The following books are currently available:
Stand Boldly: Lutheran Theology Faces the Postmodern World
Edited by Eric Trozzo
Release Date: Feb 16, 2009
Cost: $25.95 plus shipping
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In a conversation at the Graduate Theological Union one afternoon, Ted Peters wondered aloud where the next generation of American Lutheran theologians might be found. When one surveys the “greats” of the late 20th Century—Carl Braaten, Robert Jenson, Jaroslav Pelikan, George Lindbeck, Martin Marty, Ted Peters, Tim Lull, Gerhard Forde, Timothy Wengert, Arthur Carl Piepkorn, (add your own favorite white male theologian here)—one does get the sense that this generation of American Lutheran theologians cannot last forever. Several of this generation have passed away, and retirement looms for the rest. Who will rise to take the lead of our church’s theology as we enter full force into the 21st Century? This volume, and the “Emerging Voices” series in which this is the first installment, begins to answer that question.
Contributors:
Eric Trozzo + Krista Hughes + Sharon V. Betcher
Timothy Andrew Leitzke + Anna Mercedes + Anna Madsen
Erick Thompson + Neal J. Anthony + Sarah Hinlicky Wilson
Gretchen M. Freese + Megan Rohrer + Sigridur Gudmarsdottir
Luther and Lutheranism
Timothy F. Lull
Release Date: May 1, 2006
Cost: $15.00 plus shipping
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When Dr. Timothy F. Lull was president of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary he made the point every year of teaching an introductory course entitled "Luther and Lutheranism." This course, required for nearly every student at PLTS, was always extremely popular. This book, which contains the collection of handouts that Dr. Lull prepared for his lectures, was produced by the PLTS Class of 2005 after his death so that future generations might encounter Martin Luther and the Lutheran heritage
that Dr. Lull loved so much.
Timothy F. Lull was President of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, and Professor of Systematic Theology at PLTS and in the Graduate Theological Union. Dr. Lull died in 2003.
Five Types of Lutheran Confessional Theology: Toward a Method of Lutheran Confessional Theology in America for the Twenty-First Century
Erik T.R. Samuelson
Release Date: May 15, 2006
Cost: $12.50 plus shipping
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One common element of Lutheran theology is engagement with the sixteenth century documents contained in the Book of Concord. All Lutheran pastors in America agree to preach and teach in accordance with these Confessions. And yet, a wide range of interpretations of these symbolical writings exists, particularly in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.
This book briefly examines the history of the understanding and use of the Lutheran Confessions as they have made their way into the Lutheran Churches in America and then outlines a tool called "the confessional spectrum" in which the various confessional methods are placed in relation to one another. On the confessional spectrum five "types" or "models" for Lutheran confessional theology are laid out through examination of the theological writings of five theologians: David Preus, James Nestingen, David Truemper, The Finnish Luther Scholars, and Marcus Borg-as well as the further investigation of one of the types through the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Though the author preferences the method of theology used by Truemper and Bonhoeffer, the confessional spectrum-as a methodological tool for evaluating and comparing Lutheran confessional method-is the true focus of this book. It is the author's hope that this tool can be of service as Lutherans seek the best way to proclaim Christ in our context in the twenty-first century.
Erik T.R. Samuelson, MDiv earned a Masters of Arts in Systematic and Philosophical theology from the Graduate Theological Union and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. The present work is based on his M.A. thesis, which was directed by Dr. Ted Peters.
What's Wrong With Sin: The Christian Doctrine of Sin in Individual and Social Perspective
This book is no longer available.
It is going to be published by T & T Clark Publishers in Sept 2009. You can pre-order it from Amazon.
(Three Trees Press does not get any of the proceeds from the sale of this book, but we like Derek, so we're glad to help him promote it.)
Derek R. Nelson
Whether one agreed with it or not, for centuries the Christian doctrine of sin was clearly understood and forcefully articulated. For Augustine, the root sin was pride; for Luther, unbelief; for Calvin, ingratitude.
In the last century, however, the doctrine of sin has undergone a very fundamental transformation. Scores of theologians have noted how individualistic those conceptions of sin can be. In the face of such systemic evil as racism, sexism, genocide, institutionalized
poverty and the other horrors of the 20th Century, liberation theologians have labored especially hard to highlight the extrapersonal phenomena which must be named "sin" in Christian theology.
This learned book provides a reliable map through the dizzying territory of doctrines of social sin in the last two centuries of Christian theology. Breathtaking in its scope, Nelson's book ranges from Schleiermacher and Ritschl in Germany to Finney and Nevin in the U.S., and across the globe to discuss numerous liberation theologies. The result is a compelling and powerful appreciation and critique of articulations of social sin.
Dr. Derek R. Nelson was educated in theology at Wabash College. He also earned M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University and the Graduate Theological Union. The present work is based on his doctoral dissertation, which was directed by Dr. Ted Peters.
Lutheran Salzburgers and Muslim African Moors: The Earliest Evidence of Lutheran-Muslim Interaction in North America
Michael D. Gutzler
Release Date: May 15, 2006
Cost: $12.50 plus shipping
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For many Americans, the history of Islam in America started with the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. In actuality, secular and Christian Americans have been interacting with Muslims on North American soil prior to America's independence from England in 1776. This original and ground-breaking book sets out to find some of the earliest evidence of Christian-Muslim interaction in North America.
With special attention to Lutheran Christians immigrants to America, Michael D. Gutzler, argues that Lutherans have been interacting with Muslims in North America as early as the 1730's. Paralleling the story of the Salzburger Lutherans who were exiled from their Catholic homeland with Islamic sub-Saharan Africa Muslims taken as slaves during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the two groups come together in the English colony of Georgia. With special attention to the Islamic influence in five separate sections of West Africa and the English trans-Atlantic slave trade, evidence of first-hand accounts of Lutheran-Muslims interaction was recorded in the daily journal of the Salzburger's pastors John Martin Boltzius (left) and Israel Christian Gronau. Gutzler shows the presence of Muslims in the area around the Salzburger community and evaluates these journal entries to reveal a differentiation made by the pastors between non-Muslim and Muslim African slaves.
Michael D. Gutzler, MDiv, earned a Masters of Arts in History from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union in 2006. The current volume is based on his MA thesis, which was directed by Dr. Michael Bjerknes Aune.
Towards a Lutheran Feminist Soteriology: A Comparison of the Soteriologies of Elizabeth A. Johnson and Martin Luther
Lynn M. Hofstad
Release Date: May 15, 2006
Cost: 12.50 plus shipping
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The Lutheran soteriology of Martin Luther and the feminist soteriology of Elizabeth A. Johnson speak to the specific groups for which they were written. This book addresses how a Lutheran woman can approach soteriology and in the end find that holding together the two approaches forms a more complete doctrine of the saving work of Christ.
Lynn M. Hofstad earned a Masters of Arts in Systematic and Philosophical theology from the Graduate Theological Union and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. The present work is based on her M.A. thesis, which was directed by Dr. Ted Peters.