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In this episode, we talk with Professor Craig Harline (Brigham Young University) about his recent research and how to start on a new research project. Craig Harline's most recent book is A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation (OUP). He is the also author of numerous other books, including Miracles at the Jesus Oak and A Bishop's Tale: Mathias Hovius Among His Flock in Seventeenth-Century Flanders.
For our second Book Report, Book Review Editor Andrew Hall discuss the rest of the reviews newly available in the Winter 2019 Issue including Pleasing Tree, The Mormon Hierarchy: Wealth & Corporate, On Fire in Baltimore. Andrew Hall then interviews Craig Harline and Christopher Jones about the genre of mission memoirs. Click in to enjoy!
Some Mormons regard Martin Luther as a kind of hero. Maybe for various reasons that could be true, but many of the things that Luther was against, Mormons would be for. In fact, Mormons have a lot more in common with Catholics than they do with Protestants. Though he has been credited for laying groundwork for the Restoration, Martin Luther actually shared few religious views in common with those of the Mormon faith, at least in regard to the subjects he cared about most. Russell Stevenson of LDS Perspectives Podcast interviewed Luther biographer Craig Harline about Luther’s motivations for questioning the Catholic Church. Popular legend has it that on October 31, 1517, he defiantly nailed a copy of his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church. As if being finally fed up, Luther acted in public defiance by finally writing down his frustrations. As it turns out, Harline clarifies, the nailing of these was a routine act for professors such as Luther, and Luther was interested in debate and discussion more than open defiance. What Luther most cared about was grace. Every theologian pretty much agreed that man was saved by grace, but then there was always a qualifier: grace through what? It wasn’t just a question of whether salvation came through works or grace; it was a question of how grace went together with works. The current orthodoxy taught basically to do the best you could, and Jesus would do the rest. But that just didn’t satisfy Luther, because a really sensitive soul like his could always find something else wrong inside himself. He questioned, “How do I know that I’m doing all that I can? The question tormented him. Harline says that Luther suffered from what the monks called overscrupulousness or “the bath of hell.” The clergy understood this was an occupational hazard; if your job is to look inside yourself most of the day for sins, you were going to find them. You could be so worried because you could always find something else you could do better. Through his struggles, Luther came to believe that the answer to the question of how he was saved was simple — it was through faith alone. And by faith, he simply meant just assenting to letting God save you. According to Harline, Luther was of the attitude that men should: “Just give it up and realize that they are saved by Jesus. Do everything you want; you’ll still be saved by Jesus, and if you accept that, you’ll be a lot happier.” Later Luther became increasingly uncomfortable with other tenets of Catholicism, especially the authority of the pope, which was what really got him in trouble — much more than his views on grace. As his position became more perilous, he became more excessive and desperate in what he said. By 1520, he was saying all kinds of angry things against the Pope — that’s what made him really popular in Germany especially, but in other parts of Europe as well. Harline finds it amazing that Luther survived considering how precarious his situation. Others had been executed for less. As an educator, Harline tries to teach Luther on Luther's own terms instead of trying to fit him into a Mormon paradigm. Years of teaching the Reformation to college students have shown him that most Mormons don’t know much about this period and what they do know is distorted. His students really like to learn what it was like, so he tries to teach it as accurately as possible. “We want others to study us as we would recognize ourselves,” says Harline, “so why wouldn’t we study others in a way that they would recognize themselves as well?” On this episode of the LDS Perspectives Podcast, tune in to hear more about a sensitive soul’s desire to help himself and others find peace even if it meant questioning everything he had ever been taught. Craig Harline is the author of A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation, written in celebration of 500 years since Martin Luther famously nailed 95 theses to the church door in W...
