Theology of Luther
Department of Theology
Tyndale Seminary
Winter 2006
Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
Instructor: V. Shepherd
Office Hours as posted
Tel. 416 226 6380 ext. 6726 (office)
905 821 0587 (home)
email: victor.shepherd@sympatico.ca
Objective:
This course is meant to assist students in probing Luther’s theology both extensively and intensively
Aims: The aims of the course are
[1] to familiarize students with the vocabulary and logic of the Magisterial Reformation’s first major thinker;
[2] to understand Luther’s against its immediate philosophical, theological and humanistic background;
[3] to situate Luther’s singular theological expression amidst those of other Reformers and Roman Catholics;
[4] to investigate Luther’s oneness with and departure from the Renaissance;
[5] to appreciate the Magisterial Reformation as part of a movement that included Radical, Elizabethan, Catholic and Counter Reformations;
[6] to appreciate the significance of Luther’s theology for contemporary ecumenism.
Prerequisites:
THEO 05331 and THEO 0532 or THEO 0530
Text:
Timothy Lull, ed., Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings
Assignments:
Essay: Each student is to submit one 3000-word essay on a topic selected from the appended list of essay topics, or on any topic approved by the instructor. The deadline is not negotiable. An extension will not be granted (apart from medically documented illness or family emergencies such as death.) The penalty assigned for late submission will be one-third of a grade for each day late.
Examination: each student is to sit the in-class examination at the conclusion of the semester.
Evaluation:
The essay and the examination are each worth 50%.
Schedule:
| Jan. 12 | Introductions Class assignments The Religious Background to Luther Jan Huss |
| Jan. 19 | Renaissance Humanism Erasmus |
| Jan. 26 | Gabriel Biel and Late Mediaeval Scholasticism |
| Feb. 2 | The early Luther “Disputation Against Scholastic Theology” “The Ninety-Five Theses” “Preface to the Wittenberg Edition of Luther’s German Writings” |
| Feb. 16 | The Righteousness of God “Two Kinds of Righteousness” “A Meditation on Christ’s Passion” |
| Feb. 16 | Freedom in Christ “The Freedom of a Christian” |
| Feb. 23 | The Lord’s Supper (comparisons with Rome, Zwingli and Calvin) “The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ — Against the Fanatics” |
| March 2 | The Bondage of the Will “The Bondage of the Will — Introduction, Part VI, and Conclusion” |
| March 9 | Law and Gospel “A Brief Instruction on what to Look for and Expect in the Gospels” “Preface to the New Testament” “Preface to the Old Testament” |
| March 16 | (Reading Week) |
| March 23 | The Church “On The Council and the Church — Part III” |
| March 30 | Church and State “Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed” |
| April 6 | Marriage and Domestic Life “A Sermon on the Estate of Marriage” |
| April 13 | Antisemitism “Concerning the Jewish People: Was Luther A Son of Paul?” (paper by Victor Shepherd) |
| April 20 | Examination |
Essay Topics
What aspects of Renaissance Humanism most immediately affected the Reformation?
Was Erasmus a Christian? How did his work assist or contradict the Reformation?
What did mediaeval scholasticism mean by “justification”?
How does Luther understand the eucharist?
What would any two (or three) of the following have said to each other concerning the Lord’s Supper: Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, the Anabaptists, Rome?
What is Melanchthon’s theological contribution to the Lutheran Reformation?
Compare Melanchthon and Luther on the Law of God.
Write a “Review Article” on the debate between Erasmus and Luther on the bondage of the will.
What does Luther mean by the “Righteousness of God”?
Expound Luther’s understanding of freedom. Contrast it with popular contemporary notions.
How do Luther and Calvin understand the relation of law to gospel?
What is Luther’s Ecclesiology?
What does Luther mean by “Two Kingdoms”?
Discuss the theology of Luther and Eck at the Diet of Worms.
What significance is attached to the following cities during Luther’s lifetime: Worms, Eisenach (the Wartburg), Leipzig, Augsburg, Marburg?
What is the image of the Jew in the late mediaeval and early Reformation eras, and how did this image affect the treatment accorded Jewish people?
How does Luther understand faith? (fides qua creditur)
What is God’s mandate for the state, and how does Luther’s understanding here influence his advice during and subsequent to the peasant revolt?
