Here We Stand Lutheran Study Bible

by Anonymous

Features the NRSV translation as well as introductions, notes, and articles written by over sixty Lutheran pastors and teaching theologians. This resource is designed to invite confirmation students to experience the Bible and its message through solid background material, unique Lutheran insights, and opportunities for faith reflection. Biblical text is 10 point font; study notes are 7 point font.

Genres: Religion, Reference, Spirituality, Christianity, Scripture

2112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Todd · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book because it has the potential to be used by my parishioners (I am an LCMS pastor). There are some physical elements to it that I like. It is easy to read, quality paper. I like the outside margin comments and notes. I like the use of graphics as well.

However, the problem is that the negatives far outweigh the positives. First of all, it uses the NRSV translation. This translation is gender inclusive, and really works hard to avoid anything that might be deemed as a traditional view of God. It is teetering on the edge of being a paraphrase.

The second problem is that the premise of the editors comes from a historical-critical method of interpretation. In other words, the editors of the study bible do not believe that the bible is God's Word. It records and announces God's revelation about Jesus (p. 19), God speaks through the Bible, but they will shy away from using language like inerrant or authoritative. The editors like to talk about how the bible "is a product of communities of faith who gathering the writings of authors inspired by God and regarded them as having authority as sacred Scriptures" (p. 20). While at one level that sounds nice and good and pious, underneath it is the reality that the source of the bible is not God Himself, but the "communities of faith", and that it is the experience of the bible that creates faith. So for example, many of the books of Paul are designated as being written by associates of Paul, not Paul himself (p. 1850).

What you find in the comments and notes are a pretty standard theologically liberal agenda. Passages on homosexuality are interpreted away, the authority of the Gospel is undermined, and even the fact that Jesus is the only way to heaven is denied (p. 1658). While there may be a nice veneer of Lutheranism on it, unfortunately it doesn't go much beyond the name of the book.

I can't in good conscience recommend this study bible. There are many study bibles out there that are better, and the false teaching that peppers this may do much damage to the faithful.

Pastor Todd Peperkorn
Messiah Lutheran Church
Kenosha, Wisconsin

[Rebecca Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this Bible for many reasons. I followed one of the three included Bible Reading Plans at the back of the book, the Challenge Path, and enjoyed the way that readings went from Old Testament to New Testament, drawing connections between the two and enabling the reader to better understand troubling Old Testament passages in light of Christ as God's plan of salvation for the world. The extensive notes in this Bible were extremely helpful in understanding how the texts were understood by contemporary readers, and how that message applies to Christians today.

In addition to the reading plans, this Bible includes fifteen different maps, a subject guide to quickly locate scripture applicable to specific situations, listings of key Bible stories and where to find them, a listing of Biblical prayers and where to find them, and fantastic introductions to each and every book of the Bible, giving background information and context about who wrote them, who their audiences were, and the historical and cultural circumstances in which they were written.

Moreover, the Lutheran Study Bible includes extensive resources for understanding scripture through the lens of Lutheran theology, with a section in p. 1521-1552 that explains Martin Luther's perspective on the Bible, the Small Catechism, the symbolism of the Luther Rose, and Lutheran insights.

I found these resources very helpful, and feel that this is a great Bible for anyone who wants to read and really understand the Word of God, the meaning of life, and God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.

[By the way, I read each and every word in this Bible, every historical note, every footnote, and all of the supplemental material, and nowhere do the editors refute that Christ is the only means of salvation as a certain self-identified Missouri Synod pastor claimed in his review -- just to be sure, I opened my Bible to page 1658, where he says this blasphemy is to be found. It's the last page of Matthew's gospel, and there is one note comparing the account of the empty tomb in Matthew's gospel to the account in Mark's gospel, and the other note says that "through the resurrection, God has given Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth," and goes on about the commissioning of the disciples. I see NOTHING that could be twisted or misinterpreted to mean that Christ is not the only way to salvation. This makes me wonder whether that pastor even read this Bible in its entirety, or whether he had made up his mind against it before opening the cover just because it's an ELCA initiative and he's Missouri Synod? Or maybe he was reviewing some other study bible and posted his review under the wrong ISBN?]

[Bob Garrison]

I’m no theologian. I’ve worshipped as a Lutheran (ELCA) for the last 33 years after moving from a small Episcopal church for a better kids ed experience. My wife was RC prior to our marriage (second for both of us), so I have some basis to work from.

What is important to me is my Faith…less so; what religion I belong to. This is how I approached this annotated study Bible. Two thousand and sixty pages later, I have a stronger belief in faith, and a greater understanding of the foundation of faith, be it Christian faith or something else.

That faith was tested as I slogged through the Old Testament, which was filled with bad decisions, God’s anger, war, revenge, slavery, abuse of women and children, retribution and reconciliation, all to be repeated over and over. The New Testament was revival…of my spirit, my faith, my hope.

I’m left with the weariness of completing a mountain top climb, but with the exhilaration of seeing the big picture. I’m also left with serious doubts as to the evolution of organized religion into the grandiose machine that can and does enable corruption…of the laity, the ministry, the Word.

[Georgetown Lutheran Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, if occasional notes and *really* great introductions to each book of the Bible, endnotes, and sidebars. The translation, NRSV, is the same as we use in worship. Large empty margins allow room for note-taking, and attractive format makes it easy to read.
The paperback version especially has such thin pages - recommend the hardbound version.
Make sure to get this one, with the blue cover, no "the" in the title, by Augsburg Fortress Press, not the one with "the" in the title, which is by a different publishing house and a very different thing!
- Pastor Brett

[CJ]

I'm finished! I started reading this in January as part of a plan to read the Bible in a year along with a group of other people, using Forward Movement's "Bible Challenge" book as a guide. Over time the group kind of fell apart but my parents and I kept going, and I'm really happy that I made it all the way through. I'd read almost all of the Bible at some point already (some parts many times), but I had never read it cover-to-cover like this before, and it really helped me to see it for the holistic, overarching story that it is. I particularly enjoyed getting to spend so much time in the Old Testament, since it's given short shrift in the lectionary.

I come from a family of Lutherans and my grandfather gave me his copy of the Lutheran Study Bible as a birthday gift in high school after I put it on my wish list. I had looked at parts of it before but frankly I hadn't spent a lot of time with it until now. From a layperson's perspective I thought it did a good job providing historical context and making connections to Lutheran theology, and I liked that each book had its own introduction. I particularly got a lot out of the insert in the middle that discussed the Lutheran approach to reading and interpreting scripture.

Just as a physical object this is probably too unwieldy to serve as my regular Bible (it's very large and heavy, and the pages are so thin that they're easily damaged) but it will definitely remain an important part of my library and I can see myself returning to it many times.

[The_J · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Word of God - like Abraham's descendants the stars should be unable to be counted on this review.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this from my former church when we had to close our doors due to financial struggles and low attendance. I have been using it as one of my study Bibles.
I like the version that they chose for this Bible which is New Revised Standard Version.
Each book has a introduction to the book that gives you an estimate of when the book was written and who wrote it. They were honest about the fact that the traditional view isn't the view of many Bible scholars. I was a little disappointed by the footnotes. They seemed to rather basic for me but I have read the Bible a few times through. So, other people may disagree with me on this.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Augsburg really underperformed with baby blue. Minimal commentary and the Lutheran insights are repetitious.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

One doesn't finish reading the Bible, so I'm using the year of purchase for the end date.

[William Richardson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This" study" Bible lacks substance.

[Betty LaVelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read four different Bibles (all the way through) and this is by far my favorite.

[TediyraBH]

9780806680590

BS191.5.A1 2009 M56 2009c