A Scenic Guide To Lutheranism
933666
The most influential book of a scholarly view that I have read. Dr. Veith cuts to the crux of issues, explains them out in black and white. Written a everyday language. A must for every Confessional Lutheran and Christians who are feeling a loss with their personal religion . A wonderful companion to my faith.
1832298
A wonderful blend of Lutheran theology, intrigue, a bit of romance.  I look forward to reading more of Stephen Grant's  adventures.
2466106
If you are moved by worship and want to gain a deeper understanding of liturgy, this is a valuable addition to your library.
3512972
This is a great way to experience the joys of Lutheran liturgical prayer in addition to the Divine Service.  The album covers Matins, Morning, Evening, Compline, and the Litany.  The settings used here are found in the Lutheran Service Book, but if you are familiar with the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal, you shouldn't have much difficulty following/singing/praying along.  Also nice for long car-rides.
4347070
`Final Account, Paul's Letter to the Romans' is a very small book by the very distinguished Krister Stendahl, a Professor Emeritus of Divinity at Harvard, whose liturgical affiliation, as one could easily assume from his Scandinavian name, is Lutheran.

In a world filled with big books on Paul in general and on his Epistle to the Romans in particular, this slim volume is a bit of an anomaly. One thing the size tells us is that unlike the tomes by the likes of Ernst Kasemann, Karl Barth, and N. T. Wright, this volume will not be giving us a chapter and verse exegesis of the famous Epistle.

The volume is even smaller when you take into consideration the fact that 25 pages, a full third of the volume, are taken up with a reprint of the RSV translation of the letter. One thing that is important to realize is that this is not gratuitous padding, as it is all part of Bishop Stendahl's big idea.

I can't help but think of Isaiah Berlin's famous comparison of the hedgehog and the fox in reading this book. One may say that while Kasemann and Wright and James Dunn (in `The Theology of Paul the Apostle') deal with many, many ideas, Stendahl, in this volume, brings us no more than a few `big' ideas.

Stendahl's most impressive `big' idea is the notion that one should embark on reading Romans with an open mind, devoid of all preconceptions. Therefore, the good Bishop provides us with his preferred translation for studious reading.

Since, as Stendahl points out, Romans has been claimed as the documentary underpinning of every variety of theological point of view from Augustine to the present, it is easy to find oneself with an inadvertent pair of tinted glasses. The Lutheran shade of glasses is, of course, the issue of justification by faith, which every non-Lutheran commentator points out is actually not one of Paul's major themes, as he brings it up only in Romans and Galatians, the Epistles wherein he is arguing against Gentile Christians having to follow Mosaic law.

While Stendahl is a self-confessed Lutheran, he is well aware of this slant and side steps it as deftly as many earlier commentators such as William Wrede and Albert Schweitzer.

One important original idea is usually enough for me to consider a book valuable, but Stendahl has more. Two of the more novel thoughts are in his first lecture, where he says Paul's primary concerns were with his health and with the fate, following the advent of the Messiah, of Israel. The second seems not too novel until you realize, from Stendahl's perspective, that Paul had a genuine concern for the Jews. The first issue is easy to overlook, and tends to get lost with all the more theological issues abounding in Paul's writings. But Paul's letters are filled with puzzlement over why Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle, should be afflicted by such corporeal weaknesses.

While this book offers only some highlights from a very sound source, it's virtue, aside from the value of those insights is the fact that it can be read from cover to cover in an evening.

This may be the best book with which to start on Romans, but it should not be the last. It will certainly set you out in the right direction as you plough your way through more complete exegeses of Paul's Epistle to the Romans.
4204950
This book is a facsimile reprint of the first complete Luther Bible from 1534 published by Hans Lufft. Luther first published his translation of the New Testament in 1522, and he continued to revise his translation until his death in 1546, the 1545 edition known today as the "Letzter Hand" (last hand) edition.

