Writing not as a scholar, pundit, or apologist but as a teacher, author Gene Edward Veith Jr. guides readers through the Holy Spirit’s work from the early church and into Lutheranism today in his new book, Embracing Your Lutheran Identity. Using engaging accounts, modern parallels, and thought-provoking questions, Veith teaches readers about key people in the history of Lutheranism to show modern Lutherans the reason behind their pillars of faith.
“It is my impression that many Lutherans, including both recent confirmands and lifelong churchgoers, do not know all that much about their church and why it is worth suffering for, dying for, and living for,” writes Veith. “They don’t know their own heritage and why it is so precious. The essence of Lutheranism, of course, is its theology. . . . In this study, we will focus on your Lutheran identity. That is, we will try to help you identify with Christians through the centuries and throughout the world who share your faith and your confession.”
Veith invites readers, individually or as a group, to discover (or rediscover) their heritage from whence they came—persecutions, martyrdoms, villains, battles, heroes, lore, and all. Through each chapter of the Bible study, Veith encourages readers to delve into identity as a part of God’s family and connect with their “family history” as Lutherans.
“Gene Veith has done it again,” says Gregory P. Seltz, executive director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty and speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour. “He weaves theology, history, and sociology together in the compelling story of being a Lutheran Christian. . . . Don’t just read this book; identify with it, find your place in it, and you will be blessed.”
Visit cph.org for more information. Contact Erica Sontag to schedule an interview with the author.
Praise for Embracing Your Lutheran Identity
If you’ve been looking for an accessible book on the Christian Church down through history, here’s what you’ve been waiting for. Filled with thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, this book covers everything from apostolic times to our own complex era. In robust colloquial language, Dr. Veith unravels the complex story of the Lutheran Church—warts and blemishes included. Woven throughout is the faith once delivered to the saints, rooted solidly in God’s enduring Word.
—Harold L. Senkbeil, author of The Care of Souls
What I’ve gathered is that most Christians know things about Christianity but are disconnected from the time line of the faith they’ve inherited, even among our confessional community, causing many to muddy the meaning of what it is to be a believer. This leaves numerous individuals devoid of knowledge and awareness of the care God has generously poured over His church throughout the ages. Gene Veith closes those gaps and fills the mind and heart with the Holy Spirit’s highlight reel. By relaying some of the most special moments of church history, Veith’s words will inspire the reader and ignite an imagination for good works in the world as unto our Lord Jesus Christ—works worth modeling from important times in the past.
—FLAME, GRAMMY®-nominated and Stellar Award–winning hip hop artist; author of Extra Nos: Discovering Grace outside Myself
Knowing what you would die for reveals what you are living for. Veith builds up our identity in Christ Jesus by exploring the common community, history, and beliefs of Lutherans. Embracing Your Lutheran Identity will bolster your identity in Jesus, a faith that is worth living for—and even dying for.
—Rev. Dr. A. Trevor Sutton, senior pastor, St. Luke Lutheran Church, Lansing, Michigan; coauthor of Authentic Christianity: How Lutheran Theology Speaks to a Postmodern World
Gene Veith provides a lively overview of the legacy that Lutherans have, starting with the apostles and culminating in contemporary confessors. Veith reminds us that the Lutheran Church did not start with Martin Luther in the sixteenth century but embraces a heritage going back to the first century. Veith demonstrates how Luther and his coworkers were born into a church deformed by false teachings that deflected attention from Christ alone, directing sinners to their own works and piety. Luther sought to reform that which had become deformed. The result was a lively confession of the Gospel that would ring out around the globe and is still going on today. Whether through individual reading or group study, Lutherans will be enlightened regarding their heritage, and non-Lutherans will find this book is an accessible introduction to this church.
—John T. Pless, assistant professor of pastoral ministry and mission, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne
As Dr. Veith’s readers have come to expect, this book is both understandable and substantive. With clarity and context, the text leads the reader on a broad, historic journey to strengthen a highly personal appreciation of the Christian faith. Topical sections, questions to ponder, and recommendations for further reading make this book perfectly suited for both group discussions and individual study.
—Cheryl Swope, MEd; author of Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child; coauthor of Eternal Treasures: Teaching Your Child at Home; creator of the Simply Classical Curriculum for Special Needs
Gene Veith has done it again. He weaves theology, history, and sociology together in the compelling story of being a Lutheran Christian. By showing the roots of our identity and the history of where we have been, Veith prepares the modern Lutheran believer to face the challenges of the world of today. For those who know the power of Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, be blessed with how it has sustained a particular people for particular times all around the globe. Don’t just read this book; identify with it, find your place in it, and you will be blessed.
—Rev. Dr. Gregory P. Seltz, executive director, Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty; speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
About the Author
Gene Edward Veith Jr. is a retired English professor and college administrator, most recently at Patrick Henry College and Concordia University Wisconsin. He is the author of twenty-seven books, including Authentic Christianity: How Lutheran Theology Speaks to a Postmodern World; Christianity in an Age of Terrorism, and God at Work. He has a PhD from the University of Kansas and currently lives in St. Louis with his wife, Jackquelyn. He has three grown children and twelve grandchildren.
