Research Paper on Martin Luther

One of the last classes I took at community college was a philosophy course. The final research paper was very short, but we were allowed to choose our topic from an extensive list of philosophers. I chose Martin Luther. Here is the paper for anyone interested in purusing it. I must admit that it still needs a lot of work, but it was enough to get me an A in the class. Enjoy!

Luther’s Foundations:

Salvation a Gift not of the Will

Jonathan Schlaudraff

Introduction to Philosophy

Professor Cochrane

June 7, 2009

Martin Luther was a man of solid belief and determination, inherited perhaps from his father, perhaps from his experiences as an Augustinian monk, but in either case, this determination drove his adamancy concerning certain doctrines of the faith that he held as especially important to legitimate Christianity. Luther was born on November 10th, 1483 to a very religious man, Hans Luther, who began his climb of the social ladder working in a mine and eventually obtaining ownership of several mines.¹ Hans Luther purposed that his son should study to become a lawyer, but was disappointed when Martin joined a monastery of the Augustinian order.² After many internal spiritual struggles over sin and redemption, disillusionments over the indulgences and relics of Rome, and searching for answers in Scripture, Luther found a passage in Romans that reformed his worldview.³ Luther embraced the Apostle Paul’s concept of “justification by faith,”⁴ which fueled Luther’s eventual rejection of Catholicism and fierce opposition to it and its practices. In Luther’s consideration of sin and salvation, as one biographer puts it, “There is… something much more drastically wrong with man than any particular list of offenses which can be enumerated, confessed, and forgiven. The very nature of man is corrupt.”⁵ Likewise, what Luther himself considered one of his greatest writings, “The Bondage of the Will,” dealt exactly with this issue, that man was not only exceptionally sinful, but also incapable of finding or obtaining salvation on his own.⁶ This belief drove Luther to oppose the Catholic Church in several important ways, the first being when Luther posted ninety-five theses on the church door in Wittenberg in 1517, which were direct challenges to Catholic doctrines.⁷ This escalated to an intellectual and sometimes violent war between Luther and his followers and the adherents to the Catholic Church.⁸ Martin Luther’s adamant position concerning the bondage of the human will to sin and corruption corresponds directly to the earlier doctrine that man can only be saved through free justification by faith. This is such that the former doctrine bears as much importance as the latter, building the foundation for Luther’s immense opposition to the Catholic Church on issues such as church authority, Biblical authority, indulgences, and marriage.

Luther’s realization from reading and teaching the Bible, and particularly the Apostle Paul, that anyone could obtain salvation simply as a free gift from God, the only prerequisite being belief on Jesus, freed Luther from his own internal spiritual struggles and gave him purpose in countering the Catholic Church’s practices. The Catholic Church taught at the time that a soul would live in a type of limbo to purge it from sin before it could move on to the eternal afterlife. Luther spoke against this on the basis of Paul’s teachings as he states so well in his “Table Talk”, “All heretics have continually failed… that they do not rightly understand or know the article of justification. If we had not this article certain and clear, it were impossible we could criticize the pope’s false doctrine of indulgences…”⁹ He continues with certainty, “If we only permit Christ to be our Saviour, then we have won, for he is the only girdle which clasps the whole body together, as St. Paul excellently teaches.”¹⁰ So Luther not only believed that salvation was a free gift from God, but also that belief in Christ was the only means to obtain it. In Romans, the Apostle Paul states, “…election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.”¹¹ This comforted and reformed Luther for before that “Luther probed every resource of contemporary Catholicism for assuaging the anguish of a spirit alienated from God. He tried the way of good works… He endeavored to avail himself of the merits of the saints…”¹² In summary of this doctrine of justification by faith Luther held so dear, it meant for Luther that the spiritual struggles for salvation from a corrupt world were vanquished through simply believing on Christ Jesus, freeing all people from the tyranny of guilty submission to the Catholic Church and all forms of salvation through works.

