1517: Martin Luther and the Invention of the Reformation Hardcover – Illustrated, 10 Aug. 2017

One of the best books on Luther and the beginning of the Reformation. Excellent!

Professor Marshall's book is a fine example of popular cultural history. In it he has disclosed an unfamiliar story. His prose is clear and precise. Jargon is absent.With one action, writes Marshall, a monk did something that altered forever the religious, political and cultural development of Europe and beyond. It was 31 October 1517 in Wittenberg when 33 year old Martin Luther, an Augustinian friar, nailed to the doors of the church attached to Wittenberg Castle a document comprising one sheet. It listed 95 Theses, propositions, against papal teaching on indulgences. It led to a revolution. It has become recognised as one of the most famous documents ever..The action by Luther has led to his name being synonymous with the Reformation. 95 objections have been ranked with the Ten Commandments. Since the sixteen century numerous books have been published with 95 in the title, for example, 95 Theses for a new Millennium, and 95 Theses on Politics and Culture., and 95 Theses for a New Ecosystem. Since 1995, Wittenberg has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.It is something of a shock therefore when the author, he is not the first, says the nailing probably never took place. Despite this, Luther's supposed actions continue to permeate modern culture. In 1966 Martin Luther King nailed his demands to the door of the Chicago City Hall. In 2005. Matthew Fox a spiritual writer and one time friar, posted Theses objecting to the election of Pope Benediction XV1 on a wooden frame set against the original door in Wittenberg. In 2010 he put an Italian translation on the door of the Basilica of St Maria Maggiore in Rome. Theses posting has not been confined to the spiritual sphere. Environmental activists have also posted Theses on various doors in Washington DC. Irish protesters have fixed their complaints about austerity measures to the door of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.Marshall points out that the attack on indulgnces was not an attack on the medieval Church. The Pope's authority was still respected. Purgatory was also still regarded as true. Only in 1519 did Luther say the Pope was fallible when pressed by Eck. In December 1520 he burned a papal bull.Only in the nineteenth century did the Theses acquire enormous importance. Luther's actions became synonymous with political acts to combat oppression. In Germany he became associated with freedom and nationhood. The Nazis seized on Luther's anti-Semitic writings. Hitler even thought of making a speech criticising Pope Plus X1 that would be stronger than the original 95 objections. After 1945 there were attempts by some historians to discover in Lutheraniism the roots of Germany's fall from grace.Marshall has written a balanced account of a seminal event, even if it didn't take place. He has taken a supposed fact and used it to relate a new tale.

For centuries people have had a precise date to market the start of the reformation, that being Martin Luther's nailing of his 95 Theses against the sale of indulgences, to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on 31 October 1517.However Peter Marshall reviews the available evidence and concludes (as have others previously) that, very probably this event (the Thesenanschlang) never actually happened. However that does not matter as the very ‘idea’ that it did happened, combined with Luther’s actual actions, clearly did change the world.This is a great examination of what did actually happen in 1517-1520 plus an examination of how the Thesenanschlang was ‘remembered”, celebrated and portrayed over the following 500 years, and all packed into a little over 200 pages.