A new publication features German perspectives on Lutheran theology. Photo: LWF/A. Weyermüller
First volume of new series on Lutheran theology
(LWI) - “What is Lutheran?” is the title of the first volume of a new series on Lutheran Theology: German Perspectives and Positions.
Published by the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) and the German National Committee of The Lutheran World Federation (GNC/LWF) it will be expanded annually with a new volume.
The LWF welcomes the new English language series, which is designed to help promote the reception of theological publications from the VELKD churches and make them available to an international readership. “It will be a gift for the global Lutheran communion, as we live our Christian faith through our shared Lutheran tradition,” says Rev. Dr Chad Rimmer, LWF study secretary for Lutheran Theology and Practice.
The first volume is a compilation of five texts that were first published in German in connection with the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. They address core themes for theology and church life from a Lutheran perspective: theology (Dr Michael Roth), worship (Dr Christian Lehnert), congregation (Dr Martin Kumlehn), ecumenism (Dr Bernd Oberdorfer) and church law (Dr Hendrik Munsonius).
President of the Lutheran Church Office of VELKD Rev. Dr Horst Gorski remarks: “Lutheran churches worldwide are faced with similar issues and challenges. An exchange of well-founded theological literature can help us to learn from one another in order to be the Lutheran church in our own context. We want to contribute to that with the new series.”
Oberkirchenrat Norbert Denecke,GNC/LWF General Secretary says, “the texts in ‘What is Lutheran?’ offer a German perspective on these topics as one of many in the global Lutheran communion, without any claim to universal validity.” He continues: “We are making them available to our sister churches so that they can understand our theological and church background better, discover areas of agreement and difference, and in engaging with them, take a closer look at their own positions.”
VELKD comprises seven LWF member churches.
