Abstract: Martin Luther is generally considered a stark critic of Aristotle and, even more so, the medieval Aristotelianism of his age. Our article explores the development of Luther’s appraisal of Aristotle’s thought throughout his career with a special emphasis on the topic of theological anthropology. We will distinguish between the fundamental anthropological paradigms based on their situatedness – vertically, coram Deo, and horizontally, coram hominibus. The imago dei (Greek: eikon tou theou) doctrine will be closely examined as Luther’s essential component of his doctrine of the human being, and ethical as well as social implications will be drawn from his emphases. Aristotle’s philosophical heritage will be contrasted with Luther’s views on human will, conscience, sin, concupiscence, and divine grace. Our thesis is that, owing to Luther’s excessive reliance on God’s sovereignty and omnipotence, innate human capacities are diminished to the point of insignificance. This makes Luther’s anthropology pessimistic in regards to human capacities to do good. Questions of moral responsibility, the goodness of creation (including human reason), and the meaningfulness of human moral struggles are examined in the last section of our paper.

Authors: Mashkin, Nikolay A. – Batyukova, Vera E. – Krokhina, Julia A. – Shagieva, Rosalina V. – Chistyakov, Alexey A.– Korzhuev, Andrey V.

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2021.14.1.88-99

Publication order reference: prof. dr. Nikolay A. Mashkin, Doctor of History; Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Department of State Legal and Criminal Law Disciplines, 36 Stremyannyi Pereulok, 115093, Moscow, Russian Federation; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

assoc. prof. Vera E. Batyukova, PhD.; Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Department of International and Public Law, 49 Leningradsky prospect, 125993, Moscow, Russian Federation; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

prof. dr. Julia A. Krokhina, PhD.; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Legal Disciplines, 1/13 Vorobyovy Gory, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

prof. dr. Rosalina V. Shagieva, PhD.; State University of Management, Department of Private Law, 99 Ryazansky Avenue, 109542, Moscow, Russian Federation; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

prof. dr. Alexey A. Chistyakov, PhD.; 1Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Department of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics, 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198, Moscow; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Academy of the Federal Penal Service of Russia; Department of Criminal Law, 1 Sennaya, 390000, Ryazan, Russian Federation; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

prof. dr. Andrey V. Korzhuev, PhD.; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Department of Medical and Biological Physics, 8 Trubetskaya Street, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2021, vol.: 14, issue: 1, pages: 88-99 (PDF file)

Keywords: MARTIN LUTHER, ARISTOTLE, THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, ARISTOTELIANISM, HUMAN NATURE

Language: ENGLISH