Leggere e rileggere Lutero: a proposito di alcune opere pubblicate in occasionev del cinquecentesimo anniversario della Riforma

This survey examines some works published in Germany for the anniversary of the Reformation. Alongside numerous biographies of Luther as a ‚Christian‘, often accompanied by illustrations used to communicate to the faithful the principles of Reformed theology, these include works that take a broader approach, examining the Reformation not just as a European and specifically German issue, but also tackling its effects in areas outside Europe. Many of the studies considered here share some significant features: the question of the significance of the Reformation and Protestantism today and, on the other hand, the issue of whether or not the critical study of the enormous impact, including on a political level, of the end of Christian unity in Europe may help us to understand some of the features of contemporary religious fundamentalism. Italian historiography has also tackled the issue of the Reformation, both with biographies of Luther and with valid attempts to reflect on the consequences of the Reformation in Italy, overcoming traditional historiographical interpretations.