The Large Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther, 1529: The Annotated Luther Study Edition

With great detail, Kirsi I. Stjerna introduces and annotates Luther’s Large Catechism, which the reformer offered as a radical reorien­tation in the matters of theology and spirituality. After diag­nosing what appeared to him as his church’s failures to provide proper spiritual care, Luther set out to offer a new compass for religious life. The sweeping reforms he proposed took root pri­marily through preaching and education as people embraced the new vision and transmitted it to their children. He believed all Christian people—laity and clergy—needed a guide to comprehend the basic biblical, creedal, and sacramental teachings. The order with which Luther proceeds in the Large Catechism is deliberate, with a distinct theological rationale; the Commandments express God’s expectations; the Creed proclaims God’s promise; the Lord’s Prayer translates law and gospel into a personal discourse with God; and the sacraments offer tangible expressions of God’s grace and signs to lean on in faith.