Luther's Lives: Two Contemporary Accounts of Martin LutherElizabeth Vandiver, Ralph Keen, Thomas D. Frazel This volume brings together two important contemporary accounts of the life of Martin Luther in a confrontation that had been postponed for more than 450 years. The first of these accounts was written after Luther's death, when it was rumoured that demons had seized the reformer on his deathbed and dragged him off to Hell. In response to these rumours, Luther's friend and colleague, Philip Melanchthon, wrote and published a brief encomium of the reformer in 1548. A completely new translation of this text appears in this book. It was in response to Melanchthon's work that Johannes Cochlaeus completed and published his own monumental life of Luther in 1549, which is translated and made available in English for the first time in this volume. After witnessing Luther's declaration before Charles V at the Diet of Worms, Cochlaeus sought out Luther and debated with him. However, the confrontation left him convinced that Luther was an impious and malevolent man. Consequently, over the next twenty-five years, Cochlaeus fought vigorously against the influence of the Reformation. Such is the detail and importance of Cochlaeus' life of Luther that for an eyewitness account of the Reformation - and the beginnings of the Catholic Counter-Reformation - there is simply no other historical document to compare. Published in collaboration with The Sohmer-Hall Foundation, this book also supplies introductory texts to the lives of both Cochlaeus and Melanchthon, plus comprehensive annotation for readers who wish to make a broader study of the period. These translations will be essential reading for students and academics of the Reformation and all early modern historians interested in this fascinating period of religious history -- OAPEN Library website. |
Contents
by Ralph Keen | 7 |
Philip Melanchthons History of the Life and Acts | 14 |
an introduction to his life and work | 40 |
Copyright | |
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accused Apostles Archbishop Archbishop of Trier Augsburg Bishops called Cardinal Catholic Christ Christian Church clergy Cochlaeus's Cologne Commentary concerning condemned Confession Council decreed Devil Diet dispute divine doctrine Dr Martin Duke George Duke of Saxony ecclesiastical Edict Edict of Worms Elector of Saxony Elector Prince Emperor Empire enemy Erasmus evil faith Father follows George of Saxony German Gospel heresy heretics Holy honor Illustrious Imperial Majesty impious Ingolstadt Jerome Emser Johannes Cochlaeus Johannes Eck judgment Karlstadt King Landgrave of Hesse Latin learned Leipzig letter Lord Lutherans Mainz Martin Luther Mass matter Melanchthon monasteries monks Moreover nevertheless Nuremberg openly pamphlet papists peasants Philip Melanchthon pious Pontiff Pope praise preface priests publicly published Reformation refuted religion response Roman Sacrament says Scripture sect seditious slanders sort spirit teaching theologians things translated Translator's note truth Turks wish Wittenberg words Worms writings written wrote