The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology

Edited by Robert Kolb, Irene Dingel, and L'ubomir Batka

Oxford Handbooks

A fresh overview of the theology, method, and influence of the initiator of the Reformation as the five-hundredth anniversary of the posting of the Ninety-Five Theses approaches
Provides a detailed exploration of Luther's thought from a wide variety of perspectives and approaches, providing analysis of Luther's hermeneutics, doctrinal teaching, social thought, and impact on subsequent eras
Essayists seek to engage Luther's views within contemporary contexts, addressing questions posed in twenty-first century theology

The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology

Edited by Robert Kolb, Irene Dingel, and L'ubomir Batka

Description

As celebrations of the five-hundredth anniversary of Martin Luther's initiation of the most dramatic reform movement in the history of Christianity approach, 47 essays by historians and theologians from 15 countries provide insight into the background and context, the content, and the impact of his way of thought. Nineteenth-century Chinese educational reformers, twentieth-century African and Indian social reformers, German philosophers and Christians of many traditions on every continent have found in Luther's writings stimulation and provocation for addressing modern problems. This volume offers studies of the late medieval intellectual milieus in which his thought was formed, the hermeneutical principles that guided his reading and application of the Bible, the content of his formulations of Christian teaching on specific topics, his social and ethic thought, the ways in which his contemporaries, both supporters and opponents, helped shape his ideas, the role of specific genre in developing his positions on issues of the day, and the influences he has exercised in the past and continues to exercise today in various parts of the world and the Christian church. Authors synthesize the scholarly debates and analysis of Luther's thinking and point to future areas of research and exploration of his thought.

The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology

Edited by Robert Kolb, Irene Dingel, and L'ubomir Batka

Oxford Handbooks

Introduction: Luther s Thought and its role in the Twenty-First-Century Global Societies
I. Luther s Life
1. Luther s Life, Charlotte Methuen
II. The medieval background and origins of Luther s thought
2. Luther as Late Medieval Theologian: His Positive and Negative use of Nominalism and Realism, Theodor Dieter
3. Luther s roots in Monastic-Mystical piety, Volker Leppin
4. Luther and Medieval Reform Movements, Particularly the Hussites, Martin Wernisch
5. Luther s Absorption of Medieval Biblical Interpretation and His Use of the Church Fathers, Erik Herrmann
6. Humanism, Luther and the Wittenberg Reformation, Robert Rosin
7. Luther s Transformation of Medieval Thought: Discontinuity and Continuity, Gerhard Muller
8. Luther s Transformation of Medieval Thought: Continuity and Discontinuity, Volker Leppin
III. The hermeneutical principles that guided Luther s teaching and preaching
9. Luther on God and History, Mark Thompson
10. Luther s Use of Language, Johannes von Lupke
11. Luther s Theologia crucis, Vitor Westhelle
12. Luther s Hermeneutics of Distinctions: Law and Gospel, Two Kinds of Righteousness, Two Realms, Freedom and Bondage, Robert Kolb
IV. Luther s treatment of the traditional topics of western Christian theology
13. Luther Doctrine of God, Steven Paulson
14. Luther Theology of Creation, Johannes Schwanke
15. Luther s Anthropology, Notger Slenczka
16. Luther s Teaching on Sin and Evil, L ubomir Batka
17. Justification by Faith: The View of the Mannermaa School, Risto Saaarinen
18. Luther on Justification as Forensic and Effective, Mark Mattes
19. Luther on Christ s Person and Work, Mattheiu Arnold
20. Luther on the Holy Spirit and His Use of God s Word, Jeffrey Silcock
21. Luther on Baptism and Penance, Jonathan Trigg
22. Luther and the Lord s Supper, Gordon A. Jensen
23. Luther on the Church, David P. Daniel
24. Luther s Eschatology, Jane E. Strohl
V. Luther s view of sanctified living
25. The Framework for Christian Living: Luther on the Christian s Callings, Jane E. Strohl
26. Luther on Marriage, Sexuality and the Family, Jane E. Strohl
27. Luther s Treatment of Economic Life, Ricardo Rieth
28. Luther s Treatment of Political and Societal Life, Eike Wolgast
29. Piety, Prayer, and Worship in Luther s View of Daily Life, Carter Lindberg
30. Luther s Views of Jews and Turks, Gregory Miller
31. Luther as a Resource for Christian Dialogue with Other World Religions, Paul Rajashekar
VI. The genre in which Luther shaped his theology
32. The Influence of the Genre of Exegetical Instruction, Preaching, and Catechesis on Luther, Mary Jane Haemig
33. How Luther s Engagement in Pastoral Care Shaped Luther s Theology, Ronald K. Rittgers
34. Luther s Thought Assumed Form in Polemics, Anna Vind
35. Translation of Scripture and Hymns Shaped Luther s Theology, Christoph Burger
VI. The Impact and Reception of Luther's Thought in History and in the twenty-first Century
36. The Wittenberg circle, Timothy J. Wengert
37. Luther s Roman Catholic Critics, Heribert Smolinsky
38. Luther and the Schwarmer, Amy Nelson Burnett
39. Luther s Authority in the Late Reformation and Protestant Orthodoxy, Irene Dingel
40. The Use of Luther s Thought in Pietism and the Enlightenment, Paul R. Hinlicky
41. The Use of Luther s Thought in the Nineteenth Century and the Luther Renaissance, Heinrich Assel
42. Marxist Evaluations of Luther s Thought, Thomas A. Brady, Jr.
43. Roman Catholic Luther Research in the Twentieth Century: From Rejection to Rehabilitation, Theo M. M. A. C. Bell
44. Luther s Abiding Significance for World Protestantism, Kenneth G. Appold
45. Luther and Asia, Pilgrim W. K. Lo
46. Luther in Africa
47. Luther Studies in Latin America, Nestor Luiz Joao Beck
Conclusion: Venturing into the Study of Luther
Appendices: Sources and Resources, and Glossary