The copy used to produced this facsimile is in the possession of the Stiftung Weimarer Klassik/Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek. It is notable for the fact the the initials and woodcut illustrations (from Lucas Cranach's workshop) have been hand-colored, giving the book an elegant appearance.

Taschen first reprinted the 1534 edition in 2003. This is a reduced-size facsimile. The scans are of high-quality, and the pages are crisp. The text is in a Schwabacher typeface, and is in archaic German spelling.

I've read a review of the previous edition that warned of some misprints: pages repeat and/or are missing in at least Isaiah and Luke. I haven't read the present edition thoroughly, so I can't be sure if the misprints have been corrected in this, or even whether they were present in the original copy.

There is also a booklet detailing the history of the Luther Bible, and of the German-language translations of the Bible before that.

Anyone interested in Martin Luther and his times or the German Bible should buy this book.
2256019
Mary Todd has done a good job of giving a basic historical overview of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod with details hard to find elsewhere. Granted, the historical analysis is designed toward her personal objectives (as she clearly states in the beginning of the book) with editorial  comments along the way leaning toward a more negative bias in reference to  C.F.W. Walther & friends than other historians have written. Even  though her conclusions are a hotbed of debate, her clear comments are  engaging and extremely informative, putting forth a very good analysis of  the subject historically.
As Mary Todd suggests right from the get go, if  you tie verbal inerrant inspiration of scripture with authority in the  church then this book will be a challenge to your view on the subject  doctrinally and historically as it was for me. If not, then this book will  be foundational for you.
1920252
In this book by Professor Olson, Christian history and theology is examined for the many differences and similarities that have characterized different denominations and presuppositions.  The aim of this book seems fairly simple: to find a common bond that all Christians everywhere can unite under and find agreement.  Olson's plea is for a synthesis over analysis (that is, to examine our theology very thoroughly and rigorously but to press this examination to unity rather than division, which has most often been the case).
Moving through twelve major/basic theological categories (Sources, Revelation, Scripture, God, Creation, Providence, Humanity, Jesus Christ, Salvation, Church, Life beyond Death, and the Kingdom of God), Olson presents the reader with a broad overview of what has typically and historically been held by varying denominations and sects among Christianity.
Again, Olson's goal in all of this is twofold: to present a 'handbook' of sorts for the new student(s) of historical theology and to make a case for a "both-and" theology rather than a divisive position.  Although I feel that he falls short of this goal on two or three of the major theological positions, Olson does well in making this a reality that can be worked towards in the theological arena, even presenting the reader with more of a practical, "how-to"-type goal of what this "both-and" can look like.
On the whole, this book is an outstanding read and a tremendous resource.  Olson writes very well and often times inspiring as he shares this vision of the theological horizon.  This promises to be a great treasure and addition for libraries of pastors, theologians, students, and lay-persons.
Although the "both-and" isn't always going to be present, the overall vision has been set for a goal towards which our modern theology can progress.
53836
The five volumes of the late German Luther scholar Albrecht Peters commentary on Luther's Catechisms stands as one of the milestones in Luther research and a wealth of theological insight into the reformer.  (This is Volume 2 of the series.)  Albrecht Peters died unexpectedly in 1987 while still a professor of theology at the University of Heidelberg at the age of 63.  At that time he had completed the first draft of his Commentary and lectured extensively on various topics within it.  The finishing of the work was taken up by his colleague Gerhard Seebass and his wife, Gisela Peters (herself a Luther scholar) along with a number of former students and colleagues.  The work on the Commentary on the Catechisms began in the early 1960s while Peters was simultaneously working on substantial articles for the "Handbuch systematischer Theologie (not translated into English).

Albrecht Peters was one of the conservative Luther scholars of the 1970s and 80s, and a close friend of Wilhelm Maurer, Heinrich Bornkamm, and other well-known theologians of the time still held in high appreciation today.  He also was a colleague and friend of Peter Brunner, the Lutheran systematic theologian at Heidelberg, with whom Peters shared the same scholar's affliction:  endless attention to ever greater detail.  So, like Peter Brunner, Albrecht Peters wrote very few book-length works; for both theologians, the bulk of their writings was in the form of theological journal essays and studies, almost none of which are translated into English and of which the German journals are now difficult to find.  Thus his Commentary on Luther's Catechisms takes on especial importance as one of the few writings of Albrecht Peters in English.

