Having just covered the section on Luther in my Modern Church History course I thought it would be fun to watch the movie Luther (2003) starring Joseph Fiennes. So last night Sharon and I sat down to watch this delightful film. The films treatment of Luther was engaging and modern. In fact if I had any complaint it was that they modernised some of the language too much. Also I think they fudged in a few things around Carlstadt seem blurred together and all the dead bodies no longer make sense (wasn't there a plague around that time as well?). Also Martin quoting verses by chapter and verse struck me as odd, IIRC chapter and verse comes much later, but I could be wrong. The movie avoided making Luther into an uber saint which was good. There is much that is questionable in Luther's theology. And I was hoping they would cover some of the debates post Augsburg, but alas those would be of more interest to me as a theologian than the typical movie viewer. Tetzel is done brilliantly, but it is obvious that the actor borrowed from pop-evangelical fervour for this role (he actually confirms this in his interview). All in all it was a very fun movie, a worthwhile view.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
[REV] Luther
Having just covered the section on Luther in my Modern Church History course I thought it would be fun to watch the movie Luther (2003) starring Joseph Fiennes. So last night Sharon and I sat down to watch this delightful film. The films treatment of Luther was engaging and modern. In fact if I had any complaint it was that they modernised some of the language too much. Also I think they fudged in a few things around Carlstadt seem blurred together and all the dead bodies no longer make sense (wasn't there a plague around that time as well?). Also Martin quoting verses by chapter and verse struck me as odd, IIRC chapter and verse comes much later, but I could be wrong. The movie avoided making Luther into an uber saint which was good. There is much that is questionable in Luther's theology. And I was hoping they would cover some of the debates post Augsburg, but alas those would be of more interest to me as a theologian than the typical movie viewer. Tetzel is done brilliantly, but it is obvious that the actor borrowed from pop-evangelical fervour for this role (he actually confirms this in his interview). All in all it was a very fun movie, a worthwhile view.
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2 comments:
I enjoyed the film as well. On a side note, while numbering Scripture by chapter and verse began several hundred years before Luther, they weren't always consistent. However, within about 20 years of his death, it was fairly standard, so it isn't unheard of that he would have quoted such references.
Peace,
Jamie
Hey Jamie!
That is good to know. It just kind of threw me when he started referring to verses. It really wasn't until Luther himself was teaching Romans that those passages really hit home for him.
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