Luther was a sinner as we all are, but a sinner who knew the love and power of God to save him from sin .death, and the devil. It is because Luther was not afraid to stand before popes and emperors and confess his faith, that I today in America know Christ as my Savior. Thank you, Martin Luther! You are a hero and I love your hymn "Amighty Fortress Is our God." It has such powerful lyrics and melody.
"Unless I am convinced by scripture and plain reason and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captive to the Word of God". Martin Luther And so it is ..........
The hymn that can tell one thousand stories. No one has ever written like Martin Luther. God gifted him with the talent of writing inspiring spiritual volumes. An ordinary person's life time may not be sufficient to read this Spiritual legends books. His writing speed would simply overtake a normal person's reading capacity. An extraordinary person who opposed kingdoms and dominions all alone by the power vested on him by the Almighty fortress. By his expense every believer carries a Bible
I'm no longer an active member of the church, but as a young girl, I did attend with my family. This hymn is exactly as I remember hearing it at church and later, when my brother learned to play the pipe organ. Eternal Father, The Naval Hymn is the other hymn that holds much meaning for me. I was just listening to it a few minutes ago and it too, is exactly as I remember it and I'm also reminded of my mother and how that hymn moved her to tears and how she sang this one with all her heart.
A glorious hymn exhibiting the feelings and aspirations of a free, democratic, catholic church that St. Martin Luther [inadverantly] founded! The words and the music are an inspiration to all Christians. Thanks be to God for this holy man!
The reformation started with the 95 thesis. But the msot amazing thing is he stood up for the word of God even though the papacy condemned him for teaching that we are saved by grace through faith.
Beautiful ..So beautiful ! I love Jazz , Fusion , classical , etc . This tune is right from the Throne of GOD ! JESUS is the only way to GOD ! HE loves us ! HE ( GOD ) that spared not HIS own SON ( JESUS ) , but delivered Him up for us all , how shall HE not with Him freely give us all things ! ... Romans 8 : 32 . GOD bless You . . . Thanks for posting !
Martin Luther, one of the most bravest souls ever, to stand up against the church, would be like standing up against God himself of that era, God has spoken through Martin Luther, which changed the church for good, and 486 years later, the mighty fortress is and will always be our god
This song matches the most holy faith in all regards to suffering and adversity. I myself suffered persecutions from zealous brethren who were following mere traditions of men. Let's be careful to love and serve Jesus plus nothing. It is His covenant and it is perfect and has no need of human additions or modifications. We humans must avoid exalting our opinions, knowing that in these last days, God has given us the last Word through Jesus Christ and the Apostles moved by the Holy Spirit.
My life and ministry was deeply influenced by reading the biography and inspirational studies of this precious brother. Thanks for the great german people for this gift.
I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. Today (February 17, Lent 1), we sang this as the Opening Hymn. Ditto for me as I played it as the Closing Hymn at a local Lutheran Church that I filled in at. It is #504 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
How great is a hymn that won't let you stop after the first stanza! Incredibly enough, I once attended a service where only that first stanza was sung.
People, do not throw out the baby with the bathwater! Luther was a great man, greatly used of God in his time. We owe to a great extent our freedom to men like Luther, who stood up for the free conscience of the individual, and put a tyrannical institution in its place. America is free from the domination of Rome and others because men like Luther stood up and demanded freedom.
What a man! I want to see him in the eternity and have a good conversation how he challenged those SOBs. Oh...! A mighty fortress is our God. He changed the Western civilization to become what we are now. May He bring us and to fools like @FRAGIORGIO1 an atom of wisdom to have the simple understanding of his grace.
People who want only to discuss Luther's statements about the Jews throw out the baby with the bathwater. This was a great man, who stood for the true gospel and one would do well to study his writings. He is a true hero of the true gospel. One of the greatest heros of the faith.
Thanks for posting this video. I have played this on the organ many hundreds of times, and it still gives me thrills at the concepts contained therein, not to mention the powerful tune. May God bless you and your work.
