The Christian Book of Concord, Or, Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Comprising the Three Chief Symbols, the Unaltered

by Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon

Title: The Christian Book of Concord, Or, Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Comprising the Three Chief Symbols, the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology, the Articles of Smalcald, Luther's Smaller and Larger Catechisms, the Form of Concord, an Appendix, and Articles of Visitation. to Which Is Prefixed an Historical Introd. Translated From the German Publisher: Newmarket Va.] S. D. Henkel Publication date: 1851 Subjects: Lutheran Church Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christian, Reference, Christianity, History, Nonfiction

600 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 1580

About the author

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.

Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.

Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.

Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.

Reviews

[Robert Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I am not a Lutheran, it seemed to me that reading this collection of early Lutheran writings would help me to understand the Protestant Reformation. I was not disappointed.

In my opinion, this is must reading not just for Lutherans, but also for any Protestant seeking a better understanding of fundamental Christian doctrines. I remain a Baptist, and noted some variance with Baptist understanding of Scripture, but on the whole this volume added to my understanding of the Bible.

If you are not familiar with this book, it is the basic collection of early Lutheran documents:

1. The Three Chief Symbols.
2. The Augsburg Confession (1530).
3. Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531).
4. The Smalcald Articles (1537).
5. Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (1537).
6. The Small Catechism (1529).
7. The Large Catechism (1529).
8. Formula of Concord (1577).

Although I recommend this book to all Christians, I also recommend that it be read only after having read through and studied the entire Bible at least once.

[Chelsea]

That's right folks, I'm reading most of the Book of Concord for my Lutheran Confessions class. It's all the stuff that Luther and friends wrote back in the 1500s... yippee! Despite the fact that it's so old, it is incredibly radical theology and relevant for today.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that only took me a year...

Of course, it's a must read for every Lutheran. This is crucial to have on your shelf if you want to understand what Lutherans teach and confess. But if you read any one item from this, read the Formula of Concord at the back (Solid Declaration and Epitome). It's shorter than the Augsburg Confession and the Apology, and I think it's a clearer with better vocabulary. That was my favorite part.

The main pieces of the Concordance are:
The three creeds (Apostles' Nicene, Athanasian)
Luther's Small Catechism
Luther's Large Catechism
Augsbug Confession (written by Melanchthon)
Apology to the Augsburg Confession (written by Melanchthon)
Smalcald Articles (written by Luther)
Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (written by Melanchthon)
Formula of Concord (containing the Solid Declaration, and its abridged version, the Epitome) (seems mostly written by Chemnitz)

These are the major parts, all set in chronological order. The creeds and catechisms are short, fast, useful summaries that are easy to get through. The Augsburg Confession and Apology are long and tedious, but still important. The Smalcald Articles and Primacy of the Pope are short, but seemingly random and not comprehensive. I think the Formula at the very end is the most well-written and the best summation of major points in Lutheran theology, as distinguished from other denominations (past and present). Luther's writing is fiery, Melanchthon's writing is boring, and Chemnitz's writing is pleasantly methodical.

This second edition (reader's edition) has fantastic resources dispersed throughout the major parts of the Concordance. This includes: Prefaces to the first and second editions, a general introduction, notes about this edition and translation, historical notes about when the documents were first written and distributed, notes about how to use the book for study purposes, a user's guide to the formatting, an overview with explanations of all the major parts, a year-long reader's guide that will help you read through all the major parts, a timeline explaining major dates of the reformation, an editor's introduction to each major part explaining the context for writing each piece, notes on understanding indulgences, and explanations of the context for controversies surrounding the writing of the Formula. The Appendixes include a catalogue of testimonies with excerpts from church fathers, an exhortation to confession from Luther's Large Catechism, and the Saxon Visitation Articles. At the back is a glossary of terms, a list of descriptions of people and groups who were major players in the Reformation, an index of Bible references noted throughout the Concordance, a subject index, and a map of Germany.

