Table Talk (Fount Classics Series) [Paperback]

Martin Luther (Author), William Hazlitt (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1995 | Series: Fount Classics Series

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was educated by the Augustinian Hermits in Erfurt and at the University of Erfurt. He believed in the Pauline principle of justification by faith. Faith is a gift from God made available to humans by the incarnation of God the Son. This led him to challenge the corruption of the Church and he became the main leader of the Protestant Reformation. This volume is a selection of recollections, by friends and family, of things Luther said informally. It is therefore not as heavily theological as his writings, but rather an easily accessible and personal account of the German Reformation. This book celebrates the atmosphere of intellectual and spiritual freedom that was found at this time. These are thoughts of Luther as he relaxed with friends, and through them we glimpse beyond the theologian to the whole man; his feelings, ideas and even his humour.

Editorial Reviews

Review

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--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

From the Publisher

This religious classic brings to life one of the most famous leaders of the Protestant Reformation in simple conversations that reveal his personality and wisdom.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0006279376
• ISBN-13: 978-0006279372
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,899,495 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martin Luther (1483-1546) initiated the Protestant Reformation. As a priest and theology professor, he confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his The Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. Luther strongly disputed their claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Edict of Worms meeting in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor. Martin Luther taught that salvation is not from good works, but a free gift of God, received only by grace through faith in Jesus as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority of the pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptised Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with Luther's teachings are called Lutherans. His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of singing in churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great thoughts; terrible editing, October 30, 2006

By 

Jmark2001 (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Table Talk (Pure Gold Classic) (Pure Gold Classics) (Paperback)

Martin Luther never ceases to amaze and inspire me with his brilliance and insights. This edition is so poorly edited, however, that there are mispellings throughout and some sentences have not been corrected for grammar. Since this work is in the public domain, you would think that the publishing house would have spent the minimal expense to edit it. It makes great reading but no thanks to the publisher.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Censored, August 22, 2008

By 

Barbados (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Table Talk (Pure Gold Classic) (Pure Gold Classics) (Paperback)

I was very disappointed to learn that this version was CENSORED. They've omitted some original material. That was why I wanted the "Table Talk". It's supposed to be the REAL Martin Luther. Very disappointing!!!!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the real Martin Luther?, December 21, 2010

By 

Charles Daudert - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Table talk (Paperback)

At the time of the Reformation Martin Luther was a professor in the theology department of the University of Wittenberg at Wittenberg, Germany. He was also the regional head of the Augustinian Monks, and resided in the Augustine monastery at Wittenberg, a few blocks from the university. As a result of the Reformation, the Augustinian order in Northern Germany was disbanded. The ruler of that area, the German Elector Friedrick the Wise, who supported and protected Martin Luther, gave Luther the building which had housed the Augustinian monks. It consisted of 26 sleeping rooms, a study, dining room and other common areas. When Luther married, he and his wife lived in the building and raised a family. To support Luther's meager professor's salary, they took in boarders, who were fellow professors and students. The professors and graduate students realized that the comments at the Luther dinner table contained philosophical and religious wisdoms that should be preserved, and they took down what was said in shorthand, and later transcribed the full text into notebooks in their rooms. A collection of these "Table Talks" by Johannes Aurifaber was published in 1566, twenty years after Luther died. Aurifaber had boarded at the Luther household during the year 1545 and until Luther's death in February, 1546. He was Luther's last clerk, and was with Luther at the time of his death. In addition to collecting manuscripts of other table guest, Aurifaber recorded the table conversations during Luther's last months. The Aurifaber collection was the only known form of the Table Talks for more than 300 years. The Aurifaber collection was translated into English in 1652 by Captain Henry Bell. This translation was reworked and expanded by William Hazlett (1778-1830), an English writer and literary critic who was active in the Unitarian Church. The book under review here is a reprint of the Hazlett edition of the English translation of Aufifaber's collection. However, the original Aurifaber collection was neither complete nor accurate. Many items were not conversations at the Luther table and several others were edited and censored by Aurifaber to reflect his own views. In addition, the Bell-Hazlett translation contained further errors and misunderstandings. By edict of the German Emperor, a complete review of all of Luther's works, including the Table Talks, was undertaken by a special commission, which published the comprenesive Weimar Edition of Luther's works in 1883. The Table Talks make up six volumes of the official Weimar Edition. They are printed in the original medieval German and medieval Latin as they were recorded by guests at the Luther table. The Weimar edition is the only authenticated version of the Luther Table Talks. A portion of the authentic Table Talks from the Weimar Edition have been translated in Volume 54 of the collected works of Martin Luther published by the Lutheran Press (Fortress Press and CPH). A more complete translation of the authentic Table Talks is availalbe in Off THE RECORD WITH MARTIN LUTHER, An Original Translation of the Table Talks, by Charles Daudert, with foreword by Dr. Paul L. Maier, professor of ancient history, renown Christian writer, historian, and second vice president of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. Off the Record with Martin Luther