Product Description
Engage in devotional, Christ-centered Bible reading and study with the distinctive, comprehensive notes and practical application of The Lutheran Study Bible. This new Bible is the first in English to be developed from the ground-up with notes that are distinctively Lutheran, prepared by Lutheran theologians and pastors from over twenty Lutheran church bodies. Current Lutheran scholarship, insights from the Church Fathers, and rich devotional commentary provides meaningful perspective for both young and mature Christians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (65)

Essential Bible for Christians
I don't give out two many five star reviews. I save those for the books I absolutely love.

This Bible is an essential tool for my family and me. I loved the previous edition, but heard some of the complaints about the translation. So, as soon as this new one came out, we had to have it. Not just one, but one Bible for each teen and adult in our house. It's really that important to have a good study Bible.

It's not just for Lutherans either. I have looked at other Bibles, and I just don't find any that have the depth of commentary that this one does. I make sure I take it with me to Bible study, because I not only can find the answers to the questions in the study, but while discussion is going on, I can look up all the related references in my Bible. I don't need a separate commentary. It's right there, just under the verse.

Because there's so much good info in this book, it is a bit heavy and small print, but I'm thinking of trying the Kindle version. Even more portable, and with the changeable font - it could be perfect!

New Study Bible
Our church recentl purchased 10 copies for review.Members have been excited by the excellent helps.Two concerns. Many are used to the NIV text and this Bible uses the newer ESV which is not yet familiar (it is a more formal translation). I think with time it will be as popular as the NIV.Second, the print is on the small side for the helps because so much is packed in to this Bible.It is a wonderful Bible Study tool.

How do you work this thing?
I do not get how this thing works. The user interface options do not make sense. It is easy to jump to a referenced note (see note on John 3:16) with the hyperlink, but how do I get back to where I was? Location numbers are worthless (Location 118167-118172) what is that supposed to mean? Can't I just open up to the passage I want. Do I have to type it all out? How do I do this during church or Bible class? I find Olivetree and Mantis much easier to navigate and use.

Bible purchase well done and quite satisfactory
The new study Bible was what I wanted and it arrived on time and in the condition as advertised

MUST HAVEIN TODAYS WORLD
WELL MADE //OUT-STANDING GIFT//
FOR THAT SPECIAL ONE IN YOUR LIFE ... Read more

Product Description
Lutherans often have questions about Lutheran theology and beliefs that are basic to the Christian faith itself. Featuring a unique question-and-answer format, Lutheran Questions, Lutheran Answers is an accessible and concise treatment that provides the most frequently asked questions on important topics and brief but complete answers from a distinguished Lutheran historian and theologian.

Contents include questions and answers about:
Lutheran History and Heritage
Bible
God
Jesus Christ
Humanity
Holy Spirit
Salvation
Church
Worship
Sacraments
Christian Life
Reign of God
Polity ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent, Quick Read
Martin E. Marty has written a little book that is clearly applicable to all flavors of Lutheran teaching and practice.Marty provides enough detail to satisfy while keeping the answers short enough to be useful.He covers important points I had not thought of and filled many gaps in my understandings.An excellent resource for Lutherans and non-Lutherans alike.It can be read in just a few hours and discussed for many days.Highly recommend it for anyone interested in understanding the Lutheran perspective and practice.

Questions and Answers
A bit difficult to read.The author seemed intent on impressing the reader with his command of the language.

Lutheran Questions, Lutheran Answers: Exploring Christian Faith
Martin Marty writes a thorough, thought provoking and exciting essay on Lutheran theology.He includes many Bible references, quotations from Luther's Small Catechism and interesting notes on everyday life. This is written in a simple and plain language that anyone can understand.Recommended for those who want to think in detail about Christian theology or as a guide for group study.

Great Book in a Small Package
Lutheran Questions, Lutheran Answers: Exploring Christian Faith

This book covers A-Z when exploring the Lutheran Faith through the eyes of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). Very easy to read and understand, this book answers most questions and then some anyone would ask about how this church believes.Of course, not everyone is going to believe everything exactly the same, but if your beliefs match well, the ELCA might be for you.Dr. Marty adds quite a bit of humor along the way so that the reading is fun too.Hope everyone enjoys it, like I did.

