Courses

Instructor: Earle Treptow

Description:
Martin Luther once suggested that, of his many writings, the only works worthy of being preserved were the Catechisms and The Bondage of the Will. While one could make a compelling argument that he wrote other treatises of much greater value than The Bondage of the Will, Luther considered his 1525 response to Erasmus important because it addressed a fundamental question—what power do human beings have in spiritual matters? The question remains critical today. Living in a world that has an exaggerated opinion of the natural goodness of human beings, we would do well to familiarize ourselves with this classic text, reflect on the teaching Dr. Luther drew from the Scriptures, and proclaim that truth clearly today. Participants will read through the entire book critically during the course, become familiar with Luther’s scriptural arguments for the bound will, and reflect on contemporary manifestations of Erasmus’ view of the human will.

Students are required to purchase the J. I. Packer translation of The Bondage of the Will (ISBN: 0801048931). It will be critical for the discussion of the key points of the text to have everyone in the course on the same page.

Some reading will be required before the first day of the course.

This course can be applied to either the Systematic Theology or Church History focus area of the STM program.

During Summer Online 2026 this course will run from June 8 through July 31. Preliminary work will be done the week of June 1.

Registration will be available in the Student Information System (SIS) beginning March 9, 2026, and close May 4, 2026. Use the "Login with Office 365 button" once you've received a student account and are logged in to Microsoft 365 with that student account. Need an account? Request one here.

WLS has been granted accreditation with ATS; therefore, the email domain has been changed from firstname.lastname@wisluthsem.org to firstname.lastname@wls.edu. Please use the new email domain to log in to Microsoft 365 and access WLS-related websites (e.g., Library Resources, SIS, SemNet).

Step-by-step instructions are provided here for all parts of the account setup and registration process.

Financial assistance is also available for those taking courses for credit. If your congregation is paying for your tuition, please submit a financial aid request form with that information so you may receive the tuition discount.

Advanced Degree Program(s): STM
Area of Study: Systematic Theology
Tuition: $800
Course Number: ST5065
Course Credits: 2.0