Martin Luther: A Catholic Critique & Appraisal (Index Page)

Luther-13

Portrait of Martin Luther (1528), by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons]

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[For those who wrongly think I am some sort of “Luther-hater” or “Luther-basher”, beyond disagreeing with his theology, and can never praise or agree with him: in many of the papers below (well beyond a score by now: see the appropriate sections below), I defend Luther (as well as, by the way, John Calvin) against myths and bum raps, cite him in agreement, or take a fairly neutral stance towards his opinion.

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I wrote in a paper dated March 2000: “I (like many Catholics) do admire him in certain ways. I like his passion and boldness and apparent sincerity and good intentions (though thoroughly deluded and wrongheaded). He had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary and to the Eucharist.” And in February 2001, I posted on the Catholic Convert Message Board: “I have never maintained that Luther was ‘evil’ or essentially a ‘bad’ man, nor have I ever denied his good intentions . . . No one can find those sentiments on my website.”]

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For more of my opinion on Martin Luther, see the Introduction to my book, Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise. A full third of that book is devoted to areas where Catholics and Luther substantially agree.

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Also, my book, The “Catholic” Luther : An Ecumenical Collection of His “Traditional” Utterances, (see the Introduction) is devoted to his statements that Catholics would agree with.

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WHY LUTHER SEPARATED FROM THE CHURCH / CAUSES OF THE PROTESTANT REVOLT (aka “REFORMATION”)

William of Ockham, Nominalism, Luther, & Early Protestant Thought [10-3-02; abridged on 10-10-17]

Protestantism Was Not a Revolt? [6-2-03]

Medieval Catholic Corruption: Main Cause of Protestant Revolt? [6-2-03; revised slightly: 1-20-04; 10-10-17]
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Luther Film (2003): Detailed Catholic Critique [10-28-03; abridged with revised links on 3-6-17]

Luther Wasn’t a Revolutionary?! Huh?! [4-27-04]

50 Ways In Which Luther Had Departed From Catholic Orthodoxy by 1520 (and Why He Was Excommunicated) [3-29-06]

Causes of the Protestant “Reformation” (vs. a Lutheran Pastor) [11-20-07; abridged somewhat on 10-23-17]

Dialogue: Why Was Luther Excommunicated? + Luther’s Expressed Obedience to the Pope’s Decision Regarding His Orthodoxy [6-18-08]

Luther’s 1522 Blast Against Henry VIII: Extreme Anti-Traditionalism [6-17-09]

Bible on Submission to Church & Apostolic Tradition + Biblical Condemnation of the Rebellious & Schismatic Aspects of the Protestant Revolt [8-27-11]

Dialogue w Lutheran Pastor on the Protestant Revolt (. . . with special emphasis on the beliefs of the Church Fathers: were they were more “Catholic” or “Protestant”?) [3-27-12; edited with links added on 1-8-20]

Why Luther Was Excommunicated: Debate with a Lutheran [8-14-14]

50 Reasons Why Martin Luther Was Excommunicated [National Catholic Register, 11-23-16]

Myths and Facts Regarding Tetzel and Indulgences [11-25-16; published in Catholic Herald]

Critique of Ten Exaggerated Claims of the “Reformation” [10-31-17; its 500th anniversary date]
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Luther’s “Reformation” and the Diet of Worms Summed Up in One Minute [Facebook, 11-1-17]
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Second Shorter (45-Second) Version of Martin Luther and the Diet of Worms (1521) and the New “Reformation” [Facebook, 11-1-17]
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Anti-Catholic One-Minute Version of Martin Luther and the Diet of Worms (1521) and the New “Reformation” [Facebook, 11-1-17]
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Was Luther Excommunicated Due Partly to Sola Scriptura? [11-26-18]
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Reply to a “Reformation Day” Lutheran Sermon [Vs. Nathan Rinne] (Including St. Augustine’s View on the Rule of Faith & the Perspicuity of Scripture; Luther & Lutherans’ Belief in Falling Away) [10-31-23]

Indulgences: Luther’s View & The Catholic Encyclopedia [2-16-24]
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Did Luther’s Excommunication Misrepresent Him? [7-1-24]
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LUTHER’S VIEWS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HEADED BY THE POPE, TRADITION, AND THE CHURCH FATHERS

Early Protestants & St. Augustine: Ambiguity [1-28-04]

