True Faith in the True God: An Introduction to Luther's Life and Thought, Revised and Expanded Edition

by Hans Schwarz

Overview

Most biographers of Luther are faced with a choicefocus on Luthers life or focus on his thought. The choice, though real, is false. Luthers thought was inextricably bound up with his life. In this short, engaging volume, Hans Schwarz succeeds in blending the twocreating a volume that introduces Luthers thought in the context of his life story.

The book meets the need for a clear and concise introduction to the life and teachings of the great church reformer, Martin Luther. After a brief overview of his life, the book devotes chapters to Luthers thoughts on key areas of the Christian faith and life, including the knowledge of God, church and sacraments, the Scriptures, marriage and parenthood, and vocation. The author incorporates quotations from Luthers own writings to show how Luthers insights have relevance for all Christians today.

With questions for reflection and discussion, the book can be used as a study resource for individuals, church groups, or college and seminary classes. For this revised edition, Schwarz has thoroughly reviewed the text and added important new sections on Luther and music, Luther and the economy, Luther and the Jews, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781451490084
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	07/14/2015
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	295
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Hans Schwarz is professor emeritus of systematic theology at the University of Regensburg, Germany. From 1967 to 1981 he was professor at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He has presented more than six hundred lectures on five continents and is the author of more than thirty books, including The Christian Faith: A Creedal Account (2014) and The Human Being: A Theological Anthropology (2013). His more than forty doctoral students teach in many different countries.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction 1

1 Luther's Life and Work 7

2 True Knowledge of God 49

3 Faith and Reason 71

4 The Divinity of God 89

5 Humanity between God and Satan 109

6 The Ordering Activity of God (The Two Kingdoms) 123

7 Scripture Alone 143

8 Law and Gospel 159

9 Church and Sacraments 171

10 Love; Marriage, and Parenthood 203

11 Vocation 219

12 The Impact on Education 231

13 Luther and the Economy 241

14 Luther and Music 265

Postscript 279

Selected Bibliography 281

Index of Names 281

Index of Subjects 291