95 Theses

Did Martin Luther wield his hammer on the Wittenberg church door on October 31, 1517? Did he even post the Ninety-five Theses at all? This collection of documents sheds light on the debate surrounding Luther's actions and the timing of his writing and his request for a disputation on the indulgence issue. The primary documents in this book include the theses, their companion sermon ("A Sermon on Indulgence and Grace", 1518), a chronoloical arrangement of letters pertinent to the theses, and selections from Luther's Table Talk that address the Ninety-five Theses. A final section contains Luther's recollections, which offer today's reader the reformer's own views of the Reformation and the Ninety-five Theses.

By almost any reckoning, the Ninety-Five Theses ranks as the most important text of the Reformation, if not in substance at least in impact. As the anniversary of its posting on the church door in Wittenberg approaches, what better way to remember and recognize the occasion than to make this important text more easily understood by twenty-first-century readers? Timothy J. Wengert, one of the best-known interpreters of Luther and Lutheranism active today, sets his newly translated Ninety-Five Theses in its historical context with a detailed introduction and illuminating study notes. To help the reader understand the context and the import of the Ninety-Five Theses more deeply, Wengert provides two more related and essential documents: Luthers Letter to Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz (to which he appended a copy of the Theses) and Luthers 1518 Sermon on Indulgences and Grace (written to inform the German-speaking public of his view of indulgences). The book is simply constructed with introductions and notes for each of the writings, as well as a study guide with questions for individual or group reflection and conversation.

"Rejecting the antiquated and stultifying models in textbooks on method, in courses on methodology, championed by the self-appointed gatekeepers of a narrow and parochial political science, Norton opens the gates to more new practices, new principles, new questions, more methods, and more demanding ethical and scientific criteria.

"The text that follows is loosely based on the English translation of Adolph Spaeth, L D. Reed, and Henry Eyster Jacobs."

Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses forever changed the world. This is one of Christianity's most important documents. It was not, as most people assume, Luther's explanation as to why he was separating from the Catholic Church, but it was a shot across the bow of a corrupt system that eventually lead to the Reformation. Also included in this edition are seven of Luther's most important sermons including Christ's Holy Sufferings, Enemies of the Cross of Christ & the Christian's Citizenship in Heaven, Christ Our Great High Priest, On Faith & Coming to Christ, Of The Office of Preaching, The Twofold Use of the Law & Gospel: "Letter" & "Spirit," and The Parable of the Sower.

Have you ever wondered what Martin Luther’s 95 Theses actually said? If so, you’re not alone. Finally, there’s an accessible guide to Luther’s most revolutionary words. Martin Luther changed the course of church history. His 95 Theses are considered a groundbreaking document that sparked the Reformation and altered countless lives. But most people today have never read them and don’t understand them. In Martin Luther’s 95 Theses: Celebrating the Protestant Reformation in the 21st Century, Peter DeHaan takes Luther’s contentions and turns them into understandable, bite-sized snippets, short enough to keep your attention. He explains their meaning and makes them accessible for today’s reader. With a helpful snapshot of Martin Luther’s life, you’ll get an easy-to-understand overview of the historical and religious context of his day, as well as the impact of his history-making document. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses combines a concise history lesson with an easy-to-digest breakdown of each one so that you can: - Uncover the basics of the Reformation - Learn why Luther was inspired to write his 95 theses - Understand Luther’s words in today’s language - See how the theses are relevant to your life and your church - Discover how his message can inspire and transform your faith today In Martin Luther’s 95 Theses you’ll get the inside story of what led Luther to post these vital statements and how they apply to people today. A discussion guide to use with your small group is included. An advocate for authentic church practices, Peter DeHaan, PhD sees reform as an ongoing process in order to advance the kingdom of God. His desire is to encourage Christians to better align their lives with their faith. Let Martin Luther’s 95 Theses inspire you to learn more about the radical document that changed the course of church history and still impacts people today. You’ll finally understand what Luther’s words mean and how you can apply them to your life. Get this accessible guide to the 95 Theses and start your journey to a new understanding of Martin Luther’s most important work. [This book was first published as 95 Tweets.]

Werner Hamacher’s witty and elliptical 95 Theses on Philology challenges the humanities—and particularly academic philology—that assume language to be a given entity rather than an event. In Give the Word eleven scholars of literature and philosophy (Susan Bernstein, Michèle Cohen-Halimi, Peter Fenves, Sean Gurd, Daniel Heller-Roazen, Jan Plug, Gerhard Richter, Avital Ronell, Thomas Schestag, Ann Smock, and Vincent van Gerven Oei) take up the challenge presented by Hamacher’s theses. At the close Hamacher responds to them in a spirited text that elaborates on the context of his 95 Theses and its rich theoretical and philosophical ramifications. The 95 Theses, included in this volume, makes this collection a rich resource for the study and practice of “radical philology.” Hamacher’s philology interrupts and transforms, parting with tradition precisely in order to remain faithful to its radical but increasingly occluded core. The contributors test Hamacher’s break with philology in a variety of ways, attempting a philological practice that does not take language as an object of knowledge, study, or even love. Thus, in responding to Hamacher’s Theses, the authors approach language that, because it can never be an object of any kind, awakens an unfamiliar desire. Taken together these essays problematize philological ontology in a movement toward radical reconceptualizations of labor, action, and historical time.