Lutheranism Lite. Not bad if you have no interest in serious study
`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.
... Read more

Product Description
The essential field guide for all things Lutheran. Confirmands — or anyone hiking the trails of life's adventures and challenges — will want to pack this handy illustrated field guide to Lutheran theology and culture. This enjoyable, easy-to-read, reliable, all-in-one collection helps you understand the essential information about our theology, culture and Lutheran way of life. Organized by Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff and Bible Stuff with how-to's like "How to Forgive Someone" and lists like "The Top-10 Bible Villains." Encapsulates essential principles of the Christian life, making many of the complexities of our religious tradition accessible for contemporary seekers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

The Lutherean Handbook
The item arrived in good condition and on time.However, they only sent one.If they did not have the number I ordered, they should not have accepted my order.I do not know when the other one will arrive.Not so good customer service

Sad and Deficient
I feel sorry for lutherans and their pretend "church" which bares no resemblance to the Church founded by Jesus Christ(the One, Holy, Apostolic, Catholic Church). The only useful thing about this book is the yummy recipes for their potluck dinners. Other than that, this should be avoided because it certainly won't help you grow in holiness or attain salvation. If you are serious about following Christ, join the real Church, the one(and only one) that Jesus Himself founded.

Handbook
Very disappointed.I thought this book would provide a little insight to Lutheranism.Instead it gave instructions on how to sit in church, what to take to a potluck and all kinds of other nearly worthless information.

The Lutheran Hankbook
The Lutheran Hankbook is a delightful, humorous guide to the way things are done in the Lutheran Church.An example is what to bring to a potluck which most Lutheran Churches have fairly frequently.This book also explains many of our customs and beliefs, plus explaining much of our history.This informative book is one I will enjoy for many years.It would be an excellent gift to anyone joining the church, no matter what age.

Confirmation Class
Our church is quite small - this book, combined with the 2nd book will be used for our confirmands. The adults anticipating learning a LOT at the same time! The humor is awesome - which reaches all of us - you don't have to be a teenager to appreciate humor. ... Read more

Product Description
This beautifully bound volume contains personal prayers for almost every life circumstance, including: Prayers for morning and evening; Our life of worship; Throughout the church year; For the church; For the nation and the world; For family and neighbors; For the sick, convalescing, and the dying; Personal prayers; and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

A favorite Resource for prayers!
This little book is such a handy resource for prayers for all occasions.I have sent copies to military friends, grieving friends and given copies as birthday gifts.It is one book that I keep with me - especially when comfort is needed!

Good all around prayer book
This book is very good if you're unable to, don't want to, or don't know how to, compose your own prayers.There's prayers for almost any occasion or life circumstance, and they are very good.Besides prayers, there's Martin Luther's thoughts on the sacraments, such as baptism.

On the negative side, which is the reason why I didn't rate the book another star, an awful lot of prayers in the section that offers morning and evening prayers seem to be variations on the same few topics, i.e., asking for forgiveness for shortcomings, thankfulness for living to see another day.Like a great many other prayer books, none are targetted for different life stages.I say this as a shortcoming, because in my own prayer life, I find that at age 54 I'm praying for different things than I did at age 15 or 25.Of course, there's nothing to stop you from using any of the prayers as a starting point that you can add to.I've recently started doing that myself.

Excellent Book
This is an excellent Prayer Book, Every Christian should buy it - even if you are not Lutheran. The Prayers are excellent and it can be used for all Family devotion times. I really enjoy it and recommend it to everyone!

Lutheran Book of Prayer
This book was printed with a fine light font. I couldn't read it.Concoria should consider it's readersand use a heavier darker font. I gave the book away rather than sending it back

Prayer, and Prayers
Excellent book of prayers.A wonderful compilation to help you grow in your own personal prayer life. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon monologues, Life among the Lutherans is a collection of stories about the struggles of ordinary people in an imperfect world, the life and work of the pastor who leads them, and the church to whose high standards they aspire in the small town they call home.

The stories in Life among the Lutherans reflect everything Keillor fans have come to expect of this master storyteller. Some are familiar, including the quintessentially Lutheran "95 Theses" from Lake Wobegon Days, others are new. Laugh out loud about the church directory filled with photos that are just plain awful. Share the moment when Pastor Ingqvist receives a leather-bound copy of his sermons. Keillor's command of every little detail of life in Lake Wobegon is bound to entertain, surprise, and make readers - even those who aren't Lutheran - feel right at home in the mythical community where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Very interesting book
Very well written and very funny in parts.Really tells about "us" Lutherans and who we are.

Wistful and wise stories of humble people of faith
This collection of Garrison Keillor's stories, which focus on the faith and foibles of the Pastor Inqvist's Lake Wobegon Lutheran parish, will come as no great surprise to long-time Keillor fans. Much of the material comes from his radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, or from his other books. Nevertheless, the stories are lovely, dealing with themes as old as humanity -- patriotism, guilt over time misspent, the folly of not speaking up, religious inhibition. Keillor's strength is his ability to conjure up a whole town of fictional people and make them seem as real as yesterday. We see shy Pastor Inqvist retreating from a foot massage proffered by an eager parishioner, a boatload of Lutheran pastors slipping into the shallow depths of Lake Wobegon, a family trying to amend up for the rejection of a World War I era girl who got herself in the family way, a patriotic disquisition on the merits of a well-made potato salad, folks made strange by lightning strikes, imperious organists, and nostalgia summoned by a tete-a-tete between two outfielders chasing the same fly ball. Keillor keeps his narratives on the fuzzy line between fiction and reality, making his characters peculiar, but also likable (mostly) and familiar.

