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Von der freyheyt eynes Christen menschen / Martinus Luther. Czu Vuittenbergk Im XX iar; Title page recto

On the Freedom of the Christian

Arguably Luther’s best-known work, it was reprinted no less that eighteen times in its first few years. It is a searching treatment of key theological and ethical issues such as freedom and grace, and religious quandaries such as: if a person is "justified" or "saved" by grace apart from any works he or she might do, what is the point of living a moral life? Luther’s language is often paradoxical, as for example in its famous opening line: "A Christian is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone." and: "Here is the truly Christian life, here is faith really working by love, when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works of that freest servitude in which he serves others voluntarily and for nothing, himself abundantly satisfied in the fullness and riches of his own faith." One historian has recently summarized a key message of this work in contemporary, colloquial terms: Luther "told a sound psychological truth: Relationships of love are not played by rules."

Luther, Martin, 1483-1546

[Melchior Lotter d.J.]

1520

No Copyright - United States

German

Still Image

4551079

1520

Wittenberg

pamphlets

31 pages (quarto) ; 21 cm

Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University

Union Rare

GT2 1520fb

original filename:1900200041

Title within woodcut border; manuscript marginalia

recto, title page

reformatted digital