Book Description

Martin Luther's radical actions in 16th-century Germany sparked off the dramatic process of the European Reformation. After a visit to Rome as a young monk, he began to deeply question the practices of the Catholic Church. He set in place a chain of events, which divided the church and brought about the Protestant Reformation. Famously appearing before the secular authorities at the 'Diet of Worms' in 1521 to defend his dissident beliefs, Luther worked throughout his life to further the reformation movement.
But were Luther's motivations as clear-cut as they might seem? Was he merely self-obsessed and egotistical rather than a guiding prophet of god? This important new biography portrays Luther, his concerns and his achievements with clarity and verve, and provides a comprehensive introduction for those seeking to understand the roots of the continuing discords in modern Christianity. Volently prejudiced yet inspiring, Luther is presented here with unflinching candor and honesty. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

This digital document, covering the life and work of Olaf (Jacob Martin Luther) Bull, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thomson Gale. The length of the entry is 1251 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description

Throughout history, the Marxist historians of East Germany have condemned Martin Luther as a reactionary and counter-revolutionary, a lackey of the aristocracy who sold out the peasants and helped pave the way for bourgeois capitalism.In this new intellectual biography, Brendler challenges the earlier interpretation, arguing that Luther's reformation of theology was essential to the subsequent social revolution.His appraisal signifies a fundamental shift in Marxist historiography, not merely because it rehabilitates Luther, but because it assigns a positive role in the development of constructive social change to the Christian faith and theology.A new translation of a 1983 East German book, Martin Luther represents an important change in the official attitude towards religion in general. ... Read more

Book Description

In this now-classic collection of interpretative essays, writers and historians assess King's personality and vision and capture the many faces of an exemplary and charismatic leader and of the age he helped to shape. Contributors: Jerry Tallmer, Lerone Bennett Jr., William Robert Miller, L. D. Reddick, James Baldwin, Reese Cleghorn, Haig Bosmajian, August Meier, Louis Lomax, Vincent Harding, David Halberstam, Carl T. Rowan, Ralph Abernathy, Adam Fairclough, James H. Cone, and Mary R. Sawyer. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A genius--like Homer and Shakespeare, and a great man
This superb book deserves to be widely read. It is well known that King plagiarised much of his academic work and many of the passages from his sermons and speeches, but Miller compelling explains this practice as the hallmark of the oral culture of African American religion that produced its finest example in King himself. Although Miller doesn't cite classical literature, King's method of creating his own unique works from the building blocks of others is a central and completely accepted insight into scholarship on Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, and it is well known that Shakespeare closely followed the plots of third rate plays to produce his own masterpieces.

Miller also shows how the courageous resistance of African Americans against centuries of slavery produced a profound gospel of deliverance that was a concentrated version of Judeo-Christian doctrines, pared to its essentials and vivid enough to sustain people through seemingly hopeless injustice and oppression, indeed, with the power to motivate people to lay down their lives, if necessary. It was this doctrine of deliverance that King delivered to America and the world, electrifying the consciences and imaginations of white Americans, and providing leadership of the highest quality to the many brave African Americans who were determined to end the injustice of racism in America.

This is a fine and inspiring book about a great American, Dr. M. L. King, Jr. ... Read more