Martin Luther: The Christian Between God and Death,

`Martin Luther' by historian, novelist, and playwright Richard Marius is a finely crafted intellectual biography of the central figure behind the 16th century split in Western Christendom that became known as the Reformation. One of the first impressions I get from reading this book is the shock of seeing opposing religious groups' warring against and executing `heretics', the easy term for people who don't agree with them; corruption and sexual misconduct in the Roman church; near empty Evangelical churches and poorly paid pastors; conservative Christian factions battling for local political control; and religious indifference among the great mass of less well educated. This is a sketch of the state of affairs at the apex of the `Age of Faith', decades before Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler turned the rational world on its ear by upsetting the world view of Medieval terracentric cosmology. For this perspective alone this book is a great contribution to an educated person's intellectual point of view, but the book offers much, much more. But before I get too far, let me be clear about what it does not cover. First, it does not cover all of Luther's life. In fact, the last chapter ends in 1525 with Luther's debate over freedom of the will with Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, with the publication of Luther's `On the Slavery of the Will', his response to Erasmus' much shorter `Discourse on Free Will'. This is almost 20 years before Luther passes away in 1545. This is an appropriate stopping point, as Luther and many of his interpreters regard this as his most important work, along with the catechism. Marius does not agree that this is Luther's most important work, and makes a very good case for why this is not so in his narrative of the twelve years between his mature theological works (especially on Paul's letters to the Romans and Galatians, and on the Psalms) and the publication of `On Slavery of the Will'. Luther's translation of the Bible into German, with comments, and the pamphlets `The Freedom of a Christian' and `Babylonian Captivity of the Church' are more seminal, and far more important than the '95 Theses' which was really just the little pebble which got the great snowball of the Reformation started. Second, it makes no pretense at covering all of Luther's published works, which occupy 55 large volumes in the standard English translation and even more volumes in the German edition of his translated Latin and German works. In fact, the author claims that most Lutheran scholars don't even pretend to have read his complete output. What is much more important is the perspective Marius does give on Luther and his movement. On the positive side of the Reformation, one must dig to imagine any greater or more important intellectual conversation than the one between Luther, Erasmus, and Thomas More of England. The battle of these intellects is made more monumental by the fact that it is based almost entirely on reason, arguments over the r

Until I read this book, I had no idea how much influence Luther has had on our culture and subsequently, on me! I guess readers who approach this book with a position to uphold will be either angered or elevated by what they find. But for readers like me who decide to read books like Luther for instruction and enjoyment, Marius' does not disappoint. Biography had Luther rated near the top of the most important people of the last 1000 years. Now I know why, and Richard Marius's book has provoked me to learn more.

Marius has performed an incredible task in bringing Martin Luther, and his times, to life for us in this new book.I found the author's knowledge of Luther; Luther's writings and temperament; the history of the sixteenth century and the theological issues at stake during the Reformation, to be superb. I was especially impressed by the author's knowledge of the theological issues, and his insights regarding them.I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first got the book, but I soon discovered that I had found not only an excellent biography of Luther, but simply a very well written book. The material is very interesting, and Marius presents it in a very readable, and captivating style. The chapters are only as numerous, and as long, as necessary (which makes the reading easier). It was an enjoyable read from begining to end, and I doubt that a better biography of Luther has ever been written.I hate that I finished it, and I am sure that I will read it again.Did Luther truly follow his own standard of sola scriptura? Was Luther one of the first Higher Critics of the Bible? Did he really say: 'Here I stand, I can do no other' at the Diet of Worms? Were the ninety-five theses really posted on the church door at Wittenburg?Read the book and find out!

A wonderful biography and an impressive history of the Medieval church besides. Marius has done a terrific service for scholars by treating, in considerable depth and profound insight, the development of Western religious tradition, the conflicts it wrought, and the prevailing conflicts as personified in Martin Luther. The biography will also provide interesting reading for a general population because Marius allows Luther's voluble temperament to shine forth especially vividly. Agree with his positions or not, Marius, like his subject, is a writer of considerable power.

I found the book to be an excellent balance of biography, history, and religion. The author describes Luther's early and middle life deliberately leaving out his later life for good reasons. The author also does a good job of describing the times of Luther, although I personally would have preferred more of this. Finally the author does an outstanding job of describing the doctrinal differences between catholicism and Luther. This thorough examination may test the prejudices of some readers, depending upon their faith and tolerance. But the learning that I got from the book was worth whatever personal disagreements I found myself in with the author.