For 400 years the Formula of Concord has served as a major cornerstone of Lutheran doctrine. Many previously published books deal with the theology of this important document. Little has been written, however, about those who participated in the drama of its development. Now Dr. Jungkuntz tells the story of the four chief architects of the Formula of Concord. He reveals the difficulties these men struggled with as they sought to restore unity to the Lutheran Church. Of special interest is the never before translated diary of Nikolaus Selecker, one of the original formulators. Formulators of the Formula of Concord provides fascinating insight into the personal lives of four men who shaped an important part of our Christian heritage. Readers will be led to a new understanding of the Formula of Concord as a confession of faith that is rooted in history and yet has much to say to us today.

In this important new volume, Arand, Kolb, and Nestingen bring the fruit of an entire generation of scholarship to bear on these documents, making it an essential and up-to-date class text. The Lutheran Confessions places the documents solidly within their political, social, ecclesiastical and theological contexts, relating them to the world in which they took place. Though the book is not a theology of the Confessions, readers will clearly understand the issues at stake in the narratives, both in their own time, and in ours.

This study of Danish foreign policy in the late sixteenth century examines the efforts of Denmark's King Frederik II (1559-88) to create an international alliance of European Protestants as protection against advances of Counter-Reformation Catholicism.

Discover firsthand the Reformers' innovative readings of the Old Testament prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. Familiar passages like Ezekiel's vision of the wheels or Daniel's four beasts are revitalized as they take the stage at this pivotal moment in history.

Celestial phenomena were often harnessed for use by clerics in early modern Germany. Kurihara examines how and why interest in these events grew in this period, how the clergy exploited these beliefs and the role of sectarianism in Germany at this time.

This book was prepared for lay people, congregational leaders, pastors, church musicians, worship leaders, and worship committees. It provides an answer for those who are asking the question: What does it mean to worship as a Lutheran in the twenty-first century? The goal of the book is twofold: In today's context, with so many different and confusing opinions about worship, this book provides lay people and pastors with a clear and understandable presentation of Lutheran theology for Lutheran worship. It gives positive direction and equips worship leaders with concrete practical tools to evaluate contemporary worship forms, when these forms are considered for use in the Lutheran congregation.