What I am Reading: Martin Luther by Eric Metaxas

I love to read!  However, one of the difficulties is that it is easy to go from one book to the next without taking time to reflect on what I just read.  Sometimes my desire to read lots makes it so that I actually miss out on the benefits of reading lots!  So the purpose of these "What I Am Reading Posts" is two-fold.  First, to cause me to slow down after finishing a book and reflect on what I read.  Secondly, to provide a short review for others to help them determine if they would like to read that book as well!
What Did I read?  "Martin Luther" by Eric Metaxas

Why I read it:  One of my goals this year to read more biographies.  There are numerous reasons I find myself enjoying biographies.  I enjoy how I am challenged, encourage, inspired, by the lives of others.  I am encouraged as I see the numerous ways in which God works through the lives of others.  It also serves as a way to learn more about history.  I am no history buff, and to be honest have never enjoyed most history books I have read, which I why I love biographies because they allow me to learn a little more about the events, circumstances, and cultures of the individual whose biography I am reading.  So why did I chose to read, "Luther?"  First, I have never read a biography on Luther and wanted to learn more about the man who changed the world in so many ways!  Secondly, after reading my first Biography by author Eric Metaxas a couple years ago (it was on Bonhoffer)  I made a mental note to read more of his biographies as I really appreciated his writing style.  Those two combined together led me to read this book and I wasn't disappointed.  

The Content:  The books follow the life of Martin Luther (duh) as the devout monk who discovered the grace of God and was compelled to make that known!  Having not studied Luther before was struck by the course that his life took.  Luther's intent when posting his 95 thesis on the door of Castle Church was never to leave the Catholic church, much less to start a new church.  Luther's intent was simply to debate what he saw as errors in the catholic church that he believed to be going against Scripture.  Luther wanted to serve the Catholic church to make it better, not walk away from it and start the protestant reformation.  However, what became clear is that God had a different plan and the combination of numerous things led the posting of the 95 Thesis on a very different route than Luther would have ever anticipated.  Was struck over and over again by the numerous things that happened that allowed the protestant reformation to start, continue, and survive.  From the printing press which made Luther's work be able to spread quickly, to other more pressing concerns in Europe that kept the government and the pope from being able to squelch the movement when it was young.  It seems there were so many things that happened that had they gone just a bit different the reformation at that time would have not happened.  However, God had a plan that was bigger than Luther would have ever imagined and it seems that Luther at times was just along for the ride not sure where it was going but trusting in God through the whole process.

What I liked:  Almost everything!  Metaxas writes another good biography that is simply enjoyable to read!  I appreciated how Metaxas works hard to dispell so many of the myths that have come to be associated with the life of Luther and many that I had heard on numerous occasions and simply believed to be true.  For example, the posting of his 95 thesis on the Castle Church door was very anti-climatic compared to how it is described in many instances today!  It was simply the community bulletin board and if you wanted to debate something that is where you would put it.  In fact, it is possible that it was the church's custodian who nailed it to the church door.  I appreciated Luther's firm resolve to declare the truth of God as clearly as He could no matter the cost.  I also appreciated how Metaxas at the end spends time describing ways in which what Luther did not only ushered in the protestant reformation but made significant, world-changing, impacts in many ways.  The most significant is it gave the people the power to dissent, to disagree, and it opened a door for truth (and also non-truth) to walk through the door which we would call today pluralism and religious freedom.  

What I didn't like:  Luther, like all of us, was a sinner who needed the very grace that he so often spoke of and taught and one of the ways you see Luther sin is in the ways he speaks of and treats other people.  He speaks harshly, he seemed to refuse to budge on seemingly small issues of theology even with those who agreed with the major tenants of the reformation.  Disliked, his writings against the Jews late in his life that seemed to go against so much that he had previously written.  I actually wish the author would have spent more time looking at this puzzling dilemma.  I think this quote from Luther's Eulogy that was written by his good friend sums this up well, "Some have complained that Luther displayed too much severity.  I will not deny this.  But I answer in the language of Erasmus:  'Because of the magnitude of the disorders, God gave this age a violent physician.'.... I do not deny that the more ardent characters sometimes make mistakes, for amid the weakness of the human nature no one is without fault. But we may say of such a one, 'rough indeed, but worthy of all praise!'  If he was severe, it was the severity of zeal for the truth, not the love of strife, or of harshness.... God was his anchor, and faith never failed him."  

Who Should Read this Book:  You should!  If you want to know more about the life of Luther and the ways the world has never been the same since I would point you to this book!  

If you read or have read "Luther" I would love to hear your thoughts!  

What I Am Reading: Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hanna More: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist by Karen Swallow Prior.

