Ink Against the Devil : Luther and His Opponents / Harry Loewen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Loewen, Harry, 1930- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Luther, Martin, 1483-1546--Adversaries.

Luther, Martin.

Reformation.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (356 p.)

Distribution:

Ottawa, Ontario : Canadian Electronic Library, 2015.

Place of Publication:

Waterloo, Ontario : Wilfrid Laurier University Press, [2015]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Sixteenth-century Reformation Europe was a tumultuous time during which many defining ideas of the modern era were formulated. The technological advancement augured by the Gutenberg press allowed the unprecedented circulation of ideas among a growing legion of literate Europeans. The writings of radical reformer Martin Luther were perhaps most influential of all. His opposition to the universal Roman Catholic Church fundamentally challenged the elites and their institutions. Along the way, Luther was opposed by the Church, the political powers of the day, and competing religious ideologies. Ink Against the Devil distills the major impulses from these debates that continue to resonate to this day. This book will appeal to both lay and professional scholars of the Reformation and its major players with prose that is accessible and free of jargon. Loewen directly addresses the debates between Luther and his many foes, including Humanists like Erasmus and the sectarian opponents found among contemporary Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Of particular interest will be a focus on anti-semitism throughout Luther's published writings and sermons. There may be no other examples of this book's scope in such a natural, narrative presentation.

Contents:

In search of a gracious God

Luther's early red-hot pen

Dissenting groups and why they opposed Luther

The enemies within: Luther and the Wittenberg radicals

"The soft-living flesh of Wittenberg": Luther's struggle and the revolutionaries

"I commanded them to be killed": Luther and the peasants

Two riders of the human will: Luther opposes Erasmus and humanism

Luther knew and opposed the Evangelical Anabaptists

"I told you so": Luther and the Anabaptist kingdom in Münster

Much ado about spirit and matter: Luther and the spiritualists

Three in one or one in three? Luther opposes the rationalists

To believe what you like? Luther and his opponents on tolerance and religious liberty

"Drive them out of the land!" Luther on the Jews

The cross and the crescent: Luther opposes the Turks and Islam

"An institution of the Devil!" Luther's last battle against the Papacy

Conclusion and evaluation

Epilogue.

Notes:

"This book is an expanded version of my earlier book, Luther and the Radicals: Another Look at Some Aspects of the Struggle Between Luther and the Radical Reformers (WLU Press, 1974). The book was originally my M.A. thesis, completed and accepted in 1961 by the Department of History of the University of Manitoba under the guidance of the late Professor T. Oleson."--Preface.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-315) and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781771120821

1771120827

9781771120814

1771120819

OCLC:

918945030