Papal Infallibility Doctrine: History (Including Luther’s Dissent at the Leipzig Disputation in 1519) (Related also to the particular circumstances of the origins of sola Scriptura) [10-8-07]

The Nature of the Church: Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue [11-19-07]

Martin Luther’s Remarkably “Pro-Tradition” Strain of Thought [1-18-08]

A Curious Luther Citation (On Councils) Examined in Extreme Depth (+ Part II / Part III / Part IV) [1-27-08; hosted on Internet Archive]

Luther’s Fascinating Correspondence from 1518 to 1520 [6-11-08]

The “Catholic-Sounding” Luther: 25 Examples [6-16-08]

Luther’s Views of Augustine & the Church Fathers [8-2-09]

Martin Luther: Catholicism is Christian [6-12-13]

On the Definition of “Christian” and Whether Luther and Calvin Regarded Catholicism as Christian (vs. Anti-Catholic Calvinist Austin Reed) [6-19-13]

Top Ten Remarkable “Catholic” Beliefs of Martin Luther [1-19-15]

Luther’s Straw Man: Papal Infallibility = Personal Impeccability? [8-17-15]

10 Remarkably “Catholic” Beliefs of Martin Luther [National Catholic Register, 10-6-17]
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Was Luther Excommunicated Due Partly to Sola Scriptura? [11-26-18]
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Eck vs. Protestantism Chronicles: Tradition [5-29-24]

Martin Luther: Infant Baptism is True Despite No Scriptural Proof [Facebook, 7-6-24]
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Reply to Luther’s On The Councils & the Church [8-12-24]
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Martin Luther’s Early Radicalism and Later Traditionalism / Defense of the Book of James (Reply to James Swan) [Facebook, 10-24-24]

LUTHER’S ARBITRARY CLAIMS TO ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY / ECCLESIOLOGY

Martin Luther the “Super-Pope” (?) and de facto Infallibility (?): With Extensive Documentation From Luther’s Own Words [11-13-02; rev. 5-15-03 and 6-18-06]

Difficulties of Authority: Luther, Calvin, & Protestantism [4-11-04]

Martin Luther’s Dogmatic Self-Proclaimed Super-Duper Infallibility and Virtual Inspiration [Facebook, 6-1-06]

Papal Infallibility Doctrine: History (Including Luther’s Dissent at the Leipzig Disputation in 1519) (Related also to the particular circumstances of the origins of sola Scriptura) [10-8-07]
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St. Francis de Sales’ Brilliant and Clever Argument Against Luther’s Self-Calling [Facebook, 11-21-11]

Was Luther Excommunicated Due Partly to Sola Scriptura? [11-26-18]
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Banzoli Lies About Jaw-Dropping Luther Quote [1-22-24]
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Luther, Church Offices, + Swan’s & White’s Ignorance [6-11-24]
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LUTHER’S DISGUST AND AGONY OVER PROTESTANT SECTARIANISM AND MORAL LAXITY

Luther on the Deaths of Zwingli, St. Thomas More, & St. John Fisher [11-30-07; expanded on 10-31-17]

Martin Luther: “Our manner of life is as evil as is that of the papists” [12-29-07]

Zwingli, Bucer, Oecolampadius: Luther & Lutherans Not Christians [1-10-08]

Did Luther Regret Anything About His “Reformation”? [5-13-08]

Unbridled Sectarianism, Sola Scriptura, Luther, & Calvin [6-24-09]

Luther on Early Lutherans: “Ingrates” Who Deserve God’s “Wrath” [2-28-10]

Luther’s Disgust Over Protestant Sectarianism and Radical Heresies [3-1-10; abridged and published in the National Catholic Register: 9-8-17]

Luther on Early Lutheran Degeneracy & Bad Witness [3-2-10]

Was Luther in His Old Age in Agony & Bitter About Lutheranism? [3-3-10]

Luther’s “Agony” Over Sectarianism (vs. a Lutheran) [3-10-10]

Luther: Monks & Priests More “Earnest” Than Lutherans [11-10-11]

Martin Luther as Initial Cause of Protestant In-Fighting [10-13-17]

Martin Luther vs. Sectarianism and Fanaticism [10-26-22]

Luther: I Was a Better Christian as a Catholic [6-5-24]

Luther: “As Many Sects And Creeds As Heads” (James Swan Misses the Forest for the Trees / Calvin & Melanchthon Embarrassed & Scandalized by Protestant Sectarianism) [6-17-24]

