Freedom as a Matter of Perspective and Perception in Martin Luther's De servo arbitrio☆

Abstract

Martin Luther's notion of freedom, as presented in De servo arbitrio, is often interpreted as a denial of free choice in matters of God (salvation) and as an affirmation of free choice in earthly life. This article questions this twofold distinction and argues that in De servo arbitrio Luther's notion of freedom is set into epistemic discourse in which he distinguishes between different perspectives or perceptions and reality. The article demonstrates that for Luther, freedom denotes human perception, misperception, and deception. This indicates that beneath the free choice debate lies a fundamental question of human ability to understand reality.