The wood carvings included throughout really add to the reading experience. Particularly with little explanations of VDMA and Luther's rose, depictions of the people writing, and in the Small Catechism sections where Luther goes through the 10 commandments and petitions of the Lord's Prayer. One item is placed on each page, with an accompanying image. In the back there's a bunch of color plates, showing important artwork of the time (including some of Cranach's most famous pieces). Along with these images are figure legends that paint a "visual overview of the Reformation."

[Ben Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked and subscribed.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find the Lutheran Confessions impressively clear and readable. The writers were extremely systematic and used logic-based arguments to make the case that Lutheran doctrine is nothing other than the doctrine of the catholic (universal) church. And those reformers weren't afraid to get a bit feisty with their turns of phrase, which keeps things interesting!

You can find a translation, with reading plans, online for free at http://bookofconcord.org/. There's really no excuse not to give them a read, even if you don't want to commit to buying a hard copy.

That being said, this particular edition from CPH is a beautiful book. The historical notes and introductions provide helpful context, there's a more-than-managable reading plan, and the illustrations lend themselves to good discussions between family members of all ages.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read 2008.
Second reading 2016.

[David Nesje · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heavy.... very heavy. Learned some history tho. And also learned more about what Lutherans believe so i guess thats nice...

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew.

I read this book as part of a reading group at my church, over the summer. I believe that the goal was to read the book in ninety days. I stayed pretty close to the reading schedule, having to play "catch-up" a few times because of my work schedule.

The book contains several creeds, the Augsburg Confession of 1530, along with the Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531), the Smalcald Articles (1537), The Power and Primacy of the Pope (1537), Luther's Small and Large Catechisms (1529), and the Formula of Concord (1577).

I looked at a few of the other reviews of this book. And while I did enjoy the book, because it taught me quite a bit about Lutheran theology and practice, it was nowhere near "amazing" for me. In fact, it was quite cumbersome, at times. With nine hundred pages of text (most of the last hundred pages are indices), there is a lot of repeated material. So much so that I literally quite taking notes in the middle of the Formula of Concord.

These folks loved words. They spent an awful lot of words saying the same things over and over again. And this is not exactly a criticism, so much as an observation.

One thing I do agree with, though, that I saw in other reviews, is that this material is must-read material for Lutherans, and would be good for any other Protestants who are interested in delving deeper into the minds of Luther and his contemporaries.

However, I might not encourage attempting to read it straight through over the summer. I think it would be better taken in smaller bites, maybe over the course of an entire year. There is actually a 53-week reading guide at the front of the book that, should I ever feel compelled to read this again, I will probably be more likely to follow.

All that being said, I have absolutely no criticism toward the teachings presented in this book. Like I said, I learned a great deal about Lutheranism (and Luther) by reading this, and came to embrace more of the teachings of Baptism and Communion along the way. So it was very beneficial to me. I did have questions, as I read, most of which were answered by the pastor (and others) as we gathered a couple times a month to discuss the reading.

I would also add that, if Goodreads allowed half-stars, this would be 3.5 rather than 3.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been a few years since I had read the Book of Concord, but I won’t wait that long again. There are so many things we can get distracted by and worked up over, but the basic teachings take care of a lot of those and give great encouragement and comfort. I hadn’t realized how many times “easing the conscious” was mentioned as a purpose of doctrine. Luther was at heart a great pastor and our doctrine is based primarily on pastoral care for terrified consciences. I went through this edition because I had Dr. Kolb at the Seminary. This is a wonderful reminder and we should go through it regularly. Almost every section is perhaps surprisingly easy to understand and very timely. This is a treasure!
“It gives the most reliable comfort to troubled, tempted people, that they may know that their salvation does not rest in their own hands. Otherwise, at every moment they would lose this salvation more easily than did Adam and Eve in paradise. Instead, their salvation rests in the gracious election of God, which he has revealed to us in Christ, out of whose hand no one can snatch us.”