Having just heard a few of these stories delivered before a live audience on Keillor's "Church People," I had a chance to compare Keillor's written work to his delivery in person. On stage, Keillor pares down the inessentials from his written work. Still, as wonderful as the written stories are, there is nothing like hearing them intoned in his deep and melancholy voice. That was especially true for "Potato Salad," with its mock outrage at those who foist market-bought potato salads on Fourth-of-July picnic-goers. Some of what appears as poetry -- such as "I'm a Lutheran" -- were delivered on the radio as musical numbers, which further enhances their entertainment value, cleverness and memorableness.

"Life among the Lutherans" easily rates 5 stars. But Keillor's in-person delivery merits a 6 or a 7.

Sermons in Disguise
Garrison Keillor captures the essence of the social milieu of churches established in the Midwest by Scandinavians, Germans and other immigrants.While making fun of Lutherans, he teaches the absolute folly of rivalry and claims of knowing "The Truth" among Christians and all faiths. Yeah and by golly, the book contains the best sermons I've heard and I could LOL.
Beverly Bradley

Life among the Lutherans, by Garrison Keillor
For those who enjoy the droll, imaginative humor of Garrison Keillor, I can't recommend too highly this outstanding compilation of some of his best Lake Wobegon stories. And for those who look for insightful philosophy and theology, this is a volume that contains innumerable riches. As a Christian, this book means a lot to me! It's also an highly pleasant read. I'm really glad to have it in my library.Liberty: A Lake Wobegon NovelPontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon (Lake Wobegon Novels)Leaving Home

Life among the Lutherans -- Good Reading for G. Keillor Fans
I found this collection of Garrison Keillor stories to be excellent bedtime reading.A disclosure is probably appropriate here: I am a long time fan of Mr. Keillor and have listened to his NPR show "Prairie Home Companion" for years and have read all his books.Some of his monologues are recyled in this volume; and that may put off some of his luke warm fans.I am a Wisconsin native and lived in Minnesota for most of a decade.I really like his kindly humor and insights into people in small town Minnesota.The collection is a little bit uneven -- but more than compensates by providing some laugh-out-loud moments.For folks who need something brand new, this may not be their cup of coffee.For those of us who love stories from Lake Wobegone, we can savor it one story a night and ration out the delightful experience. ... Read more

Product Description
Being a good Lutheran is twice as hard in today's world. That's why every good Lutheran needs the power of The Lutheran Handbook II. With twice the Lutheran doctrine of its predecessor (and twice the humor!), this handbook will guide you through the most difficult theological terrain with ease. Never feel like you "don't know enough" Lutheran theology to accept a church council position or lead a Bible study! The Lutheran Handbook II puts it all at your fingertips, with clear, concise helps on:

The Lutheran Reformers' Five Most Dastardly Theological Opponents
A Brief History of the Lutheran Movement
How To Usher
How To Tell if Your Will is in Bondage To Sin and What To Do About It
The Five Most Common Heresies Well-Intentioned Lutherans Commit
How To Tell the Difference Between a "Vocation" and a "Vacation"
How To Interpret "Controversial" Bible Passages and Remain Lutheran
... plus dozens of other essential tips for 21st-century Lutherans! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not in the original printing, paper, or size, hard to read
Buyer beware: This printing of The Lutheran Handbook II looks like someone photocopied it from the original printing by Augsburg Fortress. I thought this was an error the first time, and asked Amazon to replace it with a correct one, and yet the second copy had the same issues as the first. The other Lutheran Handbooks (I, Marriage) appear to still be in the original printing from Augsburg Fortress, so it is only Handbook II that has the issue.

The Reformer
At the end of the 19th century, Luther's Works was published. Nazis used Luther's anti-Jewish sentiments. Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door to take on the Roman Catholic Church. That's how the Middle Ages ended was with Luther's 95 Theses. He made it o.k. for a priest to marry. Luther invented the Xmas tree. Martin Luther was born November 10, 1483. 1507 Luther was ordained as a priest. 1529 completed large & small catechisms. 1534 translations of Old & New Testaments in print. 1546 Luther dies February 18. Bach & Handel amongst great Lutheran composers. 1987 ELCA in U.S. formed. The Apocalypse is Christ's second coming. There is only one God. A good look at Luther's theology which I finished in one setting.