@JordanAP96 I could be wrong, but I think the last time we sang this hymm at my church, out preacher told us that a bulwark is somthing like a wall that holds back floodwaters. It makes sence. "Our helper he amid the flood"
@JordanAP96 A bulwark is another word meaning fortification, fortress, castle, a refuge, a shelter. In the context of this hymn it is used to describe how the faithful can find the strength and will of God to be a safe place to seek refuge when besieged by evil's cruel hatred and how by accepting God and the teachings of Christ into their lives the faithful can overcome these challenges.
Thanks for posting this video. I play this on any organ I can use, as often as I can, including every Sunday when I warm up for the service. While lots of my Pastor friends prefer Pastor/Dr. Luther's melody, this English one is sung more enthusiastically by most groups with which I have sung, with the exception of groups of LCMS pastors!
Lutero fue un hombre que abrió el camino de la libertad de conciencia. Soy católico pero valoro que se respete el derecho de cada ser humano. Detesto que en la iglesia católica haya quienes afirman que fuera de ella no hay salvación. Las religiones no deben ser para dividir a la gente. Malditos aquellos que traigan lucha entre los seres humanos. Que viva la tolerancia, la buena música y un porro de marihuana ahora que la andan permitiendo en Colorado y Washington.
@Festizzle When we're really passionate about something it's hard to avoid occasionally saying something that we wish we could take back. Thanks so much for one of the coolest comments ever.
@SpidersOnDrugz Nobody's ever stood more opposed to the rules, regulations, rituals and routines of structured religion than the historical Jesus (which ultimately got him killed) so at least when it comes to not liking "religion" you and Jesus may actually have a lot in common. :) We really like this hymn too.
@BigBingFan With all due respect, when Jesus talks about building his church he's referring to all people who follow him (Jews and Gentiles), not any particular denomination or religious structure....Catholic or Protestant.
@martinspecialeffects No matter about that; the words should not be interpreted as against the Pope and the Catholic church. That is why it is a part of the Catholic hymnal book.
The huge point to be made is that we are utlimately saved by grace in all our human imperfection. We're not able to be perfect except through Christ. If Martin Luther had prejudices against Jews, can we say that his human fallacy was covered by Christ's great sacrifice to save him? Jewish people are God's children, too. Who can say how far Christ's work on the cross reached? We must let God alone be judge...& allow fallible Christian prejudices also to be covered in Christ's great sacrifice.
@Fersomling Yes it is a part of the Catholic hymnal book in Sweden; the hymn as it is interpreted in the 20th and 21st century is not against the Pope.
@OddityArt Exactly what Luther was against. During the time of the Crusades young men would join the battles in order to receive a plenary indulgence which would wipe clean their sins and need to buy indulgences. These indulgences were a money making scheme of the Roman Church to build St. Peters Basilica.
@thedagonjones Hey, I just love the hymn--and it's hard to find a version on YT that is not "New Age" or "rearranged" in some way or other to suit mor modern tastes. I'm not Lutheran or advocating any Lutheran doctrine--about which I know nothing. But having been brought up Catholic, I have to say I truly love and respect what he nailed to the door of his church. As far as Jews go, I waited tables and tended bar in NYC for several years--but I wouldn't go so far as killing any of them...
@dannytibi I know what you mean but I'd hate to see more hatred stirred up because of mistakes Luther made a very long time ago. Most people would say he was a great man in spite of the obvious flaws.
@dannytibi Luther loved Jesus (who was a Jew) but definitely didn't have much good to say about the Jews of his day who he perceived as attempting to pull Christians away from Jesus. Here's another quote from that text... "For why do they curse us? Solely because we confess, praise, and laud this Jesus, the true Messiah, as our consolation, joy, and delight, from whom we win not he parted or separated by weal or woe, in whom and for whom we will confidently and willingly live and die."
Luther was a man, not God in the flesh as Jesus is/was. He obviously had problems as we all do, but was directed by God to make amazing changes in his time. God uses sinful humans to accomplish His will. We cannot look at any man to worship, except Jesus Christ, who was the perfect man.
Fret not! There are more books written about Martin Luther than anyone else in the world, with ONE exception, and that exception would be just fine with Dr. Luther, since that was Yeshua (Jesus) Himself. Most folks do not know that, but check with any librarian. I'm from Altenburg, MO, btw, where the LCMS started and thrived to spread around the world, spreading the Gospel, and helped by the power & inspiration of this hymn.
