Product Description
For decades, Lutherans have been accused of a passivistic response to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. In this careful analysis of original documents and the personal reflections of those involved in the church struggle under Hitler, Green seeks to set history straight. He identifies how Confessional Lutherans faced Nazi threats and survived to uphold the faith of Luther in the country of his birth. Green addresses both the successful statements against Hitler-s regime, such as the Bethel Confession, and the divisive documents, such as the Barmen Declaration, that sundered any hope of a coordinated Lutheran, and indeed Christian, resistance to the Nazis. Readers also will discover the stories of courageous church leaders who prevented the Nazis from absorbing Lutheran Churches into the Reich Church. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An untold story told
Green as well as other scholars were students of Werner Elert during their student days at Erlangen University, Bavaria.The author's testimonies as well as researched history give a balanced nuance to both the cultural andreligious environment during the Third Reich.This work is an attempt to show to the public the complexity of the ethical milieu out of which both the Landeskirche and the Confessing churches operated.Hopefully this additional history will continue to sharpen the necessary "new" perspective on that era.

Not quite what I expected
Green has an impressive command of all sorts of minute details.He writes from a personal acquaintance with many of the principal characters in his narrative.

I expected a book relating the activities of Lutheran Christians who worked against the tyranny of the Third Reich at great personal risk and often paid a terrible price.There are some accounts of this type in the chapter "Opposition to the Aryan Paragraph and Oppression of Jewish People" and in the chapter "The Struggle of the Intact Lutheran Land Churches."

The rest of the book is a detailed examination of various doctrinal differences between different groups of Lutherans, and also with the Reformed.The Third Reich gets little mention in parts of the book dealing with theological differences.

Other things I have read make Paul Althaus and Werner Elert appear to have been sympathetic to National Socialism.Green does a good job of showing that they were opposed to it within the confines of what they were able to do and what they knew at the time.Green mentions several times that people did not catch on to the true character and intents of Hitler until later.

Martin Niemoeller is often portrayed as a hero in other literature.Green adds an interesting story about his indiscrete and unnecessary gossip concerning Hitler in a phone call that was recorded and used against him and his co-workers so that they lost any position of influence to modify Hitler's actions against the church.This happened hours before an important meeting with Hitler.

There are glimpses of what life was like in a totalitarian state and how everyone was being watched so the least infraction could be reported to the Gestapo.That is something contemporary critics of the churches under the Third Reich do not understand when they wonder why the church did not do more.

Martin Sasse gets brief mention as a German-Christian bishop in Thuringia.Although a member of Hitler's German-Christians, he was nominally the Lutheran bishop.Today German language Neo-Nazi web sites are fond of quoting his reaction to Kristallnacht (the night of broken glass).He said the Jews only got what Martin Luther had predicted for them hundreds of years earlier.But, Martin Sasse's installation was heavily attended by the Brown Shirts (Sturm Abteilung).When he died eight years later, Ludwig Mueller, Hitler's hand-picked head of the German-Christians, preached the sermon.Although this was, perhaps, not within the scope of Green's intent for his book, some further discussion of who Martin Sasse was and was not would have been useful for countering historical revisionist critics of the church today.

There are some German language quotations given without translation or complete explanation.While these are mostly in footnotes, they could be a problem for readers not conversant in that language.

As Green notes, there have been many, many articles and books published on The Church Struggle.No one volume can do everything.This book does not serve as an introductory history of The Church Struggle, but is for the person who wants to read about more intricate distinctions on the theological landscape of the 1930s in Germany.It does show that those Christians and church groups that knew what they believed through a close affiliation with the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions did not so easily fall prey to Hitler's machinations, while members of the Union churches and others not well grounded capitulated quickly.

I would suggest reading some other works on The Church Struggle before reading this volume.Some college and public libraries may have an entire shelf on Hitler and the churches.

Well Researched Inquiry into Lutheran Resistance to Hitler
Green writes this historical inquiry because he believes that this story has not been told fairly nor completely, that of the Confessional Lutheran resistance to Hitler.As a student at Erlangen, he firsthand experienced the inaccuracies.

Many histories can be mundane and non-engaging or they can be enlightening and bring history to life.This nearly 400 page work is the latter for most of its pages.It got a little tiring at the end, but that could be discounted due to reviewer's desire to get to that next read.

Confessional Lutherans distinguish themselves from those who call themselves "Lutheran" due to the former's unswerving allegiance to the theology of Luther and his subsequent confessors of the Book of Concord.Others feel need to progress away from this historic theology and modify, change and reprogram, but still feeling they are loyal to their theological identifier.

This difference played out signficantly in the time from Luther on, culminating for this historical look in pre-WWI days with the territorial churches being changed into Land Churches and strong handedness of the Prussian Union.The outside influence and interference by Calvinist and Reformed elements with leader of this period being non-German in Karl Barth had major impact on resistance to Nazism.This division in Protestant ability to collectively resist Hitler played prominent role in Hitler's rise to power.

This trail of contention and division over theological confession is chronicled by Green to show that the Confessional Lutherans desired unity and resistance to Hitler, but not at the sake of denying their confession and practice of God's Word.Very carefully he dissects the Barmen Declaration and the less known Bethel Confession.

