The 18th volume of Walch's edition of Luther, the first part of Luther's polemical writings, which contains the controversial writings exchanged with the papists from the years 1516 to 1525, is presented here in a new edition. This work took a lot of time and effort for the person who did it, Prof. Hoppe. Most of the mentioned writings were originally written in Latin, and the old translations were in great need of correction. The latter have therefore also been exactly revised according to the original and almost all have been replaced by new translations. The latter also applies to Luther's well-known writing De servo arbitrio, "that free will is nothing”. It was first the intention to retain the old version of Justus Jonas, and Prof. Zucker in Fort Wayne, at his request, took the grateful trouble to add notes to it, in which the translation errors were corrected.
provided. However, since Justus Jonas not only occasionally missed the meaning of the Latin expression, but delivered more a free paraphrase than a translation and added his own additions to Luther's words throughout, it finally seemed more beneficial to give this so important writing of Luther to the readers in a literal translation. And that is what has been done here. The historical introduction, which gives an account of the origin of the writings printed in this volume and thus at the same time contains an important piece of Reformation history, is also a completely new work, in which, in addition to the old material, the more recent research has also been utilized.
The order of Walch is, on the whole and in general, apart from a few changes, about which more details are noted in the introduction, in this volume of our new Luther edition, as in the previously published ones, fixed.
The first volume has been published. Recently, in a German ecclesiastical journal, in the review of the 22nd volume, our edition was reproached for being based on Walch's work. We admit that Walch's division into volumes and within the various volumes of the compilation of the individual writings has some deficiencies and shortcomings. As far as the present 18th volume is concerned, one would be inclined, if one wanted to arrange Luther's writings here anew, independently, to drop the distinction and separation between the writings that are directed against certain persons and those that only concern doctrine. One would, for example, place the writings on indulgences in the 19th volume alongside the writings in which Tetzel and Prierias are opposed; one would prefer to include here some of the documents on the Reformation collected in the previous volumes; one would perhaps make a different selection from the opposing writings; in the end, one would even consider whether one should include the omissions of Luther's opponents, and so on. What primarily determined those who almost a decade ago decided on this new edition of Luther's works to use the old Walch edition as a basis, was the fact that the latter had a kind of house right in
The Lutheran Church has acquired that in most theological and Christian writings that are read in our circles, the passages that are quoted from Luther are cited according to Walch. A thorough dislocation of Walch's classification and order would make it rather difficult for readers who have the new Luther edition in hand to compare those citations with the original. However, they will find Walch's numbering of the pages in regular order also in our edition. Incidentally, the factual order of Luther's polemical writings in Walch's edition, according to which first the controversy over scholasticism, then that over indulgences, then that over the authority of the pope, etc. is considered, is in our opinion far more useful for the reading and study of these writings of Luther than the strict chronological order in the Erlangen edition, by which the similar is torn apart. And which reader of Luther's writings, who really uses Luther's works, will be able to make friends with the method of the Weimar edition, in which one finds doctrinal writings, controversial writings, sermons, catechetical, exegetical treatises colorfully thrown together? Finally, the order in which Luther's writings are printed is not too important. What one can do with
In accordance with the original intention, the inaccuracy of the translations, the incompleteness of the historical material in the introductions, which is rightly cited against the old Walch edition, has been improved as much as possible in this "revised" edition of ours, in the present 18th volume, just as in the previous volumes.
Luther's controversial writings, first of all those from the first decade of the Reformation, are herewith given to Lutheran preachers and Lutheran Christians anew and urgently recommended for reading and study. Among Luther's writings, these are truly not of secondary importance, but are among those of the first rank. As high and incomparable as Luther stands as a preacher, as a catechist, as an exegete, he is first and foremost the reformer of the church. And especially his polemical writings find testimony and monument of the great work and struggle of the Reformation. If you first carefully read through the writings of Luther contained in this volume one after the other, it will probably take some effort to work your way through the jumble of papist lies, antics, and foolishness that Luther had to deal with. But this effort will be richly rewarded when he now sees how the light shines out of the darkness, how the bright glow
The first time, Luther's writings are a testimony to the gospel of God's free grace to Erasmus with a joy of faith and a certainty of victory that is seldom found, and he calls out to the Pharisaic world as if with the voice of a herald. That these writings are highly conducive to the knowledge and discernment of pure doctrine, no one will deny. But they also serve for edification. Let no one say that such controversial writings are unedifying. The consolation of God tastes sweetest in the midst of conflict. Whoever has only experienced something in his soul of the hot struggle and opposition in which Luther stood, whoever has ever had to deal with satanic lies and doubts, reaches with both hands for the consolation of the divine word, of divine grace, of which precisely Luther's present writings are dripping. Luther's controversial writings, which at first take us back to the distant past, are contemporary. The papist lies, against which Luther testified and fought, are in general the powerful errors of this last time in which we live, which has dawned with the revelation of the Antichrist. The devil can not
stronger trump card than the one he has played through the pope in Rome, his governor on earth, the child of perdition, only that he gives the old lie a different color and shape at another time. We must be careful in our time that the old Roman leaven, as scholasticism, authority of reason, authority of man, Pelagian, synergistic heresy, Judaism, pagan abominations with Christian nimbus, does not find its way into our church. And Luther, the victor over the Antichrist, has sharpened the weapons with which we can strike at the heart of those enemies of divine grace and probity and deal them a mortal blow. And not
Luther's polemical writings are only useful to theologians for teaching and defense, for fortification in the truth; no, every believing Christian who is accustomed to reading books of spiritual content can understand what Luther has written here quite well and, when he reads it, will become all the more joyful and certain of his faith.
May God, who has given to Christianity of the last days this chosen armament, Dr. M. Luther, grant grace that through the voice of the Reformer, which sounds in our ears especially in the present writings, Luther's spirit and mind, and that is Christ's spirit, may be preserved and increased among us!
St. Louis, on Reformation Day, 1888.