A Heart Like a Ship on the Wild Sea: Luther's Affektenlehre and its Influence on Post-Reformation Hymnody

Presented by Matthias Prenzler

The term Affektenlehre or Doctrine of the Affects has been used to describe a range of metaphysical-psychological theories. These all sought to understand the complex interactions between the emotions, the conscience, and other matters of the heart. Affective theories influenced the study of rhetoric, music, and poetry from classical antiquity to the Enlightenment. This paper will examine some of Luther’s writings on the affects, and explore the impact of Luther’s Affektenlehre on later Lutheran hymnody.