Martin Luther's First Major Publication

Abstract

Martin Luther's First Major Publication Timothy J. Wengert Preface by Richard (Bo) Manly Adams, Jr., Director, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University The Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection was formed at Emory University's Pitts Theology Library in 1987, with a mission of collecting early print and manuscript materials related to the Lutheran Reformation in Europe in the sixteenth century. Through the hard work of its stewards and the generous support of hundreds of donors, the Kessler Collection has grown into the largest holding of Reformation materials in North America, and Pitts Theology Library has become a leading center for international research on the Protestant Reformation. In addition to its books and manuscripts, the Kessler Collection fosters learning through exhibitions, programming, and teaching. The thirty-five years of collection growth have been marked by major milestones, such as the acquisition of Luther's September Testament (1987), the move of the collection to the library's new building and the Jeschke-Graham Reading Room (2014), and the discovery of Martin Luther's inscription on a 1520 pseudonymous pamphlet (2017: https://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/rare-martin-luther-writing-found-emory-university/07yn5JC4RRnEn35GKXHIlO/). The year 2021 marked yet another milestone for the Kessler Collection: the acquisition of its 4,000th item. In anticipation of the collection surpassing 4,000 items, Pitts Theology Library launched a "Kessler in 4K" fundraising campaign in October of 2021, a one-month blitz to fund a major acquisition. With the generous support of more than one hundred and thirty donors, Pitts quickly surpassed its goal of raising $50,000 to acquire the 4,000th item. Working with a book dealer in Germany, we settled upon Luther's 1517 commentary on the penitential psalms. It is altogether fitting that we mark this milestone with the addition of Luther's first publication, a work documented in only one other North American collection. This piece emphasizes how central Luther's work and the development of his thought is to the mission of the Kessler Collection. But its mission has never focused solely on collecting books; rather it is a teaching and research collection, focused on maximizing the impact of these books and manuscripts through digitization, exhibitions, and teaching. To help with that mission, we are blessed to work [End Page 166] with a team of leading scholars who form our advisory board, and none of them has been more dedicated and helpful than our good friend, Dr. Timothy J. Wengert. I am honored that he volunteered to write such a detailed explanation of this work, and I am hopeful that his wonderful essay will show readers the importance of the work of the Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection. Martin Luther's First Major Publication If asked what Martin Luther's first independently published work was, most people would answer with The Ninety-Five Theses.1 But they would be wrong. Instead, a good six months before the Theses found their way into print (on or after 31 October 1517), Martin Luther entered the authorial lists with a Wittenberg publication (Figure 1) that, at first, made no splash at all at the Holy Roman Empire's book fairs—until, of course, his Ninety-Five Theses and the German equivalent (Sermon on Indulgences and Grace from early 1518) made him famous.2 Only then did printers see fit to republish his (early 1517) Seven Penitential Psalms: in 1518 (Leipzig), in 1519 (Leipzig and Strasbourg), in 1520 (Leipzig and Augsburg), in 1524 (Erfurt), and in 1525 (unknown place).3 In 1525, Luther made corrections and refinements so that a second edition came out in 1525 (published in Wittenberg [three printings] and Augsburg) and in 1526 (Erfurt).4 The initial impetus for the 1517 publication seems to have come from Georg Spalatin, the Saxon courtier and supporter of Luther in charge of the territory's educational system, especially the university. Spalatin requested that Luther publish his recently completed lectures on the Psalms (1513–1515), but Luther finally responded with this much smaller project.5 His German translation of the seven penitential psalms (Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143) reveals several important aspects of Martin Luther's early biblical interpretation...