Why Martin Luther Said He Was More Spiritual as a Catholic [National Catholic Register: 6-30-24]

Luther Feared Lutherans “Even Worse Than Papists” [7-10-24]

Luther: “All” Lutherans “Indulge” In “License” & “Vices” (+ Luther’s ignoring of the biblical motif of “You will know them by their fruits” [Matthew 7:16] ) [7-10-24]

Luther in 1530: “The more and longer it [the Lutheran “faith alone” gospel] is preached, the worse it becomes . . . each one does as he pleases . . . his name is blasphemed . . . those who want to be most evangelical despise him” [Facebook, 11-24-24]

ERASMUS-LUTHER CONTROVERSY (REASON VS. RELENTLESS RHETORIC AND INSULTS)

“Luther Meets His Match” (Seven Parts, Feb. 2009)

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Part I: Erasmus-Luther Correspondence: 1517 to 1534

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Part II: Luther’s Insults of Erasmus in Bondage of the Will and Table-Talk

Part III: Erasmus’ Hyperaspistes (1526): Luther’s Extreme Dogmatism

Part IV: Erasmus’ Hyperaspistes (1526): Luther’s Anti-Traditional Elements

Part V: Erasmus’ Hyperaspistes (1526): Excoriation of Luther’s Personal Insults

Part VI: Erasmus’ Hyperaspistes (1526): Sola Scriptura and Perspicuity of Scripture

Part VII: Erasmus’ Hyperaspistes (1526): Luther’s Dissembling, Arrogance, Polemics, Etc.

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Erasmus vs. Luther Disputes Documented [3-21-16]

Pelagian Erasmus? (Fr. McSorley’s False Accusations) [7-2-24]

SOTERIOLOGY (THEOLOGY OF SALVATION, JUSTIFICATION, & SANCTIFICATION) / SOLA FIDE

Luther and the Origin & Nature of “Instant” Salvation [1991]

Baptismal Regeneration: Central Doctrine, According to Luther & Lutheranism [1996]

Faith Alone & Original Sin: Reply to Smalcald Articles [1-30-01]

N. T. Wright and the “New Perspective” on St. Paul: Did Luther Misinterpret Paul’s Soteriology? [Facebook, 5-5-04]

Luther’s Error Concerning Justification (N. T. Wright) [Facebook, 5-19-04]

Luther’s “Snow-Covered Dunghill” (Myth?) [10-5-05]

Luther’s Projection of His Depression & Crises Onto St. Paul [6-1-06]

Dialogue on Luther’s “Getting to a Gracious God” (vs. Lutheran historian “CPA”) [6-4-06]

Martin Luther: Good Works Prove Authentic Faith [4-16-08]

Luther on Theosis & Sanctification [11-23-09]

Luther: God Predestines Reprobation of the Damned [2-27-10]

Martin Luther: Faith Alone is Not Lawless Antinomianism [2-28-10]

Merit & Sanctification: Martin Luther’s Point of View [11-10-14]

Martin Luther and Lutherans on Mortal & Venial Sins [10-30-17]

Luther (Unlike Lutheranism) Taught Double Predestination [1-11-18]

Calvinist Origin of Luther’s (?) “Snow-Covered Dunghill”? [5-14-19]

Martin Luther, Sounding like a Catholic, Concerning Justification [Facebook, 8-13-20]

Luther’s Translation of “Faith Alone” in Romans 3:28 (Also: Did “Early Erasmus” Agree with Luther?) [12-7-22]

Busting a Myth About Martin Luther (Did Luther Call the Justified Man a “Snow-Covered Dunghill”?) [National Catholic Register, 1-13-23]

Luther, James, Faith & Works: Additional Relevant Data [3-7-23]

Sola Fide (Faith Alone) Nonexistent Before the Protestant Revolt in 1517 (Geisler & McGrath) [Catholic365, 10-31-23]

Luther’s “Tower” Justification Idea & Catholicism + Early Catholic Church & St. Thomas Aquinas on Grace Alone (Contra Pelagianism) & Justification [5-28-24]

Luther Grasped “Faith Alone” on a Toilet: “Myth”? [6-20-24]

Works & Salvation: Luther vs. Scripture [7-4-24]

CHRISTOLOGY

Luther & the “Immaculate Purification” of Mary [10-2-10]

