Lutheran Reformation Resources

Reformation Day Resources
(Under Construction)

The Story of the Lutheran Reformation		Selected Works by Martin Luther
	The Lutheran Confessions of the Faith
Selected Lutheran Reformation Hymns		*More!*

The Story of the Lutheran Reformation

Portals of Prayer online, October 2005 (CPH)
Daily readings following the events of the Lutheran Reformation during October 2005 (also available in Windows Media WMA)

About Martin Luther and others

Luther: The Movie website (Archived, slow loading)

Luther: The Movie -- Bible Study (in Real Audio) (KP)

Short sketch of Luther's Life (CC)
Luther's Life at a Glance (WELS)

Time line (WELS)

Luther's Seal, explained in his own words
Online exhibit: Philip Melanchthon (author of the Augsburg Confession) (CHI)
Online exhibit: Katherine von Bora (Luther's wife) (CHI)

La Réforme, le 31 octobre 1517 (French) (EL)

Images of Reformation History (DW)

Selected Works by Martin Luther

Preface to the Collection of Luther's Latin Writings (that is, Luther's opinion of his own writings)
Introductory Readings in Martin Luther (LB)
Selected Works of Martin Luther (PW)
Luther's Sacristy Prayer (PW)
Luther's Seal, explained in his own words (see above)

Confessions of the Lutheran Church, authored by Luther

Small and Large Catechisms (both 1529): see below
Smalcald Articles (1537) (BOC)

"Articles of Christian Doctrine which were to have been presented on our part to the Council, if any had been assembled at Mantua or elsewhere, indicating what we could accept or yield, and what we could not."

Online Books

How to Live A Christian Life (adaptation of: On Christian Freedom, 1520) (study guide available also) (LP)
Don't Tell Me That! (adaptation of: Antinomian Theses, 1537) (study guide included) (LP)
Did my Baptism count? (adaptation of: Letter to Two Pastors Concerning Rebaptism) (study guide included) (LP)

Luther nailing 95 Theses against Indulgences to the door of the castle church, Oct 31 1517 (Click to view larger image)

Luther's 95 Theses (Oct 31, 1517)

Dr. Martin Luther to the Christian Reader (Preface to Luther's Works, 1545)

The Older Luther's views of the 95 Theses and other early works.

Luther's 95 Theses / Printable PDF booklet: Reader ed'n / Study ed'n (PW)
Study Guide / Printable PDF booklet (LB)

Study of the structure and content of 95 Theses (what do they mean in context), not a devotional study

Images of Lutheran Preaching (DW)

Meaning of the Cross (Cranach's Weimar Altarpiece) -- An about this painting

Holy Baptism

Lutheran Preaching: the Cross

The Means of Grace (Altar Panels)

The Word and Sacraments, the Cross of Christ, and the Grace of God

Other sources:

Project Wittenberg : Texts by and about Luther and other Lutherans

The Lutheran Confession of the Faith

Luther's Large Catechism (1529)

Large Catechism (BOC)
Order Audio Small and Large Catechisms, etc (MP3 / data DVD) from Scholia.Net
Catechism hymns, see above

The Six Chief Parts of Luther's Catechism (click to enlarge)

Luther's Small Catechism (1529)

Small Catechism (BOC)
Online, illustrated
Petit Catéchisme, French (EL)
Printable booklet (PDF)
Printable booklet, illustrated (PDF)
Catechism hymns, see above
The Catechism's Chief Parts in stained glass:
- Located at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St Catharines ON
- Located at Faith Lutheran Church (LCC), Dartmouth NS
Order Audio Small and Large Catechisms, etc (MP3 / data DVD) from Scholia.Net

The Presentation of the Augsburg Confession (click to enlarge)

The Augsburg Confession (June 25, 1530)

Introduction to the Augsburg Confession (PM)

Online / Printable (PDF)

Summary of the Augsburg Confession

Online / Printable leaflet (PDF: legal paper)

Augsburg Confession (BOC)
Confession d'Augsbourg, French (EL)
Printable booklet (PDF)

The Authors of the Formula of Concord (click to enlarge)

The Christian Book of Concord (1580) (The Lutheran Confessions)

