Luther's Works, Volume 44: The Christian in Society I [1] [Martin]

xix, 417 pp. 8vo. Volume 44 of the 55 volume series released by Fortress Press and Concordia Publishing House. During the interval between the Leipzig Debate in 1519 and the dramatic, decisive Diet of Worms in 1521, Luther faced a wide array of major problems. He was forced to defend the emerging Reformation against its secular and ecclesiastical enemies and to clarify his own position. At the same time he had to address himself to a host of friends, supporters, and sympathizers who were apprehensive about where Luther's theology was leading. It was during this critical period that the writings contained in this volume were written. Martin Luther stands as one of the most significant figures in Western history. His distinction as the father of the Protestant Reformation is augmented by his innovative use of new technology (the printing press), his translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular, and his impact upon European society. Born in 1483 to middle-class parents in Saxony, eastern Germany, he became an Augustinian monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a reformer, a husband and father. He died in 1546 after having witnessed the birth of a renewal movement that would result in a profound shift in faith, politics, and society. He has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. His thought continues to influence all Christians and to animate the movement that bears his name.