Martin Luther's Theology: Its Historical and Systematic Development

Translator-Editor's Note

TRANSLATOR-EDITOR'S NOTE Due to die nature of the work, which opens with die genetic followed by die sys­ tematic treatment of Ludier's dieology, die reader may begin at eidier point widiout harm to die audior's purpose. The newcomer to Ludier's thought, however, will profit greatly from commencing widi die historical treatment. Indeed, diis portion of die work may initially be of more profit to both learner and scholar than the sys­ tematic portion. On die other hand, despite Lohse's modest appraisal of die sys­ tematic portion ("die study has a relatively conservative structure"), its content includes more dian a mere examination of themes respecting dieir internal coher­ ence. Like die genetic portion, it examines those diemes in connection widi die teachings of Ludier's predecessors and contemporaries. First of all, preparation of die text required matching die references in die Weimar edition of Ludier's works to dieir English counterparts in die so-called American edition—an onerous task necessitated by omission of references to die Weimar in die greater part of die American edition. The matching reference in die American edition is denoted simply by LW, followed by its counterpart in die Weimar Ausgabe(WA), hence, for example, LW vol. 10, pp. 332-33. WA 3, 397,9-11, 15-16. Second, since die English edition is not comparable in scope to the Weimar, translations were made directly from Middle High German or Latin works, widi dieir titles retained in die original. Where translations of diese references appear in die body of die text, die original quotation and its source appear in die footnotes. Where translations of diese references appear in die footnotes, diey follow die orig­ inal quotation and its source in parendiesis, hence, for example, WA 10 III, 259, 3-8: "Babst du hast das beschlossen oder die Concilien . . ." ("Pope, you or die councils have decided . . ."). The purpose of including the original and its translation is to allow die critical reader to assess die accuracy of die translation and where neces­ sary to substitute his or her own. Third, due to Lohse's own habit of repeatedly employing die same adverbs, of repeating subjects widiin die same sentences, or of alternating tenses widiin the same sentence or paragraph, die attempt at a faidiful translation may have resulted in a stilted text. Many dianks are due Professor Todd Nichol, Assistant Professor of Church History at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, for carefully examining the English translation and suggesting improvements. Readers will find some works referenced only by audior and short tide; fuller publication data are given in prior notes in the chapter or in die chapter-specific Bib­ liography at die end of die volume. Aside from its enormous bibliography of sec­ ondary literature, reflecting years of reading, die volume's persistent reference to Luther's own works, on virtually every page, renders it a mine diat only wading dirough die innumerable volumes of die Weimar Ausgabe could equal. Widi respect to xui xrv TRANSLATOR-EDITOR s NOTE its interpretation of the Luther "text" itself, the book is neither ideological nor bereft of stance, but measured in face of the decades of Ludier research. Togedier with die audior's introduction to Ludier's life and work (Martin Luther:An Introduction to His Life and Work), diis volume should serve for years as a text till die next scholar has spent an equal number of decades traversing die same field. Finally, die translation of diis work was first assigned to Professor James A. Schaaf of die dieological faculty of Trinity Ludieran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, historian and translator of various Ludier studies (see, for example, his translation of die diree-volume study by Martin Brecht: Martin Luther: His Road to Reformation; Shaping and Defining the Reformation;The Preservation of the Church). Due to his sudden deadi, die task was given to me, and I hope diat my work may in some fashion approximate diat of my predecessor. — R O Y A. HARRISVILLE ...