther

No man is an Island. Man is effected by the circumstance he is born into. Some men rise above experience and develop themselves better then most. This does not mean that individual is not a man of his times nor effected by the culture the person lives in or the current understanding of truth. Heiko A. Oberman often comments about the times Martin Luther lived in; people in Martin Luther's time believed in an active Satan. I do not know the theological beliefs of the author but he certainly seems to be effected by modern ideas of theology and faith being part of the mental health of the individual then being about God, Sin, and Salvation. This does not blind the author from who Martin Luther is and the purpose of the Reformation. This book describes Martin Luther's upbringing, his education, his study of law, and Luther's dedication of himself to God's Will. Martin Luther's struggle with Satan, his struggle with sin, his struggle with God's judgment, his struggle with Roman Catholic theology, and his discovery with what the Bible really taught. Indulgences, purgatory, and man's ability to merit salvation through the sacrifice of Christ, works of the Saints, penance and indulgence. The 95 thesis began as an attempt to start a discussion about what was going wrong in the church, but reaction and historic events collided with the actions of Martin Luther that caused a revolt in the church. The author details how the propose Turkish crusade, indulgences, and the political structure in Germany help bring the Reformation. Martin Luther fought for what he came to believe what the Bible taught; he convinced other she was correct, while others followed out of their own convenience.

The author details why it was important to both protestants and The Roman Catholic whether Luther died peacefully. That Luther thought it a greater honor to be a martyr then one to bring about a reformed institution ready to serve as the bride of Christ.This book tries to present a clear picture who Luther was a human being not just a religious movement.

This is not an uncritical look at Luther. The author describes Luther's thoughts on theology and is critical Luther's view of predestination. Heiko A. Oberman describes Luther's view of the Lord's Table and his unwillingness to compromise. The controversy over monks marrying when they changed over Luther's side were discuss; the breaking of the oaths, Nuns marrying, and monks. The controversy over the peasants revolt and the reformation not being a social economic revolt.

This is book biography. I should read a more fundamentalist biography also.

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Luther: Man Between God and the Devil

In a concise manner, Heiko Oberman gives an insightful glimpse into the life and influence of Martin Luther that will enhance any readers understanding of the German Reformation.

Written by one of the world's greatest authorities on Martin Luther, this is the definitive biography of the central figure of the Protestant Reformation. "A brilliant account of Luther's evolution as a man, a thinker, and a Christian. . . . Every person interested in Christianity should put this on his or her reading list."--Lawrence Cunningham, "Commonweal" "This is "the" biography of Luther for our time by the world's foremost authority."--Steven Ozment, Harvard University "If the world is to gain from Luther it must turn to the real Luther--furious, violent, foul-mouthed, passionately concerned. Him it will find in Oberman's book, a labour of love."--G. R. Elton, "Journal of Ecclesiastical History"

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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