Luther & James Swan Blaspheme (Christ’s Sinlessness) [9-10-20]

BAPTISM AND OTHER SACRAMENTS

Baptismal Regeneration: Central Doctrine, According to Luther & Lutheranism [1996]

“Man-Centered” Sacramentalism: The Remarkable Incoherence of James White (How Can Martin Luther and St. Augustine Be Christians According to His Definition?) [11-26-03]

Luther: Confirmation is a Sacramental, Not a Sacrament [4-14-08]

Martin Luther on Absolution & Private Confession [4-14-08]

How Many Sacraments: According to Martin Luther? (+ Luther Expert James Swan’s and Luther’s Works Editors’ Confusion as to Luther’s Position) [11-17-18]

What Were the Baptized “Added” to? (Acts 2:41; vs. James White) (“Dr.” [???] White Rejects Catholic & Infant Baptism, Even Though the Church Fathers, Luther, & Calvin Do Not) [9-10-21]

Martin Luther Didn’t “Condemn” the Seven Sacraments; He Only Denied “That They Can Be Proved From the Scriptures” / True Effects of Sacraments [Facebook, 8-21-24]

THE EUCHARIST

Sacramentarian Controversies (Calvin vs. Luther vs. Zwingli) [3-29-04]

Eucharistic Real Presence: Luther’s Magnificent Defense [6-21-04]

Lutheran View of the Mass / Catholics & Lutheran Worship [11-19-07]

Zwingli, Bucer, Oecolampadius: Luther & Lutherans Not Christians [1-10-08]

Quiz on Early Protestant / “Reformation” Eucharistic Harmony [8-23-09]

John Calvin Rebukes Lutheran “Beasts” and “Evil”, Calls Luther an Idolater [Facebook, 3-23-10]
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Early Protestant “Unity”: Calvin vs. Westphal vs. Luther [11-6-11]

Luther & Lutherans on the Duration of Real Presence in the Eucharist, the Elevation, and Adoration (Bishop Bossuet) [1-27-12]

Luther: Ex Opere Operato Eucharistic Principle is True [11-12-14]

Luther Espoused Eucharistic Adoration [9-17-15]

Martin Luther Says That if He Had to Choose Between the Symbolic Eucharist of “Fanatics” and Catholic Transubstantiation, He’d Readily Choose the Latter [Facebook, 9-21-17]

Martin Luther Classified Zwingli, Karlstadt, & Oecolampadius as “Heathen” Non-Christians with “hyper-bedeviled heart[s]” etc. [Facebook, 7-11-24]
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Real Presence, 1 Cor 11:27, & Protestant Commentary + Martin Luther’s Superb Exegesis of the Passage [7-22-24]
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Martin Luther: Christ Didn’t Require Both Kinds in Holy Communion [Facebook, 8-20-24]
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Martin Luther Was Extraordinarily Ignorant Regarding the Church Fathers’ Espousal of Transubstantiation [Facebook, 8-20-24]

PURGATORY, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD, AND THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

Prayer for the Dead & Retroactive Prayer (Luther & Protestants) [3-22-05]

Luther Believed in Soul Sleep; Thus He Rejected Purgatory [2-9-08]

Martin Luther on Crucifixes, Images and Statues of Saints, and the Sign of the Cross [4-15-08]

Luther: Purgatory “Quite Plain” in 2 Maccabees [3-5-09]

John Wesley Believed in Prayer for the Dead (Also, approval of Luther and Lutherans) [7-13-09]

Luther’s Early Belief in Invocation of the Saints [10-4-11]

Martin Luther’s Espousal of the Veneration of Saints [11-11-14]

Martin Luther’s Belief in Purgatory (1517-1522, 1528) [11-17-14]

Reply to Lutheran on the Invocation of Saints [12-1-15]

Luther’s Ignorance Regarding Scripture & the Invocation & Intercession of Saints & Angels [Facebook, 6-27-24]
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Luther vs. Scripture: All Ghosts R Satanic Deceivers? [6-28-24]
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SOLA SCRIPTURA , THE BIBLE, AND THE RULE OF FAITH

Papal Infallibility Doctrine: History (Including Luther’s Dissent at the Leipzig Disputation in 1519) [10-8-07]

Luther: Scripture Easily Grasped by “Plowboys” [11-1-08]

Were Vernacular Bibles Unknown Before Luther? (Luther’s Dubious Claims About the Supposed Utter Obscurity of the Bible Before His Translation) [6-15-11]