If you could pick only one work of Albrecht Peters to bring into English, the Commentary on Luther's Catechisms would be the one to choose.  Its five volumes cover the whole of Luther's Large Catechism and Small Catechism:  the Ten Commandments; the Apostles' Creed; the Lord's Prayer; the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper; and guides for the spiritual life with an emphasis on Confession and Absolution of sins.  All the volumes are meticulous examples of historical-theological scholarship, and set clearly within the larger picture of Luther's sermons and writings on the Catechism from 1520 up to the 1529 Catechisms under study.  Peters also compares Luther's writings to modern interpretations of Scripture and to the Medieval historical tradition from which it derived.  But Albrecht Peters was not merely a historian; he was convinced that Luther's catechisms were "what is necessary for life and death," and sought to include this pastoral and spiritual legacy into his commentary as well.

Concordia Pub. House is again to be congratulated for bringing  to English-speaking readers one of the great modern classics in Luther scholarship and exposition.
2676287
David Garlich reporting in saying this was an excellent read and a great resource to help understand doctrinal differences between Lutheran's and Church of Christ or Campbellite followers.  It has helped in my conversation with a Pastor of a church in Oklahoma.  It could be a great resource for you to.  Check it out.
2561767
This is the third book on Lutheran Doctrine that I have read and it certainly is the best work to date. It covers the the whole of Lutheran doctrine in a clear and concise manner that makes the work a useful book in any Lutheran's library. Unlike other scholarly works that tend to be dry, and boring, Dr. Mueller has done an excellent job at making his book readable; no easy task given either the material or the depth that Dr. Mueller covers the subject. This work has an audience that is not limited solely to pastors, but extends to the laity as well. We will be using this text as a basis of a series of doctrinal reviews for our congregation over the next two years and I personally would not have a problem with quoting sections to an adult study group. Pastors will find it useful for directing congregational members who have questions they wish to research on their own. I have found the work very useful as a reference work for bible studies and for material to use in confirmation training. I heartily recommend this book!
928320
It is good to have translations of good books that modern people may be kept from because they were written in ecclesiastical Latin as this work is. It appears to be a good translation, but knowing more of the background of this work I can see where it can and might be misused against authentic Lutheran beliefs.
647083
Good exploration of Lutheran belief systems in an easy to understand format, tied back to the Bible and written to grow faith rather than as a scholarly interest.
3452072
I would imagine the ELCA designed this as being a "starter guide" for those wanting a base in Lutheran ethics as well as an academic offering for the already established field. It is mostly successful at both goals. Of the collected essays, Rasmussen and Moe-Lobeda's is definitely the best and most potent considering a 21st century context. I was left wondering at the end why there were still so many people that just didn't "get it"--Robert Benne being one of them. Benne's offering is an adequate overview of the topic, but his dinosaurist slant towards a heterosexist reading of scripture leads to an ethic not quite ready for prime time. Htter's essay is simply far too difficult a read for a congregation or non-grad student. Besides, he adds 12 pages of end-notes to a 23 page essay. Fredrickson and Stortz offer real world ethical advice in the form of congregational moral discernment and prayer respectively. Child's essay provides the most in depth look at Two Kingdoms doctrine as it pertains to ethics while Perry's looks at three African American Lutherans of the 19th and early 20th centuries who used Lutheran doctrine to counter the inequalities of slavery and Jim Crow.

