
The Making of a Reformation Man
Martin Luther and the Construction of Masculinity
David M. Whitford(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 16. June 2025
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-1-032-87901-7 (ISBN)
Description
This volume explores how Martin Luther's life and teachings reshaped and redefined masculinity during the Reformation, offering a more nuanced portrayal of him as a man grappling with the complexities of fatherhood, marriage, and the battlegrounds of religious controversy.
This book demonstrates how Luther forged a new ideal of Christian manhood by examining his struggles with monastic vows, his transformation of the household as a spiritual center, and his reshaping of male authority. Integrating insights from cultural historians, gender studies, and feminist scholarship, Whitford analyzes the intersections of gender, power, and religion during a time of profound social upheaval and change. Through Luther's personal transformation, this book reveals how early Protestant ideals of masculinity were intricately tied to broader religious, political, and cultural changes that reshaped Europe. By placing Luther within the wider context of religious and social transformation, this work offers a fresh perspective on his impact and the changing notions of masculinity in the early modern period.
The Making of a Reformation Man is a valuable resource for scholars and students of the Reformations and gender theory, as well as readers interested in the broader implications of religious thought on societal roles and identity.
This book demonstrates how Luther forged a new ideal of Christian manhood by examining his struggles with monastic vows, his transformation of the household as a spiritual center, and his reshaping of male authority. Integrating insights from cultural historians, gender studies, and feminist scholarship, Whitford analyzes the intersections of gender, power, and religion during a time of profound social upheaval and change. Through Luther's personal transformation, this book reveals how early Protestant ideals of masculinity were intricately tied to broader religious, political, and cultural changes that reshaped Europe. By placing Luther within the wider context of religious and social transformation, this work offers a fresh perspective on his impact and the changing notions of masculinity in the early modern period.
The Making of a Reformation Man is a valuable resource for scholars and students of the Reformations and gender theory, as well as readers interested in the broader implications of religious thought on societal roles and identity.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Postgraduate and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
16 s/w Abbildungen, 16 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder
16 Halftones, black and white; 16 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
555 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-87901-7 (9781032879017)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
06/2025
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download

E-Book
06/2025
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download

Book
06/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€63.80
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Person
David M. Whitford is Professor of Reformation Studies at Baylor University, USA, and is a cultural historian of Early Modern Christianity. In 2023, he served as President of the Sixteenth Century Society. He co-edited Embodiment, Identity, and Gender in the Early Modern Age in 2021.
Content
1. I, Luther, still live! Luther as Virile Monk and Godly Hero Part 1: The Unmaking of the Monastic Man 2. Cockfights and Feathers Flying: Slander and the Academic Man 3. Brother Martin Is Dead: Lust, Sex, & Celibacy from the Wartburg to Wittenberg Part 2: The Making of a New Reformation Man 4. Son and Husband of Strong and Ambitious Women: Margarethe Luder and Katharina von Bora 5. From Whore-Bride to Shared Suffering: Finding Empathy in Marriage and Fatherhood 6. A Grieving, Womanish Heart: Luther on Grief Part 3: The Old Man and the New: Living in Both Worlds 7. The Limits of Empathy: Examining Sexual Violence among the Reformers 8. Sexualized Slander: Sodomy and the Defense of the Reformation 9. Finding the Godly Man: Reforming Masculinity