Renegade: A Graphic Novel of the Life of Martin Luther

Renegade:Martin Luther, The Graphic Novel, by Dacia Palmerino and Andrea Grosso Ciponte

(Plough Publishing House, October 2017), pb., 156 pp.

Ages 14+

This is an engaging and fairly detailed graphic novel on Martin Luther covering his entire life, from birth to death. It was originally written in Italian and translated into German before coming into English this month. The authors clearly know the Luther story well and seems to be aware of some of the different debates on Luther. They do have Luther giving his defiant response at Worms on the first day he was questioning rather than on the second after asking for a day to consider the demand to recant, but this does not negate the good work throughout.

The artwork is edgy, capturing well the darkness Luther grappled with and other situations like the peasant revolt and the Black Death. This is a great tool to help people encounter Luther afresh or to engage them for the first time. I am glad to see this coming out just as we approach the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation.

Resources for Reformation Day

Pictured here are a few of our family’s favorite books related to the Reformation. As we approach Reformation Day, I thought it might be useful to recommend some books that will help you remember and celebrate this important time with your children.

A couple of years ago I gathered into one post links to some of the best books we had read up to that time on the Reformation. That post contains links to more complete discussions of the books with further links to where the books can be purchased.

When the Morning Came (in the photo above but not in the previous post just mentioned) is a great story set in the Netherlands during the Reformation. This is a part of the Reformation which is typically not as well known among us.  This book is a long standing family favorite for us and there are three later books which continue the series.

Then, I have included in the photo, Duncan’s War, a story of the Scottish Covenanters from the 16^th century. This is a century later and a second wave of the Reformation. This book by Douglas Bond and the two books which followed to complete the trilogy are among our all-time favorites.

I hope these books might be a blessing to your family as they have been to ours. We are grateful to have the Bible in our own language. We are grateful to have the clear gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone proclaimed around us. We are grateful to God for renewing his church in the Reformation.

(Sorry, the photo for some reason will not stay vertical!)

Luther, "The Noblest & Most Precious Work on Earth"

“The best thing in married life, for the sake of which everything ought to be suffered and done is the fact that God gives children and commands us to bring them up to serve Him. To do this is the noblest and most precious work on earth, because nothing may be done which pleases God more than the saving of souls. If the need were to arise, all of us should be ready to die in order to bring a soul to God. So you see how rich in good works the estate of marriage is. God lays souls into the lap of married people, souls begotten from their own body, on which they may practice all Christian works. For when they teach their children the Gospel, parents are certainly their apostles, bishops, and ministers.”[1]

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[1] What Luther Says: A Practical In-Home Anthology for the Active Christian, compiled by E. Plass, 2836.

Luther: Echoes of the Hammer

Luther: Echoes of the Hammer (The Graphic Novel)

By Susan K. Leigh, Illustrated by Dave Hill

(Concordia, 2011), pb., 144 pp.

Ages 6+

Just in time for Reformation Day Concordia Publishing House has released this graphic novel of the life of Luther. Susan Leigh does a good job telling the story of Luther and the graphic novel format is engaging. The book works from Luther’s birth to his death and does a good job with details as well as the theological and historical issues.  Along the way sidebars (or full pages) are given to providing more information on other key people in the story from other reformers, political leaders and Catholic leaders.

This is an engaging way to get your children reading about this important man and event.

Happy Reformation Day!

Happy Reformation Day! I hope you make much of this day and the truths it commemorates with you family and church this weekend. My family gathered around last night to listen to Max McLean’s wonderful rendition of Luther’s defense at Worms, “Martin Luther’s- Here I Stand” (available for free download through tomorrow!). He includes not only Luther’s speech but also sets the scene well and records Luther’s prayer before his defense. It is very well done. Older children can follow well and I was happy for younger ones to catch whatever they could. :)

One impact of the Reformation was renewed attention to the value of family life, as they recovered the truth that all of life (not just explicitly religious things) is valued by God. Luther was a key voice in trumpeting the value and importance of family and the raising of children (as I have noted previously).

Here is another great Luther quote I just came across today:

“Now since we are all duty bound to suffer death, if need be, that we might bring a single soul to God, you can see how rich the estate of marriage is in good works. God has entrusted to its bosom souls begotten of its own body, on whom it can lavish all manner of Christian works. Most certainly father and mother are apostles, bishops, and priests to their children, for it is they who make them acquainted with the gospel.”

What a wonderful ministry we parents have. Let us be faithful in it. And make the most of the opportunity which this Reformation Day gives you.

Here are some other books reviewed previously here that are useful on the Reformation:
Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World,
Reformation Heroes

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed The World, Paul L. Maier
Illustrated by Greg Copeland
(Concordia, 2004), hb., 32 pp.
Ages 4+

I have seen this book and heard good things about it, so this year I decided to buy it for Reformation Day. I am glad I did!

This is an excellent brief overview of the work of Martin Luther. Maier, as a historian, knows his facts, but the key thing about the book is that it gets the key issue of the Reformation- the gospel. This is not a collection of facts about Martin Luther but the story of how God used Martin Luther to recover the gospel, which is “the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). Maier captures the heart of the reformation in a way that is understandable for young readers. It is also very nicely illustrated by Copeland.

The book opens not with Luther, but with God as one who rescues his people and sends servants to keep His church pure. Luther is introduced as one of these people. Then Maier explains the corruption of the medieval Catholic church, writing:

In those days, the Christian church no longer based its beliefs on the Bible alone. It had actually invented new doctrines and practices that Jesus and His apostles had never taught. Sadly, too, the church leaders of that time, far from setting a good example for their people, sinned worse than the people did!

Maier then surveys the key events and accomplishments in Luther’s life in an engaging way. The book closes then summarizing the many contributions Luther gave to the world, ending with this:

But his greatest gift of all was to find in God’s Word the answer to the question that had tormented him as a monk: ‘What must I do to win God’s forgiveness for my sins?’ The Bible showed him that God had already done it all for him by sending Christ whose suffering and death paid the penalty for sin and whose resurrection would be shared by all those who had faith in Him. That great good news is the Gospel- the central message of the church that is as great today as it was 500 at Luther’s time, or in Jesus’ own day.

Amen! This is what I want my kids to understand from Luther and the Reformation. Great truths, important history, well told and beautifully illustrated- this is a great book and I recommend it for every family.

Luther as Father

In the Van Neste household here today is celebrated as Reformation Day and the kids love it. We do well to remember our roots in the Reformation and the blessings in many areas which have come to us as a result of this historic renewal of the church.

There are many important things which grew out of the reformation, but one that is often missed is the raising of the value of the family. This can be seen in many ways, but one way (as with much in the Reformation) is simply to look at the life of Martin Luther. One standard book on the Reformation makes this comment about Luther:

“The Luther that survived in the memory of Germany was not Luther the friar but Luther the father of a family.”*

From the Reformation doctrines emerges the idea of the father shepherding the flock of his family, teaching the scriptures to his children and leading them in prayer and singing. The church today desperately needs renewal once again and reclaiming this role of fathers, mothers and families will be one key aspect in such a renewal.

* Owen Chadwick, The Reformation (Hist of the Church) (Penguin Books, 1972), p. 74.