Audiobook Luther, vol. 5 of 6

This volume explores the ethical results of Luther’s theological system, focusing on the tension between the law and the gospel, and the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. Grisar examines how Luther’s denial of free-will and his emphasis on imputed righteousness affected practical morality, leading to the abasement of traditional Christian practices and the separation of religion from daily moral obligations.

The narrative follows the emergence of antinomianism through figures like Johann Agricola, tracing Luther’s vehement opposition and his efforts to modify his teaching without abandoning his core dogmas. Grisar delves into Luther’s psychology, his persistent depression in later years, his fanatical expectations of the end of the world, and his demonology, illustrating how these shaped his intense polemical writings against the papacy, the Jews, and the Turks.

The text details Luther’s massive literary output, including his German Bible translation, catechisms, and hymns, while critically reviewing his social and educational work. Grisar argues that Luther’s twin principles—that the church is alien to the world and lacks the power to make binding laws—resulted in a de-Christianized state and an established church dependent on secular authority, culminating in a profound shift in Western religious and social structures.