Title: “If there is a hell, then Rome stands upon it”: Martin Luther as Traveler and Translator
Abstract: AbstractThat Martin Luther was among early modern Europe’s most important translators is undeniable. His 1522 German-language edition of the New Testament played a central role in disseminating the teachings of the Reformation. It also made an important contribution to the standardization of the German language. What is less widely appreciated, however, is that Luther traveled extensively throughout central Europe, his major journeys occurring at key moments in his development as a Christian, theologian, and reformer. Among Luther’s most important excursions was the one he made to Rome in 1510-1511, presenting him with the opportunity to witness the moral and financial decay in the Renaissance Catholic Church. Luther often referred to his experiences in the “Holy City” in the years after 1517, when he wrote the “Ninety-Five Theses” and launched the Reformation. While scholars have had much to say about Luther’s journey to Rome (the Romfahrt) as well as his translations of both the New and Old Testaments, no one has attempted to examine the links between the two. The following essay is a modest attempt to fill this gap in Luther scholarship.
Publication Year: 2006
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
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