MARTIN LUTHER CARL E. KOPPENHAVER [Illustration: Publisher’s Logo] Muhlenberg Press Philadelphia Copyright, 1953, by Muhlenberg Press _Third Printing_ Printed in U.S.A. _UB736_ CONTENTS THE MINER’S SON 5 Eisleben to Erfurt Into the Cloister Monk and Priest THE PROFESSOR 11 Dr. Luther The Awakening COLLISION WITH ROME 15 The Question of Indulgences The Ninety-five Theses Rome Moves to Attack THE BREACH WIDENS 21 Pushed into the Arena The Shadow of Hus For Such a Time as This LUTHER EXPLAINS HIMSELF 25 The Christian Nobility The Babylonian Captivity Christian Liberty The Papal Bull THE MONK STANDS FIRM 33 The Diet of Worms Answer Without Horns Neither Right nor Safe DRASTIC CHANGES 37 Wartburg to Wittenberg From Freedom to License Pigtails on the Pillow The Cloister Becomes a Home A CHURCH REBORN 45 The National Conscience The Augsburg Confession Back to Eisleben CHRONOLOGY 49 [Illustration: (uncaptioned)] THE MINER’S SON Eisleben to Erfurt The Turk was slashing his way up the valley of the Danube into the heart of Europe. God sat far off, not as a loving father but as a vengeful law-court judge inflicting all sorts of misery on mankind. In the forest lurked witches and demons seeking to drag the unwary to destruction. Into such a world threatened by the sword, ruled by fear, and plagued by superstition, Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany. Within such a world he became a man disdainful of bodily harm, convinced of God’s love and mercy, endowed with abundant common sense—a Christian worthy of study and emulation. Although his station of birth was lowly, greatness sought him out, and the whole world has felt the impact of his life.