He documents the Confessional Lutherans movements and efforts to be loyal to their doctrine and practice thereof yet participate in church/state relationships.When revealed true agenda of Hitler, they progressed to resistance both individually and collectively as they could.

One senses quickly in this read (and this was major asset for my reading) that Hitler truly capitalized on the non-Confessional Lutherans demands for the Confessional Lutherans to forego their theology for the sake of unified resistance to slowly, methodically, and demonically to seize control of the Protestant church, then the RC, and thus the country.

The historic context is thematic in this historical investigation: the threat of Communistic Stahlin in nearby Russia; the lack of historic German national government/people unity; the history of government intervention against religious freedom especially of the Prussian Union veign; the localized Jewish behaviors in Germany which unfortunately colored some to generalize this hostility towards all Jews.These all led to the eventual reign of terror and bloodshed.

As this historical inquiry outlines so well, this whole development and playing out is not simplistic, but as most things, very complex.Previous historic attempts to simply blame anyone with name Lutheran as culprits along with inaccurate ploy to lay blame on Luther's shouders with the Shirer myth, are here exposed to the light of more accurate unfolding of the complex interactions between competing theological groups which are unable eventually to stand up to Nazi violent takeover.

The stories of such as Bosch and Klepper as well as Erlangen faculty and their resistance to the Aryan Paragraph are salient historical evidence at their attempts to resist this brutality and affront to human rights.Barth's intervening influence in discouraging any discussion of two governances/kingdoms and correct use of Law and Gospel made impossible a united front towards Hitler's attack on the Prostetant arm with a certain "thus says the Lord" impossible.

This work will document for those who will examine it openly that the story of these untold Lutherans (not the likes of Neimoller and Bonhoeffer of fame) but the Elert's and Sasse's and Bosch's and Klepper's needs to be told and left for historical examination.

Vital and engaging historical read.

... Read more

Product Description
A young Lutheran boy introduces the history, beliefs, and practices of this Christian religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Attractive, but very short
This attractive little book is part of the Religions of the World series. Written for the younger reader, it attempts to explain to the reader some of the basic beliefs of people who are of the Lutheran faith. It is written in the form of a young boy named Michael, explaining his faith to the reader, and every other page in this book is a large and colorful picture, included to keep the reader interested.

Overall, I thought that this is a pretty good book. It is extremely general (having a mere 11 pages with text on them), but gives the very young reader exposure to the concept of Lutheranism. It is a very eye-catching book, one that you can share with a young person in your life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

One objection.
I have really mostly only skimmed this book but I read the chapter on Reformed approach to scripture and I must object to the handling of that chapter.It's charachterization of Calvinism is way off.They mix Arminianism with Reformed tradition which is an inaccurate way to handle it.This book mistakenly reverses history in claiming that the five points of Arminianism is a response to the 5 points of Calvinism.The historical fact is that Calvinists came up with the five points of Calvinism in response to the five points of Arminiainism.Calvin never wrote any such five points.They are derivatives from his teaching.Arminianism is at best a heresy or apostasy from the Reformed theology and at worst a veiled throwback to Rome.I found that Calvin was rarely quoted and I intend to check the original context of those quotes.There were quotes from people like Billy Graham as being representative of Reformed tradition which is totally inaccurate.

This book also states that Calvin denied real presence which is not totally accurate.That is the Baptist position and I believe the postition of Zwingli but Calvin taught that the body and blood were present in the bread and wine though spiritually rather than physically.I know this because I was raised in a church that regretably denied real presence and was confused when I bagan to study the Calvinist position.That said, this chapter does a fine job critiquing Arminianism and Pietism and the off shooting "holiness" movements and exposing them for what they are, and there are some legitamite criticisms of Calvinism as well. It was disappointing to see the sloppy mixing of Calvinism and Arminianism, as they are near polar oppisites.Calvin himself considered himself a devotee of Luther and there is actually much more overlap between Calvinism and Lutheranism than Calvinism and Arminianism.You would be hard pressed to find confessional Reformed churches that would admit Arminians into full communion.I also noticed that there were no references to Confessional Reformed Churches such as the OPC.All the references seem to come from mainline and/or television preachers.

I look forward to reading the rest of this book which from what I have skimmed seems pretty good.

"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump"
"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump"

This is required reading for all Lutherans, or any professed Christian.The book provides a comparison between the conservative Lutheran position and the moderate or liberal Lutheran position.There is a "new thinking", a divide, an apostasy that is taking place in the church. Christians have a duty to distinguish between the orthodox and the heterodox.

The authors point out that the book "is a reflection of the struggle of the layperson to understand, and of the pastor-theologian to explain, the great theological changes taking place in most of Christendom".The authors started this book because there were no others to be found that were intended for The layperson.The preface gives us a good outline of the book:

"The book is divided into three sections, with each chapter building upon those that precede it.Section I compares the historic Lutheran faith with the new thinking, identifies and explains the nature of the controversy, and thoroughly documents both positions.Section II points out the great strengths of historic Lutheranism and explains the fundamental differences between Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and other protestants.This comparison illustrates how the great strengths of Lutheranism distinguish it from all other denominations.Section III describes American Lutheranism's drift into the new thinking through doctrinal compromise and indifference and explains the error of today's ecumenical movement."