Historic Preface
"Summary, Rule and Norm according to which all doctrines should be judged and controversies that have occurrred should be decided in a Christian way" (from the Formula of Concord)
Book of Concord (BOC)
Book of Concord documents availble online in other languages (DW)
Order "Concordia: A Reader's Edition of the Lutheran Confessions" from CPH

For canadian orders, ask for equivalent to CPH price through Augsburg Fortress Canada at (800) 265-6397

Order Audio Concordia Triglotta: English (MP3 on data DVD) from Scholia.net

Further reading:

Historical Introduction to the Book of Concord (Bente) (Online book in PDF) (BOC)

Selected Lutheran Reformation Hymns
(The link under the hymn number is to the text (LH), the link under "tune" is to the MIDI (LH), and under MP3 is to a choir recording (LHS). Unless otherwise indicated, many of the texts below are by Martin Luther.)

Reformation

A Mighty Fortress - TLH 262 (tune) MP3 / LW 297 (tune) / LW 298 (tune)
Flung to the Heedless Winds - TLH 259 (tune)

A Ballad to commemorate the martyrdom of two young Augustinian monks, Heinrich Voes and Johann Esch, in the early days of the Lutheran Reformation who had been condemned to death and burned at the stake in Brussels on June 30, 1523, because of their Lutheran faith. (All 12 original verses, from MusicaNet)

Lord, Keep us Steadfast in Your Word - TLH 261 (tune) / LW 334 (tune)
If God had not been on our side - TLH 267 (tune)
O Lord look down from Heaven behold - TLH 260 (tune)
Law and Gospel (both by Matthias Loy) :

The Law of God is Good and Wise - TLH 295 (tune) / LW 329 (tune)
The Gospel Shows the Father's Grace - TLH 297 (tune) / LW 330 (tune)

These two hymns, showing the distinction between the two great teachings of the Bible - the Law and the Gospel, or God's Commands and His Promises (See Romans 3-4), can be sung separately or as one hymn, alternating verses (as suggested in LW).

Preserve Thy Word, O Savior (Andreas Gryphius) - TLH 264 (tune) MP3 / LW 337 (tune)
Thine Honor Save, O Christ, Our Lord (Johann Hermann) - TLH 265 (tune)
O God, our Lord, Thy Holy Word (auth. unknown, 1527) - TLH 266 (tune) / LW 341 (tune)

Church Year

Advent : Saviour of the Nations, Come - TLH 95 (tune) / LW 13 (tune)
Christmas : From Heaven Above - TLH 85 (tune) / LW 37 (tune)
Easter : Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands - TLH 195 (tune) / LW 123 (tune)
Pentecost : We Now Implore God the Holy Ghost - TLH 231 (tune) MP3/ LW 155 (tune)

Hymn versions of portions of The Divine Service
(that is, the Communion Liturgy / the Evangelical Mass)

Invocation : We now implore God the Holy Ghost (see above, under Church Year)
Gloria in Excelcis : All Glory be to God Alone - TLH 238 (tune) / LW 210 (tune)
Sanctus : Isaiah Mighty Seer of Old - TLH 249 (tune) / LW 214 (tune)
Nunc Dimmitis : In Peace and Joy I Now Depart - TLH 137 (tune) / LW 185 (tune)
Benediction : May God bestow on us His grace - TLH 500 (tune) / LW 288 (tune)

The Catechism: Lord, Help us ever to retain (Ludvig Helmbold) - TLH 288 (tune) / LW 477 (tune)

The 10 Commandments : That Man a Godly Life Might Live - TLH 287 (tune) / LW 331 (tune)
The Nicene Creed : We All Believe in One True God - TLH 251 (tune) 252 (tune) / LW 213 (tune)
The Lord's Prayer : Our Father, Thou in Heaven above - TLH 458 (tune) MP3 / LW 431 (tune)
Holy Baptism : To Jordan Came the Christ our Lord - LW 223 (tune) (alt source at CH)
Confession : From Depth of Woe I Cry to Thee (Ps 130) - TLH 329 (tune) / LW 230 (tune)

The Office of the Keys : Yea, as I Live, Jehovah Saith (Nikolaus Herman) - TLH 331 (tune) / LW 235 (tune)

The Sacrament of the Altar : O Lord, We Bless Thee - TLH 313 (tune) / LW 238 (tune)

Jesus Christ, our Blessed Saviour (John Huss) - LW 236-237 as one hymn, alternating verses (tune) (alt source at CH)