Similarly to justification by faith, Luther realized in his studies another important doctrine that though justification came through faith, no person apart from the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, one of the members of the Trinity, could believe. This means simply that the human will is incapable of choosing to believe on Jesus because the human will, as with the entire essence of mankind, is in bondage to corruption and sin. One particularly recognized intellectual, Desiderius Erasmus, was pressed to write against Luther, which led to a book titled “On Free Will” and Luther responded with a work titled “The Bondage of the Will.”¹³ In this discussion, Luther revealed to Erasmus, “…you alone, in contrast with all others, have attacked the real thing, that is, the essential issue. You have not wearied me with those extraneous issues about the Papacy, purgatory, indulgences and such like—trifles, rather than issues—in respect of which almost all to date have sought my blood…”¹⁴ Of all the issues that Luther dealt with, this he considered pivotal to everything else. It set the foundation for justification by faith, for faith being a gift from God means justification is henceforth a free gift not won through indulgences, purgatory, or good works. Luther was emphatic on this point throughout all of his teaching whether it was his Bible commentary,¹⁵ “Table Talk,”¹⁶ or discourse on “The bondage of the Will.”¹⁷ As an Augustinian monk Luther quotes Augustine extensively throughout his book on the will. Augustine himself wrote in favor of the idea that mankind apart from God can work nothing toward his or her own salvation including faith except it is given to him or her.¹⁸ The ideology that Luther taught and propagated undermined the political and economic foundations of the Catholic Church.

Practically for Luther, these doctrines of justification by faith and the bondage of the human will to sin means that the Catholic Church’s custom of selling indulgences for salvation or for fewer years in purgatory and their practice of charging admittance to see and worship relics for the same purpose was blatant fraud. As the biographer Bainton states about Luther, “This was too much.”¹⁹ Luther took action, being particularly provoked by one man known for selling indulgences, John Tetzel.²⁰ Luther then began to realize the problems with multitudes of Catholic doctrines and practices beginning as already stated with indulgences, then also the worship of saints, monasticism in general, the papacy, the holy sacraments, marriage and especially that of ministers and priests, and many other precepts.²¹ Luther also put his new found beliefs to practice, like when he married a nun, Katherine Von Bora, and produced a multitude of children.²² This extreme opposition did not settle well with the Catholic Church and Luther was first summoned before Cardinal Cajetan, then issued a papal bull for which he was then summoned before the Diet of Worms.²³ That is where Luther made likely his most famous statement of conviction that, in response to a charge that he renounce his writings, “I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me.”²⁴ Interestingly, Luther was not executed, though plainly many desired that fate for him. Instead, Luther has become the icon of the Protestant reformation, known for his brash opposition of the Catholic Church.

In the twenty-first century, Luther still affects modern culture and the modern church with his ideologies concerning justification by faith and, though less recognized, but equally important, the concept of the bondage of the human will to sin. There is even a denomination that bears the title of Lutheran. In an introduction to the book titled “The bondage of the Will,” J. I. Packer writes that many other reformers such as “John Calvin… Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Bucer, and all the leading Protestant theologians of the first epoch of the Reformation, stood precisely on the same ground here,” that of Luther’s ideologies concerning will and justification by faith.²⁵ One has only to see that over fifty percent of Americans in the United States label themselves as Protestants to realize how much of an influence Luther has been throughout history as one of the most pivotal people in a movement that has shaped entire cultures and countries.²⁶ J. I. Packer quotes insightfully an editor on Luther as stating concerning the book “The Bondage of the Will” that “Whoever puts this book down without having realized that evangelical theology stands or falls with the doctrine of the bondage of the will has read it in vain.”²⁷ Likewise, anyone who has read into the man Martin Luther without realizing the foundational doctrines of justification by faith and the bondage of the human will as how Luther describes being the “essential issue… the vital spot,” has studied Luther in vain.²⁸ To understand Luther’s doctrine is to understand his influence, his character, his passion, and his God.