Over time disunity and division are growing; universalism is slowly aligning to form "a new world church".The authors defend themselves by quoting from the "new teaching" by theologians and pastors of the incorporated Lutheran churches.They touch upon other faiths and religions and also the course history has taken protestantism.The division starts when we make the mistake of using reason to explain the bible."Truthful separation is far better than dishonest union."

A great percentage of us (the laity) are ignorant to doctrines and teachings.We love one another by showing them how they stray from scripture and the truth; liberalism shows no love.The church should be willing to permit itself to be judged according to scripture.

"a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough"-------Gal. 5:9

Wish you well
Scott

See the frightening departures from historic Christianity...
This book is an excellent gathering of sources to study the problem of liberalism as it is expressing itself in the Lutheran Churches in America; but also reflects liberalism in Christianity at large. It documents the beginnings and progression of liberalism within the Lutheran church, and gives ample documentation of the frightening abandonment of historic Christian teaching by the liberals. The first portion of the book is the most eye opening, and enumerates the key doctrines that have been abandoned by liberals, from the incarnation, resurrection (really all miracles and the supernatural), to the Trinity, Atonement, the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, and countless other points. The extensive treatment of historical criticism is well done, as well as discussions of the 'new morality'. This first section focuses mainly on the writings and statements of the theologians and church leaders of the various bodies that formed the ELCA. Throughout this section the conservative position is outlined at each point along with the liberal position.

The second portion gives a nice treatment of the strenghts of Lutheran theology, and shows the various 'non-liberal' dangers to Lutheran theology. These are the influence on the one hand of Roman Catholic interpretation of Scripture, and on the other, the Reformed interpretation. The pitfall of the former being the addition of tradition and ecclesiastical interpretation OVER the Scriptures and the pitfall of the latter being the use of reason majesterially (as a judge) over Scripture. It also discusses the problem of Pietism, which essentially first flowered in Lutheranism, and has now spread to many other denominations.

The last section is a very interesting historical account of the various Lutheran church bodies in America, and the myriads of mergers and splits and associations that took place leading up till today. It also shows how the theological positions of each church body led it into the unions or splits of its history. One of the lessons I think that can be learned from the history in this book is the tendency of moderates to continually slide to the left. Wherever compromise is allowed in matters of faith, it almost always ends in error. Toleration of error and doctrinal indifference open the door to greater and greater acceptance of false teaching, and abandonment of historic Christianity.

All of this should be a wake up call to Christians to stand firm in the faith and be on the watch for wolves in sheeps clothing, that would depart from the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us cling to Him and His Word; for He will preserve His church from all attacks within and without!

Not just for Lutherans: A "must read" book!
Written in three sections, this book definitively explains 1) the differences between historic Lutheran doctrine and the "new thinking" doctrines; 2) the great strengths of Lutheran teachings; and 3) how the various Lutheran synods developed, and what each one teaches. I found this book to be clear, authoritative, and historically accurate. The authors do not subject the reader to their opinions, but rather they cite the original writings of the various theologians and church leaders to precisely articulate the various doctrines and errors espoused throughout church history.

It was truly a revelation to learn that all interpretations of Scripture vary based on the role "reason" plays in the process. Luther, Calvin, Armenius, Wesley, Zwingley, and the Roman Catholic Church are examined in detail as to their approach to Scripture and how the resulting doctrines and errors flow from each different approach.

This book should be read by anyone from any denomination that is searching for answers as to why their church teaches the way they do. It is a MUST READ for serious Lutherans.

Important matters to Consider for Lutherans & Christians
Does a good job of showing the problems, i.e. not trusting in God's Word alone, grace alone, faith alone, but something else needs to be added:marketing, psychology, historical critical expertise, etc.

Shows not only the demise of discernment in ELCA, but also that it's crept in the my own LCMS as well as in WELS as by brethren there sadly inform.

Gives some history to the controversies, and gives a nice appendix for the lay person, a series of doctrinal questions to ask one's pastor.Look out when you ask some!

I refer my members to this to see what's been going on in Lutheranism, even though a little outdated, valuable read and library keeper. ... Read more

Product Description
What does it mean to be Lutheran? In the sound-bite age in which we live, too often the answer is reduced to a handful of familiar phrases such as "justification by faith", "both saint and sinner", "the priesthood of believers", and "theology of the cross versus theology of glory." But noted theologian Frank Senn appeals to Lutheranism's rich tradition and culture to answer this question, seeing here "something to build on as we confront the possibilities and challenges of preaching, teaching, professing, and living the gospel of Jesus Christ in our own time and place."In the author's thoughtful consideration of key elements of the Lutheran faith is a cautious reminder that to abandon this tradition or step away from this culture means becoming something other than Lutheran. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Intro, But Do More Research On Your Own
Reverend Frank Senn has created a concise introduction to the history of the Lutheran Churches' distinct identity.It is handy and readable for lay people interested in learning more about their faith, but because it's such a short and synoptic pamphlet, it suffers from minor problems that will urge more ambitous readers into further research and discussion.