Better Title - "The (ELCA) Lutheran Handbook II"
I have very much enjoyed previous offerings in this "handbook" series.I can't say the same for this book.If you are not an ELCA Lutheran (perhaps, even if you are), you will find a number of topics/statements objectionable.First, editorial statements on the ordination of women framed in a way that portrays Lutheran communities which do not ordain women as sexist.Second, listings of Lutheran colleges and seminaries and a graphic depicting Lutheran congregations are not accurate representations of Lutheran communities, but of ELCA (and its Canadian counterpart - ELCIC).Third, there is a subtle, but definite bias against white (conservative) males.I knew beforehand that the book was published by "Augsburg Fortress" (the publishing house of the ELCA), so the editorial slant did not come as a surprise.But I do take exception to the title - the book claims to represent (North) American Lutheranism -it doesn't (and considering what is happening within the ELCA these days, it might not represent a large percentage of the ELCA either).In the end, enjoyable, but not as enjoyable as previous offerings (even after factoring out the previous caveats).

The Lutheran Handbook II
The Lutheran Handbook II was exactly what I thought it would be...a very informative book about the way we, as Lutherans, do things.Read and enjoy!The item was delivered very promptly by Amazon.They are the best to order from on the internet.

Confirmation Class
This book will be utilized with our confirmation class - we are also using the first book. We are a small church - this book brings some information to light/life for teens and adults. ... Read more

Product Description
This edition presents all the official texts of the Book of Concord, plus three appendixes of historic Lutheran writings, a "Book of Concord Reading Guide," a Scripture index, and a subject index. Nothing is more important than clearly confessing and bearing witness to the truths of God's Holy Word which reveal the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is what the Book of Concord is all about. This edition of the Lutheran Confessions will instruct, inspire and educate all who use it and help them learn what it means to be, and to remain, a genuinely confessing Lutheran Christian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions
I was expecting a larger book, but it will still work for what I want it for.

excellent pocket-size user-friendly booklet containing the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
(¤Thank you for reading this review and your votes - either way!¤)
INTRO
Question: What is the Book of Concord?
Answer: The Book of Concord contains documents which Christians from the fourth to the 16th century A.D. explained what they believed and taught on the basis of the Holy Scriptures. It includes, first, the three creeds which originated in the ancient church, the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. It contains, secondly, the Reformation writings known as the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, Luther's Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord.

The Catechisms and the Smalcald Articles came from the pen of Martin Luther; the Augsburg Confession, its Apology, and the Treatise were written by Luther's co-worker, the scholarly Phillip Melanchthon; the Formula of Concord was given its final form chiefly by Jacob Andreae, Martin Chemnitz, and Nickolaus Selnecker.

PUBLISHER:
Concordia Publishing House or [...] (publishing arm of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) has published the pocket-size of the Lutheran Confessions after the release of "Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions -- A Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord" in 2007.The Book of Concord is also available (thanks to [...]) in Kindle format.This pocket-size (5.8 x 4 inches) has a very high quality of paper print, but the paperback cover is rather easy to bend and not very thick/solid. Also, because of the size limitations, this edition does not have the extra notes and drawings that the Reader's Edition has.

CONTENT:
- The Three Universal or Ecumenical Creeds (pg.23)
- The Augsburg Confession -1530 (pg.29)
- The Apology of the Augsburg Confession -1531 (pg.81)
- The Smalcald Articles -1537 (pg.375)
- The Power and Primacy of the Pope -1537 (pg.421)
- The Small Catechism -1529 (pg.445)
- The Large Catechism -1529 (pg.475)
- The Formula of Concord, Epitome -1577 (pg.637)
- The Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration -1577 (pg.695)
For questions on what the importance of these chapters/declarations/confessions mean please see the FAQ at [...]

CONCLUSION:
Lutherans "accept without reservation the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice," and many Lutherans also believe that all the writings in the Book of Concord as "a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God" (LCMS Constitution II).This handy and traveler-friendly book is a rich resource of spiritual food - it teaches and confesses that in Christ alone is there salvation -- by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Scripture alone.

(¤Thank you for reading this review and your votes - either way!¤)

Outstanding
Concordia has done an excellent job with this Lutheran staple and classic.The quality of the book cover, paper, and print is outstanding.Every Christian home should have a copy. ... Read more

Product Description
Through a blend of understandable explanations and real-life stories, Why I Am a Lutheran explores the foundational teachings of the Christian church. In each chapter, Daniel Preus calls upon more than twenty years of pastoral experience to reveal Jesus as the center of the Christian faith. As he addresses central doctrines such as sin and grace, Law and Gospel, the person and work of Jesus Christ, worship, the Sacraments, and the office of the ministry, Preus keeps the focus on Jesus Christ-who is "always and only at the center of all Christian teaching." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Authentic Christianity made simple
If one wishes to learn the true essence of Biblical Christianity,
this book reveals it........the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth. True confessional Lutheranism (as opposed to some who
call themselves Lutheran in error) is like sitting at the feet of Jesus.
It is original, authentic Christianity. God's way, not man's.

good intentions but poorly written
The book attempts to discuss the rasons for being a Lutheran . The author rambles from one topic and heading to another . Sentence structure is poorly formed and often repetative .

