Description
Book SynopsisThe Revd. Dr Steven D. Paulson is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, USA.
Trade ReviewUnwilling to neutralize the core Lutheran teaching that God is in the business of killing off sinners just so that new beings might rise in faith, Paulson holds the wider Lutheran tradition accountable to Luther's own unique distinction of the law as accusation and the gospel as promise. Here we learn much of the Lutheran tradition-Paulson himself writes in the grand style of theological loci, approaching doctrine as outlined from Paul's argument in Romans. Paulson's approach to faith has an inerasable edge-if theology is to avoid being pointless, it must be for proclamation. Here is a theology beholden to God's word that does what it says and says what it does-finally remaking humanity out of the nothingness of sin and death. -- Mark Mattes, Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Department of Religion, Grand View University, Iowa, USA.
Martin Luther did not so much set out to reform the church as he did to reform preaching. Steven Paulson gets to the heart of Lutheranism-not as a denomination nor as a movement-but as the preaching of Christ crucified for the justification of sinners. Tracing the trajectory of Luther's preaching in subsequent centuries, noting how it bumps up against attempts to domesticate its assertiveness or ground its doctrine according to one worldview or another, Paulson is persistent in following Luther's own evangelical logic in making the necessary distinction between law and gospel, God hidden and God revealed to provide contemporary readers with a vigorous introduction to the loci of Lutheran theology. With the epistle to the Romans as his framework, Paulson deftly gives an account of Luther's confession of Jesus Christ and with precision and literary craftsmanship identifies the use (and misuse) of this theology in the church which bears his name. -- John T. Pless, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Mission, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA.
Looking over Martin Luther's shoulder as he studies the Scriptures and into his heart as it hosts the battle between Satan's deception and doubt and the Holy's Spirit's truth and trust, Paulson plunges into the depths of Luther's way of thinking. He penetrates the Wittenberg reformer's intricate yet simple address of the realities of human experience with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Throughout he engages other representatives of Lutheran culture and tradition, critically and perceptively, as they repeated or departed from Luther's insights. This volume aids twenty-first century readers in reaping a rich harvest from his insight for the proclamation of repentance and the forgiveness of sins in our day. -- Robert Kolb, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, USA.
... a magisterial analysis of Luther's thought and his debt to Paul... This encounter with Luther, especially when he is allowed to speak in his own words, is... immensely stimulating. It continually calls the Anglican reader back from ecclesiastical and liturgical preoccupations to the heart of the gospel... * Church Times *
Former and current students of Steven Paulson as well as readers of his book Luther for Armchair Theologians will immediately recognize both the depth and wit of the author in this volume of T&T Clark's Doing Theology series...Any Lutheran pastor or soon-to-be pastor will find both comfort and challenge in Paulson's book, which demonstrates not only the essence of Lutheran theology centred on justification but also describes the important theological vocation of the preacher. * Word & World: Theology for Christian Ministry *
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Theology that Preaches.; 1. Life without a preacher: Divine Wrath, Election, and this World's Final Hour; 2. The preacher's first word: Law and Sin [Self-justification] Romans; 3. The preacher's second word: Gospel and Freedom as the end of the Law [Justification by faith alone] Romans 3-5. a. Christ's cross: Crux Sola Nostra Theologia; b. Christ's resurrection: Mirabile Duellum; 4. Work of the Preacher: distribution of the benefits of Christ [hermeneutics, Scripture, proclamation in word and sacraments] Romans 6; a. Baptism: Death and New Life; b. Lord's Supper: Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sin; c. Confession and Absolution; 5. Living By Faith; a. Wretched Man that I am: Sin remains in the godly Romans 7 simil iustus et peccator; b. Holy Spirit, prayer and suffering: Romans 8 oratio, meditatio, tentatio; c. God's electing promise 9-11 The pain and comfort of election; d. Relationship of faith and Love: eschatological life under law and freed by Gospel; e. Romans 12: Faith active in Love [No ethics]. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice; f. Romans 13: Subject to governing authorities and political theology; g. Romans 14-16 Church and dissension in the Christian community; 6. Conclusion: The art and science of theology is learning to distinguish law and gospel in Scripture and in life.