As the secondary title suggests, this pamphlet focus on the classical history of the Lutheran tradition, leaving the present up for debate in our modern, contentious times.This is probably for the best, since the future is an open discussion based on history, which he provides.Focusing on Lutheranism in its historical contexts, and the evolutions of its theology, Senn bravely includes many ignominious moments from the church's history, instead of limiting himself to some sort of ill-defined song of praise.He even brings in the evolution of scripture in the Apostolic Age and how the controversies that helped bring the church together were played out again during the Reformation.His history is very comprehensive, though short, and gives the curious reader a first footing for further research in the field.

The problem is when he occasionally strays away from history and into proclamation.For instance, at the end of chapter 3, "Ecumenical Creeds," he insists that the three creeds from the Apostolic Age MUST be the only three used in worship, as no others can hold the same theological weight.Though he softens this stance in a discussion question later on the page, this dogmatic view that some things are too holy to be questioned risks alienating more spiritually inquisitive readers who may fundamentally agree with the idea but want to investigate rather than being simply told what to believe.

Conversely, there are several times where Senn flees from telling us what something means.He mentions that Martin Stefan, first bishop of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, was expelled over a "troubling episode," but doesn't explain further.Likewise, he names controversies that have plagued Lutheran history, like Antinomianism or Osiandrianism, without further definition.Though this book is meant to be short and synoptic, a few brief sentences wouldn't overburden the text, and frankly, I shouldn't end my reading with a frustrated flight to Wikipedia.

That said, the book's six chapters give a remarkably overarching view into the history of the Lutheran traditions.Why are there different Lutheran branches in the U.S.?Why do multiple congregations need to have a common liturgy?What is the purpose of the Creeds and of hymn-singing?This book gives handy, short, useful answers to these questions and others you probably never contemplated before now.

Good for an adult Bible study or group discussions, this book is also short and simple enough for an individual to savvy in one or two nights.As an adult convert to Lutheranism, it cleared up many of the historical questions I never got in my earlier religious education, and helped me understand why we perform many of the acts we do on Sunday and during the week.Highly recommended for Lutherans interested in learning about their own church, it will also be informative and educational for any outsiders who want to know more about one of the most influential branches of the Christian tradition. ... Read more

Product Description
Through stories of his own pastoral experiences, reflections on the Lutheran Confessions, the writings of Martin Luther, and Scripture itself, Klemet I. Preus explores the impact of the American Evangelical and Church Growth Movements on the modern Lutheran Church. He reminds readers that practice and doctrine are inextricably linked for those who are the body of Christ. The Fire and the Staff captures the relationship between doctrine and practice. Doctrine is like a fire. It lights our way and warms us. Doctrine and practice are more closely related, even interdependent, than is often realized. Doctrine affects practice and practice affects doctrine. The two are so intimately woven together that when you change one, you will inevitably change the other, sometimes without realizing what has happened. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Lutheran doctrine
This book is a good summary of Lutheran doctrine.It is very readable, easy to understand and can be enjoyed by pastors and/or layman alike.It especially addresses how some current contemporary worship and also church growth practices can directly affect the doctrine of a church.

Bought this book in the Kindle Version
First, I would like to say I purchased this book in Kindle form, for reading on my iPhone.

Second, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.I am actually coming up on the end of it, and am disappointed it is not still going on.

The substance in the book to me, is the solidity of doctrine and its relation to church service (I intentionally did not say, "Divine Service", because many churches and even Lutherans, have drifted in some cases, significantly, from where they should be doctrinally.)

He does not trash "Praise Celebrations" per se, but he does explain the significance of doctrine in our worship service and how the neglect of maintaining our Lutheran doctrine, has affected our church and really, society as a whole.

He discusses synergism, flaws in other doctrines (where Calvinism falls short), speaks of the "revival" movement in the 19th-20th centuries and what present day church practices came from that.He also addresses how those revivals bring with them, the danger that we drift back toward works-based faith.

This book is a great book.As a new President of the Congregation, I was actually looking for books speaking to the topic of evangelism.Not only does he nail the concept of evangelism and how it is "done right", but weaves that into the very fabric of the Church.In other words, he shows us how to go back and retrieve those things, which we have in most cases, forgotten how to do.

I used the Kindle features of highlight and notes a LOT.There were so many things, which I found of great use that if I were a Pastor, I could integrate the concepts from this book into quite a few sermons!

A very good read
I read this book after Pastor Preus was a speaker at our district pastor's conference.I found it to be a very good read and recommend it to parishioners.I even bought a copy for my son-in-law who recently finished catechism instruction.

A model of clarity
You don't need to be a Lutheran to benefit greatly from this book. Klemet Preus has a gift as a theological communicator. I found myself arguing with him at points but he exposed more than one weak spot in my thinking. I must have talked to my wife about it quite a bit as she kept pushing me to finish so she could read it! And she is glad she did. Highly recommended.

Excellent review of Lutheran Doctrine and Liturgy
This book is both informative and accessible. Preus does a good job explaining the conflicts between traditional Lutheran Christianity and contemporary Evangelical Protestantism. He can be a little repetitive at times, but that is due to the fact that in theology everything builds off of and refers back to what came before. Preus' discussion of vocation was also very helpful, as the contemporary views of discipleship often achieve nothing more than create stress-everything carries with it a significance that it just does not deserve. The emotional aspect of contemporary worship has also always bothered me. Preus does a great job illustrating the problems with basing one's faith off of transient sentiments. This book deserves a close reading and serious thought. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

disappointed
this is a recipe book; I had looked forward to reading some humor and was disappointed. I will return it

wonderful book
For a person who grew up Lutheran and has lots of relatives in Minnesota, I just loved the book.It is so true.

