Studies In Lutheran Hermeneutics

In his pastoral and theological reflections, Martin Luther always sought faithfully to discern the Word of God from the Scriptures. Luther drew on the Gospel of Matthew when developing edifying sermons as well as teasing out valuable ethical insights for the Christian engagement in society. While his immediate audience was in Wittenberg, the Gospel of Matthew has continued to be a resource for the church's mission. In this collection of essays, internationally renowned theologians reflect on the ongoing reception of the Gospel of Matthew from the Reformation until today, and how, in light of the Lutheran interpretive traditions, it remains a valuable resource for the church as it seeks to respond to contemporary concerns in its mission to the whole world.

Paul's letters are of crucial importance for Christian theology and church life. The way in which the apostle Paul critically reflected on the meaning of the gospel message in light of Scripture, the traditions, ethics and Christian faith and hope, has had a significant and lasting impact on the Lutheran tradition. In this publication, the fourth and final in a series of LWF publications on biblical hermeneutics, renowned international scholars from the fields of biblical studies and systematic theology reevaluate to what extent twenty-first-century Lutherans can rediscover the Pauline paradigm of the "power of the Gospel" and hereby overcome ambiguous perceptions of the so-called "Lutheran reading(s)" of Paul. [Paulinische Hermeneutik. Die "Kraft des Evangeliums" erforschen] Die Briefe des Paulus haben eine grundlegende Bedeutung für die christliche Theologie. Besonders die lutherischen Kirchen sind dauerhaft davon geprägt, wie Paulus als Apostel die Bedeutung des "Evangeliums" im Lichte der Auslegung von Schrift und Tradition sowie der Konzeption frühchristlicher Ethik und der Explikation von Hoffnung und Glaube herausgearbeitet und interpretiert hat. Die vorliegende Anthologie schließt einer Folge von vier LWB Publikationen zur biblischen Hermeneutik ab. International renommierte Bibelwissenschaftler und Systematische Theologen diskutieren, in welcher Weise lutherische Theologie im 21. Jahrhundert das paulinische Konzept von der "Kraft des Evangeliums" so wiederentdecken kann, dass ambivalente Vorstellungen von der sog. "Lutherischen Paulusperspektive" neu überdacht und überwunden werden können.

Renowned Reformation scholar Timothy J. Wengert explores the genesis of Lutheran biblical interpretation by tracing the early work of Martin Luther, Melanchthon, and other Wittenberg exegetes. Their new approach led them to view Scripture in terms of "law and gospel," to read and translate the Greek and Hebrew text, and to focus on a theology of the cross and justification by faith. Luther and his colleagues found God working in the last place anyone would reasonably look: on the cross, in weakness and foolishness. Wengert demonstrates how these key historical and theological perspectives can be demonstrated in preaching, reflection, and teaching today. Using brief examples of preaching The Seven Last Word of Christ and reflecting on Luther’s work on a variety of Psalms, the author provides a path for students and pastors alike to plumb the depth of Lutheran hermeneutics in their preaching and teaching.

Acknowledging that hermeneutics has become an increasingly important major focus in theological study, Donald McKim's A Guide to Contemporary Hermeneutics presents a series of essays by various writers, assessing current hermeneutical approaches and methods of biblical hermeneutics from their own personal experience.

A World-Class Scholar on Luther's Use of Scripture The Reformation revolutionized church life through its new appreciation for God's presence working through the Bible. Coinciding with the five hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation, this volume explains how Luther's approach to the Bible drew his colleagues and contemporary followers into a Scripture-centered practice of theology and pastoral leadership. World-class scholar Robert Kolb examines the entire school of interpretation launched by Luther, showing how Luther's students continued the study and spread of God's Word in subsequent generations. Filled with fresh insights and cutting-edge research, this major statement provides historical grounding for contemporary debates about the Bible.

Confessional writings of the Lutheran Church and other information essential to understanding the confessions.