Some Mormons regard Martin Luther as a kind of hero. Maybe for various reasons that could be true, but many of the things that Luther was against, Mormons would be for. In fact, Mormons have a lot more in common with Catholics than they do with Protestants. Though he has been credited for laying groundwork for the Restoration, Martin Luther actually shared few religious views in common with those of the Mormon faith, at least in regard to the subjects he cared about most. Russell Stevenson of LDS Perspectives Podcast interviewed Luther biographer Craig Harline about Luther’s motivations for questioning the Catholic Church. Popular legend has it that on October 31, 1517, he defiantly nailed a copy of his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church. As if being finally fed up, Luther acted in public defiance by finally writing down his frustrations. As it turns out, Harline clarifies, the nailing of these was a routine act for professors such as Luther, and Luther was interested in debate and discussion more than open defiance. What Luther most cared about was grace. Every theologian pretty much agreed that man was saved by grace, but then there was always a qualifier: grace through what? It wasn’t just a question of whether salvation came through works or grace; it was a question of how grace went together with works. The current orthodoxy taught basically to do the best you could, and Jesus would do the rest. But that just didn’t satisfy Luther, because a really sensitive soul like his could always find something else wrong inside himself. He questioned, “How do I know that I’m doing all that I can? The question tormented him. Harline says that Luther suffered from what the monks called overscrupulousness or “the bath of hell.” The clergy understood this was an occupational hazard; if your job is to look inside yourself most of the day for sins, you were going to find them. You could be so worried because you could always find something else you could do better. Through his struggles, Luther came to believe that the answer to the question of how he was saved was simple — it was through faith alone. And by faith, he simply meant just assenting to letting God save you. According to Harline, Luther was of the attitude that men should: “Just give it up and realize that they are saved by Jesus. Do everything you want; you’ll still be saved by Jesus, and if you accept that, you’ll be a lot happier.” Later Luther became increasingly uncomfortable with other tenets of Catholicism, especially the authority of the pope, which was what really got him in trouble — much more than his views on grace. As his position became more perilous, he became more excessive and desperate in what he said. By 1520, he was saying all kinds of angry things against the Pope — that’s what made him really popular in Germany especially, but in other parts of Europe as well. Harline finds it amazing that Luther survived considering how precarious his situation. Others had been executed for less. As an educator, Harline tries to teach Luther on Luther's own terms instead of trying to fit him into a Mormon paradigm. Years of teaching the Reformation to college students have shown him that most Mormons don’t know much about this period and what they do know is distorted. His students really like to learn what it was like, so he tries to teach it as accurately as possible. “We want others to study us as we would recognize ourselves,” says Harline, “so why wouldn’t we study others in a way that they would recognize themselves as well?” On this episode of the LDS Perspectives Podcast, tune in to hear more about a sensitive soul’s desire to help himself and others find peace even if it meant questioning everything he had ever been taught. Craig Harline is the author of A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation, written in celebration of 500 years since Martin Luther famously nailed 95 theses to the church door in W...
Martin Luther believed the Bible proved that the Catholic Church had gone astray. His efforts to bring reform to the church wound up leading to his excommunication and the Reformation was off and running. In the previous two episodes we heard from Craig Harline and Brad Gregory, talking about Martin Luther's life and the Reformation more broadly. In this episode, Jennifer Powell McNutt talks about the Bible during the Reformation. If Protestants believed the Bible was the supreme source of doctrinal truth, they, like Catholics, were still left with the problem of how to interpret it. The “people's book” was revered by different people with different ways of interpreting. McNutt has written about how Christians grappled with the Bible's words about Christian sacraments like baptism, marriage, and ordination. She lays out some of that back-and-forth history here, and also talks about her experiences teaching Christian students at Wheaton College. About the Guest Jennifer Powell McNuttis associate professor of theology and history of Christianity at Wheaton College. She is the author of Calvin Meets Voltaire: The Clergy of Geneva in the Age of Enlightenment, and the co-editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of the Bible and the Reformation. Her most recent book is called The Peoples Book: The Reformation and the Bible. The post Reforming the sacraments, with Jennifer Powell McNutt [MIPodcast #68] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.
Martin Luther believed the Bible proved that the Catholic Church had gone astray. His efforts to bring reform to the church wound up leading to his excommunication and the Reformation was off and running. In the previous two episodes we heard from Craig Harline and Brad Gregory, talking about Martin Luther’s life and the Reformation […] The post Reforming the sacraments, with Jennifer Powell McNutt [MIPodcast #68] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.
What was Martin Luther trying to accomplish when he nailed his ninety-five theses to the Wittenburg church door? Would you believe he didn’t intend to start a new religious movement at all? Down the centuries Martin Luther has been lauded by some, lambasted by others. Was he an amazing hero or an arch heretic, or perhaps […] The post Martin Luther and the birth of the Reformation, with Craig Harline [MIPodcast #66] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.
What was Martin Luther trying to accomplish when he nailed his ninety-five theses to the Wittenburg church door? Would you believe he didn't intend to start a new religious movement at all? Down the centuries Martin Luther has been lauded by some, lambasted by others. Was he an amazing hero or an arch heretic, or perhaps something different altogether? Craig Harline's latest book peels back the layers of this history, taking us directly into the friar's musty study to learn the truth about a contested historical figure. The book is called A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation. About the Guest Craig Harline is a professor of history at Brigham Young University and an award-winning author of books including Sunday: A History of the First Day from Babylonia to the Super Bowl and Way Below the Angels, a memoir of his service as a Mormon missionary in Belgium. He specializes in Reformation-era Christianity. His latest book is called A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation.The post Martin Luther and the birth of the Reformation, with Craig Harline [MIPodcast #66] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.
