New Volumes of Chinese Translation of Martin Luther's Work, Published in February

The cover of the Chinese translation of Volume 12 of The Works of Martin Luther
The cover of the Chinese translation of Volume 12 of The Works of Martin Luther
By Serena TseMarch 18th, 2024

The Chinese translations of Volumes 12 and 21 of The Works of Martin Luther was published in Helsinki, Finland, in February. 

The comprehensive translation project of all the works of Martin Luther consists of 60 volumes, with the remaining volumes to be revealed in due course.

Academia in China has only translated a fraction of the original pieces of Martin Luther, who initiated the 16th-century religious reform movement, comprising only four of the 55 volumes of his collected works.

Paulos Huang, distinguished professor and director of the Sino-European Center of Shanghai University, Li Ruixiang, and Xu Wenjia jointly translated the two newly published volumes, with Huang also serving as the book's reviewer. Notably, Professor Huang is also the initiator of the translation of The Works of Martin Luther.

Volume 12 of the Chinese translation of The Works of Martin Luther contains Luther's comments on seven chapters of the Psalms, which involve information about the divine and human nature of Jesus, the way to salvation being God's righteousness, and overcoming the worldly temptations by faithful treatment and living according to God’s teaching. Volume 21 comprises Luther's sermons, featuring commentaries on the Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat.

In his commentary on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5–7), Luther redirects the focus of faith from one's exterior to the interior, placing more emphasis on the individual's relationship with God and their spiritual life.

While discussing the Magnificat, Luther explains how God works among the lowly, despised, and ridiculed, standing in stark contrast to humanity's pursuit of worldly glory and power.

- Translated by Poppy Chan

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