Luther's Last Battles

This book takes an extraordinarily unique approach to the discussion of the polemics of the "old man" Luther. Edwards proposes that many of the contemporary interpretations, of Luther's motivating psychological disposition as shaping the polemical work of the latter part of his life, from 1530 on, are incorrect. He insistently urges readers to put aside the pre-established views promulgated by Erik Erikson and his Crones- that "young man" Luther's troubled childhood had created a sort of ill-crazed, schizophrenic "old man." Edwards consistently takes a contextual, historical, and political approach to his very extensive interpretation of Luther's post 1530 polemics, minimizing Luther's mental and physical conditions. "Luther's Last Battles" contains extensive interpretation of several of these latter polemical tracts. It is a task that few, if any, historians have undertaken. This being the case, it has allowed Edwards the freedom to promulgate his specific bent on the motivating drive of "old man" Luther. Edwards ultimately concludes, that by approaching Luther's works through his new approach, it becomes clear that he had indeed carried strong political and theological convictions. His vulgarity and apocalyptic rhetoric were ultimately a result of the surrounding circumstances of sixteenth century society in the midst of the first Reformation. Edwards's work deserves the highest praise. A reader ultimately gains an appreciation for the difficulty of such an analytical task. He has continually and effectively stressed the political motivation and interests in Luther's polemics. By attempting to provide a fresh outlook on the elder Luther, a task not often undertaken, Edwards has created an important new method for historians to use in evaluating polemical literature of the past. In so doing, he has demonstrated that the most complete evaluation of a person's persona and driving forces may be done only through historical contextual evaluation of primary sources. Goodbye Erik Erikson, Mark Edwards is here to stay!