ABSTRACT
Theology must be bold enough to speak of God as the Bible does; even to take on the authoritative tone of biblical proclamation. The Reformation does not passively accept the authority of scripture as given: its authority must be known through its reperformance. This chapter explores this dynamic in relation to two of Luther's most central texts: The Bondage of the Will and the Galatians commentary. The Bondage of the Will (1525) is one of the key texts of the Lutheran Reformation. The fact that subject and language belong together is an obvious presupposition of rhetorical activity. Luther's emphasis upon the verbal nature of revelation strips the eucharist of its privileged status as the sacramental moment. Luther's theological method in The Bondage of the Will and the Galatians Commentary consists in the rhetorical mediation of the Word's authority.
