From Bondage of the Will: At this point, Luther is criticizing the ineffectiveness of Erasmus' arguments and the way he frequently contradicts himself. Here he cites the source of his weak arguments and faulty reasoning: Erasmus simply doesn't care about the topic.

"A man who does not treat this question seriously and has no interest in the issue, whose mind is not on it and who finds it a boring and a chilling and a distasteful business, cannot help uttering absurdities and follies and contradictions all along the line; he argues his case like a man drunk or asleep, blurting out between snores 'Yes!' 'No!' as different voices sound upon his ears!

"This is why rhetoricians require passion in one who pleads a case. Much more does theology require passion, to make a man vigorous, and keen, and earnest, and prudent, and energetic."

[Luther, Bondage of the Will, Ch. IV: "Review of Erasmus' Arguments for Free Will"]

1 Comment

1. Logan on May 5, 2008 at 11:22 AM

   Very good! I like that a lot.