A Year with Luther: From the Great Reformer for Our Times by Athina Lexutt (review)

Offering "a little Luther each day" (ix), this volume provides snippets (all original translations) from Luther's writings for a full year, following the church year, along with Lexutt's brief commentary designed to guide new readers into the heart of Luther's faith. A professional church historian, Lexutt is also the wife of Oswald Bayer, well-known to Lutheran Quarterly readers. She writes for an audience with little or no theological background. Both the selections from Luther and their explanations are concise, but laden with a theological or spiritual kick. Additionally, each month is introduced by color reproductions of paintings by artists such as Rembrandt ("Return of the Lost Son," 1668), Gerard van Honthorst ("Doubting Thomas," 17th century), Simon Vouet ("Presentation of Jesus in the Temple," 1641), Dieric Bouts ("Altarpiece of the Holy Sacrament," 1467), Simone Martini ("Jesus in the Temple," 1333–1341), Hans Memling ("Last Judgment," 1466–71), and others. Lexutt explains each reproduction with a full introduction of its meaning, artistry, and relevance to the readings.

Given that Luther's writings are often charged with theological, spiritual, emotional, and ethical energy, even glimpses from his writings are sufficient to provoke reflection. Lexutt's commentary is helpful not only because it introduces basic themes from Luther's most familiar writings, but also because it does so with sensitivity both to theological neophytes and to those who are quite secular. In particular, she knows how to translate Luther's theology for young people. For example, she describes Anfechtung (spiritual attack) as the crises of meaning, difficulty in making decisions, or the pressures of life, matters to which all youth can relate (5). She interprets the devil as an "incomprehensible fear in the depths of the soul" (11), and sin as "alienation from God and self" (20). Bearing the cross does not mean enduring bad things but instead "detaching from worldly existence" (101).

Lexutt's translation of Luther's thinking into a contemporary idiom however does not detract from fidelity to the Reformer's theology. The gospel testifies to and gives a merciful God in opposition to a God angry with sin (7). Saving faith comes ex auditu, from hearing. The preached word moves the human heart, and renders believers able to live outside themselves in love for God and neighbor (31). God's favor is granted sinners not because God finds them attractive but instead because God embraces the lowly and thereby makes them attractive (57). Building from "nuptial mysticism," in which the bride shares in the wealth of the groom, sinners through faith can claim the righteousness of Christ as their own, not through their endeavors, but as a gift (99). The cross levels men and women before God; hence, the Roman Catholic supposition that there are two classes of Christians, the "religious" who follow the higher life of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and the "secular" who work in the daily world, is to be challenged (232).

The book adds both a short timeline of Luther's life and also an annotated bibliography of accessible Luther research. This book is to be recommended for personal devotions, a parish reading program, courses in Reformation history and theology, and general theology courses.