Scripture scholars celebrate anniversary of Martin Luther’s September Testament making God’s Word more accessible
(LWI) - What impact did Martin Luther’s 1522 translation of the New Testament have on the culture and people of his time? What are the key challenges of making a first century Greek text understandable and relevant to a 21st century audience? And why is it essential to continue making the Bible accessible to people of different languages and cultures today?
Those questions are at the heart of a new webinar series, launched by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) this week to mark the 500th anniversary of Luther’s September Testament, as his first translation of the gospels is widely known. Featuring leading Scripture scholars and experts working in different parts of the globe, the series aims to dig deeper into the diverse ways in which Lutherans read and engage with the Word of God in their lives today.
Launching the series on 18 October, LWF General Secretary, Rev. Anne Burghardt described the September Testament as “one of Luther’s most important literary achievements.” She noted that the publication of the New Testament in German made it accessible to people for the first time, “enabling them to read and reflect personally, as well as in the church.” It represents, she stressed, Luther’s “core theological convictions: Scripture as the Word of God, Jesus as the Word made flesh and preaching the gospel as the living word for us.”