The most interesting part of the book is the "Table Talk" section where the various authors meet to discuss their various themes and disagreements. It is here where Benne most appears a hegemonic fish out of water. Moa-Lobeda, as the only student among professors, more than holds her own throughout the conversation. Luckily, the rest of the authors, even if they don't agree with her, do not take the immovable stance against reason that Benne does. This transcript unfortunately would not make much sense without having read the entirety of essays, so its worth is only available after getting through the book.
1775069
I write this review as an ecumenically-minded Eastern Orthodox Christian who enjoys the study of Lutheranism, esp. the theology of Philip Melanchthon, the father of systematic Lutheranism.

Keep in mind that this book came out in 1976 and has not been updated. So when it comes to addressing the "issues of the day", something that the authors don't do all that much on, they mention the Vietnam War (from a very left-wing perspective) and race relations. This wonderful introduction to the heart of Lutheran theology and ethics screams for an updated version, one that addresses more relevant issues like recent events in the ecumenical movement (e.g., the 1998 Joint Declaration on Justification between the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church), women's ordination, the sexual revolution & birth control, euthanasia, abortion, and homosexuality.

Two important things must be kept in mind by the reader. First, this work attempts to address the various issues while always keeping at the fore the Lutheran emphasis on justification by faith. That is the primary lens by which all else is viewed. Second, the authors do a great job comparing and contrasting the core of systematic Lutheranism: Melanchthon (Augsburg Confession, Apology to same, Treatise on the Power & Primacy of the Pope, his Loci Communes, and his other writings), Luther (Smalcald Articles, his two catechisms, and various writings), and the final outline and boundaries as set in the Formula of Concord (which tends to be more Luther over Melanchthon). This is not a one-sided picture, but one that tries to show the various discussions by "Philippists" and "Gnesio-Lutherans" in the 1540s-1570s and the final compromises made in the 1570s.

One reason I like of this work is that the authors accept the premise that Lutheranism remains a work in progress. That the Book of Concord sets some boundaries. But that there is much in the Lutheran message that may still be developed if only Lutheranism really took seriously the core messages of Law-Gospel and Justification, esp. in regard to removing or at least reducing residual influences of philosophy, both that of Aristotle as well as the medieval Roman Catholic scholastics, which Melanchthon, Luther, et al tended to accept without realizing how it impacted the transmission of their thoughts.

My only real complaint is that often the authors seem more to hint at issues or ideas without giving specific examples as to how they are to be addressed. We see this, for example, in regard to their views on the episcopacy. They present some views and ideas but then don't really state any specific conclusion, esp. as what they view as being normative or definitive (I get the impression they are very favorable to bishops).

My two minor asides, which shows my EO bias, are (1)  that there isn't much discussion about the Lutheran liturgy or liturgics. Some good discussion about the Eucharistic real presence, but not much about the overall shape and structure of the Lutheran liturgy, and (2) the same is also true for the lack of discussion about the canon of scripture.

I strongly recommend this work to any ecumenically-minded Christians as well as anyone, including Lutherans, who want to learn more about 16th century Lutheranism, its major thinkers of that day, and the Lutheran confessions.
614520
***Disclaimer: I received this book from InterVarsity Press (IVP) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine.

"Exploring Protestant Traditions: An Invitation to Theological Hospitality" by W. David Buschart is by far a wonderful primer treating the differing Protestant traditions with which we find ourselves intertwined with today. From Lutheran to Reformed, to Pentecostal and Baptists, Buschart treats the following traditions within Protestantism:

Reformed
Lutheran
Wesleyan
Baptist
Anglican
Anabaptist
Pentecostal
Dispensational

To be perfectly honest, I did not know what to expect from this book. I suppose I anticipated a brief historical and theological summary of each tradition. Buschart far exceeded my expectations.

In a broad perspective, he employs a specific method to dividing the chapter on a particular tradition. First, he recovers the historical foundation. He is looking at the "origins of development." Second, he examines the specific theological method for each tradition. He explains this as discovering "the importance of formal theological reflection and the role of theology in that tradition" (introduction, p. 21). Finally, he examines the theology within the tradition. Now, to cover all doctrines and doctrinal differences would require more than the space he has written in. Instead, he took key-specific doctrines important to the foundation of each tradition and expanded on them in their specificity (i.e. the sovereignty of God in all things for the Reformed tradition, or soul-competency of the believer [commonly called the priesthood of the believer] for those in the Baptist tradition). I am under the impression that, through this method, he is able to fairly treat other traditions differing from his own with the same respect as one might expect from someone examining their own tradition.