Luther & the Previously Obscure [?] Bible (expanded version, vs. James Swan) [6-15-11]

Dialogue: “Obscure” Bible Before Luther’s Translation? [7-24-14]

Did Luther Rescue the Bible in German from Utter Obscurity? [National Catholic Register, 10-30-17]

Was Luther Excommunicated Due Partly to Sola Scriptura? [11-26-18]
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Martin Luther on the Exact Nature of Being “Biblical” [11-10-14; revised and expanded on 1-5-20]

How Martin Luther Invented Sola Scriptura [National Catholic Register, 5-21-24]
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Luther’s Error: We Think Church Is “Over” Scripture? [6-29-24]

THE BIBLICAL CANON / DEUTEROCANON / “APOCRYPHA”

Luther’s Radical Views on the Biblical Canon (His Outrageous Assertions, Protestant Scholars’ Opinions & “Debate” with John Warwick Montgomery) [9-25-04]

Did Luther Deny the Canonicity of Esther? [3-24-07]

Luther’s View of the Book of Esther (Anti-Catholic Attempts to Blame Catholics for a Questionable Luther Citation Passed Down by Three Admiring Protestants) [8-20-11]

Protestant Errors Regarding Luther & the Biblical Canon (and anti-Catholic blaming of Catholic apologists for them) [8-27-11]

James Swan Ignores Protestant Errors on Luther’s Canon (Instead, He Absurdly Blames Catholic Apologists for Historical Errors of Protestant Writers) [expanded “dialogue” edition of the previous article; 8-27-11]

Luther & the Deuterocanon (So-Called “Apocrypha”) [2014]

Martin Luther’s Early Radicalism and Later Traditionalism / Defense of the Book of James (Reply to James Swan) [Facebook, 10-24-24]

Luther’s & Protestants’ Irrational Antipathy Towards the Epistle of James [Facebook, 10-26-24]

LUTHER AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Martin Luther Was Extraordinarily Devoted to Mary [1994]
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Perpetual Virginity of Mary: Held by All Protestant Reformers [1-27-02]

Martin Luther’s Mariology (Particularly the Immaculate Conception) [4-24-03; major revision: 4-7-08]

Luther’s Mariology: the Protestant View (vs. James Swan) [4-26-03]

Luther’s Mariology: Have Catholic Apologists Exaggerated It? (And Has Present-Day Protestantism Maintained the Classical “Reformation” Protestant Mariology?) [4-26-03; rev. 7-15-20]

Martin Luther’s Mariology: Reply to James Swan: . . . Particularly the Immaculate Conception / Has Present-Day Protestantism Maintained the Classical “Reformational” Heritage of Mariology? [4-26-03; rev. 4-6-23]

Anti-Catholic Caricatures of Catholic Mariology (vs. James Swan) [4-26-03]

Vs. James Swan #2 Re Luther’s Mariology (+ Part 2) [original full dialogue: 6-28-03; uploaded on 4-29-24]
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2nd Reply to James Swan Re Luther’s Mariology [6-28-03; abridged on 7-19-20]

Mary’s Assumption & Historic Protestantism [6-30-08]

Mary Mother of God: Protestant Founders Agree (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Bullinger) [10-10-08]

Luther & Mary’s Immaculate Conception: Lutheran Scholars’ Opinions [9-30-10]

Luther & the Immaculate Conception: More Non-Catholic Historians & Scholars [9-30-10]

Luther & the “Immaculate Purification” of Mary [10-2-10]

Debate with Lutherans Regarding Luther’s Mariology (Including my Citation Mistake from 1994: Clarification and Retraction) [10-2-11]

Martin Luther’s Belief in the Invocation and Intercession of Mary and the Saints, as Late as 1521 [10-4-11]

Dialogues with Lutherans Regarding Three Luther Mary Quotes [10-6-11]

Luther & Mary’s Virginity During Childbirth (The Miraculous Birth of Jesus [“in Partu”] Without Pain) [10-12-11; additions on 9-19-15]

Martin Luther and the “Immaculate Purification” of Mary [article for Seton Magazine, 5-6-14]

Martin Luther’s Belief in the Perpetual Virginity of Mary (+ Reformed Apologist James Swan’s Belittling Contempt of Luther) [9-23-14]

Luther’s Invocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Facebook, 10-16-14]

