Martin Luther considered the reading of God's word to be his primary task as a theologian, a pastor, and a Christian. Though he is often portrayed as reading the Bible with a bare approach of sola Scriptura―without any concern for previous generations’ interpretation―the truth is more complicated. In this New Explorations in Theology (NET) volume, Reformation scholar Todd R. Hains shows that Luther read the Bible according to the rule of faith, which is contained in the church's ancient catechism of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed. Hains carefully examines Luther's sermons to show how Luther taught the rule of faith as the guard and guide of Bible reading. This study will helpfully complicate your view of Luther and bring clarity to your own reading of God's Word. Featuring new monographs with cutting-edge research, New Explorations in Theology provides a platform for constructive, creative work in the areas of systematic, historical, philosophical, biblical, and practical theology. "In this impressive work, Todd Hains convincingly demonstrates the central place that the analogy of faith ( analogia fidei ) occupied in Martin Luther's theology and exegesis, and the significant ways it shaped his ministries as pastor, professor, polemicist, and doctor of the church. Scholars and students who engage this important book will never read the German Reformer the same way again." Scott M. Manetsch, professor of church history at Trinity Evangelical Divinity Schooland associate general editor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture "Todd Hains has written an outstanding book about Luther's regular use of the analogy of faith when interpreting Holy Scripture. I commend this project highly. It makes a timely contribution to our understanding of both Luther's biblical exegesis and Luther's catholic, or traditional, approach to inculcating the Christian faith." Douglas A. Sweeney, dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University "Martin Luther, the analogy of faith, and allegory are all often employed like wax noses in contemporary hermeneutical debates. 'Luther said this,' 'the analogy of faith is that,' and 'allegory says anything you want it to say' are common tropes employed by a variety of interpretive camps in support of their own particular brand of biblical exegesis. Todd Hains's Martin Luther and the Rule of Faith speaks into this interpretive void and brings clarity and insight into an otherwise chaotic hermeneutical landscape. Hains describes and explains Luther's own views on the analogia fidei and allegory judiciously, and his tour of Luther's homiletical practice sheds further light on the subject. This is a retrieval project of the highest quality; even while it summarizes Luther's catechetical technique, it also catechizes the reader to read Scripture in light of its own catechism―the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Our Father. I cannot recommend this work highly enough to all readers, and especially to those who want to read the Bible with the saints." Matthew Y. Emerson, professor of religion at Oklahoma Baptist University and author of "He Descended to the Dead": An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday "Like the mastery of phonics for literacy, proper instruction in the simple foundations of the Christian faith opens up a disciple of Jesus to its immense profundity. That was Luther's conviction as a preacher and teacher of the Bible. That is also what Todd Hains demonstrates in his helpful account of Luther's analogical use of the catechism christologically and pastorally as the key to unlock the riches of God's Word. In this excellent book Hains examines Luther's sermons on five passages as test cases to show how he did this." John W. Kleinig, lecturer emeritus of exegetical and pastoral theology, Australian Lutheran College/University of Divinity "It is widely recognized that Martin Luther was a singularly important contributor to the development of Christian theology and biblical exegesis. Dissatisfied with allegorical approaches to Scripture, Luther insisted on reading Scripture according to the literal sense. A break with the Catholic exegetical tradition, right? At the same time, Luther leveled withering criticisms against the literalist exegesis of his fellow Reformers, most of whom surely thought they were simply following his lead. How to place Luther within the emerging streams of Protestant biblical interpretation? By attending to Luther's exegetical deployment of the analogia fidei , the 'rule of faith' given in the Apostles' Creed, Todd Hains's meticulous study sheds new light on these questions. Sampling Luther's sermons in extenso , Hains will surprise even the seasoned reader of Luther with this thorough demonstration of the prominence therein of the analogia fidei . The result helps us betterunderstand how Luther found himself fighting an exegetical Zweifrontenkrieg against both Catholic allegorizing and Protestant lit