Good overview of the Christian faith
I was actually looking for a book about the Lutheran Church.From the title, I was thinking it would probably be a kind of comparitive study, explaining how the Lutheran Church keeps Jesus at the center better than other churches, "and here is how..."While this book is written from the Lutheran perspective, it is really more about Christianity in general.I can't even recall it mentioning any other churches.It explains the main points of Christianity and how Jesus is at the center of it all.Honestly, the book should probably have been called "Jesus at the Center" as its main title, though I probably wouldn't have bought it, which would have been a shame since it is a very good book.

how is this book possible?
How is it possible--after 500 years of Lutheranism, culminating in the Holocaust--how is it still possible for a thoughtful human being to utter the words, "I am a Lutheran"? or even to say: "I am a Lutheran but disagree with some of his teachings"?That is like saying, "I am a Hitlerite but don't buy the entire package."

Without Martin Luther, and nearly five centuries of Lutheranism, the Nazi Holocaust would not have been possible.Adolf Hitler cited Luther for their mutual solution to "the Jewish problem." But HItler himself, in his oratory and writings, spat out less hatred, less often, for the Jews than Martin Luther on his calmest day of the week.

"Lutheran" churches and organizations have done some good things in recent years, feeding the hungry, lending shelter and food to the homeless.It's the least they could do.But "Lutheran" is a word that we ought to abolish from the English language except as an accurate epithet for followers of Luther, such as the middle-class surburban evangelical Lutherans who manned the Nazi death camps.

MARTIN LUTHER ON JEWISH PEOPLE:

"They are a base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth. [...] They are full of the Devil's feces ... which the Jews wallow in, like swine.

The breath of a Jew stinks for the gold and silver of the heathen; since no people under the sun always have been, still are, and always will remain, more avaricious than the Jews--as can be exhibited in their cursed usury. Therefore know, my dear Christians, that next to the Devil, you have no more bitter, more poisonous, more vehement enemy than a real Jew who earnestly desires to be a Jew...I advise that all their prayer books... in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them... that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of mutilation and death... that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews... that all their treasure of silver and gold be taken from them... But if the authorities are reluctant to use force and restrain the Jews' devilish wantonness, then must we expel the Jews from their country and tell them to return to ... Jerusalem where they may lie, curse, blaspheme, defame, murder, steal, rob, practice usury, mock, and indulge in all those infamous abominations which they practice among us; let the Jews leave ... our Lord the Messiah, our faith, and our church undefiled and uncontaminated with their devilish tyranny and malice." (Martin Luther, "On the Jews and their Lies," 1543, cited by the Nazis as an argument for the Holocaust)

"What shall we do with...the Jews?...set fire to their synagogues or schools, and bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. ... What shall we do with...the Jews?...their homes also should be razed and destroyed. ... What shall we do with...the Jews?...I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews." --Martin Luther

"What then shall we Christians do with this d----d, rejected race of Jews?
* First, their synagogues should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over with dirt so that no one may ever be able to see a cinder or stone of it. And this ought to be done for the honour of God and of Christianity, in order that God may see that we are true Christians.
* Secondly, their homes should be likewise broken down and destroyed.
* Thirdly, they should be deprived of their prayerbooks and talmuds in which such idolatry, lies, cursing and blasphemy are taught.
* Fourthly, their rabbis must be forbidden under threats of death to teach anymore." -- Martin Luther

"If I find a Jew to baptize, I shall lead him to the Elbe bridge, hang a stone around his neck, and push him into the water, baptizing him with the name of Abraham!... I cannot convert the Jews--our Lord Christ did not succeed in doing so.But I can close their mouths so that there will be nothing for them to do but to lie upon the ground." --Martin Luther

"I hope I shall never be so stupid as to be circumcised; I would rather cut off the left breast of my Catherine and of all women." --- Martin Luther

"If we are to remain unsullied by the blasphemy of the Jews and not wish to take part in it, we must be separated from them and they must be driven out of the country." --Martin Luther

"We are at fault for not slaughtering them."
--Martin Luther

(In fairness, one should observe that the Jews were not the only targets of Luther's hatred.He also spat his poison at women, homosexuals, Roman Catholics, hungry peasants, and at anyone else who was different from himself.)