Luther & Veneration of Mary: James Swan’s Revisionism (His Anti-Catholic Nonsense with Regard to Martin Luther’s Mariology & Also My Related Research) [4-22-16]

Martin Luther’s “Immaculate Purification” View of Mary [National Catholic Register, 12-31-16]

Martin Luther vs. Nestorius Regarding “Mother of God” [3-28-18]

Martin Luther’s Exceptionally “Catholic” Devotion to Mary [National Catholic Register, 4-16-19]

Martin Luther’s (“Catholic”) Mariology in a Nutshell [4-12-18; links added on 5-8-19]

Reply to an Anti-Catholic Lutheran Personal Attack (Regarding My Alleged Lack of Knowledge About What Lutherans Are Theologically Bound to Accept) [Facebook, 5-25-19]

Luther & Mary’s Virginity (James Swan’s Silly Tactics) [4-22-20]

Luther & James Swan Blaspheme (Christ’s Sinlessness) [9-10-20]

James Swan, the Immaculate Conception, Luther, & Lutherans: He Still Refuses to Admit that Many Eminent Lutheran Scholars Contend that Luther Believed in Mary’s Immaculate Conception for His Entire Life [6-22-23]

Martin Luther: Mary Was a Perpetual Virgin [6-10-24]
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Luther’s Odd Take On Mary & Jesus In The Temple At 12 (And James Swan’s Unwarranted Conclusion from Luther’s Sermon, That He Was Accusing Her of Sin) [6-14-24]
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Luther & Mary’s Assumption + James Swan’s Silliness [6-19-24; expanded on 8-3-24]
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Luther’s Devotion To Mary (James Swan Vs. History) + Luther’s Wonderful Commentary on the Magnificat (March 1521) [6-21-24]

Luther Objected to the Blessed Virgin Mary Interceding for us With Her Son, in His Last Sermon at Wittenberg; Misses a Prominent Scriptural Motif [Facebook, 7-10-24]
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Martin Luther Said He Believed in Mary’s Assumption — Did He Ever Change His Mind? [National Catholic Register, 7-25-24]
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Martin Luther’s High Praise of Mary in His Sermon for Christmas, 1531 [Facebook, 8-18-24]
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Martin Luther on Mary the Mother of God [Facebook, 10-3-24]
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Luther & Mary’s Perpetual Virginity: More Context (+ His Belief in Her Virginity During Christ’s Birth (In Partu) [12-17-24]
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“Was Luther a Marian Devotee?” (William J. Cole, Marian Studies, Vol. 21, Art. 8, 10-24-70)

PEASANTS’ REVOLT AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT / TOLERATION ISSUES

Martin Luther’s Inflammatory Rhetoric and the Peasants’ Revolt (1524-1525) (+ Part II) [10-31-03]

Luther Favored Death Penalty for Anabaptists [2-24-04]

The Real Diet of Augsburg (1530) vs. the Protestant Myth [3-3-04]

Luther’s Attitudes on Religious Liberty (Roland H. Bainton) [2-16-06]

16th Century Theft of Church Properties (vs. Lutheran Historian) [2-22-06]

Luther: Death Penalty for Anabaptists & 1525 Peasants’ Revolt (Critique of James Swan’s Misrepresentation on the Radio Show, Iron Sharpens Iron, with Chris Arnzen) [11-6-07]

Luther on the Deaths of Zwingli, St. Thomas More, & St. John Fisher [11-30-07; expanded on 10-31-17]

“Reformation” Theft of Thousands of Catholic Churches [4-12-08]

Luther: Execute Adulterers, Witches, Frigid Wives, & Prostitutes [12-20-07 and 2-22-10]

Reply to Reformed Luther Apologist James Swan’s Request for Documentation of Executions of Anabaptists Sanctioned by Luther, in the 1530s [8-17-14]

Was Luther “Bloodthirsty” & Violent? (James Swan & I Agree!) [8-29-17]

Luther Favored Death, Not Religious Freedom, For ‘Heretics’ [National Catholic Register, 10-25-17]
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Luther & Killing Catholics: James Swan Butchers My Views (. . . for the umpteenth time . . .) [7-19-20]

Did Luther Cause the 1525 Peasants’ Revolt? (vs. Banzoli) [6-20-22]

Protestants Executed Peaceful Anabaptists (vs. L. Banzoli) [6-20-22]