Lutheran Church Basement Women
I was raised as a midwestern methodist female with lutheran aunts, therefore I could identify with all the recipes and social strata this book cleverly describes.The generations of women represented are no longer with us it seems, and so we read of their generosity along with their viewpoints of how things are done right. Don't hesitate to use as a gift to your own church lady!

Pretty sloppy
As someone who has enjoyed many a pot-luck in the basement of a Lutheran church, I was pretty excited to get my hands on a copy of this. What a disappointment. This book is mostly recipes, which unfortunately don't come with very detailed instructions. As far as the jokes and (not terribly) funny stories, they are rife with spelling errors, confusing paragraphs ( I honestly had trouble telling if Lutherans eat fruitcake or not) and other indications that this book needed some serious editing. Finally, by "Lutheran" the authors apparently mean "Scandinavian" as there isn't much mention of German-Americans in the book. The best part of this book is the collection of vintage photographs, which don't have any captions.

Grab a kleenex you will laugh till you cry reading this book!
This book made the rounds among my sisters for years until a couple years ago when I treated each of them...5 in all with their own copies!! Growing up as a Lutheran in the midwest in the 50's-60's I could so relate to the comments written with the recipes!What a hoot, but even a non-Lutheran friend of mine who had no suchmemories laughed as hard as I did when sharingthis book with her. Since that time I have bought nearly every book from these authors!What great fun entertainment!! ... Read more

Product Description
This important document proposes important newclarifications and pastoral steps that will serve thepilgrimage toward full unity. It provides the biblical,historical and theological foundations for a commonCatholic-Lutheran understanding of the Church.The text carefully links the biblical doctrine ofjustification to the development of the Church in theNew Testament as a community of salvation; whosestructures and ministries serve the Church's missionto the human family. A detailed exposition is given tothe development of the ministries and structures inthe church: councils, dioceses, parishes, bishops,presbyters, and the Petrine ministry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Visual Workshop Banner Designs
NOT what I expected. I thought it would be more user friendly very complex for a beginner to use. Thought it would be more like other quilt books that I purchased with pattern advising on size of pieces to be cut and layout. Will most likely donate to a local church resource center.

Enhanced with a bonus CD containing patterns and samples
There are many ways to practice one's belief, and many artists have created new ways. "Banners for Visual Worship" contains seventy designs for Christian craftspeople who want to create their own way to declare their devotion to God. The creations are simple and express their intent simply and sincerely. Enhanced with a bonus CD containing patterns and samples, "Banners for Visual Worship" is highly recommended for artists who love their faith.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Hymnal!
This is one of the best hymnals out there, containing 660 great hymns.Also included are many Psalms, worship services (including prayer services for the home), a church calendar, glossary of liturgical terms, many prayers for all occasions, and fantastic hymn indexes.This book has a place in every sacred music library, and is also perfect for family devotions.The content is timeless, and will always have great relevance.This book is a real treasure! ... Read more

Product Description
Despite their near-scriptural status, the Lutheran Confessions are not widely used in Lutheran circles because of their presentation has been too heavy and forbidding. Geared specifically for today's classroom and parish use, this accessible introductory text incorporates the latest historical research and includes sections on contemporary Lutheranism and discussion questions.

Hendrix and Gassmann present the historical context for the reformation in its beginning and development as a background to the emergence and gathering of the Confessions. Core chapters then explore (1) the structure of faith (scripture as norm, law-gospel framework, the Trinity, and justification), (2) Christian community (the sacraments, ministry, nature of the church), and (3) the Christian life (the two reigns, sin, sanctification, eternal life). A final chapter explores the role Confessions play in Lutheran identity in today's pluralistic, ecumenical environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good for an interested college student
This introduction was one of the class texts for my graduate-level Lutheran Confessions class.It gives good background information, and is readable, if a little dry.The historical information included is useful to put the documents into a context.I really appreciated having this as a secondary source for the Confessions.

This isn't light reading, though- that isn't what it set out to do.It's a good college- or graduate-level textbook, but should be fine for reading on your own as well.

OK, but some concerns
First of all, I may be afraid that I am being too critical when I only give this book three stars, but that is how it came out for me.

About a dozen years ago I was introducted to the Lutheran Confessions using the Gritsch and Jenson text as a guide and it was an earth-shattering experience for me to hear the Gospel screamed in our confessions.Since then I have read and studied the Book of Concord a fair amount, but am hardly an expert.I ordered this book to see what was new.

It lost a star right away from the fact that Book of Concord references are often to page number of the Tappert edition.Page numbers are convenient, but the problem is that standard editions change, and Tappert has now been replaced by Kolb/Wengert.Now, I certainly have both texts and can sort it out, it is now a drawback.

This text has good solid information on World Lutheranism and Ecumenicism, but it seems to lack the pastoral focus which is behind our confessions, and reason for rightly dividing Law and Gospel generally.It seems to talk _about_ the Gospel instead of saying the Gospel, and this detachment seems to me to be exactly what we Lutherans were rejecting when we insist that historical knowledge is NOT faith.

