Luthergedächtnis 1817 bis 2017

There is a distinct German tradition in commemorating the achievements of the German reformer Martin Luther. For example, 1817 and 1917 come to mind, when huge celebrations were staged to remember the 95 Theses, or the anniversaries of Luther's birth in 1883, 1933 and 1983. This volume presents twenty studies of Hartmut Lehmann that discuss the specific character of these celebrations. They show that the more Luther was praised by one party, the more others who also had vital interests in Luther's legacy were excluded; that the more Luther's message was popularized, the more the distinct value of his theological message was ignored; that the more one side attempted to neglect Luther's mistakes, the more others were eager to point out the reformer's weaknesses. Some of the studies look at the Luther celebrations in the United States of America, thus offering a comparative perspective. This volume is essential reading for those preparing the Luther jubilee of 2017.