Luther Favored Execution of Heretics (vs. Jordan Cooper) + Good & Bad Protestant & Catholic Apologetics & Historical Revisionism & “Twisting” [3-21-24]
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James Swan Rationalizes Luther’s Intolerance Again [11-22-24]
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LUTHER’S COARSE AND “VIOLENT” LANGUAGE AND SANCTION OF VULGAR ART

Early Protestant Antipathy Towards Art (+ Iconoclasm) [1991]
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Martin Luther’s Extraordinary Epithets & Insults (Some Typical Examples) [6-11-91]
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Did the Older Luther’s Illness and Frustration Significantly (and Negatively) Impact His Writing? Luther Historians Say Yes [6-12-13]

Was Luther “Bloodthirsty” & Violent? (James Swan & I Agree!) [8-29-17]
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LUTHER ON MARRIAGE, POLYGAMY, CONCUBINAGE, BIGAMY, CELIBACY, SEXUALITY, AND WOMEN

Luther Thought Jesus Committed Adultery w Mary Magdalene? [8-14-03; rev. 6-2-17]
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Luther and Calvin Opposed Contraception and “Fewer Children is Better” Thinking [2-21-04; published at National Catholic Register, 9-13-17]

Martin Luther & Antipathy Towards Clerical Celibacy [2-21-04]

Luther & Melanchthon: Bigamy of Philip of Hesse is Biblical (Hartmann Grisar) [2-14-07; abridged on 11-2-17]
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The Supreme Importance of Interpreting Martin Luther in Context (For example, His Views on Marriage and Sexuality) [2-22-07]

Martin Luther’s Outrageous Views Regarding Women [2-22-10]

Martin Luther Condemned Masturbation (“Secret Sin”) [6-2-10]

Luther Okayed Polygamy? No, But . . . [6-10-24]
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LUTHER’S CLINICAL DEPRESSION AND NEUROSES (?)

Luther’s Projection of His Depression & Crises Onto St. Paul [6-1-06]

Did Luther Suffer from Recurring Depression? [7-4-07]

Was Luther a Neurotic? Protestant Biographers Say Yes [4-28-10]

Did Grisar Characterize Luther As A “Psychopath”?: James Swan’s Utterly Unfounded, Outrageous Misrepresentations of the Great Catholic Historian [6-6-24]
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SUPERSTITIONS, SILLINESS, AND SCIENCE

Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Philip Melanchthon Wax Astronomical and Geocentric, Oppose Copernicus [2-5-09]

Some of Luther’s Silly Superstitions [Facebook, 11-12-14]

MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL

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Astonishing Hostility to Higher Education in Early Protestantism [1991]

Critiquing Martin Luther (My Motivations and Purposes) [9-19-04]

Analyzing Luther / Protestant Traditions of Men Inevitable [9-29-04]

Books by Dave Armstrong: Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise [4-17-08]

Introduction to My Book: Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise [4-17-08]

John Calvin Rebukes Lutheran “Beasts” and “Evil”, Calls Luther an Idolater [Facebook, 3-23-10]

Finally Got the Entire Hardcover 55-Volume Collection, Luther’s Works (to be Expanded Eventually by the Publisher to at Least 76 Volumes) [Facebook: 4-16-14]

Introduction to my Book, The “Catholic” Luther: An Ecumenical Collection of His “Traditional” Utterances [10-10-14]

Martin Luther: Fascinating Facts (Series) [5-10-16]

DEFENSES OF MARTIN LUTHER AGAINST “ANTI-LUTHER” BUM RAPS

“One other thing I should point out in Dave’s defense. He has, if I recall correctly, previously responded to some of the most extreme anti-Lutheran garbage out there. So, while he’s clearly on the other side of the Tiber from Luther, one should not conclude that his errors in scholarship are somehow solely the result of malice and ill-will toward Luther.” (Anti-Catholic Calvinist “Turretinfan,” 3-1-10, on a Lutheran blog)

Luther Thought Jesus Committed Adultery w Mary Magdalene? [8-14-03; rev. 6-2-17]

The Supreme Importance of Interpreting Martin Luther in Context (For example, His Views on Marriage and Sexuality) [2-22-07]

Denunciation of “Anti-Luther” Catholic Polemics [1-11-08; slightly revised on 6-30-18]

Martin Luther: Good Works Prove Authentic Faith [4-16-08]

Martin Luther: Faith Alone is Not Lawless Antinomianism [2-28-10]

