Holiday book purchases - Luther's Gospel Sermons, John Frederick history

      As mentioned in my last blog post, I want to call attention to a magnificent new CPH book.  I have been asked on occasion what books might be purchased for the edification of the Lutheran faith, and have so provided some suggestions – here (Walther, theologian), here (Baseley books), here (Logia-Pieper), here (Walther, sermons), etc.  This holiday season there is a clear choice for a must-have purchase:

New Luther sermon book from CPH/McCain (2018)
      In researching the long quote from Luther's sermon by Pieper in the last blog, I ran across Paul McCain's work of getting a sizable portion of Luther's sermons in a popular (i.e., not scholar's) book format for Concordia Publishing. It is his A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther, Volumes 1 and 2 and it was released last year (2018) without my noticing it… because it was not even mentioned in their Christmas 2018 catalog.  (Why no promotion of it then?) This 2-volume book saves the general reader from too many scholarly notes in the Luther's Works series that sometimes get in the way of understanding Luther and which sometimes overturn him.  At first I thought that Volume 2 was going to be published separately at a later time, but have discovered that they are selling both volumes for only $40.00 (not each)… a very economical price!  There probably will never be any discount on that price.  I highly recommend this 2-volume book as perhaps the best publication of Luther's sermons in English, except perhaps Prof. Eugene Klug's Sermons of Martin Luther: The House Postils. (Now if CPH would also offer Walther's sermon's in a low cost format…) More in the "Read more" section below…

      For some months I have wondered whether Paul McCain was still active at Concordia Publishing House.  He had been listed as "Publisher" with a picture in prior times on their website.  But McCain is no longer listed anywhere on Concordia Publishing's website as being in their "leadership".  I had figured that McCain had retired but (1) an article in the September 2019 Lutheran Witness indicates he was still "publisher and head of editorial" at CPH; and (2) he is still identified by this title in the current "Professional & Academic Catalog"  But by their website's listing of their "leadership" team, it rather now seems that President & CEO Bruce Kintz has largely stepped into that role, perhaps a step backward for CPH.  I suspect that CEO Kintz is responsible for the lack of any new volumes for the Walther's Works series, as their Academic Catalog confirms. — Is McCain retiring?  There seems to be little content from him anymore.  However, as perhaps a farewell, he edited the above notable 2018 book – a perfect purchase to read Luther's sermons, and avoid the scholar's (or LCMS) opinions on him.  (Even today, Lawrence Rast Jr. implies that Luther's "offense" against the Jews needs "absolving", p. 56. Evidently Rast does not think that the Jews need to be sharply warned against their unbelief, or that Christians misplace their sympathies on Jewish unbelief.)

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      Another worthy purchase from 2018 CPH (in 2019 catalog, $14.99, 144 pgs.) is John Frederick the Magnanimous: Defender of Martin Luther and Hero of the Reformation, a new English translation of a 1903-1908 German theologian's history (Georg Mentz) of this great man of faith whom I have blogged about before.  Unfortunately it is a highly abridged version of the original which had 1306 pages in 3 volumes.  Still, although I may have some issues with this historian's account, the faith of this true hero of the Reformation has brought tears to my eyes whenever I read of him.  Of all the "Electors" who governed over Martin Luther, I believe his faith was the strongest, and I have wondered that his faith was also the strongest over any of Luther's theological companions… is that saying enough?  I never read of any detrimental comments by Luther against him.  I have read many scoffing comments by erring theologians. – I may have later comments on this book.