Here I Stand by Roland Bainton

225 Book Reviews

Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther

Roland H. Bainton.

Meridan Book Publishers

336 pages.

Hie stehe ich. Ich kan nicht anders. Got helffe mir. Amen. These words are synonymous with not only Martin Luther, but also the Reformation itself. “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” It was the cry of the Reformation because it was founded on the Bible. Luther would say that unless he was convinced by Scripture, he would not be swayed. Here he stood. It was on the Holy Bible. Thus, a Reformation was born.

Roland Bainton’s work is often seen as the foundational text on Luther’s life. It’s a popular level biography that is both easy to read and enjoyable. Bainton paints Luther in both positive and negative shades, as every good biography should. Although, at times there does seem to be uninvited liberal views on the inerrancy of Scripture that seem to come from the author’s views and not Luther’s. And, in light of the popular level that the biography is written at, there are no footnotes given in the text. Though, there is an extensive bibliography in the back. All in all, a flawed, but commendable work.
4 out of 5 stars.