Facts and fears in and around Martin Luther (Remarks inspired by the recent biography of Luther by Richard Marius)

Authors
Citation
J. Wicks, Facts and fears in and around Martin Luther (Remarks inspired by the recent biography of Luther by Richard Marius), MOREANA, 37(141), 2000, pp. 5-32
Citations number
62
Categorie Soggetti
Religion & Tehology
Journal title
MOREANA
ISSN journal
00478105 → ACNP
Volume
37
Issue
141
Year of publication
2000
Pages
5 - 32
Database
ISI
SICI code
0047-8105(200003)37:141<5:FAFIAA>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
In his recent biography Richard Marius attends above all to Luther's temper ament, which was melancholy and susceptible to haunting fears of death. As the biography breaks off in 1527, Luther is in deep depression and has alre ady published works marred by bitterness and vehemence. The biographer admi ts his summary judgment that while Luther did bring evangelical freshness t o the faith of a few, he contributed to the Reformation precisely the eleme nts that made it catastrophic for the West, as in the religious wars of the century after Luther's death. Luther, after such a demythologization, can still speak to us about marshaling what talents we have to bring some light to our world. The work presents several aspects of the Church in Luther's time inaccurately, and on Luther's theology some of its interpretations als o call for correction. But on Luther's "discovery of the Gospel", placed in 1519, Marius delineates well the factors exacerbating Luther's anguish and the flash of light that came from St. Paul as Luther found an evangelical word of consolation and assurance repeatedly communicated in sacramental en counters with Christ. This creates a new dialectic of fear and hope and lef t Luther still susceptible to depression, especially in reaction to divisio ns in his own ranks and the many obstacles that blocked smooth implementati on of reform.