I don't understand why those against religous music come to these sites. Do you just want to preach hate? I'm not preaching to you, other than Gods love., I will not judge you, but I may disagee with you
As there's NO singing in this particular version of the hymn. I'll stand by what I wrote. This is the REAL thing--unlike so many of the syncopated, jazzed-up nonsense that others have posted on YT. So, I see someone's commented that Catholics are actually singing this now, too!!! LOL... That should have ML rolling in his grave! Maybe I'll go back to Mass... Naaah.... I prefer RU-vid.
Do you mean the German tune? This is, I believe, usually referred to as the English tune or version, and is more popular with the American congregations for which I have played the organ. The seminarians and pastors often prefer the German tune, I've noticed, and it certainly is singable. In fact, these latter folks sing it like they mean it! May God bless you and your work for Him.
Martin Luther Great Man... but like all of us with Flaws.. despite his hatred against God people the Jews which in itself is Horrible... Martin Luther remains the Great Reformationist...
@ellietobe luther was not some type of superhuman. its unfortunate, but antisemitism is found all over the world. Luther did remain with some catholic beliefs, but the amount he accomplished in such a short time is unbelievable. i dont think many people can say they would have done a better job.
Being a Lutheran and the son of a Lutheran Minister I have sung this song many times with many different translations. I have never heard those particular words. are they the actual literal translations of Luthers original text from German to English?
@Festizzle The Catholic Church addressed Luther's Theses at the time... and Pope Benedict XVI has written extensively about Luther's errors. Pope Benedict is an excellent scholar... possibly the greatest theologian alive today. If the two of you sat down together, I'm sure the Pontiff would treat you very nicely... but I'm sure he would also tear your arguments to shreds.
Having taken several religion classes taught by Lutheran Seminary Professors on which this specific topic was raised, not one of them deny the antisemitic attitude and remarks made by Luther, only that they hoped for understanding of a man in the declining years of his life, perhaps afflicted with medical issues not known at that time.
@tommerrigan1956 Abandoned his vows because the Catholic church was denying people the right to read scripture for themselves and adding lies to God's word, such as the idea of indulgences. According to you he is "now in hell" for being excommunicated by the Pope. Where in the Bible do you find support for that belief - that you're damned if you leave Catholic priesthood? The Pope is a mere man, horribly over-exalted when Christ is the only man who ever deserved such glorification.
@NOVATICANWARS Actually, they didn't follow Jesus at all. The problem with Christianity (then and now) is that many of us Christians follow our denomination rather than following our founder. In World War II Germany that resulted in the church thinking that since Germany was a very "Christian" country, the best way for the world to have more Jesus was for it to have more Germany...and we all know how terribly wrong that went.
@HiFiHymnBook @ellietobe : Earlier in his life, Luther was supportive of Jews. He believed the reason they weren't coming to Christ was the horrid abuses of the Catholic Church. Later, when Martin Luther was experiencing that same rejection of the gospel from the Jews, it led him to believe they were anathema since they rejected Christ. In truth, I would believe that he held the same attitudes to any people-group what rejected Christ. He's a product of his time and culture-sadly.
@ellietobe Actually not. While he did write a couple of notoriously anti-Semitic pieces in the last few years of his life, they had little if any influence on German anti-semitism. This myth was popularized by journalist William Shirerer, who was unable to produce evidence to support it and simply said that it was something he surmised from "general reading." See The Fabricated Luther, a book on the subject by Gene Veith, available from Concordia Publishing House.
Please do never say Looser or Luzer ... his Name is Luther (speak: Lutter! ... korrekt: LutHerr, the Herr of the Lut ... the "h" its from his silent ... i am watching for details ... see you!
@NOVATICANWARS The Lutheran Church (ELCA) denounces the Anti-Semitic writings of Luther. The Lutheran Church does not follow Luther, rather they follow Christ and accept Luther's understanding of the faith.
@ellietobe Being politically correct wasn't his thing! I'm certainly not a scholar on Martin Luther but "hated the Jews" is the wrong phrase to use here. It's probably fair to say that he hated that they refused to move on from the old covenant and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord. He was also afraid that Jewish arguments would lure Christians away from their faith. "They insist that they are right, and if God himself were to do other than they think, he would be in the wrong." - Martin Luther
