The Gruber Rare Books Collection and Other Rare Books
Luther's Works
Publications by Luther 1516
Theologia Germanica
Gruber 173 Eyn geystlich edles Buchleynn von rechter underscheyd und vorstand was der alt un new mensche sey... (A Spiritually Noble Little Book) Wittenberg: Johann Rhau-Grünenberg, December 1516. Aland 720; Benzing 69; WA 1.152-153. Ein geistlich edles Büchlein vom rechten Unterschied...was der alte und neue Mensch sei. Vorrede zu der unvollständigen Ausgabe der Theologia Deutsch.
"In 1516 Luther had discovered an anonymous manuscript emanating from the Friends of God and had published it under the title of A German Theology, declaring in the preface that he had learned from it more than any writing save the Bible and the works of St. Augustine." Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand. A Life of Martin Luther. New York: Mentor Books, 1955, 102. In the preface Luther stated that only God knew who the author was, but he was certain that the person belonged to the school of mystics led by John Tauler (1300-1361).
Luther's first published writing. Note on title page indicates that this is the first (incomplete) edition of the Theologia Germanica.
The Gruber Collection was assembled by L. Franklin Gruber, President of Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary, Maywood, Illinois.
Annotation prepared by Ralph W Klein