Luther's Revolution

Till now history has neglected the utterly radical nature of Luther's thought. In bringing together the political, theological, conceptual and cultural dimensions of Luther's work, Montover brings his readers to an awareness of their truly radical nature. Luther's understanding of the universal priesthood of believers was not simply another evangelical concept that dealt only with the office of ministry. In serving as a means for reordering the concepts of temporal authority and the temporal order it challenged the cosmological foundations of the political structure of his day. A compelling work that can only serve to revive the study of this monumental figure of theology.

"Nathan Montover deftly probes the silences in and conventions of Luther research to unveil an alternative figure ... Luther emerges from this excellent study as a thoroughly political, prophetic, and revolutionary Christian engaged in the struggle for liberation, drawing radical political consequences from foundational theological claims." Craig L. Nessan, Professor of Contextual Theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary "... the author fairly commends Martin Luther as a political visionary whose contextual theology raises a challenge to contemporary Christians as they live out their own faith in the modern world." Brian Talbot, in Baptist Quarterly, Vol 45, No 5 "Luther's Revolution is a book which examines a significant theological doctrine within Protestant theology, that of the universal priesthood, and suggests that its intended implications go beyond what might be termed 'merely' the theological. The ideas presented within are offered in a clear prose and the scope of the book is quite expansive despite its short length. A recommended read for any interested in the theology of Luther more generally, as well as for those particulary interested in an exploration into the implications his theology had for the temporal/political realms." Kris Hiuser, University of Chester, in Theological Book Review, Vol 25, No 2 [Luther's Revolution] would be a good introduction for candidates studying for ordination in the Lutheran Church seeking to understand this aspect of Luther's writings. The text, however, is certainly not simply a 'primer' on the basic points about the 'universal priesthood', as Montover does seek to make some original and provocative points in contradistinction to other scholars in this field. ... this is a usefully concise restatement of the theological contribution to demands for political and economic reform in the sixteenth century. Marcus Harmes, University of Southern Queensland, in Journal of Religious History, Vol 38, Issue 1 "[...] Montover guides the reader through an issue-oriented discussion of the political discontent of Germany to contextualise the political ramifications covering the major issues like indulgences, the titular obligation of the Holy Roman Empire and foreign taxation schemes. Montover is most insightful in the frequently neglected discussion on the gravinum, the mechanisms of German grievances towards the papacy. [...] Montover's work adds yet another voice to the debate on the political ramifications of Luther's theology and to what extent they governed his doctrinal positions. [...] This book will lend itself to students of Luther and the reformation in conjunction with other studies in Luther's political thought. B. Brodie, in The expository Times, Vol. 126, Issue 4, January 2015 "Martin Luther's radicalism has never been fully recognised." Church Times, 24th April 2015

Nathan Montover serves as Pastor at St. James Lutheran Church in Bettendorf, Iowa. He also teaches Religion at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and is an Adjunct Instructor of Reformation Studies at Wartburg theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.