Abstract
In chapter 10 of this comprehensive study of Martin Luther, the author suggests that ‘the fortunes of Luther’s movement would be affected as much by secular events as by peaceful preaching and conversions’ (p. 155). This sentence sums up succinctly the complexity of the topic at hand. It might be simplistic to sum up the effect of Luther on the Christian world as a theological reform, but it goes hand in hand with the politics of the day and the various secular struggles between rulers in Europe at the time. Lyons offers this work as a way to travel around and through that world and the gradual effect of the Lutheran reform. This is accomplished in a masterful way. The writing is dense and crammed with detail, which in no way detracts from the readability of the book. However, I thought from time to time, certain sections might have become chapters or sections in their own right. They broke up the narrative a little and were possibly deserving of more consideration. One in particular is the author’s treatment of conscience as it might be understood from Luther’s point of view. Roper (from a 2016 biography of Luther) ‘gives the modern meaning of conscience as a part of the mind that imposes external norms and moral judgements, saying that this is not what Luther meant. For him “the word of God is absolutely clear and plain in its meaning” and “conscience” is the individual’s internal knowledge of the objective meaning of God’s word’ (p. 103). One couldn’t help thinking that in some of his writings and positions there was a certain indefatigable conceit on Luther’s part.
An interesting fact referred to is the famous phrase of Luther at the Diet of Worms in 1521, ‘here I stand: I can do no other.’ Apparently, this was not in the official transcript, but was subsequently published in the Wittenberg version of event at Worms. Perhaps an early example of fake news, or perhaps a piece of subtle propaganda which reinforced Luther’s position. Added to this is the Mullett comment on the encounter between Luther (in disguise) and the Swiss students in the Black Bear Inn near Jena. To suggest a parallel between this encounter and the disciples on the way to Emmaus seems to have contributed to ‘the creation of a legendary figure to whom much mystery was attached’ (p. 124). It does add to the narrative of how the politics of Europe went hand in hand with the theological upheaval that Luther brought and the propaganda surrounding it. Erasmus, the leading intellectual of the day and a supporter of reform in the Church, was asked by Fredrich to ‘weigh in’ on the matter. Erasmus thought perhaps that Luther had gone a little too far, suggesting ‘a love of power (“tyranny”) and a dislike of learning as the source of conflict, claiming that people of pure faith and morals were least offended by Luther’s writings’ (p. 97).
The book is not without lighter moments. The priest in Eisenach who requested Luther to preach, but who had ‘taken the precaution of having a notarized letter of protest against his doing so already prepared’ (p. 108). However, there is much darkness here also: his psychological and spiritual unpreparedness as portrayed in the Osborne play, Luther; his scruples; his mental health and cycles of depression and elation. In particular there is Luther’s relationship with his father, eloquently written about in Erik Erikson’s 1958 Young Man Luther. Erikson suggests, ‘someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit; for such mutilation undercuts the life principle of trust, without which every human act, may it feel ever so good and seem ever so right is prone to perversion by destructive forms of conscientiousness.’ Three particular dark points in Luther’s writing are carefully considered. The author gives a good account of Luther’s position on the Peasants War of 1524–25 and there is a section each on his writings on Muslims and Jews; and it is not pleasant. Luther suggests regarding both Peasants’ War and the invasion of the Turks that there were two kingdoms—the secular and the religious: ‘his earlier avoidance of support for war had been based on his concept of the two kingdoms, which separated the religious from the secular realms in such a way that he counselled the Christians to be long-suffering in face of hostility while recognizing the right of the secular authority to resort to physical force when necessary’ (p. 174). In writing about the Peasants’ War, Luther argues that although all are free in Christ, ‘in this world inequality must exist, otherwise the earthly kingdom could not function’ (p. 151). As one would imagine, this did not go down well with the peasants, especially when the tract was issued at the time when they were being slaughtered, leading him to issue another tract asking for mercy for them. It also gave evidence to the Catholic princes to apportion some blame to Luther for the whole affair. Finally, regarding what he wrote on Judaism: the fact that his writings were cited by the prosecutors at the Nuremberg trials is more than sufficient to suggest his position.
As mentioned, this is an immensely readable book, suited to both students of theology and others interested in this period and this person. The text is richly enhanced by quotations from Luther’s and others’ writing. The book has 14 chapters, beginning with Luther’s early years and continuing through the course of his life and writings. There are detailed footnotes, which will lead the enthusiastic scholar to other works on Luther and his time, and there are two appendices: the first contains the 95 theses (which may not necessarily have been nailed to the door of the church at Wittenberg Castle); and the second contains a brief explanation of Augustine’s theory of knowledge and a piece on the debate on free will. The final two chapters are concerned with Luther’s challenge to the Church of the day, and then his challenge to the Church of today. The former acts as a detailed but succinct summary of the previous chapters. It also mentions the effect of Lutheranism on Western culture and on economics and ethics. The latter is something that might be pondered by scholars and the Church today. Appropriately, Lyons quotes Charles Taylor and his understanding that while the world into which Luther was born could not have countenanced unbelief, the world of today is quite content to lay that belief in God aside in favour of a more secularist paradigm. The author covers some of the work of the Second Vatican Council, in particular Gaudium et Spes, and he mentions the Joint Declaration on Justification from 1999. He ends with Pope Francis’s words at Lund in 2016, ‘and the importance of “forgiveness, renewal and reconciliation” among Christians in order to proclaim the message of God’s mercy in the world and to the world. Otherwise, he said, “the Christian faith is incomplete.”‘ It is a fitting point to end on, suggesting that there is still more to be done in advancing the hope that ‘all may be one’ (Jn 17:21). One of the people to whom the book is dedicated is the late Church of Ireland bishop of Cashel, Ossory and Ferns, Noel Willoughby (1926–2006) who in his dioceses lived and breathed an ecumenical spirit and sowed inter-church seeds which are still bearing fruit today.