Resources
Recommended books and study tools for exploring the Lutheran Confession and historic Christian theology.
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Reference Books
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions
by Ed. Paul T. McCain, Edward Engelbrecht, Robert Baker & Gene Edward Veith
An 800-page annotated edition of the Book of Concord — the Lutheran Church's authoritative collection of sixteenth-century faith statements — with introductions, historical context, and study tools.
The Book of Concord
by Ed. Robert Kolb & Timothy J. Wengert
The definitive modern English edition of the Lutheran confessional documents, featuring new translations, expanded historical introductions, and annotations by leading Reformation scholars. Published by Fortress Press (2000).
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Study Notes
Structure
Six chief parts: the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Holy Baptism, Confession and Absolution, and the Lord's Supper. Each section presents the text followed by Luther's plain, memorable explanation beginning with 'What does this mean?'
Purpose
Written in 1529 after Luther's visitation of Saxon parishes revealed deep theological ignorance — even among clergy. His goal was to equip heads of households and pastors to teach the essentials of Christian faith simply and clearly in homes and congregations.
Usage
Used for confirmation instruction, family devotions, and catechetical teaching in Lutheran churches worldwide for nearly 500 years. It remains the most widely used catechism in the Lutheran tradition and one of the most translated Christian documents in history.
Influence
Established the pattern of doctrinal instruction organized around the Commandments, Creed, and Lord's Prayer — a structure that influenced not only Lutheran catechesis but shaped Reformed, Anglican, and even Roman Catholic catechetical reforms throughout the Reformation era.