=====================
Note to Lutherans:This review is not intended to amuse.if you believe Luther's teachings should go unchallenged with respect to Jews, Roman Catholics, homosexuals, women, demons, the peasantry, mental handicaps, etc., help suppress this review by voting it down.

Has Information but hard to digest.
If you are not a student of theology then this is not the best choice. It has a lot of good history but it is rather dry and difficult to read. I was disappointed.

I was looking for a book like you could be teaching junior high kids from simple basic facts. Don't get me wrong this is written very well and answers many questions you just have to think hard to understand what is being said. ... Read more

Product Description
Read by the authors.

If you search for the word "coffee" in the Bible, if you're pretty sure that all the pairs of animals in Noah's Ark were married, and if you know that Heaven is up and Hell is down, you'll love Growing Up Lutheran. If the Lutherans you know seem rather, er, mysterious, it will do you good.

Combining their own memories with those of other Lutherans who grew up in the 1940s through the 1960s, Janet and Suzann have written a delightful expose of what it means to be Lutheran and how it's done. Endearing, often hilarious stories shine a light on Lutheran life from baptism ("And His Name Shall Be Called Gilman Einar Stedje") to death ("He Is Not Gone, He Is Only Away"). In between, you'll learn about Sunday School, Christmas pageants (a.k.a. "bathrobe pageants"), Bible Camp, Confirmation, and Lutheran weddings. You'll get the inside scoop on the Lutheran Church Basement Women ("a special species of people"), lutefisk suppers, pew protocol, church architecture, and much more.

In the words of the authors, Growing Up Lutheran is "a mixture of ingredients that we had on hand, generously salted…. With gentle humor, and lightly peppered…with quite a few hot granules of Lutheran theology." This is most certainly true.

Abridged; 3 hours on 2 cassettes or 3 CDs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Ya, You Betcha!
I too "grew up Lutheran," and my parents sent me to Upsala College, in East Orange, NJ (a reliably Swedish Lutheran school), in 1949.I proudly sang in the college choir, and we used to brag that we were "better than St. Olaf's", but I doubt most of us had ever actually heard them!

But back to my parents, I fell in love with an Upsala English Methodist just before he graduated in 1951, but they soon loved him nevertheless!He went on to seminary and served United Methodist churches for over 30 years.

We now live in a retirement community in Frederick, MD, where I met a woman also raised a Lutheran (and still is one).When I mentioned my "Lutheran bones" and that I had spent my first 10 years in Minnesota, she lent me "Growing Up Lutheran."I have laughed out loud all the way through it, not only for the wonderful memories it evoked, but because so many of the persons and issues persist today in other denominations as well.For instance, the introduction of a new - in this case black - hymnal in the UCC church years ago deeply divided our church as well (Poor God!).

"Growing Up Lutheran" is well worth reading for persons of all ages and denominations!

Church Basement Ladies
I decided I wanted to read the book that the show "Church Basement Ladies" was based upon.It's been a good read.

Growing Up Lutheran, What Does This Mean?
I purchased six copies of this book because I wanted to share them with some of my Lutheran friends.It is a humorous look back to when we were children and going to Lutheran grade school.I enjoyed it very much.

One Who Knows
I grew up in a Missouri Synod Church and attended an ELC college in the 50's. My pastor did not think I should go there, as it might make me too liberal. He was right--it did. What a great read--but not for Lutherans only. I have shared it with my Catholic, Methodist, Reformed, and UCC friends. They have all loved it and recognize the time when we all attended church and it was the center of our social life. Too bad that is no longer the case. It is a good idea to explain why the authors use "How is This Done, What Does This Mean, and This is Most Certainly True" so often. I shared it with my loosley organized book club and it was a million laughs.

Right on Target
While the focus of the book is on Lutherans who grew up from the 40s to 60s I must confess that having grown up as the daughter of 2 Lutheran pastors, having worked at a Lutheran bible camp in college where i would go lead VBS at lutheran churches inMinnesota and having graduated from a lutheran college that it still pin points humor about the general Lutheran culture. It does not matter if you are in tune with all of the theology or church politics or not--people who both embrace and reject their Lutheran heritage will still appreciate this book! I must admit that while it was not always humourous and that it is more historical than modern that it did pin point observations with humor that i am currently struggling with while debating whether or not to follow through on attending Lutheran seminary relatively soon. I found it right on target and extremely therapeutic.
Also recommended: Garrison Keiller
and more Lutheran congregants should read Jim Wallis and SOjourners magazines!! ... Read more

Product Description
The most comprehensive edition of the Lutheran Confessions in English. It features period woodcuts and paintings, along with helpful introductions, annotations, notes, glossaries and a variety of indices. A timeline of the period and daily reading guide are included as well. This edition is a translation based on the actual text scontained in the authoritative editions of the Book of Concord, using either the German or the Latin text, unlike other English translations which are based on reconstructed texts, but not necessarily those that are the Lutheran Church's approved texts of their confessional documents. It is designed for the reader interested in understanding in depth what the beliefs, teachings and confession of the Lutheran Church are. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

