The Augsburg Confession


Book Description




Kleiner Katechismus


Book Description

Johann Friedrich Adolf Krug's edition of Martin Luther's Small Catechism offers a concise and accessible guide to the basics of Christian theology and practice. An essential resource for students of religion and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Christianity. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




On the Legacy of Lutheranism in Finland


Book Description

This volume analyses the societal legacy of Lutheranism in Finland in broad terms. It contributes to the recent renewed interest in the history of religion in Finland and the Nordic countries by bringing together researchers in history, political science, economics, social psychology, education, linguistics, media studies, and theology to examine the mutual relationship between Lutheranism and society in Finland. The two main foci are (i) the historical effects of the Reformation and its aftermath on societal structures and on national identity, values, linguistic culture, education, and the economy, and (ii) the adaptation of the church – and its theology – to changes in the geo-political and sociocultural context. Important sub-themes include nationalism and religion, the secularization and institutionalization of traditional values, multiple Protestant ethics, and long continuities in history. Overall the book argues that large changes in societies cannot be explained via ‘secular’ factors alone, such as economic development or urbanization, but that factors pertaining to religion provide substantial explanatory power for understanding societal change and the resulting societal structures.




A History of the Church in Africa


Book Description

Bengt Sundkler's long-awaited book on African Christian churches will become the standard reference for the subject.




North American Churches and the Cold War


Book Description

History textbooks typically list 1945–1990 as the Cold War years, but it is clear that tensions from that period are still influencing world politics today. While much attention is given to political and social responses to those first nuclear threats, none has been given to the reactions of Christian churches. North American Churches and the Cold War offers the first systematic reflection on the diverse responses of Canadian and American churches to potential nuclear disaster. A mix of scholars and church leaders, the contributors analyze the anxieties, dilemmas, and hopes that Christian churches felt as World War II gave way to the nuclear age. As they faced either nuclear annihilation or peaceful reconciliation, Christians were forced to take stands on such issues as war, communism, and their relationship to Christians in Eastern Europe. As we continue to navigate the nuclear era, this book provides insight into Chris-tian responses to future adversities and conflicts. CONTRIBUTORS William Alexander Blaikie James Christie Nicholas Denysenko Gary Dorrien Mark Thomas Edwards Peter Eisenstadt Jill K. Gill Michael Graziano Barbara Green Raymond Haberski Jr. Jeremy Hatfield Gordon L. Heath D. Oliver Herbel Norman Hjelm Daniel G. Hummel Dianne Kirby Leonid Kishkovsky Nadieszda Kizenko John Lindner David Little Joseph Loya Paul Mojzes Andrei V. Psarev Bruce Rigdon Walter Sawatsky Axel R. Schäfer Todd Scribner Gayle Thrift Steven M. Tipton Frederick Trost Lucian Turcescu Charles West James E. Will Lois Wilson




The Story of War


Book Description

”O God we thank thee” was sung in the churches of France and Sweden after military victories in the seventeenth century. To celebrate Thanksgiving was a way of thanking God, but also a way for the rulers to legitimize the ever ongoing wars. For the inhabitants it was both an occasion for festivity and a way of getting information about what happened in the battlefield. Yet the image given was selective. Bloody defeats and uneventful everyday life was replaced by spectacular victories and royal glory. Even though the rituals in the two countries were similar in some ways, there were also substantial differences. The propaganda formulated a narrative about what war actually was, and what role the rulers and their subjects should play. In the crisis of 1709 this narrative was profoundly challenged. The book investigates how war events were communicated to the inhabitants of France and Sweden in the seventeenth century by the Church, and especially through days of thanksgiving (called Te Deum in France).




The Living Church


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New Religiosity in Contemporary Sweden


Book Description

The book is based on a local study of contemporary popular or new religiosity in the area of Dalarna, Sweden. One of the book's purposes is to explore how religion is perceived in our time and how Christianity has shaped our view of what belongs to the "religion" and what is seen as "superstition".




Rites of Ordination and Commitment in the Churches of the Nordic Countries


Book Description

A unique situation exists in the Nordic countries where there is a Lutheran majority living in ecumenical cooperation with other churches and ecclesiastical communities. This book attempts to shed light on what the churches have discovered they hold in common and on areas where they recognise that there are divergencies between them, both in relation to ordination and ministry, and in particular to the theology and terminology of ordination. The book brings together the research and insights of 23 researchers from all the Nordic countries studying more than 200 different kinds of 'ordination' rites from the Orthodox and Roman Catholic as well as Lutheran and non-Lutheran protestant traditions. After an introduction to the churches in the Nordic countries, the book presents 19 case studies from the Nordic countries. The last part includes some general ecumenical and liturgical perspectives on ordination and rites presented by international researchers.