Music in Martin Luther’s Theology

By (author) Yakub E. Kartawidjaja Associate editor Christopher B. Brown Associate editor Günter Frank Associate editor Bruce Gordon Associate editor Barbara Mahlmann-Bauer Associate editor Tarald Rasmussen Associate editor Violet Soen Associate editor Zsombor Tóth Associate editor Günther Wassilowsky Associate editor Siegrid Westphal

Book cover: Music in Martin Luther’s Theology

Extent: 216 pages

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Subjects: Music & Performing Arts, Religious Studies

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(April 2021)

ISBN: 9783525565537

6.3 x 9.25 inches

Price: $113.00

In stock

The most significant contribution to Luther’s thoughts on music is understood from his perspective of the devil, principally in his Anfechtung.


The study aims to analyse the impact of Luther’s theology on his thoughts about music. It limits itself to an analysis of the topic by focusing on the three most important statements of Luther about music in his unfinished treatise ?e?? t?? ??s???? [On Music]. The first statement is that music is “a gift of God and not of man” [Dei donum hominum est], second, music “creates joyful soul” [facit letos animos], and third, music “drives away the devil” [fugat diabolum]. The relation between these three statements to each other and to Luther’s theology in general can be understood in connection with his personal experiences and commitments to music, which were undergirded by his theology. Luther, as a man of medieval times, took for granted the existence of the devil, and many of his writings contained frequent references to the personal attacks of the devil, where it influenced his thoughts about music.

  • By (author) Yakub E. Kartawidjaja
  • Associate editor Christopher B. Brown
  • Associate editor Günter Frank
  • Associate editor Bruce Gordon
  • Associate editor Barbara Mahlmann-Bauer
  • Associate editor Tarald Rasmussen
  • Associate editor Violet Soen
  • Associate editor Zsombor Tóth
  • Associate editor Günther Wassilowsky
  • Associate editor Siegrid Westphal