Product Description

This useful and insightful volume aims to illustrate, espouse, and renew the discipline of doctrinal theology, particularly as exemplified historically by Martin Luther and his theological reflection on the Trinity.

The authors, steeped both in Luther's works and in the doctrinal tradition, show how dogmatics in the Lutheran tradition entails a delicate juxtaposition of credal commitment, scriptural interpretation, and doctrinal elaboration. Their respective chapters retrieve surprising historical insights about Luther's own practice of doctrinal theology, the interaction of the credal and doctrinal dimensions with a nuanced hermeneutic of scripture, and the future shape of a doctrinal theology genuinely responsive to the Gospel and the present age.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1240011 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-01
• Released on: 2008-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Dennis Bielfeldt is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

Mickey L. Mattox is Associate Professor of Theology at Marquette University and a specialist in the theology of Martin Luther.

Paul R. Hinlicky is Tice Professor of Lutheran Studies, Roanoke College in Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Pity the poor seminarian ...
... who has to plod through this tome.

The authors say in the introduction that this book is not only for theologians, but also for "pastors, seminarians, and educated laity." I consider myself a reasonably well-educated Lutheran layperson, theologically speaking. I've made it through theological works by Gerhard Forde, Gritsch and Jenson, Kolb and Arand, Bonhoeffer, among others, plus several of Luther's essays and most of the Book of Concord. It's not the first time I've encountered theological jargon like exegesis, hermeneutics, ontological, eschatology, hypostatic, typology, and a host of others. But frankly, I could not make it through all of this work.

The work is divided into three essays, one by each of the authors. The first and third are dense but decipherable, with a lot of effort. The one in the middle I simply gave up on in frustration.

There are a couple of interesting points in the first and third essays (and there may be some buried somewhere in the second), so I'm giving it three stars. But for a much easier-to-digest look at Luther's theology, I'd recommend Kolb and Arand's new book "The Genius of Luther's Theology."