Am I “Anti-Luther” or “Anti-Lutheran”? (Clarifications) [9-30-08 / 5-28-09 / 1-6-15]
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Did Martin Luther Advocate and Praise the Raping of Nuns? [11-3-16; revised 8-26-17]

Was Luther “Bloodthirsty” & Violent? (James Swan & I Agree!) [8-29-17]
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AGREEMENTS WITH, AND COMMENDATIONS OF LUTHER / FAIRLY NEUTRAL STANCE TOWARDS HIM

Critiquing Martin Luther (My Motivations and Purposes) [9-19-04]
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Martin Luther’s Mariology (Particularly the Immaculate Conception) [6-6-06]

The “Catholic-Sounding” Luther: 25 Examples [6-16-08]

Martin Luther: Catholicism is Christian [6-12-13]
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On the Definition of “Christian” and Whether Luther and Calvin Regarded Catholicism as Christian (vs. Anti-Catholic Calvinist Austin Reed) [6-19-13]

Martin Luther on Suffering, Mortification, & Sanctity [2014]

Books by Dave Armstrong: The ‘Catholic’ Luther: An Ecumenical Collection of His ‘Traditional’ Utterances (see the Introduction) [12-28-14]

Am I “Anti-Luther” or “Anti-Lutheran”? (Clarifications) [9-30-08 / 5-28-09 / 1-6-15]

Top Ten Remarkable “Catholic” Beliefs of Martin Luther [1-19-15]

CONTROVERSIES CONCERNING MY LUTHER RESEARCH

Use of Primary Citations: James Swan’s Double Standards (and his particular animus against the Austrian Jesuit and biographer of Luther: Hartmann Grisar) [4-26-03; expanded on 7-15-20]

Critiquing Martin Luther (My Motivations and Purposes) [9-19-04]
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Denunciation of “Anti-Luther” Catholic Polemics [1-11-08; slightly revised on 6-30-18]

Luther’s View of the Book of Esther (Anti-Catholic Attempts to Blame Catholics for a Questionable Luther Citation Passed Down by Three Admiring Protestants) [8-20-11]

Protestant Errors Regarding Luther & the Biblical Canon (and anti-Catholic blaming of Catholic apologists for them) [8-27-11]

Debate with Lutherans Regarding Luther’s Mariology (Including my Citation Mistake from 1994: Clarification and Retraction) [10-2-11]

Dialogues with Lutherans Regarding Three Luther Mary Quotes [10-6-11]

Am I “Anti-Luther” or “Anti-Lutheran”? (Clarifications) [9-30-08 / 5-28-09 / 1-6-15]

Why Luther Was Excommunicated: Debate with a Lutheran [8-14-14]

My Luther Research Lied About Again (James Swan & CARM) [8-22-17]

Armstrong Fan Club #4: Lutheran Pastor Paul T. McCain [Facebook, 3-5-19]
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Reply to an Anti-Catholic Lutheran Personal Attack (Regarding My Alleged Lack of Knowledge About What Lutherans Are Theologically Bound to Accept) [Facebook, 5-25-19]

MARTIN LUTHER: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY WORKS AND BIOGRAPHIES ONLINE

Resources: Martin Luther (by James Swan. Exhibits considerable anti-Catholic bias, but an impressively comprehensive bibliographic resource for locating online Lutheriana)

Six-Volume Philadelphia Edition of Luther’s Works

Luther (Hartmann Grisar, S. J., 1914-1917) [Volumes One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six]

Luther on the Eve of His Revolt (M. J. Lagrange, O. P., 1917)

The Meaning of Christianity, According to Luther and His Followers in Germany (M. J. Lagrange, O. P., 1920)

Here I Stand (Roland H. Bainton [Protestant], 1950)

Life of Luther (Julius Koestlin [Lutheran], 1881)

The History of the Variations of the Protestant Churches, Jacques Bénigne Bossuet [Catholic]

The History of the Life and Acts of Luther (+ Volume Two) (Philip Melanchthon, 1548; translated by T. Frazel, 1995)
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Links to Additional Luther-Related Writings

Walch Edition of Luther’s Complete Writings (1740-1753) in English (23 volumes)

What Luther Says (ed. Ewald Plass (Vol. 1 / Vol. 2 / Vol. 3)

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Last updated on 17 December 2024

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Martin Luther: a Catholic Critique & Appraisal (Index Page)