Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther entered the convent of the Augustinian Hermits at Erfurt and became a monk or, rather, a friar. Brother Martin later had harsh words for monasticism. But at the same time monastic life for him was the fountain of those experiences that made him read the gospel anew and rediscover the truth of justification by faith alone. On this background, far from rejecting monasticism in every respect,he creatively re-applied some of its ideals to the Christian life in general, and he even imagined a new, evangelical way of monasticism. In theface of the present rediscovery of monasticism among Protestants it is worth heeding both Luther's critique and also his positive words about monastic ideals and monastic life.

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Personen: Wendebourg, Dorothea

Schlagwörter: Luther Protestantismus Reformation Mönchtum