True Faith in the True God: An Introduction to Luther's Life and Thought, Revised and Expanded Edition

Most biographers of Luther are faced with a choice—focus on Luther’s life or focus on his thought. The choice, though real, is false. Luther’s thought was inextricably bound up with his life. In this short, engaging volume, Hans Schwarz succeeds in blending the two—creating a volume that introduces Luther’s thought in the context of his life story.

The book meets the need for a clear and concise introduction to the life and teachings of the great church reformer, Martin Luther. After a brief overview of his life, the book devotes chapters to Luther’s thoughts on key areas of the Christian faith and life, including the knowledge of God, church and sacraments, the Scriptures, marriage and parenthood, and vocation. The author incorporates quotations from Luther’s own writings to show how Luther’s insights have relevance for all Christians today.

With questions for reflection and discussion, the book can be used as a study resource for individuals, church groups, or college and seminary classes. For this revised edition, Schwarz has thoroughly reviewed the text and added important new sections on Luther and music, Luther and the economy, Luther and the Jews, and more.

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Publisher Fortress Press
Format Paperback
ISBN 9781451490084
eBook ISBN 9781506400402
Age/Grade Range Adult
Dimensions 6 x 9; 6 x 9
Pages 300
Publication Date August 1, 2015

Endorsements

"At once both accessible and substantial, True Faith in the True God is an engaging presentation of key aspects of Luther’s theology with an eye toward how it is that the Reformer’s evangelical teaching continues to instruct and challenge in the Twenty-first century. Schwarz is conversant with contemporary Luther scholarship and he has distilled it in a format that will be helpful to students, pastors, and laity interested in deepening their understanding of Martin Luther."

—John T. Pless

Concordia Theological Seminary

"Who else but Hans Schwarz could give us such a thorough and readable combination of Luther's story and his teaching? He is able to cover all relevant subjects in a way that will interest a wide variety of readers--from those that are just beginning theology to those who are working on degrees. The thrill of Luther is always found in the combination of his unparalleled life in the midst of the world's greatest controversies, along with Luther's meaty expositions of Scripture and theology. Schwarz conveys what it means for Luther to become a theologian of the cross by undergoing that very cross, and what it means to distinguish law and gospel by learning the distinction through reading, hearing, trial and liberation. It takes a great theologian and historian like Schwarz to bring Luther's whole life and teaching into focus this way. This book will be treasured for years because of this accomplishment, and so we are grateful that it has arrived in our time."

—Steven Paulson

Luther Seminary

"When someone asks me, “what can I read to learn more about Luther’s theology?” My answer is always the same: “Read True Faith in the True God by Hans Schwarz. It’s most accessible and readable introduction to Luther that I know. Schwarz’s encyclopedic knowledge of Luther is readily apparent. He shares his love for and knowledge of Luther in a way that preserves all of Luther’s complexity while remaining readable. Schwarz is a master teacher!"

—David Ratke

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Samples

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Excerpt from Chapter 1