To profeter

Sammendrag

Rejected by the Church, Martin Luther was led to assume the role of a prophet. As an exercise in comparative religion, taking its cue from Max Weber, the article compares Luther's charismatic prophethood with that of Muhammad. Three main aspects are studied: the historical construction of a succession of prophets, the association of prophecy with regional self-assertion, and the development from an individualistic concept of faith to demands of loyalty towards institutional authority.