[Brent Abels]

I read this only on Sunday mornings before church, an average of ten pages a week. It was really an eye opener and I'm sure it changed my life.

[Timothy Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I put together a 21-week reading schedule of this book and read it with my vicar.
We took a few weeks off, but we finished it this past week.
It's the greatest (after Scripture).
I'll take it up again when my new vicar arrives.

If you're unfamiliar with this book, it is the "primary source" of what Lutherans believe. Our teachings are not hidden. They are accessible, available, and anyone can read them. When you read this book, notice how much emphasis is placed on the comfort and care of souls. There is, rightly, a deep concern for PEOPLE. What a treasure!

[Ruth Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lutheran Church has such a wonderful, rich heritage of faith and confessions, rooted firmly in Scripture. I am in awe of the men who wrote the Augsburg Confession and its Apology (meaning “defense,” not apologizing for writing it), the Small and Large Catechisms, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, and the Formula of Concord (the Epitome and the Solid Declaration). These men stood firm before rulers in the face of persecution and even death, holding to their confession, and we have these wonderful documents that explain exactly what we believe and where it is taken from the Bible. They aren’t spouting their own opinions. They’re explaining God’s Word. Their courage and determination puts most modern-day American Christians to shame. Every Christian ought to read the Lutheran Confessions, regardless of their own denominational affiliation. Lutherans should be knowlegable about their heritage and confessions, and other Christians should read these to measure the Lutheran confessions against Scripture. This version of the Confessions is well formatted and easy to read, and there is a helpful glossary of terms and people in the back to help keep things straight, as well as a beautiful section of artwork from the Reformation era. Highly recommend this book for everyone!

[Barbara Ruuska · Rating 5 out of 5]

True confession, this is a book about Lutheran theology after all, I didn't finish it 100% but read most of it. The only part that I didn't read was about comparative religions.

My husband and I read this together on our ereaders. We had a discussion after each session to compare what we learned from the reading. I kept telling my husband that I was finally learning what it meant to be a Lutheran. He said, "You are finally learning what it means to be a Christian." He was right.

The writing style is old, long-winded and some of it is better than others. Martin Luther was very vocal in his disdain of certain people and their beliefs. His emotions came through clearly in his writings. Philip Melachthon was more subdued in his criticism, but was also very articulate. It is mostly dry reading, but there are nuggets of humor.
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I now have the reader's edition from CPH and have re-read all of it with my husband, and frequently use it as a reference tool. (August 2020)

[Clint Hoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those interested in the history and theology behind the Protestant Reformation. But this is no dead and dusty work of history. This book continues to be for millions of Lutherans the Magna Carta of their faith. The book includes several documents outlining principal points of doctrine and the Christian faith: the ecumenical creeds (Apostles', Nicene, Athanasian), the Augsburg Confession, etc.). One must understand that the milieu of the origin of these confessions of faith were the contentions with the Roman Catholic Church, and then later contentions within Lutheranism itself. Therefore the book does not address directly all matters of theological concern for the modern man.

[Jennifer Clover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading this for my Lutheran Creeds and Confessions class, and I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying it. I was convinced it would be incredibly dry and didactic, but it's actually quite a radical and exciting read when you consider what Luther and Melancthon and their contemporaries were revolting against. I'm also finding it to be an invaluable spiritual resource, explaining why we worship the way we do in the Lutheran church, and giving background to the history and importance of those rituals. Knowing the "why" behind what I do is adding a great deal of value to worship experiences.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and user friendly translation of the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

[Adam Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of the confessional documents of the Lutheran Church detailing the beliefs of the Evangelical Catholic Church (the Catholic Church which preaches the Gospel). This is the correct exposition of what the Bible says for theology. We are saved by grace through faith apart (i.e. justified by faith alone) from our works although works necessarily flow from faith (i.e. we strive to be holy as God has already made us holy). Baptism is God's Word joined to water which graces us with the Holy Spirit and forgiveness. The Lord's Supper is Christ's body and blood in a Sacramental Union with bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins. Etc.