(any topic approved by the instructor)
LUTHER BIBLIOGRAPHY
Althaus, P.; The Ethics of Martin Luther
The Theology of Martin Luther
Atkinson, J.; The Great Light: Luther and the Reformation
Martin Luther and the Birth of Protestantism
Martin Luther: A Prophet to the Church Catholic
Rome and Reformation: How Luther Speaks to the New Situation
d’Aubgine, J.; The Life and Times of Martin Luther
Bainton, R.; Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther
Blackman, H.; Luther, Translator of Paul: Studies in Romans and Galatians
Bornkamm, H.; Luther and the Old Testament
Luther in Mid-Career: 1521-1530
Luther’s World of Thought
Boyle, M.; Rhetoric and Reform: Erasmus’ Civil Dispute with Luther
Bratten, C.E., and Jenson, R.W.; Union with Christ: The New Finnish Interpretation of Luther
Brecht, M.; Martin Luther: His Road to Reformation, 1483-1521
Martin Luther: Shaping and Defining the Reformation,1521-1532
Martin Luther: The Preservation of the Church, 1532-1546
Brendler, G.; Martin Luther: Theology and Revolution
Crossley, R.; Luther and the Peasants’ War
Dickens, A.; The German Nation and Martin Luther
Martin Luther and the Reformation
Ebeling, G.; Luther: And Introduction to his Thought
Edwards, M.; Luther’s Last Battles: Politics and Polemics
Green, L.; How Melanchthon Helped Luther Discover the Gospel
Green, V.; Luther and the Reformation
Grisar, H.; Martin Luther: His Life and Work
Gritsch, E.; Martin Luther — God’s Court Jester
Gritsch, E., and Jenson, R.W.; Lutheranism: The Theological Movement and its Confessional Writings
Haendler, G.; Luther on Ministerial Office and Congregational Function
Haile, H.; Luther, An Experiment in Biography
Harran, H.; Luther on Conversion: The Early Years
Headley, J.; Luther’s View of Church History
Hendrix, S.; Luther and the Papacy: Stages in a Reformation Conflict
Hoffman, B.; Der Franckforter: The Theologica Germanica of Martin Luther
Luther and the Mystics
Hordern, W.; Experience and Faith: The Significance of Luther
For Understanding Today’s Experiential Religion
Jensen, D.; Confrontation at Worms: Martin Luther and the Diet of Worms
Jungel, E.; The Freedom of A Christian: Luther’s Significance for Contemporary Theology
Kittelson, J.; Luther the Reformer: The Study of the Man and his Career
Koeningsberger, H. (ed); Luther: A Profile
Kooiman, W.; Luther and the Bible
Leaver, R.; Luther on Justification
Lienhard, M.; Luther, Witness to Jesus Christ: Stages and Themes of the Reformer’s Christology
Lindsay, T.; Luther and the German Reformation
Loewen, H.; Luther and the Radicals
Loewenich, W.; Luther’s Theology of the Cross
Martin Luther: The Man and his Work
Lohse, B.; Martin Luther: And Introduction to his Life and Work
Mackinnon, J.; Luther and the Reformation
Marius, R.; Luther
McDonough, T.; The Law and the Gospel in Luther
McGoldrick, J.; Luther’s English Connection: The Religious Thought of Robert Barnes and William Tyndale
McGrath, A.; Luther’s Theology of the Cross: The Intellectual Origins of the European Reformation
McSorley, H.; Luther: Right or Wrong?
Oberman, H.; The Dawn of the Reformation
The Impact of the Reformation
Martin Luther: Man Between God and the Devil
The Reformation: Roots and Ramifications
Olin, J., Smart, J., McNally, R.; Luther, Erasmus and the Reformation
Olivier, D.; The Trial of Luther
Pascal, R.; The Social Basis of the German Reformation
Pelikan, J.; Spirit Versus Structure: Luther and the Institutions of the Church
Pinomaa, L.; Faith Victorious: An Introduction to Luther’s Theology
Ritter, G.; Luther: His Life and Work
Rupp, E.; Luther’s Progress to the Diet of Worms
The Righteousness of God
Russell, W.R.; The Schmalkald Articles: Luther’s TheologicalTestament
Sasse, H.; This is My Body
Sessions, K. (ed); Reformation and Authority:
The Meaning of the Peasants’ Revolt
Sider, R. (ed); Karlstadt’s Battle with Luther
Siemen-Netto, U.; The Fabricated Luther: The Rise and Fall of the Shirer Myth.
Steinmetz, D.; Luther and Staupitz: An Essay in the Intellectual Origins of the Protestant Reformation
Luther in Context
Swihart, A.; Luther and the Lutheran Church
Tavard, G.; Justification: An Intellectual Study
Todd, J.; Luther, A Life
Martin Luther, A Biographical Study
Volkmar, L.; Luther’s Response to Violence
Watson, P.; Let God Be God!
Wood, A.; Captive to the Word
Zachman, R.; The Assurance of Faith