As befitting a scholar who seeks to do Protestant theology in an ecumenical, multi-faith context, Hans-Martin Barth has written his Die Theologie Martin Luthers to answer a single burning question. In the face of the vastly different intellectual, scientific and religious contexts which separate the world of the European Reformation from today's multi-cultural global community, can Luther still speak authoritatively to us today? For H. M. Barth, the modern recovery of the reformer's theology in its original context is not sufficient to decide the question, since he finds many aspects of Luther's fundamental principles untenable today. Consider Sola gratia. In the author's view, Luther's search for a gracious God was an egocentric approach to salvation, rendering any construal of the reformer's theology based on that premise incomprehensible to a contemporary audience. And, Sola scriptura. While Luther's Christ-centred hermeneutic was on the right track, his biblicism regretfully derailed any notion of looking for Christ in the sacred writings of other traditions or in creation as guided by the wisdom of witches. Then, Sola fide. The theological assumptions of Luther's doctrine of justification arose from and were addressed to the particular historical conditions of his era, not to the human condition in general. Today people do not see themselves as sinners. Preachers do not warn about a last judgement or eternal damnation. Therefore, current cultural relevance demands ‘a critical evaluation’ of the reformer's thought. Hans-Martin Barth divides his pro nobis construal of Luther's theology into three parts. First, he addresses the negative aspects of Luther's legacy that undermine the reformer's moral authority today: his intolerance towards Jews, Muslims and witches as well as his conduct during the Peasants’ Revolt. Then the author examines the positive aspects of the reformer's writings, organising his survey of Luther's thought into twelve dialectical pairings such as ‘Theology and philosophy’, ‘Holy Scripture and human tradition’, ‘Law and Gospel’ and ‘Both sinner and saint’. Each section begins by presenting the historical development of Luther's thought and ends by sifting through the material for insights useful for today's society. Finally, H. M. Barth concludes with an overall evaluation of what in Luther's thought is enduring (his liberating existential theology as pastoral care), what must be left behind (religious intolerance stemming from a Christocentricism that undervalues the work of other members of the Trinity in creation), and what remains to be fully developed (a lifestyle easily recognised as formed by a Protestantism committed to an integrated doctrine of the Trinity). After a century of scholarship seeking to free Luther's thought from later historical developments, Hans-Martin Barth's insistence on a fresh round of cultural appropriation will no doubt prove as polarising as the reformer himself. Inevitably, the author's own assumptions about what makes for a humane modern society ultimately determine his assessments. Many readers will warmly welcome the skilful breadth and depth of H. M. Barth's endeavour to give Luther a seat at today's multi-faith table-talk. It is equally certain, however, that others will remain convinced that had Martin Luther chosen to sit at this table at all, he would have written one sentence under the tablecloth to remind himself of what truly trumps and transforms human cultures: ‘The Word of God stands forever’.