The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology

Edited by Robert Kolb, Irene Dingel, and L'ubomir Batka

Oxford Handbooks

Author Information

Robert Kolb is Professor of Systematic Theology emeritus at Concordia Seminary.

Irene Dingel is Professor of Church History and the History of Dogma at Johannes Gutenberg University.

L'ubomir Batka is Dean of Lutheran Theological Faculty at Comenius University.

Contributors:

Kenneth Appold, James Hastings Nichols Professor of Reformation History, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton USA

Matthieu Arnold, Professor of Modern and Contemporary Christianity, Faculty of Protestant Theology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

Heinrich Assel, Professor of Systematic Theology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany

Lubomir Batka, Dean of the Lutheran Theological Faculty, Docent of Systematic Theology, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Nestor Luiz João Beck, Professor and dean emeritus, Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), Canoas, Brazil

Theo Bell, Independent scholar, Rosmalen, The Netherlands

Thomas A. Brady, Jr., Peder Sather Professor Emeritus of History, University of California-Berkeley USA

Christoph Burger, Professor of Church History emeritus, Faculty of Theology, The Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amy Nelson Burnett, Paula and D. B. Varner Professor of History, University of Nebraska/Lincoln, Lincoln USA

David P. Daniel, Docent Emeritus of Church History, Lutheran Theological Faculty, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Theodor Dieter, Director and Research Professor, Center of Ecumenical Studies, Strasbourg, France

Irene Dingel, Director, Leibniz-Institut für Europäische Geschichte in Mainz (Abteilung für Abendländische Geschichte); Professor of Church History and History of Dogma, Evangelical Theological Faculty, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany

Mary Jane Haemig, Professor of Church History, Luther Seminary, Saint Paul USA

Erik Herrmann, Associate Professor of Historical Theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis USA

Paul Hinlicky, Professor of Lutheran Studies, Roanoke College, Salem USA; and Professor of Systematic Theology, Institute of Lutheran Theology; Docent, Evangelical Theological Faculty, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Gordon Jensen, Academic Dean, William Hordern Professor of Theology, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Canada

