Luther’s De libertate christiana , Johannes Tauler, and the Problem of Human Agency: A Comparative Perspective
Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture May 6, 2026 DOI: 10.1017/s0009640726103291 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMartin Luther's 1520 treatise Freedom of a Christian preserves a tension from medieval mysticism: human agency coexists with divine operation. While Luther rejects external good works, he reintroduces internal human agency within faith. This challenges standard views of Lutheran doctrine by retaining some bidirectionality between God and the believer. A comparison with the mystic Johannes Tauler shows both Luther's debt to medieval mysticism and his radical simplification of its framework.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Philosophy |
| Key finding | Argues that Luther's Freedom of a Christian preserves a characteristic tension from medieval mysticism, cohabiting human agency with divine operation, contrary to standard views of Lutheran doctrine. |
Abstract
Recent studies have emphasized the centrality of late medieval mysticism to Martin Luther’s theology of faith. Building upon such research, I argue that Luther’s Freedom of a Christian (1520) preserves a characteristic tension within medieval mysticism: the cohabitation of human agency alongside divine operation. Whereas external agency (good works) is rejected, Luther reintroduces internal human agency within his theology of faith. Contrary to standard views of Lutheran doctrine, Freedom retains some degree of bidirectionality in the relationship between God and the believer. A comparison with Johannes Tauler highlights both Freedom’s indebtedness to medieval mysticism and its radical simplification of the mystical framework.