Luther and the West (272-0-20)
Instructors
Christine M Helmer
847/491-2616
Kresge Hall #3341
Office Hours: Wed 2-4 pm on zoom
Meeting Info
555 Clark B03: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
October 31, 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. This anniversary commemorated the day the German monk Martin Luther is said to have posted his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The results of Luther's ideas and actions cannot be understated. His teachings led to an ongoing division between Roman Catholic and Protestant forms of Christianity and inaugurated a "modern" turn towards rationalism, secularism, and individualism. This course probes the lasting significance of Luther's life and thought in the modern West. Two questions will guide the course. First, how did Luther shape the cultural, political, and social questions and issues in the West since the 16th century? And, second, what is Luther's ongoing relevance in the West today?
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to define basic terms in the study of religion and theology (for example, subjectivity, freedom, experience). Students will also be familiar with the basic concepts of Luther's theology that influenced the making of the modern West (for example, theology of the cross, biblical canon). Students will also be comfortable with the broad intellectual contours of the modern West from the 16th century to today, with exposure to major thinkers in each period: Enlightenment (e.g. Kant), modernity (e.g. Hegel), 20th century (Martin Luther King Jr. and Charles Taylor).
Teaching Method
Class Materials (Required)
Christine Helmer, How Luther Became the Reformer (Westminster John Knox Press, 2019); 978-0664262877; $33
Volker Leppin, Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life (Baker 2017); 978-0801098215; $23
Class Attributes
Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci
Historical Studies Distro Area
Interdisciplinary Distro-rules apply
Ethics & Values Distro Area
Associated Classes
DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 2-339: Fri 9:00AM - 9:50AM
DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Fri 11:00AM - 11:50AM
DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Fri 12:00PM - 12:50PM