Why Am I Joyfully Lutheran?:Instruction, Meditation, and Prayers on Luther’s Small Catechism

by Matthew Harrison

With so many issue swirling about and what seems to be a constant stream of negative stories about culture and society, Why Am I Joyfully Lutheran? is a bold challenge and encouragement for Lutheran laypersons to engage joyfully in being Lutheran wherever and whenever God gives them the opportunity.

Addressing specific significant cultural issues such as human sexuality, gender identity, human life issues, etc., adult Lutherans will be interested to learn how the Lutheran confession of Christianity addresses a range of contemporary topics.

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 20, 2018

Reviews

[Mary Moerbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now my go-to gift for confirmands! Seriously, whether a middle schooler or an adult, there is a treasure trove in this devotional book. Narrative, Scripture, and the Small and Large Catechisms flow together, letting us recognize ourselves and God's gifts to us in all their glory.

Instruction, Meditation, and Prayer: it's all there and it's all done very well! Suitable for laity and clergy, "oldies" and "newbies" to Lutheranism, too. 

Matthew Harrison is brilliant. After he translated Martin Luther's booklet on how to pray, he applied those principles to produce this book, which follows the topics and text of the Small Catechism. Each brief chapter introduces elements of the Small Catechism and then delves into Scripture. Each then ends by asking the question, "Why Am I Joyfully Lutheran?" The answers explore God's gifts and promises to us, followed by prayer that acknowledges what God has instructed and then gives thanks, confession, and petition.

Wonderful writing: clever, comforting, honest language that is easy to understand with messages and thoughts worth pondering again and again. And, every once in a while the author threw in an element or deeper teaching that caught me off-guard in the best way, leading me to think, "What great application of Scripture!"

This is such a great book that I can see handing it to non-Lutherans as an explanation of how we view and understand the Small Catechism. Hand it out in membership classes or in church visitor bags! Each of the kids should get a copy—again, go-to confirmation gift. Great for new or old Lutherans alike: family devotions, Lent or Advent reading, etc. Really fabulous.

So much to make us joyfully Lutheran! Thanks be to God!

[Becky Filipek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is great for meditating on Luther's "Small Catechism" and the Scriptures from which it is based. I read one chapter each day, which was just the right size for a daily devotional. I highly recommend this book.

[Kimberly Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading the devotional and instructional words of Re. Harrison in regards to the Small Catechism. This would be a great book for those new to the Lutheran faith or for those preparing for confirmation.