A must read for any Christian
I'm not a Lutheran (idk maybe I am now) but I really do believe every Christian can benefit from this book. Every home should have 1) a Bible 2) the book of concord. It's holds God word at the utmost highest, and only seeks to keep it so.

satisfied
product was in good condition, was what I hoped for, and was speedily delivered.I was delighted to find this book in excellent condition at the reduced price.

excellent user-friendly edition containing the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
INTRO
Q: What is the Book of Concord?
A: The Book of Concord contains documents which Christians from the fourth to the 16th century A.D. explained what they believed and taught on the basis of the Holy Scriptures. It includes, first, the three creeds which originated in the ancient church, the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. It contains, secondly, the Reformation writings known as the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, Luther's Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord.

The Catechisms and the Smalcald Articles came from the pen of Martin Luther; the Augsburg Confession, its Apology, and the Treatise were written by Luther's co-worker, the scholarly Phillip Melanchthon; the Formula of Concord was given its final form chiefly by Jacob Andreae, Martin Chemnitz, and Nickolaus Selnecker.

PUBLISHER:
Concordia Publishing House or CPH.org (publishing arm of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) has published the "Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions -- A Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord" in 2007. The Book of Concord is also available (thanks to CPH.org) in Kindle format or pocket-size paperback.This edition has a lot of extra notes and drawings.Once a year CPH.org will have a deep discount on this edition including a CD-ROM.

CONTENT:
- The Three Universal or Ecumenical Creeds
- The Augsburg Confession (1530)
- The Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531)
- The Smalcald Articles (1537)
- The Power and Primacy of the Pope (1537)
- The Small Catechism (1529)
- The Large Catechism (1529)
- The Formula of Concord, Epitome (1577)
- The Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration (1577)
For questions on what the importance of these chapters/declarations/confessions mean please see the FAQ at [...]

CONCLUSION:
Lutherans "accept without reservation the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice," and many Lutherans also believe that all the writings in the Book of Concord as "a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God" (LCMS Constitution II). This handy and traveler-friendly book is a rich resource of spiritual food - it teaches and confesses that in Christ alone is there salvation -- by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Scripture alone.

Great Resource
This book is a great resource and a very easy way to read the Lutheran confessions.The supplemental material gives you great historical background and setting as you read the confessions.

Quality Product
Very high quality book, very happy to add it to my library.

One oddity that I notice about this sort of book is that they come with a reading 'guide' in the preface and the guide has you starting in the middle, turning to the back, then back to the front and then back to the middle etc., why didn't they just print the book in the order that they think you should read it? :PWhen used as a reference book you use the table of contents to find what you want anyway. :)

Great product though, glad I bought it. ... Read more

Product Description
Great for engaged couples, newlyweds, and married couples going on their fiftieth year together, The Lutheran Handbook on Marriage brings wit and wisdom to the sometimes frustrating, but gracious gift of marriage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Reformer
In the early 1500s AD, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther (NOT Luther King Jr.!!!) broke away and challenged the notion of celebacy by marrying a nun. While laughable today, it was virtually revolutionary for its time. The denomination name "Lutheran" comes from its founder Martin Luther which teaches you get saved through baptism. What happened that day changed history; today there are nearly 500 million Lutherans worldwide. In this book, Luther offers some sexual pointers. You need to understand you are on a budget- they subsidize everything (which means you pay more for the exact same thing!!). 10 percent of your income plus a weddding they can rob you blind. While serving in the congregation since 06, it hasn't been rewarding in amonetary sense, but to get away of the ignorance. There is light at the end of a tunnel- when you die, you go to heaven. How to approach a serious subject with a sense of humor.

Reference Guide
I gave this book as an engagement gift. There are some humorous items, for example, how to light a unity candle without setting your veil on fire.
It also has a good list of readings and hymns for weddings that are not widely used or suggested. To me that list was worth buying the book.
It gives good advice about communication, compromise and making the decisions that come up and continue when you get engaged and the first year of marriage without being preachy or dry. Everything has a dose of good humor behind it.

