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Peter Stanford
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Martin Luther: Catholic Dissident Hardcover – March 16, 2017

by Peter Stanford (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 107 ratings
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'A compelling biography of one of the greatest men of the modern age. Stanford is particularly brilliant on the tensions inside Luther's private and spiritual life. This is a very fine book, written with a flourish.' Melvyn Bragg

The 31st of October 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther pinning his 95 'Theses' - or reform proposals - to the door of his local university church in Wittenberg. Most scholars now agree that the details of this eye-catching gesture are more legend than hammer and nails, but what is certainly true is that on this day (probably in a letter to his local Archbishop in Mainz), the Augustinian Friar and theologian issued an outspokenly blunt challenge to his own Catholic Church to reform itself from within - especially over the sale of 'indulgences' - which ultimately precipitated a huge religious and political upheaval right across Europe and divided mainstream Christianity ever after.

A new, popular biography from journalist Peter Stanford, looking at Martin Luther from within his Catholic context, examining his actual aims for Catholicism as well as his enduring legacy - and where he might fit within the church today.

'Peter Stanford makes the life of Luther into a thrilling narrative, told from a modern Catholic perspective' Antonia Fraser

Previous page
  1. Print length
    448 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hodder & Stoughton
  4. Publication date
    March 16, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    6.38 x 1.54 x 9.41 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781473621664
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1473621664
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1473621666
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hodder & Stoughton; Illustrated edition (March 16, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781473621664
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1473621664
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.58 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.38 x 1.54 x 9.41 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 107 ratings

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Peter Stanford

Peter Stanford

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
107 global ratings

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There are 0 reviews and 2 ratings from the United States

Top reviews from other countries

millhall
5.0 out of 5 stars A complex man of simple faith
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2017
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Peter Stanford has produced a book which deserves to be widely read. A well known Catholic, he understands the subtelty and challenges of theology. Despite his own convictions, he manages to present a balanced and unprejudiced account of the life of the father of the reformation. The degree in which he succeeds is underlined by the fact that I was surprised to discover that he is a practicing Catholic.The book contains so many usable quotes that I read it with a pencil and paper at my side. To discover that Luther read the entire bible twice a year in every year of his adult life, was remarkable. As someone who has read the entire book in a year on two occasions, I was astonished. Whatever his critics may accuse Luther of, they cannot accuse him of not knowing his text!
I found the core message of the biography to be an enunciation of the central plank of the Lutheran challenge to the Catholic Church - namely, that anyone can read scripture and form their own interpretation. We can scarcely be surprised that such freedom led to the birth of multiple Christian denominations. Tragically, it also led to such extreme views that fanatics have caused death and alienation throughout the world in different generations, and not only within Christian believers. Luther had his "Damscus road" experience as he read Paul's epistle to the Romans and became convinced that faith, not works, was the sole route to salvation. This book teases out the problems that arise when such an apparently simple truth forms the basis of an entirely new church and how it's members relate to those whose beliefs are different.
In the 500th anniversary of the year when Luther pinned his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, any person of faith, or of none, would do well to read this balanced and insightful book.
27 people found this helpful
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Nuala
4.0 out of 5 stars This is a suitable book for people interested in the Reformation.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2021
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I enjoyed this book because Peter Stanford has researched the background leading up to the cause of the Reformation in great detail, and in particular Martin Luther the man himself. I found it hard to understand and fully comprehend the theological differences between Catholicism and Protestantism which was the ultimate cause of the schism. All in all, a great read.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Luther was a true hero for exposing a rotten church that was as far from God as can be.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2017
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Luther was a true hero for exposing a rotten church that was as far from God as can be. Stanfords book is a brilliant, long overdue, simple and honest review of the real hero that Luther was. In those days if you said boo to the church you were a heretic and it would cost you your life. Luther exposes the rotten church from within. It was so rotten that even today the stench is still there. They now *give* indulgences, rather than sell them. But pretty much everything else is still for sale, masses, Idols etc. Only they are more sneaky about it, its now called a stipend, an optional *gift*, only many churches insist each mass donation is £10 or more. The US is even further from God with their ridiculous profiteering in Gods name. The hypocrisy even today is still as gross as can be. They know how to talk God, but refuse to live God. Which misses the point by a mile. Shameless about it too. The shepherds refuse to lead us to God, so the sheep have gone astray. God has simply become a clocking on exercise once a week for an hour on Sunday. This just ensures few Christians are Christian. Thank You Stanford for putting it in plain English and thank you Luther for standing up to be counted, even if you did go slightly astray at the end. A truly MUST READ for every Catholic and Christian. I am a Catholic but I can no longer support a church that doesn't follow God, but rather itself. We still fiddle whilst Rome burns. Now we see why. Shame on them. ONLY GOD makes the rules. Anyone else is a false prophet. I shook the dust off my shoes and walked away.
3 people found this helpful
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P. Fowler
5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Story - more gripping than a novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2020
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This book must appeal to anyone on either side of religious belief, written by an ecumenical Catholic. Almost certainly, Luther's 95 theses were not nailed to a church door - they were leaked to the media. Long pent-up feelings in Germany about a money-making industry were out in the open. I'm now reading on about the repercussions!
One person found this helpful
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Richard Stephenson
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read - symparthetic whilst not ignoring Luther's faults
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2017
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A well written and engaging book from the Catholic perspective - the result is a sympathetic portrait of Luther whilst not over looking some of his faults. In my view far superior and more balanced than the better known Lyndal Roper character assassination which left me wondering if Luther was SO bad why did SO many people immediately 'gel' with him and his theology? Stanford highlights Luther's insistence on maintaining the doctrine of the 'real presence' and his innate conservatism - an unusual trait for a reformer.
11 people found this helpful
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