Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation

Published on the occasion of the quincentenary of the Reformation, this encyclopedia extends beyond the Reformation to include the Reformed tradition, more radical movements (e.g., Anabaptists), the Counter-Reformation, and the history and present state of Lutheranism. In addition to the alphabetical entries—most brief but informative, each concluding with a brief bibliography—there is substantial scholarly apparatus, including appendixes that outline Luther’s paradoxical doctrine of the Two Kingdoms and details about Lutheran bodies in North America. The 475 entries include doctrines and controversial topics (e.g., Sabbatarianism), religious phenomena (e.g., Marian piety), events (Marburg Colloquy), places (Slovakia, Wittenberg), and persons (Hieronymus Emser, Huldrych Zwingli). Also covered are subjects like printing, hymns, music, and family life. Luther’s teachings are examined in articles ranging from "Views of Women" to "Self-Love." A series of articles address why the Reformation mattered, in its time and in various religious traditions since. Among the most interesting entries are "Legends Regarding Luther" and "Postcolonial Luther."…. [T]his is a worthwhile set. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. * CHOICE *
To commemorate what has been known since then as the Protestant Reformation, publishers Rowman & Littlefield and editor Mark A. Lamport has masterfully selected and arranged a 941-page encyclopedia with articles informed by deep expertise on the life and work of Martin Luther and the Reformation…. The authors communicate their expertise with precise, succinct language, producing easily digestible essays that offer on average five references and resources for additional study…. [T]his new reference work is a must have resource for all seminaries and for most universities and colleges. * American Reference Books Annual *
There is nothing quite like this volume. Besides the A-list contributors, it explores aspects of Luther and the Reformation that are sometimes left out, and it especially displays the relevance of Luther for a world in which his spiritual heirs are predominantly in the Global South. While an encyclopedia, this work is also a page-turner for anyone interested in knowing more about why the Reformation happened, what its emphases are, and what it means for us today as we celebrate its five hundredth anniversary. -- Michael S. Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California
This encyclopedia provides clear and valuable information for the Reformation anniversary and beyond. It gives a comprehensive overview from the Middle Ages to modern Lutheranism, from history to theology, with entries written by experts in their fields. Anyone looking for better and deeper knowledge of the Reformation will find it here. -- Volker Leppin, Institute of Late Middle Ages and Reformation, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Germany
Martin Luther ranks with Augustine as a man whose legacy in the Christian world is both vast and enduring. Adored by many and reviled by some, Luther leaves no one indifferent, and his ideas continue to bear fruit in the church today. An encyclopedia is just what is needed to guide us through this dense forest of tall trees and thick undergrowth, and this volume fits the bill admirably. It will be a standard reference work for years to come and help the next generation shape its own approach to a man whose life and work changed the course of history. -- Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
Today we have the good fortune of welcoming an encyclopedia that uses the tools of modern critical scholarship to search for the real historical Luther and to recount the complexities of world history that followed up to the present time. The multitudes of scholars assembled to work on this project are all experts in their fields, ecumenically representative, and have no axe to grind. This encyclopedia will prove to be an invaluable resource in theological education not only in Europe and America where the heirs of the Reformation are decreasing but also in the Anglophone countries of Africa and Asia where they are numerically on the increase. -- Carl E. Braaten, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
The Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation is a remarkable reference work. It introduces and makes an important contribution to the study of Martin Luther's life and theology. With its distinctive emphasis on the variegated breadth of Luther's influence, it also provides a unique vantage point from which to assess the significance of the Lutheran Reformation in global and ecumenical terms. This encyclopedia will be an indispensable resource for scholars and students alike. -- David J. Luy, Trinity International University
This is an astonishingly thorough and authoritative reference tool that will be indispensable to any Reformation scholar for many years to come. -- Joel F. Harrington, Vanderbilt University
Why does the Reformation matter? If you have wondered why we still pay attention to Martin Luther, then this magisterial, creative, and comprehensive resource will help you think in new ways about the ongoing influence of this Reformer. This resource brings the scholarship of leading global theologians, musicians, and historians into juxtaposition, which offers fresh insight both into Luther and the Reformation. It calls people to the urgent task of reimagining the wisdom Lutheran theology can offer a world in the midst of seismic shifts. -- Robin J. Steinke, president, Luther Seminary
These volumes, at once compact and compendious, will be a welcome port of call for all students of the Reformation. The sheer range of Luther's and Lutheranism's influence, down centuries and across continents, is exceptionally well represented in these pages. -- Peter Marshall, University of Warwick, England
Mark Lamport has brought together an international group of scholars in Luther and Reformation studies for this volume. They have translated their expert knowledge for a broader readership, while at the same time providing an excellent starting point for students and other professionals. The result is an important contribution to the global and comparative understanding of Martin Luther and the history of Lutheranism. -- Sabine Hiebsch, Theological University Kampen, Netherlands
An impressive number of scholars from a wide range of perspectives offer their insights into both the topics one expects in a reference on Luther and many issues seldom treated in such works. Readers will profit from the variety of viewpoints and methods employed to explore the main avenues of Luther’s thought and career and to evaluate his significance for the twenty-first century. -- Robert Kolb, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis
This volume provides the non-specialist with an excellent and sweeping view of Luther and Lutheranism that is both accessible and connected by bibliographies to the most important works of Luther scholarship, past and present. It also therefore provides the specialist with a useful reference tool. The scope of the articles, covering not only Luther but post-Reformation Lutheranism, and the quality of the team involved make this a delightful addition to the world of Luther studies. -- Carl R. Trueman, Paul Woolley Professor of Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary
The epoch-making movement that split the western Church and the Christian societies of late medieval Europe began five hundred years ago, in 1517, with Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. The Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation appears now at a crucial moment, offering a rich feast of concise and informative articles on the Great Reformer and the Reformation he began. Please, resist the urge to “Google it,” and turn to this superb resource instead. -- Mickey L. Mattox, Marquette University
This book offers a wide range of relevant topics. In these articles readers will find reliable information and much that will stimulate their thinking about Luther and Lutheranism in a worldwide context. A fine encyclopedic piece of work. -- Hans-Martin Kirn, Protestant Theological University Amsterdam-Groningen, Netherlands