StL8c: Papist writings now accessible; priorities for lay vs. advanced readers

      This concludes from Part 8b (Table of Contents in Part 1) in a series on the St. Louis Edition (StL) of Luther's complete writings in English. —  Fuerbringer points out another reason for including the papist documents – that it helps to understand the Roman anti-christianity “from its own words.” That has been what I have tried to do in this blog in my polemical writings. — Then our essayist offers helpful advice for his readers, and me. 

(From Der Lutheraner, vol. 55 p. 218-219 (No. 15, Nov. 28,  1899)[EN] (all underlining follows Fuerbringer's emphasis):

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[Review by L. Fuerbringer; concluded from Part 8b]

Documents belonging to the

history of the Reformation. A. Against the Papists.

From the years 1517 to 1524.

Thus, too, the reading of the papist writings contained in the present volume, [Page 219] which would otherwise be accessible only to a few, will serve to make out the abominable Roman antichristianity in its true form from its own words. If, for example, one reads only the papal bulls and letters of indulgence presented here in print, then one understands how Luther could on one occasion write in holy anger and zeal of the great Antichrist, the Roman pope: “O, what a depth of his wickedness, his avarice and his robbery! How innumerable are his thefts and immeasurable his robberies! For who has known the shrine of his heart? Or who has given anything to the church before that he has not robbed afterwards? For from him, through him and in him are all the evils of the church. To him be horror and shame for all eternity. Amen.” (XIV, 427)

In the foregoing it is already indicated that this new volume contains not so much Luther's own writings as it does, above all, the most valuable and interesting pieces of records and documents on the history of the Reformation, partly in the language and spelling of the time. To prevent all misunderstandings, we want to have this said again and explicitly. Our lay readers should, of course, first and foremost read Luther's own writings. We recall here only [ref. Part 1 table]

• the magnificent catechetical writings (Volume X), which so deeply affect the daily life of the Christian, 

• the excellent, unique Church Postil (Volumes XI and XII), 

• the pithy House Postil (Volume XIII), Luther's mighty and spiritually powerful interpretations of Scripture, such as the First Book of Moses (Volumes I and II), 

• the Epistle to the Galatians (Volume IX), 

• the Sermon on the Mount and the Gospel of John (Volumes VII and VIII), 

and so on. Whoever does not have one of these volumes should first reach for it and get to know the greatest teacher since the time of the apostles from his writings. But whoever already has several of the volumes mentioned, should also reach for the newly published one, in order to take a close look at the great time with its struggles and victories. And above all, our pastors and teachers should familiarize themselves with the contents of this important volume as well, in order to learn to understand the Reformation period and the Reformation work better and better. And therefore we have written the detailed advertisement of this part, for the best appearance and excellent decoration we again all have reason to be heartily grateful. L. F. [Ludwig Fürbringer]

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      It is sad for me how the LC-MS shows its glaring weakness by its acceptance of individual Popes, even praising some of them by some of its pastors.  They have been deceived.  Listen to Luther, not today's LC-MS which is going the way of the German church that was doing the same thing at Walther's time.

      Fuerbringer may not be as impassioned as Walther, Pieper, and A. L. Graebner, but he is helpful to readers who may be puzzled on which volumes to purchase and in what order. It was helpful to me as I researched which reviews and which volumes to highlight on this blog. May his advice be helpful to this blog's readers as they choose what to read from Luther. In the next Part 9a…