Very funny and helpful
Gives good ideas on how to plan a Lutheran wedding with do's and dont's.Mostly give insight into how to deal with your in-laws. ... Read more

Product Description
Kelly Fryer's book Reclaiming the L Word introduced one congregation's journey through renewal. Now Dave Daubert provides a practical how-to guide that will enable church leaders to help individual congregations walk through the process for themselves. Creative and informative, the book provides a straightforward approach that helps congregations reclaim Lutheran tradition for the 21st century. Includes questions for individual or group reflection and an additional resources section. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Founded by Martin Luther 1500s- First Protestant Church
The main point of Lutheran is that we were created by God and have evolved beyond the level of a monkey. When the Catholic church was first founded in the 1000s there was a lot of messed up stuff going on. That's how the Middle Ages ended was with Luther's 95 Theses. A band of knights could take out anything by that point. in studying Luther, the great reformer, it's a pretty literal interpretation of the Bible. The Large and Small Luther Catechism make up the layman's Bible. It is estimated 80 percent of America is Bible illiterate and about 20 percent totally illiterate. They thought Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. They thought Sodom and Gommorah were a married couple. The church service of the Lutheran denomination is called The Service of Holy Communion. It gets its name from Martin Luther its founded when it came to be in the early 1500s in Germany. It teaches you get saved through baptism.

Useful for Re-Orienting Leadership for Outward Focus
Our Council has studied this for the past several months, and it has become a worthy touchstone for how leaders have been wishing for a way to embrace a new way, rather than focusing uselessly on diminishing returns for established mainline churches. Daubert articulates a sensible approach which ends up involving letting go of empty patterns of operation in favor of life-giving clarity about doing those things that we are convinced God wants us to be doing, which are faithful, and which end up spurring the laggards to catch up to those in the church who have started having so much fun being and doing stuff which actually fits within what our confession says is most precious to us. ... Read more

Product Description
If there is a musician in your family or if your child is taking up music, The Young Lutheran's Guide To The Orchestra is a wonderful 25 minute introduction to the orchestra and a wonderful teaching tool in terms of what the various instruments sound like.  Keillor's premise is that each instrument in the orchestra requires a musician of a certain personality to play it and it is while describing the instrument and the kind of personality associated with it that he guides the "young Lutheran" towards a musical choice.  This has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with a love of music and a guide to a better appreciation of it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very funny stuff.
It's basically A Prairie Home Companion featuring the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. The "Young Lutheran's Guide" is just one part, but it's definitely the reason to buy the disc. If you like Keillor's show, you'll laugh at the "Guide" -- and there's nothing else quite like it. ... 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 (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
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 (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
Opening the Book of Faith is an invitation to experience the Bible as a book of faith. It provides an introduction to the Bible and Lutheran perspectives that guide understanding of Scripture. This book explores four methods of Bible study, then applies each method to four Scripture texts. Two assessment tools also aid reflection and discussion about Bible usage, needs, and hopes.

For more information visit the Book of Faith Web site. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

2 out of 3 isn't so bad
This is a nice primer on the meaning of the bible to ELCA Lutherans.It's a collection of three different parts, each by a different author (not to be confused with the 3 ghosts that visited Scrooge).The intended audience of the first author must have been someone other than me, because I didn't really get very much out of it.The second two authors were much more interesting though, and made it certainly worthwhile to buy and read the book.When I loan the book to other people who are my age, I suggest that they start with chapter 2.

Good Lutheran Introduction to Reading the Bible
'Opening the Book of Faith' is an early spearhead for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) initiative to promote Bible reading. And, if you play your cards right, by seeking out the Augsburg Fortress bookstore at an ELCA synod event, you will probably wrangle a copy of the book for free, which is a very good thing, since the book is good, but notvery good. The book focuses on four primary styles of reading the bible, does a very good job of explaining these styles, and gives four very good case studies for how to apply them. I have two quibbles with the authors.
First, there are a lot more than four ways of reading the Bible. At least there are certainly more than four. Witness, for example Donald Knuth's method of reading and studying the 59 Chapter 3, Verse 16s in the Protestant Bible (plus the lovely calligraphy he commissioned to highlight these passages.
Second, the authors give little advices on secondary sources, and most ways of reading the Bible simply cannotbe done without good references, and there are many, but there is a great variation in the value of many to the layman.
So, if you can score this paperback for free (at the cost of giving Augsburg Fortress your email address, it is well worth your while. ... Read more

Product Description
Bradley Hanson lays a solid foundation for living thespiritual life, drawing on the insights and emphases of the Lutherantradition. He analyzes the current spiritual situation and thenidentifies seven theological themes for a healthy Christianspirituality:

Our Human Condition Trust in God's Merciful Grace Reliance on the Word of God Meeting God in Physical Symbols Christian Spirituality and the Church Church Traditions Service in Daily Life

Each chapter includes reflection questions and spiritual exercises forgroups and individuals. Written in a clear, readable style, this is anideal study resource for adult education, college, and seminaryclasses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For all Christians seeking spiritual development!
A wonderfully well written book on building your spiritual life and mending your soul through practice of Christian beliefs.While the title mentions Lutherans (of which I am one), all denominations will find insightin this easy to read book.Re-awaken the ember that glows within. ... Read more