Again, I may be too harsh.The authors give a good overview of both history and of important themes.It just didn't deliver the goods to this reader.

A good basic resource
For those interested in the study of Lutheran Confessional documents, this text is a good one. It gives the reader a short orientation to each of the writings in the Book of Concord, and then addresses theological concerns topically. Perhaps its most redeeming merit is the fact that each section that addresses a theological issue has a nice concluding summary that states briefly what each of the documents has to say about the topic.

This is a good book for introductory study, which is what the authors set out to provide. It is a good resource for beginning theological students, laypeople, or as a refresher for those already in ministry. However, it is most useful when read with a copy of the Book of Concord close at hand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Insight for the Role of Music in Worship
As a Lutheran church musician, I found this book fascinating and informative.Many of us have favorite hymns, and love singing in worship, but I think we may have forgotten that for Luther music was a means to teach and reinforce Christians' understanding of Scripture.

I don't think that one need be Lutheran to appreciate this book, however some references will be unfamiliar to those who have not studied music.

Essential Reading
This is an absolutely excellent study of Luther's philosophy and theology of music and its use to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. It is extremely well researched, engagingly presented, and filled with wonderful insights. The title might be a bit misleading since this is not merely a study of Luther's use of liturgical music, but rather a comprehensive overview of the role of music in Martin Luther's theology and pastoral practice. The book is packed with information. This book will rightly take its place as one of the most definitive treatments of this subject, more or less neglected in much of Luther studies in English. Put this book together with the Lutheran Confessions and you have a very well rounded vision for church life and confession in the Lutheran Reformation tradition. Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions -- A Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord ... Read more

Product Description
In this volume, nine leading Lutheran scholars examine the theological, historical and educational foundations of confirmation ministry in the ELCA. Confirmation: Engaging Lutheran Foundations and Practices arms leaders with the creativity and innovation to meet the challenges of confirmation ministry.This book identifies the key issues and concerns of today's confirmation ministry planners and deepens the educators' commitment to teaching the Lutheran faith to people of all ages—especially adolescents—in a way that is Gospel and grace-centered.New patterns have emerged in congregational practices of confirmation ministry, adolescent research has yielded new insights for teachers, several catechetical curricula have been published, and ecumenical conversations have progressed and demand attention. A new generation of teachers and leaders has arisen and is asking for an in-depth look at confirmation today. And here it is.This book is alive — alive with a vibrancy of excitement about ministry with youth and, above all, confirmation ministry. This is a book that is theoretical and practical, paying attention to the variety of contemporary practices in congregations and yet holding a solid continuity with the past heritage of the church. It answers questions such as:What's happening in congregational confirmation ministry today? Why do we have confirmation? What is it? How might we think about confirmation ministry in our own congregation? The spirit of lively energy that permeates the chapters will engage readers in reflecting on their own role in confirmation ministry. And if this encourages them to become more deeply involved and reinvigorates them in their teaching and pastoral ministry to youth, if it moves them to prayer and to action and to wonder at the confirming grace of God in the lives of the baptized, then this book will have done its work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What I wanted.
Book is what I wanted.
I want to reveiw my Confirmation from when I was a kid. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: Decorah, Ia. : Lutheran Pub; Publication date: 1879; Subjects: Lutheran Church; Sunday schools; Hymns, English; Music / Religious / Hymns; Religion / Christianity / Lutheran; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Powerful, unmistakably Lutheran theology
Like many others, I read Forde's _Where God Meets Man_ back in college, and it blew my mind.His unmistakably Lutheran critique of Lutheranism showed me how the truth that never changes still speaks across the centuries.Here is a guy who takes the "difficult" topics from the tradition (eg. Law/Gospel - Justification - Predestination - Theology of the Cross) and shows how they can still and should still inform our thought today.Most importantly, Forde shows this in closer to natural English than almost any other theologian.

That book was published back in the early 70's, and he has not stopped his work at all, and in this book two of his students have gathered together some of his best essays, talks, and sermons from the last thirty years.They are grouped topically into various categories and together with the introduction, provide a good one book overview of his thought.

Since the essays are meant to stand by themselves, there can be significant overlap between them, but this often helps the reader see how these topics can and do overlap and gives hints of how to treat other topics from the same Christocentric perspective.

Forde's Eschatology seems to have particularly developed since the 70's.I was aware of some of this from his sections of Braaten/Jenson _Christian Dogmatics_, but was not fully aware of how this had bloomed in his thought.