  I love to read!  However, one of the difficulties is that it is easy to go from one book to the next without taking time to reflect on what I just read.  Sometimes my desire to read lots makes it so that I actually miss out on the benefits of reading lots!  So the purpose of these "What I Am Reading Posts" is two-fold.  First, to cause me to slow down after finishing a book and reflect on what I read.  Secondly, to provide a short review for others to help them determine if they would like to read that book as well!

What Did I read?  "Fierce Convictions:  The Extraordinary Life of Hanna More:  Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist" by Karen Swallow Prior.

Why I read it:  One of my goals this year to read more biographies.  There are numerous reasons I find myself enjoying biographies.  I enjoy how I am challenged, encourage, inspired, by the lives of others.  I am encouraged as I see the numerous ways in which God works through the lives of others.  It also serves as a way to learn more about history.  I am no history buff, and to be honest have never enjoyed most history books I have read, which I why I love biographies because they allow me to learn a little more about the events, circumstances, and cultures of the individual whose biography I am reading.  So why did I chose to read, "Fierce Convictions?"  Quite simply, last year it was recommend on a blog I follow and the kindle edition was only $2.99!

The Content:  The book follows the life of Hannah More (duh) who lived in the United Kingdom from 1745-1833.  Prior to beginning this biography I had never heard of Hannah More and found myself grateful for the opportunity to learn about the life that she lived.  As the subtitle of the book suggests Hannah More was a poet, play-writer, and novelist.  It was her gift and love of writing that she utilized as an abolitionist trying to bring down the slave trade in the United Kingdom- which happened shortly before her death.  Hannah also used her writing to seek reform in the United Kingdom in areas such as the church, women's education, morality, and education of the poor.  Hannah was born into a middle class family but through her witty and winsome personality, alongside her gifted writing ability, regularly found herself mingling with and speaking to the upper classes of society when we should visit London.  A few names of people that Hannah spent quite a bit of time with that are well known would include William Wilberforce and John Newton.  Here are a couple quotes from the book that capture just a little bit of who Hannah More was, "More was a woman of strong convictions, but she kept a plentiful table.  She mixed comfortably and enthusiastically with rich and poor, churched and unchurched, and all in between.  It was her habit to eat meals with the poor villagers during the years of the Sunday schools.  At the same time, she maintained close friendships with bishops and lords."  Another quote tells us of More's extensive use of her writing schools to impact people at all levels of society, "She had written plays produced by England's premier stage manager.  She had written verses extolled by the country's most revered literary critic.  She had turned from that world to the church and written serious treatises that had been praised by royalty and bishops.  Yet few of such accomplishments would do what Hannah More did next:  she gathered together all the talent and experiences she had gained thus far in life- her literary skills, her experience in the Sunday schools, her political savvy, and her social finesse- and poured them into a pamphlet for the poor.  She never could have dreamed that stopping so low would eventually lead to her most influential and most highly praised work.  She now piled her pen to advance reform about the common readers with not a book, but a pamphlet."  The author of this book does a wonderful job of detailing in a riveting and well written biography on the life of Hannah More.  

What I liked:  In addition to this being a well written biography here are three things from the life of Hannah More that I appreciated.  First, it was clear to all that Hannah More was a very gifted writer and that she had a winsome personality.  That in and of itself is not something that is that uncommon.  What was uncommon is the way in which Hannah sought to use what God had given her to help bring change to the areas in the world around her that needed to be changed.  May we also seek ways to do that in our time and world.  Second, Hannah held strong convictions but didn't hold those strong convictions in a way that was off putting,  or unnecessarily offensive.  In fact, Hannah was able to hold strongly to her convictions while simultaneously having good relationships with people who had beliefs and lifestyles vastly different than hers.  I was longing for this to be more the case today than it seems to be at the present time.  Third, I appreciated how Hannah More at times sought to find the middle ground in bringing about reform.  While this rightly was not a part of her work as an abolitionist, in other areas she sought to find the middle ground between those who were strongly against any change and those who were seeking such drastic change that the likelihood of their success was minimal.  Hannah decided that some reform was better than no reform and was willing to work in that middle ground in several instances.  There is much more that I could write about as far as what I liked.  

What I didn't like:  The author does a good job of drawing out the realities that Hannah More was, like we all are, a product of her culture and this at times will come across in the life of Hannah More. Some might struggle with her views of women and education (which at the time was somewhat progressive) as well as her views on the limitations and the minimal education that would be offered to the lower class.  

Who Should Read this Book:  If you like biographies, and maybe even if you don't, you should read this one!  You will be challenged, encouraged, and grateful to God for the ways in which He used the life of Hannah More to accomplish His purposes.  

If you read or have read "Fierce Convictions" I would love to hear your thoughts!