Overview

Timothy J. Wengert provides detailed background into the development of Luther's popular Small Catechism, which began with Luther's early sermon series on the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed. Luther wrote his catechism because many requested he do so but also as a response to his 1528 visitation of parishes in Saxony and Meissen, where he discovered an abysmal level of Christian instruction.Luther's Small Catechism explains the basics of Christian faith in a way resonant with his understanding of justification by faith, which also implied, for Luther, the proper distinction between law and gospel. This is applied to his explanations of the parts of the Catechism. Wengert's translation also includes Luther's own preface to the 1531 edition, the Sacrament of Baptism, Sacrament of the Altar, instructions to the head of the household, Household Chart of Bible Passages, Marriage Booklet for Pastors, and Baptismal Booklet.This volume is excerpted from The Annotated Luther series, volume 4 (Pastoral Writings). Each volume and selection in the series contains new introductions, extensive annotations, illustrations, and notes to help shed light on Luther's context and to interpret his writings for today.

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9781506432472

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Mary Jane Haemig is professor of church history emerita, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. She received her Th.D. from Harvard Divinity School in 1996. She taught at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, from 1994 to 1999 and at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, from 1999 to 2018. She focuses on the study of the Lutheran Reformation. She is the editor of volume 4, Pastoral Writings (2016), of The Annotated Luther and an associate editor of the Dictionary of Luther and the Lutheran Traditions (2017). She resides in St. Paul, MN.

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