While I do not view this book as quite as important as _Where God Meets Man_, it is still a powerful witness to an often ignored voice - namely our tradition.The essays are small enough and self contained enough that they stand on their own, but after reading them in book form, it turns into a Gospel voice that crys out to world the good news of our savior.Very much recomended.Thanks to Lutheran Quarterly, Eerdmans, and Professors Mattes and Paulson for this much needed book. ... Read more

Product Description
In this landmark volume, the first three presiding bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America reflect on the first twenty years of the church. Includes an introduction by Susan W. McArver, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

The contributions include:
Our Basic Unity: Resources for Living Together as Lutherans in the ELCA, H. George Anderson
A Changeless Word for a Changing World: The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible, Herbert W. Chilstrom
ELCA Identity, Unity, and Purpose, Mark S. Hanson ... Read more

Product Description
The book will include a number of brief and mid-sized articles written by the late Tim Lull, which have appeared through the years in the Lutheran magazine. It will focus on topics of interest to Lutherans, such as:

The Lutheran Church Confesses The resilience of Lutheranism Rebuilding Lutheran piety What it means to be evangelical Signs of hope for American Lutheranism ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very nice introduction to the Lutheran (ELCA) Church
`On Being Lutheran, Reflections on Church, Theology, and Faith' by the late Timothy F. Lull, former professor of Systematic Theology at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and `Lutheran Questions, Lutheran Answers, Exploring Christian Faith' by the popularly known writer and Lutheran professor of religious history are both written for the Lutheran laity. And, while they both strongly reinforce what I've always seen as the most attractive aspects of the Lutheran faith, they approach it in very different ways.
The heart of Lutheranism, in my mind, is a critical appreciation of the 66 canonical books of the Protestant Bible, holding a reading of these as the fountainhead of all our beliefs regarding God, Jesus, and all the theology which has grown up under the Christian name over the last 2000 years. The important word here is `critical'. Luther lead the way in highlighting the fact that some canonical books, such as Paul's epistles to the Romans and Galatians, the Gospel of John, Isaiah, and the Book of Psalms were more important than, for example, the epistle of James and the book of Revelations. Both authors reinforce this, without going into a lot of detail regarding Luther's actual writings or in taking up issues with Biblical interpretation. This, they leave to the thousands of scholarly books on Biblical exegesis.
Professor Lull's primary emphasis is on the very practical issues of the confession(s) recognized by the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In fact, the book is a compilation of articles Professor Lull wrote for `The Lutheran' magazine shortly after the merger of the several Lutheran organizations, thereby creating the ELCA, the fifth largest organized denomination in the country. Thus, each of the good doctor's short chapters in the first part of the book is an explanation of articles in the ELCA confession of faith. And, of course, `confessions' are a big thing for Lutherans, as the founding doctrine of what would become the Lutheran church at the dawn of the Reformation is the `Augsburg Confession', written by Philip Melanchthon, a theologian and close associate and colleague of Luther's at Wittenberg. This is the keystone of `The Book of Concord', the ultimate authority, short of the scriptures themselves, of Lutheran orthodoxy. As such, the little book takes on something of a legalistic tone, and one finds oneself spending more time reading about church organization and promise than about theology. But then, that's really the title of the book. It deals with what one signs up to when they get their Lutheran confirmation in an ELCA church. So, if you are really interested in the underpinnings of ELCA doctrines and policies, this is the book for you.
Professor Marty's many `question and answer' style chapters are far closer to the gospel sources than they are to LUTHERAN issues, although the text certainly reads the Bible with Martin Luther looking over his shoulder. Therefore, Marty's book is far more useful to someone, say a person considering entering a Lutheran church from some other denomination. All the answers are in an easy tone, worthy of a writer who has penned over 50 books on Christian subjects. Where Marty raises issues with me is when he states that the book may serve as a guide for an adult study group. On the face of it, the question and page to two page answer seems just right for such a purpose, but there is one problem to my mind. This is the fact that it seems to me that the immensely knowledgeable Professor Marty wrote this book `on the fly' or `off the top of his head', based on his broad range of knowledge stored away in his own memory. The primary symptom I see for this is the number of references to works such as `some author has written...' without going to the trouble of telling us who this author is, and what the name of his book is. A second symptom is the fact that there are very few direct references to scripture, even though most of the book deals with topics taken straight from the New Testament. A third symptom is that there is little or no reference to the works of Luther and his colleagues in grounding explanations for, for example, why Protestants have only two sacraments while Catholics have seven. I only bring these up because of the claim that the book is a good source for study. The book is a very good stand-in for `Lutheranism for Dummies', but I would think twice about using it as a basis for study, unless one took it upon oneself to track down all the sources oneself.
On the other hand, Professor Lull's book is an excellent basis for a Lutheran study group, as long as the topic of study is modern Lutheran doctrines. Each short chapter ends with two or three short questions, which provide excellent material to engage the study group participants.
Both books are very good, and Professor Marty's book is quite readable, and both, I am happy to say, reinforce my choice of the Lutheran faith. They are excellent if you want to know about Lutheranism but have no wish to read Luther or modern works on Lutheran theology.

Being Lutheran in Today's World
If you would like to know what it means to be Lutheran and Christian in today's world this is the book for you. (Along with the wonderful Lutheran Handbook)Dr. Lull gives to us wisdom that puts theology and modern (or post-modern) issues together in a way that directs us to "in the world" Christianity.He was a wonderful teacher that saw faith and life as overlapping not seperate, as some Christian leaders in the US like to teach.If you think grace, love, inclusiveness, and justice are your emphases try this book out. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

"With One Voice" has been a great resource for our congregation!
I am puzzled by the other reviewer's complaint that this book is not diverse or balanced, because the book is clearly meant only as a supplement for worship, never as a primary resource. The Lutheran Book of Worship is its primary hymnal, evidenced especially by WOV's hymn numbering, which begins exactly where LBW leaves off. Our congregation has very much enjoyed the additional hymns; we sing about half our hymns from it, the other half from LBW. There was no intention for this to be the only worship hymnal; thus diversity is not a goal, but adding dimensions that were not present in LBW was important. Therefore, its emphasis on covering some of the missing "bases" left out of LBW is very welcome. New songs from new traditions such as praise songs, songs from other cultures and traditions, and old hymns such as "Blessed Assurance" that had not "made the cut" for LBW all are very helpful for our congregation. We love WOV!