A key word for Buschart in the title is "hospitality." Often times, as I am sure we all can attest, is we can become defensive or boisterous (depending on the scenario) in our own tradition; as if we have the most biblical, most accurate position for understanding the God of Scripture. The key for Buschart is hospitality amongst believers who disagree with one another shows the love of Christ amongst each other. He states in his conclusion:

"In addition to the awareness of being recipients of God's initiating hospitality, those who use their ecclesio-theological home as an occasion for hospitality have an awareness that they continue to stand in need of God's gracious hospitality, an awareness that they continue to be a stranger in this world." (p. 269)

Being gracious to those with whom we disagree is key in dispensing God's good grace as He has dispensed with us. It is key to remember the grace of God in everything we say.

If there is a book on Protestantism and its various traditions, this one is certainly a top one to be on a bookshelf. Understanding the history of one's tradition is helpful, and in fact significant, in understanding how one can participate now. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who is curious and ready to learn more about the traditions within Protestantism!
1084305
Randall Balmer's widely recognized (in its fourth printing) "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory" lives up to its well-earned reputation. In this excellent book, Balmer takes the reader on a tour of US Evangelism with visits to or with:

* The Calvary Chapel (Santa Ana, CA.), the home of Chuck Smith who revolutionized evangelism by reaching out to the "disillusioned of the 1960s
* The Dallas Theological Seminary, a fortress of evangelical and fundamentalist orthodoxy, and Darby's rapture
* Filmmaker Donald Thompson, maker of Christian Films
* The Capstone Cathedral (Phoenix, AZ.), the home of evangelist and healer Neal Frisby
* The Word of Life Fellowship youth camp, home of Adirondack Fundamentalism
* The Church of the King (North Valdosta, GA), a charismatic church that merged with the Episcopal Church, starting a charismatic renewal
* The Multnomah School of the Bible (Oregon) and its doctrine of the end times
* The Right to Life movement in Iowa
* John Perkins, founder of Mendenhall Ministries, who returned to his native Mississippi to break the cycle of poverty, despair, and oppression of blacks
* The Christian Booksellers Association's annual convention (Bibles are a big business)
* Father Innocent Good House, a Sioux Indian, and pastor of St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Fort Yates, ND) on the resistance of evangelicals to the integration of Christianity with the Indian's native religions
* Camp Freedom, an adult faith camp (St. Petersburg, FL.) and the holiness tradition.
* The Billy Graham Crusade in New York City
* The Oregon Extension of Trinity College (Klamath Falls, OR) and the misuse of the Bible by evangelicals
* Jimmy Swaggart, since his fall, at his Family Life Center (Baton Rouge, LA)
* Thomas Kinkade and his world vision
* The purpose driven megachurches - Willow Creek (Chicago) and Saddleback (Lake Forest, CA)

In "My Eyes Have Seen," Balmer conveys the multiplicity, diversity, and complexity of Evangelicalism in the US today highlighting its folk appeal and grass roots character. Evangelicalism is quintessentially American - a free market religion which has churches competing with one another for popular followings, providing a unmistakable populist cast to religion. "Evangelicals generally galvanize around a personality who articulates - and even defines - the faith of his followers according to his own idiosyncratic reading of the Bible.

Balmer feels that Evangelicalism will persist because of its timeless appeal, promising intimacy with God, a support community, an unambiguous morality, and answers to the riddles of eternity.

"My Eyes Have Seen the Glory" is the perfect reference book for those interested in in the history and many faces of American Evangelicalism. It is a not only a "must" for anyone involved in religious ministry, but also for most Americans as Evangelicalism is major force in our society society. It cannot be easily dismissed.