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Luther, vol. 4 of 6
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In: Biographies·History - European·History - Religious
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #49135.
About this book
This fourth volume of Hartmann Grisar’s six‑part “Life of Luther” continues the author’s scholarly, document‑based approach, focusing on the moral, social and personal dimensions of the Reformer rather than his systematic theology. The opening pages cite contemporary reviews that praise the work’s impartiality and meticulous use of primary sources, and the detailed contents reveal a dense, chapter‑by‑chapter examination of Luther’s involvement in princely marriages, his handling of bigamy cases, and his reputation for deceit, followed by analyses of his relationships with figures such as Erasmus, Duke George, and various Protestant princes. The narrative proceeds through a series of case studies, Henry VIII’s divorce, Philip of Hesse’s bigamy, Luther’s polemics and private letters, interwoven with psychological commentary on his temperament, rhetoric, and the moral climate of the Reformation era.
Grisar writes in a measured, nineteenth‑century academic style, employing extensive footnotes, German source quotations and a tone that aims for objectivity while still engaging with the paradoxes of Luther’s character. Readers who appreciate rigorous historical inquiry, especially those interested in the interplay of theology, politics and personality in early‑modern Europe, will find this volume rewarding. It appeals to scholars of Reformation history, students of religious studies, and anyone drawn to a deep, critical portrait of Martin Luther that balances factual detail with psychological insight.
Who appears in Luther, vol. 4 of 6
- Martin LutherMiddle‑aged German man, brown hair, full beard, simple black monk’s robe, austere expression
- ErasmusElderly Dutch scholar, bald head, spectacles, scholarly robes, thoughtful gaze, parchment in hand
- Duke GeorgeNoble German duke, trimmed beard, fine doublet with fur trim, jeweled sword at side, regal bearing
The opening · free to read
“Its interest increases. As we see the great Reformer in the thick of his work, and the heyday of his life, the absorbing attraction of his personality takes hold of us more and more strongly. His stupendous force, his amazing vitality, his superhuman interest in life, impress themselves upon us with redoubled effect. We find him the most multiform, the most paradoxical of men.... The present volume, which is admirably translated, deals rather with the moral, social, and personal side of Luther’s career than with his theology.”--_The Athenæum_ (Vol. III).
“There is no room for any sort of question as to the welcome ready among English-speaking Roman Catholics for this admirably made translation of the first volume of the German monograph by Professor Grisar on the protagonist of the Reformation in Europe.... The book is so studiously scientific, so careful to base its teaching upon documents, and so determined to eschew controversies that are only theological, that it cannot but deeply interest Protestant readers.”--_The Scotsman._
“Father Grisar has gained a high reputation in this country through the translation of his monumental work on the History of Rome and the Popes in the Middle Ages, and this first instalment of his ‘Life of Luther’ bears fresh witness to his unwearied industry, wide learning, and scrupulous anxiety to be impartial in his judgments as well as absolutely accurate in matters of fact.”--_Glasgow Herald._
“This ‘Life of Luther’ is bound to become standard ... a model of every literary, critical, and scholarly virtue.”--_The Month._
“Like its two predecessors, Volume III excels in the minute analysis not merely of Luther’s actions, but also of his writings; indeed, this feature is the outstanding merit of the author’s patient labours.”--_The Irish Times._
“This third volume of Father Grisar’s monumental ‘Life’ is full of interest for the theologian. And not less for the psychologist; for here more than ever the author allows himself to probe into the mind and motives and understanding of Luther, so as to get at the significance of his development.”--_The Tablet._
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