Robert Kolb, Professor of Systematic Theology emeritus, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, USA

Volker Leppin, Professor of Church History (Medieval and Reformation), Evangelical Theological Faculty, Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

Carter Lindberg, Professor of Church History Emeritus, Boston University School of Theology, Boston USA

(Wing-Kwang) Pilgrim Lo, Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong, China

Johannes von Lüpke, Professor of Systematic Theology, Kirchliche Hochschule Wuppertal/Bethel, Wuppertal, Germany

Mark Mattes, Professor of Theology and Philosophy, Grand View University, Des Moines USA

Charlotte Methuen, Lecturer in Church History, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom

Gregory Miller, Professor of History, Malone College, Canton USA

Gerhard Müller, Landesbishop Emeritus, The Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Braunschweig; Professor of Historical Theology Emeritus, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen, Erlangen Germany

Tom Joseph Omolo, Professor of Systematic Theology, Neema Lutheran College, Matongo, Kenya

Steven Paulson, Professor of Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, USA

Paul Rajashekar, Luther D. Reed Professor of Systematic Theology, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Philadelphia USA

Ricardo Rieth, Professor of Church History and Dean, Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), Canoas, Brazil

Ronald K. Rittgers, Erich Markel Chair in German Reformation Studies, Professor of History and Theology, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso USA

Robert Rosin, Professor of Historical Theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis USA

Risto Saarinen, Professor of Ecumenics, Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Johannes Schwanke, Professor of Systematic Theology, Staatsunabhängige Theologische Hochschule, Basel, Basel, Switzerland

Jeffrey Silcock, Associate Dean for Research, Lecturer in Theology, Australian Lutheran College, Adelaide, Australia

Notger Slenczka, Professor of Systematic Theology (Dogmatics), Theological Faculty, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany

Heribert SmolinskyDR, Professor of Medieval and Modern Church History, Institute for Biblical and Historical Theology, Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Freiburg/Br., Germany

Jane E. Strohl, Professor of Reformation History and Theology, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, USA

Mark Thompson, Principal and Professor of Systematic Theology, Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia
Jonathan Trigg, Independent scholar, London, United Kingdom

Anna Vind, Professor of Church History, Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Timothy J. Wengert, Ministerium of Pennsylvania Professor of Reformation History, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Philadelphia USA

Martin Wernisch, Docent, Protestant Theological Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Vitor Westhelle, Professor of Systematic Theology, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, USA

Eike Wolgast, Professor of Medieval and Modern History, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology

Edited by Robert Kolb, Irene Dingel, and L'ubomir Batka

Oxford Handbooks

Reviews and Awards

"This volume is certainly a fine example of historical scholarship this is an incredibly useful work, and will be useful to any scholar who has interest in Luther and his historical context."--Harrison Perkins, Anglican and Episcopal History

"Oxford University Press's series of handbooks has established itself as a go-to resource for high-quality, up-to-date treatments of scholarly topics across a wide range of academic disciplines, and this volume on Martin Luther's Theology is a worthy edition to the series... One of the most interesting features of the volume —and one with which it departs most clearly from other volumes in the series—is the inclusion of parallel essays offering different perspectives on two critical topics which remain hotly contested in the field of Luther studies: the question of continuity and discontinuity with late medieval thought, and the ever-contentious matter of justification by faith."--Reading Religion

"...[A]n illuminating overview of the state of Luther scholarship today... The Oxford Handbook of Martin Luther's Theology will be a useful aid for those who seek to navigate the ocean of Luther's theological contribution, traverse the jungles of subsequent Luther-reception, and draw constructive lessons from both for the enactment Christian faith in today's world." --Books at a Glance

"For both learned scholars and novices in Luther studies, this handbook may be the best introduction to Luther's theology available... [T]his is a very fine and extremely useful handbook." --Church History and Religious Culture

"It is an indispensable guide for appreciating the thoughts of this theological giant and passionate pastor."--Fides et Historia