Luther's Treatise on Christian Freedom and Its Legacy by Robert Kolb

Abstract

Reviewed by: Luther's Treatise on Christian Freedom and Its Legacy by Robert Kolb Mark D. Tranvik Luther's Treatise on Christian Freedom and Its Legacy. By Robert Kolb. Lanham: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2020. 161 pp. As readers of this journal know, in the world of Luther scholarship we are celebrating a series of 500th anniversaries. The Ninety-five Theses made a big splash in 2017. In 2020 several significant Luther texts were highlighted. None is more important than On Christian Freedom (1520) where Luther laid out for common people an elegant outline of his theology. We are indebted to the prolific Robert Kolb for a book that does an admirable job of placing this key work in context, summarizing its contents, and tracing its influence in the past five centuries. The book is divided into three separate sections. In the first part Kolb provides a nuanced and balanced summary of Luther's life. He is careful to describe the theological and political context and stresses the importance of the community surrounding Luther, thus avoiding the temptation of treating him simply as a heroic individual. The second section is the heart of the book and consists of a careful commentary on the texts (both Latin and German) of On Christian Freedom. Kolb carefully explores the thesis that frames the argument of the treatise—a Christian is at the same time free in faith and bound in love to the neighbor. Particularly helpful is Kolb's insistence that Luther's understanding of freedom still connects with people today and is not merely an artifact of the Reformation (36–38). Preachers and teachers will want to pay special attention to the way "the great exchange" between Christ and the sinner is unpacked. Luther's use of striking images and language to convey the depth of God's love for the unlovable can stimulate the [End Page 242] imaginations of those charged with proclaiming the gospel today (52–54). Finally, Kolb makes clear that Luther's understanding of freedom is anything but "empty" or merely something that resides within the believer. Christian liberty is for the sake of the neighbor. And the word "neighbor" is not some sort of abstraction for Luther. God's Word resonates in our daily lives through our vocations. We are always in some sort of earthly relationship. The good news is actually incarnated in our lives as family members, citizens, workers, and church members (74–79). The last section considers the impact of Luther's writing. Kolb notes that the reception of the treatise has varied. Some have seen it as a dangerous step toward antinomianism. Perhaps most surprising is the way the text has been noted but mostly ignored, particularly from the immediate post-Reformation era until the time of the modern Luther renaissance, when it has received much more attention. It might be noted that Kolb did miss the extensive comments on Christian freedom in John Calvin's Institutes. More attention to the Reformed perspective and its concern for discipline might have added a helpful dimension. Overall, this book is vintage Robert Kolb. It contains careful historical scholarship combined with a pastoral desire to make the insights of On Christian Freedom relevant to the lives of Christians today. We can be thankful that he continues to inform the faith with grace and erudition. Mark D. Tranvik Luther Seminary Saint Paul, Minnesota Copyright © 2021 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.