I've pursued this thought before, but with the publication of The Lutheran Study Bible, I just need to say it again. It is nothing short of amazing what we now have in print!
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions - here is a fabulous treatment of the Lutheran Confessions replete with introductions, stunning artwork, and superior translation (sorry, Kolb-Wengert, this one beats you hands down).
The Lutheran Service Book and attendant volumes, especially Pastoral Care Companion - a modern Lutheran service book and hymnal that preserves the best of our heritage while also giving us a whole pile of new music and some stunning new text.
The Treasury - the prayer book I've waited for my whole life. Daily Scripture readings, readings from the fathers (including the Reformation fathers), hymn and prayers. Great stuff.
And now The Lutheran Study Bible - a Bible that has so many goodies stuffed in it that I get the feeling I'll still be learning from it when I'm old and gray (shut up, you! I am NOT!).
I mean, seriously, WHAT TOOLS have been placed in our hands to foster a life of prayer, a life of witness to Christ, a life of meditation upon the Scriptures. We've NEVER had it so good. NEVER. Not in English, at any rate.
And Starck's Prayer Book is coming soon to add to the riches. And I'm just talking CPH. What happens when we add on Repristination Press and the countless goodies from Gerhard and the other Lutheran fathers? Or Emmanuel Press with its astonishing Brotherhood Prayer Book and other resources? Or the Concordia Catechetical Academy's superb Lutheran Catechesis, Old Testament and New Testament Catechesis. Riches abound for us. And I want to thank everyone who has had any part in getting them to us, and to encourage us one and all to dig deep and enjoy.
Despite the ups and downs in our Synod, I can't imagine a better time to be a Lutheran Christian.
11 comments:
You are so right and I thank you for reminding us of this. It's such an interesting time. Lutheranism in America seems on the one hand to be in complete disarray. On the other hand there are so many good things happening that don't get much press or attention. Will be fascinating to see how things pan out.
Pr. Tom Fast
Haven't got TLSB yet, might put a little different slant on "amazing" re LSB and TDP, but so as not to seem a kvetcher I very much enjoy the "McCain" BOC.
K-W seemed to be associated with modernists and revisionists, so I never read it. My first pastor gave me Tappert, and that's how I first read the BOC. I still like its more formal academic notes, but OTOH that can make it seem something for academics, whereas the "Reader's Edition" really hits the mark for everyone regardless of background.
I'm giving consideration to picking up both TLSB and the 'McCain' Concordia. I have Tappert's, and I find it useful enough, though a bit challenging in layout - much prefer the snippets I have seen of Concordia's current Concordia.
I am curious to the amount of Ante-Nicene material in TLSB. I realize that the notes will be heavy with Lutheran sources (which is fine), but I would be very interested in some idea of how the Patristic Fathers are dealt with in TLSB.
Rob+
Pr. Weedon,
I agree with Fr. Lyons. It would be an interesting post for those of us who do not yet own The Lutheran Study Bible to know how the Patristic Fathers are dealt with in the notes.
Pr. Pollock
The earlier fathers are cited time and again. Not in every chapter, mind you, but in many places. A few examples: on Isaiah 9:6 giving the name Father to Christ, Athanasius is cited: "His only-begotten Son might... be called 'Father' by His Father... He is at once Father of the coming age and mighty God, and Ruler. And it is clearly shown all things whatever the Father has are His."
On Job 3:3 Ambrose: "Job recognized that to be born is the beginning of all woes, and therefore wished that the day on which he was born might perish, so that the origin of all troubles might be removed and wished that the day of his birth might perish that he might receive the day of resurrection."
On Micah 4:2 Cyprian: "The former law which was given by Moses was to cease... A law was to be given."
On Mark 15:34 Ambrose: "Christ, in naming God as His God, does so as man... He suffers as man," and "as man, therefore He is distressed, as man He weeps, as man He is crucified."
On John 3:21 Augustine: "He that does truth accuses his evil works in himself, spares not himself, forgives not himself, that God may forgive him: for that which he desires God to forgive, he himself acknowledges, and he comes to the light; to which he is thankful for showing him what he should hate in himself."
Tons and tons more, but that's a random sampling...
Thanks, Pastor Weedon, for the overview of Patristics. Makes me even more interested in TLSB... though I do wish it (and, for that matter, TDP) were avaliable in a more 'handheld' size. Seriously, having TDP in something about the size of Liturgical Press' "Benedictine Daily Prayer" would be ideal for me.
Rob+
Oh no, not the Liturgical Press! Geez, at one time I could have heaved out my window and hit the place!
A book of ANY size from CPH is better than the most convenient sized book from those guys.
Benedictine daily prayer is dark beer and darker bread anyway.
Past Elder,
Obviously, since I use TDP for my daily readings, I agree (and since BDP is sitting unused on my shelf...); but it doesn't change the fact that TDP isn't a convenient book to carry around to the hospital. It really is made to sit on a desk, prayer altar, etc. in one place. It is most definitely *not* conveniently portable.
If Pastor McCain is reading, any chance of a more conveniently sized TDP? With as many people as have raved about TDP, I would think the sales figures would justify it.
Rob+
How would you get all the things in TDP into a smaller book, even with onionskin paper and microscopic type?
It would be easier to carry, I admit, but I couldn't read it. :(
--helen
Oh, that's easy, Helen! It was originally proposed as a two-volume work. You'd pick up one half for the first part of the year and the second half for the second part.
I'd go for a two volume, or just for something smaller as a one volume. I just want it in a more convenient size.
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