Luther: Letters of Spiritual CounselPickle Partners Publishing, 2018 M09 3 - 349 pages Martin Luther is often thought of as a world-shaking figure who defied papacy and empire to introduce a reformation in the teaching, worship, organization, and life of the church. Sometimes it is forgotten that he was also a pastor and shepherd of souls. Collected in this volume are Luther’s letters of spiritual counsel, which he offered to his contemporaries in the midst of sickness, death, persecution, imprisonment, famine, and political instability. For Luther, spiritual counsel was about establishing, nurturing, and strengthening faith. Freshly translated from the original German and Latin, these letters shed light on the fascinating relationship between his pastoral counsel and his theology. “Since spiritual direction is not the wholesale application of general principles, but the painstaking working out of spirituality in specific situations, the personal letter is one of its best expressions. Luther knew the holy gospel and the human heart, and the double knowledge is evident on the pages of these letters.”—Eugene H. Peterson, Regent College |
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... Sin is not so much a matter of wrong acts (although it is this too) as it is a matter of wrong orientation. With this understanding the medieval distinction between mortal and venial sins of course collapsed. Man confesses, “I am a ...
... Sin is not so much a matter of wrong acts (although it is this too) as it is a matter of wrong orientation. With this understanding the medieval distinction between mortal and venial sins of course collapsed. Man confesses, “I am a ...
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... sin. Melancholy and despair were induced. Men would doubt that God is gracious, they would become uncertain of the forgiveness of their sin, they would be persuaded that God hates them, they would despair of salvation. “I have myself ...
... sin. Melancholy and despair were induced. Men would doubt that God is gracious, they would become uncertain of the forgiveness of their sin, they would be persuaded that God hates them, they would despair of salvation. “I have myself ...
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... sins, and I know that he is not angry with me, but loves me.”{32} Melancholy, anxiety, fear, and despair can be overcome only by faith in a gracious God, only by reliance on God's Word, and it is most helpful when this Word is ...
... sins, and I know that he is not angry with me, but loves me.”{32} Melancholy, anxiety, fear, and despair can be overcome only by faith in a gracious God, only by reliance on God's Word, and it is most helpful when this Word is ...
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... sin to receive Holy Communion under the form of bread alone? May Communion be celebrated privately in a house as well as publicly in a church? May a man put aside his leprous wife and marry again? Should the unbelieving be buried in a ...
... sin to receive Holy Communion under the form of bread alone? May Communion be celebrated privately in a house as well as publicly in a church? May a man put aside his leprous wife and marry again? Should the unbelieving be buried in a ...
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... sins in order that we may be saved. It is as Isaiah wrote in ch. 43, “Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.”{42} Whoever remains unmoved by so clear an example, and whoever is not driven ...
... sins in order that we may be saved. It is as Isaiah wrote in ch. 43, “Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.”{42} Whoever remains unmoved by so clear an example, and whoever is not driven ...
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Common terms and phrases
Accordingly Amen asked Augustinian believe brother cause Christian Church comfort commanded confession conscience counsel counts of Mansfeld dear Lord death devil Doctor Duke George duke of Saxony Eisleben ELECTOR JOHN elector of Saxony Evangelical evil faith father flee following letter George Spalatin give glory God’s grace God’s keeping God’s Word godly gospel grace and peace gracious lord Hausmann heart Herewith I commit highborn Prince Holy honor JOHN OF SAXONY Jonas Justus Jonas live Lord Jesus Christ Lord’s Luther wrote Macaronic text Majesty Mansfeld margrave of Meissen married Martin Luther Matt matter monastery neighbor pastor peace in Christ pestilence Philip Melanchthon pray prayers preachers Reformation Sacrament Saint Paul Satan Scriptures Serene sick sins spirit suffer TABLE TALK RECORDED Text in German Text in Latin things thou thoughts Thuringia town council wife wish Wittenberg write written Zwickau