Life-Changing Faith For Today

David Monge believes that many modern Christians no longer think carefully about scripture and tradition, because they don't believe it is essential to their faith -- and, he says, that's strikingly similar to the prevailing situation which confronted Martin Luther 500 years ago. An excellent introduction for laypersons, Life-Changing Faith For Today examines Luther's thought to discover how relevant it remains to Christians today -- and why it is important to all people of faith, whatever their denominational background. Very simply said, the core of his message is that we do not choose God, but He chooses us. Despite our unworthiness, salvation is ours because God loves us beyond all human comprehension. And that's why we need to rediscover Martin Luther -- since his theology is solidly rooted in both the Bible and human reality, it points us back to a radically authentic Christian faith.

Monge is correct: teaching "justification by faith" is concentrating on a rather simple reality that gets blurred and muddied not because we who hear it are stupid but because we like to hang on to our own efforts and achievements, and these compromise the direct address of a justifying God to our situation. That is why he wrote this book... to reach out to those who welcome growth, who have curiosity, who wish to grow in faith, and want to use Luther's life and teaching as a prism through which to view the Christian reality. (from the Foreword)
Martin E. Marty Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus The University of Chicago

David J. Monge is currently the pastor of Newport Harbor Lutheran Church in Newport Beach, California, and has also pastored congregations in Minnesota and North Dakota. He is the author of three other books and the editor of eight more, and has published numerous articles and book reviews in Word & World, Dialog, and The Augsburg Publishing House Newsletter.