Also, I agree that speaking of "mass" in connection with a Lutheran hymn book is very odd, since I am not aware of any Lutheran synod using that term to speak of worship (of course, there are some smaller, quite different branches of Lutherans as well!).This does cast some doubt on whether that reviewer is speaking from a mainstream Lutheran point of view.

Wonderful Hymnal for the Lutheran Church
I love this hymnal.It has a beautiful communion service with a lovely Kyrie.I defy you sing the hymn "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry" without joy.There are many lovely hymns in it that our congregation loves to sing.

Insipid hymns, less depth in language, "fundamentalist" music
While I think the other hostile reviewer has gone over the top in his irrational criticisms of this hymnal, I have many objections to this book as well.Some might say it's a matter of opinion or personal taste, but I think it goes deeper than that and actually reflects some potential differences in theology and worldview.I appreciate the inclusion of songs from different musical traditions, especially the ones from Latin America.However, this volume actually seems overall more uniform and less diverse than the old hymnal.

The old hymns have a rich spiritual language, and they also have a rich harmonic texture, full of tension and darker, more complex sounds.With the complexity comes a diversity of harmonies and religious topics.The majority of hymns in this book, however, have simpler words which reflect a simpler theological viewpoint, and they have simpler harmonies which have less tension.The book is definitely oriented towards only singing the melody--the congregation doesn't even have the option of singing in harmony.The overall aesthetic of the music in this volume is that of Christian popular music--simple, happy-sounding harmonies, words that have some meaning, but much less richness than older hymns, poetry, and scripture.

I think this hymnal is a move in the direction of fundamentalism and right-wing Christianity--simplistic thinking, with a complete lack of depth.It does not matter that this book has tried to move "left" in its use of words in some of the hymns--the specific politics of the words are irrelevant: the important fact is that they have been watered down.As I pointed out above, I feel that the attempt to include music from different cultures in this volume is superficial: there is little diversity in the musical aesthetic of this hymnal.Just as fundamentalist Christanity wrongly tries to make it "easy" to follow Jesus by ignoring most of his teachings, this hymnal makes it "easy" to sing hymns by taking some of the musical and spiritual depth away from them.

I simply do not recommend purchasing or using this hymnal.

Excellent hymnal for morons and people without taste.
This book has about five good hymns in it.Any self-respecting church music director or Lutheran priest should instruct congregation to take these unpleasant volumes out of the pews, stack them in the street outside the church, dowse them with kerosene and light them ablaze.Would lead to some excellent Lutheran fellowship.Make sure to speak to the fire marshall before hand.The title of this committlee-made book is supposed to make the congregation comfortable in all singing melody.Of course this was always an option under the regime of the green and red hymnals anyway.Most of the new liturgy of this book is ugly and it seems padded with spirituals.Spirituals are fine for church camp and perhaps once a year in regular mass, but If I wanted to be baptist I would switch denominations.This hymnal contains a few excellent old hymns, which should be torn out, stapled together and inserted in the back of the real hymnal, before the W.O.V. book burning.This tasteless hymnal is a metiphor for the general assumption of leadership in the Lutheran Church by cowardly numbskulls.

With One Voice
Used at our church. Contains many hyms, responses, Apostle`s Creed, babtism statements, songs, and many prayers. Very great book!!!!!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Senseless, ill-informed tripe
A dry, useless attempt to assemble unimportant data, Proefessor Goeckel provides negative reenforcement for the importance of good writing, timeliness, complete archival study and well-conceived analysis.He floatsaimlessly amongst a sea of unsorted data.His book seems like a record ofthe sequence in which he recieved his information rather than a cogent orrigid ordering and interpretation of it.It's a shame because the topic istruly fascinating and there has yet to be a really definitive work on thesubject.Again, an injustice to the subject matter.

A well researched book, now very out-of-date
Professor Goeckel's study of the political struggle of the ProtestantChurch in East Germany can be considered groundbreaking, and remains thesingle most comprehensive study of the subject in English.Written in asomewhat dry style, Goeckel methodically details the theologicalunderpinnings and the complicated organisational structure that affectedthe Church-State relationship in the GDR.However, his examination of theSED-State apparatus and the actual interaction between Church and State isweak, and his analysis is light.

But the reason why this book is soincomplete is that it was unfortunately finished in 1990, just before theEast German State and Party archives were opened, revealing a wealth ofmaterial Goeckel could not have incorporated into his book. Goeckel's bookis therefore an interesting introduction, but must be supplemented by othermore recent sources (such as his excellent article in the journal GermanPolitics and Society 31). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
The book was exactly what I was looking for.The price was great and the condition of the book was excellent.It also arrived sooner that I expected.I had a great shopping experience. ... Read more