NEW from Amazon: Religion/History/Theology "Martin Luther's PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS - In an Age of Modern Myth" challenges today's increasingly popular myth that Martin Luther was in reality a life long devout Catholic, a lover of the ordained episcopal office, an advocate for institutional hierarchy and church rule by bishops, who eagerly sought reconciliation and reintegration with the Church of Rome for the sake of Christian unity. Frustrated with the slow pace of visible church unity, some Lutheran ecclesiasts have busied themselves in recent years with creating a more ecumenically friendly Luther - by literally rewriting history! The result is a portrait of a reformer who in fact never lived and a Reformation that never occurred. With the aid of original sixteenth century documents - some never before translated into English - Kristian Baudler makes the powerful case that the picture of Martin Luther and his role in the Reformation being taught in many American schools, churches, and seminaries today is largely fictional, bearing almost no resemblance to the actual man of history. By removing layers of mythology applied to Luther in recent decades to make him more episcopally palatable, the author reveals a powerful portrait of a reformer who boldly emphasized the simple faith of the laity over the professional clericalism of his day in often shocking, humorous, and irreverent ways. An excellent reference source with more than 850 historical footnotes, this book challenges historians and theologians of all denominations, both professional and armchair, to reassess what Luther's Reformation means for the church in our time. What the critics are saying: "In Luther's spirit . . . perfectly timed for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation . . . Baudler's critique of the mythologization of the Reformation is very in-depth, insightful, and simply excellent." - Rev. Mark. D. Menacher, Ph.D. (ELCA) "This is again a stellar work . . . a clear, concise, convincing, and truthful description of why 'episcopal succession' is not Scripture, the Confessions, or anything genuinely Lutheran." - Rev. Harold. D. Schlachtenhaufen., Ph.D. (FELC) "Pastor Baudler has laid his axe to the root of the mythologizers. You will be enlightened, then angered, then delighted to learn, once again, how Luther and the Augusburg Confession teach us that less is more . . . This book is good news for the truth of the gospel, bad news for theologians of glory!" - Rev. John. H. Fahning., M. Div. (LCMC) "This is a breath of fresh air in the dawn of this Reformation anniversary, a time when confusion abounds regarding various aspects of the true and confessional heritage of Lutheranism . . . Every pastor and concerned lay person should read this book." - A. R. I. (Trinity Seminary, ECUSA) "Thank you for this! This is a much needed and very scholarly tour de force that addresses today's Lutheran clergy/lay identity crisis across the board, including in the Missouri Synod." - Rev. R. S. Meier., M. Div. (LCMS)