Preface to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1522
- Era
- Renaissance
- Form
- Theology
- Language
- German
- Length
- Short · 20 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendLuther's Works, Volume 35: Word and Sacrament IFortress PressPrints the 1522 preface with Luther's other prefaces to his German Bible.
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The short introduction Luther wrote for Romans in his German New Testament of 1522, and the best brief statement of his theology. He defines the key words of the epistle in turn: law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, flesh and spirit. Sin is not just the wrong act but the unbelieving heart behind it; the law cannot cure it and only exposes it; faith is a living, restless confidence that produces good works without being asked. Luther calls Romans the purest gospel and says a Christian should know it by heart. Read aloud in London in 1738, the preface converted John Wesley.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Preface to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.