Notes

1. Roland H. Bainton (1995), Here I Stand: A life of Martin Luther, (New York : Meridian), xii, 19.
2. Ibid, 25-26.
3. Ibid, 48-49.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid, 41.
6. Martin Luther (1957), The Bondage of the Will, (Michigan: Fleming H. Revell), 40.
7. Bainton, Here I stand, 60-61.
8. Ibid, 63-64.
9. Martin Luther (1995), Table talk of Martin Luther, (Michigan: Baker Books), 188.
10. Ibid.
11. Rom. 11:5-6 (King James Version).
12. Bainton, Here I stand, 40.
13. Ernst F. Winter (1961), Discourse on Free Will, (New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing), v.
14. Luther, The bondage of the Will, 319.
15. Martin Luther (2002), Faith and freedom: an invitation to the writings of Martin Luther, (New York: Vintage), 90.
16. Luther, Table Talk, 186.
17. Luther, The bondage of the Will, 319.
18. Aurelius Augustine, A Treatise on Grace and Free Will, http://www.lgmarshall.org/Augustine/augustine_willgrace.html.
19. Bainton, Here I stand, 60.
20. Ibid.
21. Ibid, 15, 106.
22. Luther, Faith and Freedom, 245.
23. Peter Manns (1982), Martin Luther: an illustrated biography, (New York: Crossroad), 221-222.
24. Luther, Faith and Freedom, 20.
25. Luther, The bondage of the Will, 58.
26. CIA, World Fact Book, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html.
27. Luther, The bondage of the Will, 58.
28. Ibid, 319.

Bibliography

Augustine, Aurelius. A Treatise on Grace and Free Will. http://www.lgmarshall.org/Augustine/augustine_willgrace.html

Bainton, Roland H. (1995). Here I Stand: A life of Martin Luther. New York : Meridian.

Brian Tierney (1977). Martin Luther –Reformer or Revolutionary. New York: Random House, Inc.

Luther, martin (2002). Faith and freedom: an invitation to the writings of Martin Luther. New York: Vintage.

Luther, Martin (1995). Table talk of Martin Luther. Michigan: Baker Books.

Luther, Martin (1957). The Bondage of the Will. Michigan: Fleming H. Revell.

Manns, Peter (1982). Martin Luther: an illustrated biography. New York: Crossroad.

Winter, Ernst F. (1961). Discourse on Free Will. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing.

College edumacation

So, I’ve spent the last few years at a community college and it is about time to apply to a four-year. Well, over the summer and into the fall, I have been considering which college(s) I want to apply to. Originally, I had my hopes set on the University of Chicago (fabulous place) to study economics, but, alas, they do not accept community college credit. So, the other options were Hillsdale and the University of Washington Seattle. UW Seattle would definitely be an easier choice for me (or so I thought) since it is in state, a public institution, and the business program I am studying at community college would transfer directly to the school without any difficulty. It is also cheaper. However, it appears that I have a really good chance of getting into Hillsdale and although it is semester based (whereas I am currently quarter based), my classes would transfer very nicely and I would not have to go there any more than two years taking no more than five courses a semester. Sweet!!!

So, why am I telling you this? Well, partly so that you can rejoice with me for my great success recently (the Lord has been pouring his blessings on me), but also to talk briefly about community college. Now, from what I understand, I happen to be in a very good community college, but from my experience, community college is not a waste of time. In fact, it could be a life saver for many homeschool (and public and private schooled for that matter) students (as I was) transitioning to a more secular rigorous academic institution. Also, I heard a statistic (which I believe is likely to be true) that said community college students aiming to get a four year degree actually have a much higher success rate (along with maintaining a higher GPA) than students going directly from high school into a four year college or university. Honestly, you cannot go wrong starting at a community college (unless you are going to University of Chicago). For me, I initially wanted to major in history because I love history, but let me tell you that studying something for fun and studying something academically are two very different things. I quickly found out that I liked studying economics and not history so much (although I still study it on my own time). I never would have guessed in my wildest imaginations before I went to college that I would like economics and that it would be my major.

Well, all of that just to say to you high school students (especially if you are homeschooled) that you should consider going to a community college first, even if it is just for a quarter or two, to see what you like and don’t like. I would warrant that many times you will find an interest in something you would not have realized and you will find a dislike for something you thought you loved. Things are not always as they seem and that is important for us to realize sometimes (but then again, who listens to me? ). I guess a lot of it depends on what you value. If you want the extra prestige of going directly into a four year school, then go ahead, I’m not going to stop you. However, if you don’t mind humbling yourself a little to try a community college, you may find that it was one of the wisest educational decisions you have ever made. Unfortunately, I’ve known a lot of people who snub their noses at community college. If this is you and you think my advice is ridiculous, then do what you think right, but some of these same people I know who snubbed their nose look back and wonder if they would not have been better off starting at a community college.

