Baptism in the Theology of Martin Luther

by Jonathan D. Trigg

Justification by faith and the sacrament of baptism are not necessarily mutually exclusive, even if your name is Martin Luther. Over the course of his lifetime, Luther appeared to contradict himself with regard to his theology on baptism. Trigg provides a comprehensive survey that seeks to understand the evolution of Luther’s baptismal theology within the greater context of his reformation. A cluster of themes are taken into consideration to determine the distinctive qualities of Luther’s theology of baptism and its lasting significance. With a better understanding of Luther’s baptismal theology, this work contributes to the ongoing dialogue and tensions surrounding baptism that persists to this day.

Genres: Theology

234 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book covering the nuances of Martin Luther's baptismal theology. It is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the Lutheran theology of baptism and how it relates to justification by faith alone. Chapters 2-4, which are a survey of Luther's baptismal theology from his Lectures on Genesis, the Large Catechism and some of his earlier works, set the stage for chapters 5-7 which detail the role of baptism in the Christian life, baptism as it relates to the Church (Lutheran ecclesiology) and the ways in which Luther's theology of baptism differs from that of his fellow Reformers such as Zwingli and Calvin. My only gripe was the author's failure to translate Luther's Latin and German in multiple places. I am hopeful that a revised edition will be released that would be more accessible to lay readers as this book is solid gold from a theological standpoint.