Martin Luther and Islam

Book excerpt: Martin Luther (1483-1546) lived at an important juncture during the long and tortuous history of the conflict between Islam and Europe. Scholars have long focused on his apocalyptic interpretation of the rise of the Muslim Ottoman Empire, but only a few have probed deeper into his thought on Islam. As a result, one of the most influential thinkers in the western intellectual tradition has received very little attention in the history of Christian perceptions of and responses to Islam. Drawing upon a vast array of the Reformer’s writings while also examining several key texts, this book reveals an often-overlooked aspect of Luther's thought, and thereby provides fresh insight into his place in the history of Christian-Muslim relations.