Okay, so I may sound a little overbearing on this topic, but I’ve had a lot of very critical people think it was a big mistake for me to go to community college, but time and time again, I have seen them proven wrong not only for myself, but also for dozens of other people I know and proven right for very very few.

I’d like to also say something about K-12 at this point, but I’m running out of time. I’ll have to discuss that at a later time. Until then, God bless.

~Jahothanan Schlauberhoffen

Book Reviews

The difficult part about writing book reviews on a blog is that you can only read so many books so fast and write reviews about them. People in our fast paced world like things done right away and quickly. Perhaps that is one of the main reason’s people have not read books like they have in the past.

Right now, I a reading a book (mostly because most other folks my age are reading it and talking about it) titles “Do Hard Things” by the Harris twins. I once heard their dad give a sermon. I can’t say that I was particularly impressed by it or his sons’ books. Josh Harris’ either. Although, I guess I should be careful as these people are very popular and I don’t intend to make enemies among fellow homeschoolers and such. However, I do think that they, at the very least, leave something to be desired.

Anyway, I figured I needed to say something today. I’ll probably say more about my impressions of the Harris’ in later posts and especially as I read this book. Maybe I’ll light some fires and we’ll have some lively discussion. Then again, maybe I won’t. We’ll see. Hopefully I can build up some excitement for my review which i hope to post in the next few weeks.

The End is Near…

The end of the quarter is approaching and I don’t think I will be posting much until things are over. However, keep checking once in awhile because I will post when I get the chance. TWO WEEKS!!! Yay!

Can Science Produce Life (or even keep it going)?

My chemistry class took a field trip today to another university to use their lab. On the way, I rode with one of the students in my class who was majoring in some sort of bio/chemical engineering degree or some such thing. He posited the idea that he would like to do research in stem cells. He did not say what kind and I did not ask, but he seemed to think that it is possible with the rapid advancement of technology to keep people alive forever or at least for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. He said that there is no biological or chemical reason that someone’s life could not safely, but artificially continue forever.

I personally think that he is wrong and that science will not allow people to prolong lives that long, but let me posit the question before you, the reader. Do you think it is possible to at least prolong people’s lives to hundreds or thousands of years? Why or why not?

Expelled for the second time (If you haven’t seen it yet, you should)

I went to see Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed for the second time. I must admit, I have a hard time seeing what people are ranting about. Ben Stein’s point is hard to argue against. The whole film boils down to freedom of speech and freedom of inquiry. Ken Ham even points out on his blog that the film does not argue that ID should be taught in the schools along side evolution, but rather that people should be able to ask questions and not get in trouble for it. Science is at stake, our freedoms are at stake, and people need to speak up about this even if they are not creationists or intelligent design proponents; yes, even if they are evolutionists, they need to speak out for freedom.

A good point Ben Stein made in several interviews is that if something is true, people should not be afraid to answer questions on it, but rather, they should be willing, open, and ready to answer questions on it. I know that I find it encouraging when people want to ask questions about my beliefs. For me, one of the hardest things to deal with is apathy, but I digress. People asking questions is a good thing and should not be blocked, especially in academia.

It seems to me that people who argue against Ben Stein’s film are either afraid and unsure of their own belief system or just plain ignorant of the whole debate and show their prejudice against creation and ID. Really, their argument is a self defeating argument against Expelled as it usually proves Ben Stein’s point, that there is a lack of academic freedom concerning science.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

I just saw Expelled at the first showing in my local theater. It was really, really thought provoking. I highly recommend everyone to go see it, whether you are a creationist or evolutionist. This film needs to be talked about. It is too important to leave undiscussed. Unfortunately, there were too many seats left vacant. We do not need apathy. Instead, we need active engagement on the issues of evolution verses intelligent design and freedom of speech.

RC Sproul and Ben Stein (You have got to see this)

Great New Trailer for Expelled

Super Trailer #2

A Few Thoughts on Witnessing

I am taking chemistry this quarter and sat down with my lab partner yesterday to plan for our next lab, which is on Monday. With a little bit of chit chat, I found out that she is not saved, but is not particularly hostile to the ideas that religion, and hopefully, Christianity propose. This means that I need to be very careful how I act so as not to hinder my witness to her. Her name is Rachel, so that all of you can pray for her and for me as I hope to show her the gospel. In this, I trust the Lord to sustain me.