Faith and Freedom : An Invitation to the Writings of Martin Luther (Vintage Spiritual Classics)

Rating:
Summary: Poor selection
Review: This is a very poor selection of Martin Luther's writings for spiritual reading. Find a copy of "Faith Alone" if you are looking for something from the great reformer for your spiritual reading. One selection has to do with Luther expelling gas to ward off the devil (this selection has absolutely no point. Luther was from peasant stock and retained his earthiness. Relating such an incident has no purpose in a book meant for spiritual reading). Another has to do with a letter he wrote to a woman who suffered a miscarriage and which has little application to anyone else. I have read a good deal of Luther and I am convinced that the authors don't even like him (they call him an "old, hateful man" because of a handful of anti-semetic statements that are an anomaly in an otherwise profoundly pastoral life) or understand what his message was. Luther's writings fill over thirty volumes and are a goldmine of inspiration and insight to anyone who takes the trouble to sift through them. It looks as if the editors here couldn't be bothered to sift much. You will turn over page after page and be bewildered as to why they chose the selections that they did. I know that I am.