In Word and Church readers are treated to chapters that examine the field of Christian Dogmatics, presenting a clear trajectory in the work of John Webster, that moves from interpretation of 20th-century Protestant theology to doctrinal construction. Webster addresses the modern traditions of Christian divinity, and the topics which come to the fore in making sense of these traditions: the nature of the Bible and its interpretation; the place of Jesus Christ in modern theological culture; and the basis and shape of human agency. As a whole the book boldly indicates how dilemmas or inadequacies in modern treatments of these topics might be clarified by more direct employment of language about God and the gospel. The classic chapters present the work of one of the world's leading contemporary theologians at his creative best. For this Cornerstones edition the author has provided a new preface in which he contextualizes the work within his current theology.

The essays selected here for translation derive largely from Thomasius's work on Staatskirchenrecht, or the political jurisprudence of church law. These works, originating as disputations, theses, and pamphlets, were direct interventions in the unresolved issue of the political role of religion in Brandenburg-Prussia, a state in which a Calvinist dynasty ruled over a largely Lutheran population and nobility as well as a significant Catholic minority. In mandating limited religious toleration within the German states, the provisions of the Peace of Westphalia (1648) also provided the rulers of Brandenburg-Prussia with a way of keeping the powerful Lutheran church in check by guaranteeing a degree of religious freedom to non-Lutherans and thereby detaching the state from the most powerful territorial church. Thomasius's writings on church-state relations, many of them critical of the civil claims made by Lutheran theologians, are a direct response to this state of affairs. At the same time, owing to the depth of intellectual resources at his disposal, these works constitute a major contribution to the broader discussion of the relation between the religious and political spheres.

Modern evangelicals have gained money, power, and influence, and it has been like giving whiskey to a two-year-old. The need of the hour is theological, not political. The arena is the pulpit and the table, not the legislative chamber. Before we are equipped to proclaim His lordship to the inhabitants of all the earth, we must live as though we believed it in the Church. Mother Kirk presents a very practical and pastoral guide to many of the countless issues that arise in conservative Christian churches. The essays span subjects ranging from the nature of legalism and church authority to worship music, debt, youth ministry, and pastoral character.

The term Believers' Church refers to those who regard the church as the fellowship of regenerate followers of Jesus Christ. Membership in these churches is founded on a voluntary confession of Jesus as Lord. Each member has access to God in worship and prayer and accepts responsibility for carrying the gospel to the world. The Word of God serves as the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. Written by capable thinkers in the Believers' Church tradition, The People of God addresses key issues in the area of ecclesiology. The contributions represent a wide variety of mature theological reflection. Exploring these ecclesiological concerns from a theological, biblical, historical, and contemporary perspective, these essays reflect the unity and diversity of the Believers' Church heritage.