Excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther's Hymn of the Reformation: Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott in the English Language
Reformation Hymn Em feste Burg ist unser Gott. But, like those grand mediaeval hymns the Dies Ime and Stabat Mater Dolorosa, it has challenged and defied the skill of the best translators and imita tors. For many years I have been collecting translations of this grand hymn and herewith send forth the English translations including one in broad-scotch, mak1ng m all 80 versions. This collection is by far the largest which has ever been published. I take this opportunity to thank the many friends, especially the Rev. J as. Mearns, of Owston, Lincolnshire, England, for their kind contributions.
Go forth, little book - I to others now leave thee, Go seek among strangers in future thy friends.
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Martin Luther changed the course of Western civilization by initiating the Protestant Reformation. As a priest and theology professor, he confronted indulgence salesmen with his 95 Theses in 1517. Luther strongly disputed their claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms meeting in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.
Luther taught that salvation is a free gift of God and received only by grace through faith in Jesus as redeemer from sin, not from good works. His theology challenged the authority of the pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood.
His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of singing in churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry.
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