Magdalena Luther (1529 - 1542)

Born 4 May 1529 in Wittenberg, Kurfürstentum Sachsen, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Ancestors

Died 20 Oct 1542 at age 13 in Wittenberg, Kurfürstentum Sachsen, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Biography of Magdelena "Lenchen" LUTHER

Magdalena Luther was the third child and second daughter of German priest and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther and his wife, Katharina von Bora. She died at the age of thirteen, unmarried. Wikipedia Born: May 4, 1529, Wittenberg, Germany Died: September 20, 1542, Wittenberg, Germany Parents: Martin Luther, Katharina von Bora Siblings: Paul Luther, Elisabeth Luther, Margarete Kunheim, Martin Luther, Hans Luther Grandparents: Margarethe Luther, Hans Luther Uncle: Jacob Luther

In 1542, he lost his beloved daughter Magdalene. A series of powerful table talks describe the impact upon him. When Katie, realizing the gravity of the child’s illness, began to weep uncontrollably, Luther reminded her that children have simple faith, have little fear, and die as if going to sleep. The Table Talk also records a conversation between Luther and the dying girl:

When the illness of his daughter became graver he said, “I love her very much. But if it is thy will to take her, dear God, I shall be glad to know that she is with thee.”

Afterward he said to his daughter, who was lying in bed, “Dear Magdalene, my little daughter, you would be glad to stay here with me, your father. Are you also glad to go to your Father in heaven?”

The sick girl replied, “Yes, dear Father, as God wills.”

The father said, “You dear little girl!” [Then he turned away from her and said,] “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak [Matt. 26:41]. I love her very much. If this flesh is so strong, what must the spirit be?” Among other things he then said, “In the last thousand years God has given to no bishop such great gifts as he has given to me (for one should boast of God’s gifts). I’m angry with myself that I’m unable to rejoice from my heart and be thankful to God, though I do at times sing a little song and thank God. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s [Rom. 14:8]— in the genitive singular and not in the nominative plural.”

Here we see the existential agony of a father facing the death of a child. His theology tells him she is going to a better place, but his embodied creatureliness feels the pain of the unnatural intrusion of death as it takes his loved one from him. The pain was to continue, with the child dying in Luther’s arms as he wept and prayed while Katie sat in the same room, apparently paralyzed with grief. Then, the coffin was too small to contain her. Finally, at the funeral, the congregation sang Psalm 79:8, a reminder that even in the throes of mourning, Luther’s understanding of God and salvation was a source of comfort to him.

• Magdalena Luther was born on May 4, 1829, the second daughter of the Christian Reformer Martin Luther and his wife Katharine VonBora . She was given the nickname "Lenchen".

• Magdalena had an older brother named Hans Luther.

• Magdalena;s parents had already lost their first daughter Elizabeth, who died before Magdalena was born. So Magdalena was special to them. However, Magdalena also died early. Her grave stone inscription, as told by Markwald, reads:

• * " I, Lechen, Luther's daughter, rest here in my little bed, surround by the saints" and is reported to have been written by Luther himself in Latin.

Sources

• Otto Sartorius: Die Nachkommenschaft D. Martin Luthers in vier Jahrhunderten, Göttingen 1926, p.1

Carl R. Trueman (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is the Paul Woolley Professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary and pastor of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Ambler, Pennsylvania. He was editor of Themelios for nine years, has authored or edited more than a dozen books, and has contributed to multiple publications including the Dictionary of Historical Theology, The Cambridge Companion to Reformation Theology, and Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther

• http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-9389283#excommunication

• MGM Studios, Luther- Publishied 2003. Movie on the life of Martin Luther. DVD format. Rated PG-13. ISBN 0-7928-6191-4

• Bainton, Roland H. Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther. Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennessee. 1950 Second Edition 1978.
• Herzel, Catherine, Great Christians: Their Response and Witness. Lutheran Church Press, Philadelphia. 1984. ISBN 0-687-16895-3

• Mall, E. Jane, Kitty, My Rib. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Missouri. 1959. Second edition, 1964. - Biography of Martin Luther and his wife Katharina Von Bora

• Luther, Martin, Through Faith Alone: 365 Devotional Readings from Martin Luther Concordia Publishing House, Third Edition, 1999. Originally published by God's Word for the Nations Bible Society, 1995. Translated by Gudgeon, Ric; Zimermann, Trudy Rourke; and Meske, Gerhard. Also published by World Publishing in 1998.

• Markwald, Rudolf K. and Markwald, Marilyn Morris Katharina Von Bora: A Reformation Life. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Missouri. 2002

• Nestingen, James A., Martin Luther: A Life. Augsburg Fortress: Augsburg Books, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 2003

• Nohl, Frederick, Luther: Biography of a Reformer. Concordia Publishing House, 2003. Includes photographs from the MGM movie Luther, also pblished in 2003. Title originally published as Martin Luther: Hero of Faith. Concordia Publishing House, 1962.

• Ink and Blood - documentary on history of the publication of the Holy Bible. Book and accompanying DVD

Acknowledgements

This biography is a rough draft. It was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import and needs to be edited.

• WikiTree profile Luther-370 created through the import of Briscoe Family Tree.ged on Aug 8, 2011 by K Bris. See the Changes page for the details of edits by K and others.

• Source: S1711808296 Repository: #R1711808294 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Page: Ancestry Family Trees Note: Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=14996197&pid=1389
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