The Tappert translation is a readable academic edition. It may be a little difficult for a layperson but good for a seminarian. I have also read the Kolb-Wingert edition which is the best academic edition (good for scholars) and the Concordia Reader's Edition (good for laypeople).

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this again for the first time since seminary (1994). The Apology of the Augsburg confession was the biggest challenge to read and to keep focused because Melanchthon's writing style rambles. The focus of that is mainly to contrast Lutheran theology with Catholic. However, everything by Luther (Smalcald Articles, Small Catechism, Large Catechism) were wonderful and clear to read and apply. I was most surprised with the Formula of Concord (Epitome & Solid Declaration) which was the most helpful and clear in understanding and defining Lutheran interpretation of Scripture. The Formula deals mostly with making clear the contrast between Lutherans and other protestants and spends a lot of time on the nature of Christ and the true presence of Christ in Communion. The Formula of Concord is critical reading for every Lutheran who is serious about his/her faith.

[David Goetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read only the intro material, the Augsburg Confession, and the Apology of the Augsburg Confession to this point (about one-third of this volume), but I want to affirm that these writings deserve careful reading from all thoughtful Christians. Melanchthon, Luther, and Chemnitz were truthful, vigorous, and courageous men who loved the Lord, loved his Word, and fought for the truth of the gospel in ways that can and should challenge us today. Reading this volume would also surprise many evangelicals, who consider themselves heirs of Reformation theology but who would find themselves discomfited by the warm-hearted confessionalism, ardent sacramentalism, etc. of these Lutheran confessions of faith.

[Kolter Sands · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most essential reads for Christians, especially Lutherans. The work is a Theological Work of Art. The elocution of speech in the translation is excellent. It made clear the Confessional Lutheran interpretation of the inerrant Word of God. The argumentations are splendid and well-formulated.

This is a work I would recommend to those who have read the whole Bible and want to analyze their interpretations of Scripture more thoroughly. If not this work, I would suggest reading the Church Fathers if you do not want to go deeper with The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther.

[Stephanie Eastwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential writings of the Lutheran Reformation. A lifelong Lutheran, I finally got myself to delve into these by enrolling in an ELCA diakonia class on Creeds and Confessions. Along with The Book of Concord, our instructor's syllabus included Dietrich Bonhoeffer's *Discipleship* and chapters of Paul's letters to the Romans.

[Aaron Cliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to know what the Lutheran's are about, give it a read. Enjoyable, even if the idea that Christ is present in the elements because he is "at the right hand of the father" and the right hand of the father means his power so Christ is literally present where God's power is seems a bit like word salad to me.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential primary source reading for Lutheran orthodoxy. And yes, much of it is as dull as that sounds. Hands-down the best part was Luther’s small and large catechism, however. That is rich theologically and practically.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been a life-long Lutheran, I have finally read the foundational documents. Very interesting the ways the authors set up their arguments to systematically refute their opponents' views and claims.

[Stephen Bozeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is ultimately THE modern edition of the Book of Concord. At times the translations are a little stiff, but is a magnificent work. All the footnotes one could hope for, for a more full understanding of the text.

[Nathan Burkhalter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although as some one in the other Reformation branch I have disagreements I found it quite refreshing with ageless truth.

I am truly grateful for the Reformers and for their rediscovery of the authentic gospel.

By Grace Alone through Faith Alone to the Glory of God alone.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Modern Christianity owes a massive debt of gratitude to Martin Luther. He is rightly a giant of the faith.

After reading the Book of Concord though, it is clear that I am not, and never will be, a confessional Lutheran.

[Karin]

school reading ...

[Moses · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book to believe, teach, and confess.

[Alex Monseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful for specific areas of Lutheran theology in contrast with the Catholic Church at the time.