Being shaped by freedom : an examination of Luther's development of Christian liberty, 1520-1525 / Brett Muhlhan ; with a foreword by Dennis Ngien.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Muhlhan, Brett.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Luther, Martin, 1483-1546.

Luther, Martin.

Liberty--Religious aspects--Christianity.

Liberty.

Theological anthropology--Christianity.

Theological anthropology.

Genre:

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

xiv, 284 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Eugene, Or. : Pickwick Publications, [2012]

Summary:

Did Luther get Christian freedom right? The answer to this question contains two elements:

What is Luther's understanding of Christian freedom?

How did his understanding stand up under the pressure of reformation?

Muhlhan examines both of these elements and contends that the sublime beauty of Luther's early understanding of Christian freedom-an understanding that empowered the German reformation-is consistently the same understanding he used to undermine papal heteronomy and refute radical legalism. The relational character, cruciform substance, and complex structure of Luther's concept of freedom enabled him to speak both polemically and catechetically with a clear and authoritative communicative clarity that reinvoked the magnificence of Christ and him crucified for sinners. The impact, both positive and negative, of Luther's appraisal of Christian freedom finds its focus of impact in the small world of Wittenberg in the sixteenth century yet resonated throughout the church of his day as a powerful, theologically laden response to legalism and antinomianism. Therefore, in light of this impact and its correlation to biblical freedom, Muhlhan contends that we can confidently affirm that Luther did indeed get Christian freedom right and that he did not fail to live by the implications of this radical theology. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part 1 The Substance of Luther's Early Concept of Freedom

2 The Polemical-Historical and Theological Context of Luther's 1520 De libertate Christiana 15

3 The Freedom Tractate's Theological Anthropology and Spiritual Ontology 63

4 The Freedom Tractate's Personal and Personal-Social Imperative 111

Part 2 The Testing of Luther's Concept of Freedom

5 Testing the Personal-Social Imperative 155

6 Testing the Official-Social Imperative 194

7 Integrative Conclusion 234.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1610974778

9781610974776

OCLC:

819443482

Publisher Number:

99954162269