Craig Harline is an accomplished author and professor at Brigham Young University. He teaches Cultural and Religious History. He resides in Provo, Utah with his family but he also travels to Europe as he continues his research. Craig grew up in Fresno California. He was later called to Belgium to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was those experiences he had while on his mission that lead him to write the book Way Below The Angels, the Pretty Clearly Troubled but not even close to tragic confessions of a real life mormon missionary. In this book he shares what his expectations for his mission looked like, and what really happened as he enabled the power of the atonement. Episode Highlights: 5:32- Expectations for your mission or calling. 6:54- Your ideals are a starting point. 7:39 - Avoiding feelings of failure. 8:22 “Ideals are stars to steer by; they are not sticks to beat ourselves with.” (Barbara B. Smith) 12:28- How to help young missionaries set expectations before they leave on a mission. 15:45- The right answer is not always the heroic one. 18:37- We are not called to save everything, the Savior has already done that for us. 22:32- Sometimes we look for affirmations of success in all the wrong places. 28:16- Why people convert? 30:25-Helping missionaries understand social structures. 31:16- Who am I converting vs. Who am I befriending. 34:43-Learning to speak their language and learn their culture is an act of love. 35:53-Having unrealistic goals makes the mission about you, and not the people you are there to help. 38:15-The mission may not go the way you thought and it is ok to talk about it. 39:48-Sometimes you will not get along with your companion. Links Craig Harline website Way Below The Angels, the Pretty Clearly Troubled but not even close to tragic confessions of a real life Mormon missionary Craig Harline’s published books Times and Seasons Blog
Today we sit down with Craig Harline, author of “Way Below the Angels”. Craig talks about his own missionary experience as well as the adjustment most missionaries make from the pristine and elevated expectations to the real life experience of disappointment and feelings of failure that come with the reality of most missions. We discuss how he […] The post 144: Craig Harline: Way Below the Angels appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.
The 19th Dialogue podcast features BYU Professor Craig Harline, whose primary field is European religious history. From the Miller-Eccles website: "Dr. Harline has published a number of historically-based books that have been popular with readers and are held in high regard by critics (see below). Most recently he has turned his narrative skills to writing a memoir of his mission to Belgium in the 1970s. The post Dialogue Lectures #19 w/Craig Harline appeared first on Dialogue Journal.
As the 8th feature of our Mormon Stories Book Club series, we feature Craig Harline and his book Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America, accompanied by podcast host Heather Olson Beal and readers Kimberly Brinkerhoff, Hannah Pritchett, Daniel Rawson, and Natasha Helfer Parker. Craig Harline, a native of California, is a cultural historian and a professor of history at BYU. He teaches courses on the Reformation, the history of civilization, film, and Christianity. He has also taught seminars on miracles and toleration and persecution.
In the 2012 presidential race two major issues are ever present but never mentioned: Mormonism and homosexuality. According to opinion polls, a significant number of Americans either won’t vote or are wary of voting for a Mormon. Likewise, though opinions are rapidly changing a large plurality or slight majority (depending upon the poll you consult) of Americans oppose gay marriage. Craig Harline boldly takes on both controversial issues in his new book, Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America (Yale University Press, 2011). Written in an innovative and accessible fashion, Conversions delves into both issues and discusses them in a subtle yet profound manner. In an age where partisans tune into the cable news show that best jibes with their pre-conceived notions Harline’s work is most welcome. Do yourself a favor, listen to our discussion and go out and buy the book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the 2012 presidential race two major issues are ever present but never mentioned: Mormonism and homosexuality. According to opinion polls, a significant number of Americans either won’t vote or are wary of voting for a Mormon. Likewise, though opinions are rapidly changing a large plurality or slight majority (depending upon the poll you consult) of Americans oppose gay marriage. Craig Harline boldly takes on both controversial issues in his new book, Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America (Yale University Press, 2011). Written in an innovative and accessible fashion, Conversions delves into both issues and discusses them in a subtle yet profound manner. In an age where partisans tune into the cable news show that best jibes with their pre-conceived notions Harline’s work is most welcome. Do yourself a favor, listen to our discussion and go out and buy the book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the 2012 presidential race two major issues are ever present but never mentioned: Mormonism and homosexuality. According to opinion polls, a significant number of Americans either won’t vote or are wary of voting for a Mormon. Likewise, though opinions are rapidly changing a large plurality or slight majority (depending upon the poll you consult) of Americans oppose gay marriage. Craig Harline boldly takes on both controversial issues in his new book, Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America (Yale University Press, 2011). Written in an innovative and accessible fashion, Conversions delves into both issues and discusses them in a subtle yet profound manner. In an age where partisans tune into the cable news show that best jibes with their pre-conceived notions Harline’s work is most welcome. Do yourself a favor, listen to our discussion and go out and buy the book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kathryn interviews Craig Harline, professor at Brigham Young University and author of Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America. In this book, Harline explores the effects of religious conversion on family relationships, showing how the challenges of the Reformation can offer insight to families facing similarly divisive situations today. Kathryn also interviews mindful eating expert Dr. Michelle May on her book, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes: A Mindful Eating Program for Thriving with Prediabetes or Diabetes. In Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat, named to TIME Magazine's Top Ten Notable New Diet Books of 2009, Dr. May teaches about ending senseless yo-yo dieting and resolving mindless and emotional eating.
Kathryn interviews Craig Harline, professor at Brigham Young University and author of Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America. In this book, Harline explores the effects of religious conversion on family relationships, showing how the challenges of the Reformation can offer insight to families facing similarly divisive situations today. Kathryn also interviews mindful eating expert Dr. Michelle May on her book, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes: A Mindful Eating Program for Thriving with Prediabetes or Diabetes. In Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat, named to TIME Magazine's Top Ten Notable New Diet Books of 2009, Dr. May teaches about ending senseless yo-yo dieting and resolving mindless and emotional eating.