Werner Zager

Martin Luther's refusal to recant on April 18, 1521, at the Diet of Worms is considered one of the pivotal moments of the Reformation. Before the Emperor and the Empire, Luther affirmed his theological writings. He stated that he could not recant what he had written unless he was overcome by evidence from Scripture or clear reasons of reason. Otherwise, he felt bound by his conscience, which was captive to the Word of God. The contributions in this volume focus on this event itself within its historical context. Additionally, they address the effects of Luther's appearance in Worms: in contemporary journalism, in artistic representations throughout the centuries, and later in film, in Protestant intellectual and cultural history, in Luther festivals, and in celebrations of Diet anniversaries since the 19th century.