Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Martin Luther's notion of freedom, as presented in De servo arbitrio, is often interpreted as a denial of free choice in matters of God (salvation) and as an affirmation of free choice in earthly life. This article questions this twofold distinction and argues that in De servo arbitrio Luther's notion of freedom is set into epistemic discourse in which he distinguishes between different perspectives or perceptions and reality. The article demonstrates that for Luther, freedom denotes human perception, misperception, and deception. This indicates that beneath the free choice debate lies a fundamental question of human ability to understand reality.
DOI: 10.1111/ijst.12729
Author: Karin Kallas‐Põder
Institution: University of Helsinki
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,760
OpenAlex ID: W4403732588