This book is a highly selective biography and of Martin Luther by an author that wishes to glorify the originator of a progressive branch of Christianity whilst carefully omitting all criticism of a man who was anti-semitic, despised gypsies, thought that peasants should remain in their place serving the nobility whose positions had been ordained if not by God, then at least by his paymasters.It entirely leaves out even a mention that Martin Luther was the inspiration for the Nazis, who used his statements on Jews and what should be done to them as their own propoganda. Many attrocities in the Peasants' War of 1525 were committed in his name with his knowledge. The peasants sought to establish a classless society. Luther sympathised with their aims in print but when it came to backing them, he urged the nobility, his paymasters and whose society he so enjoyed, to condemn them and put them down as the "mad dogs" they were. (He made it plain that any actions by the peasants in revolt of the way they were kept down should only be as far as the authorities -those that kept them down - would allow.) His sermons hammered home the primacy of core Christian values such as love, patience, charity, and freedom and reminded people that trust in God would bring about change, and that violence was to be abhorred. He did not extend this love of people or hatred of violence to Jews, whom he hated and advocated extreme violence against.The book exists to praise Luther for reforming what he saw as the corrupt Catholic church, it doesn't address the entirely evil side of him at all. I wonder if in five hundred years books will be written about Hitler, Milosevic even on down to Jim Bakker and Jesse Helms and will laud them as reformers and dismiss in a a line or two their essentially hateful, evil character because it doesn't suit the myths that people will have come to accept about them. ( )

BIOGRAPHY OF MARTIN LUTHER, WHO FOUGHT FOR HIS BELIEFS AND GAINED MANY FOLLOWERS WHO HE LEAD TO FREEDOM FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Don't be fooled by the cover. This is a biography of Martin Luther, first published in 1962. When the movie came out, CPH republished the book, illustrating it with a number of stills from the film--including the front cover picture where Dr. Luther looks like he's going to hit you with a big honkin' Bible. (Maybe they were thinking that it was a good way to illustrate what the Reformation did to European Christianity.) I wonder if it was an attempt to capitalize on the film to sell more books or if the book was meant to push the film. Anyway, I suppose it doesn't matter. This book is better than the movie, but not as good as Here I Stand which is a Luther biography for an older audience. This covers all the high points of Luther's life, but the writing seemed a bit flat. Many of the other biographies that we've had to read for school are much more enjoyable to read. I guess Sonlight curriculum just raises one's standards. Still, even if Luther is mere waiting room material, it does do its job and tell the story of this influential man.
--J. ( )