How much do members of Lutheran congregations know about the history and heritage of the Lutheran Church? Most probably know little more than what they picked up in a few conversations or classes about Martin Luther and the Reformation. The real question is, does it really matter?
Gene Edward Veith Jr. contends that it does. Embracing Your Lutheran Identity grew out of a post-confirmation course about Lutheranism which Veith originally developed for the youth of his congregation after readers of his blog encouraged him to make the material more widely available (7).
Though many books about Lutheran identity focus primarily on doctrine, this book seeks to foster a Lutheran identity by concentrating on history. Veith acknowledges that finding our identity in Christ and holding onto correct doctrine are most important, but he wrote this book to complement books that already present those truths well rather than to replace them. “The goal of this study is to build up your Christian identity by helping you cultivate a Lutheran identity…. That is, we will try to help you identify with Christians throughout the centuries and throughout the world who share your faith and your confession” (29).
Similarly, Embracing Your Lutheran Identity is unique in that it is a Lutheran history workbook, not an academic work. The book was intentionally written at a high school level for use by Lutherans who have completed confirmation instruction, whether recently or many years ago, and is designed for either personal study or in a group study (8-10). Open-ended questions and space for written responses within each chapter are designed to help readers connect with Lutherans of the past and apply Lutheran history and doctrine to their own lives and current cultural context. There are no footnotes or citations, but each chapter includes further reading suggestions for those who would like to dig deeper.
The first three chapters (less than 60 pages) give a summary of the first 1,500 years of church history, from the time of the apostles up to the time of the Reformation. The remaining nine chapters and conclusion cover Martin Luther and the five centuries of the Lutheran church, up to the present day.
Embracing Your Lutheran Identity presents the history of Lutheranism in a concise way that is easily accessible to a wide audience. Veith’s ability to boil down complex topics into simple and understandable explanations without insulting his readers’ intelligence complements his conversational writing style. His inclusion of anecdotal stories and intriguing details helps to make the historical characters and accounts come alive and feel relatable. Nevertheless, since Veith only seeks to prove his premise by demonstration rather than argumentation, it’s hard to judge objectively whether he accomplishes his goal.
I believe many readers will gain a greater understanding and appreciation of who they are in Christ by gaining a greater grasp of their Lutheran heritage through this book. Many of Veith’s questions are thought-provoking and lead readers to think more deeply about history, theology, the Christian life, and Christ himself. This workbook provides a ready-made resource for a competent leader to guide many faith-filled discussions.
Veith includes many stories of people who were willing to suffer, and even die, for their faith rather than compromise on the truth of Scripture or reject Christ. These examples prompt a deeper reflection on the reasons why someone would do that, pointing readers back to Christ. In this way, he does demonstrate convincingly that to be Lutheran should mean to hold steadfastly to the truth and proclaim Christ boldly, no matter what the cost.
Veith’s explanations and applications of doctrines as they come up in the course of history also help to show the timeless connection of Christ to our lives. He highlights how God’s Word has guided Lutherans in various positions, situations, and centuries. Thus, he also illustrates that a Lutheran identity is grounded and guided by God’s Word every day.
Other readers, however, may primarily gain a greater knowledge of church history. Although Veith asserts that his open-ended questions are “not ‘right or wrong’ questions to see if you have come to the right conclusions,” most of them do leave open the possibility of very shallow or even wrong answers (7). Thus, the value and benefit of the questions are dependent upon the depth and application of the individual or group answering them.
Although undeniably not Veith’s intention, there is also the danger that the short and simplified explanations of nuanced and complex doctrinal and historical issues could lead a reader to an arrogance about being Lutheran rather than just a deeper appreciation of being Lutheran. As likely always happens in history books, some sections are oversimplified. But in this case, the result is that Veith sometimes comesacross as implying, “And once again, Lutherans were right and everyone else was wrong.”
One strong example of this comes when comparing present-day confessional Lutherans and evangelicals: “Whereas evangelicals must scrutinize their inner lives to consider whether they have been saved, Lutherans look to the objective facts of Christ’s atonement and their own Baptism. Whereas evangelicals found forgiveness of their sins when they first turned to Christ, Lutherans find forgiveness of their sins every Sunday when they hear the pastor’s words of absolution. Whereas evangelicals receive Christ at their conversion, Lutherans receive Christ every time they have Holy Communion” (293). Likewise, the question that immediately follows is “Why do Lutherans still have the best claim to the adjective ‘evangelical’?” (293).
While I appreciate the differences he’s trying to highlight and agree that the Lutheran position is the truly evangelical one, Veith’s commentary and comparisons seem simplistic and at times caricature other groups and viewpoints. In other words, I always found myself agreeing with the doctrinal points and comparisons that Veith made, but a bit more nuance, repeated explicit warnings of overgeneralization, and a more overtly gracious tone would have minimized the danger of potentially fostering a Lutheran arrogance.
Despite those concerns, Veith has succeeded in providing an accessible introduction to Lutheran history that many readers will find engaging and beneficial. The difficulty of that feat should not be overlooked. Veith’s premise addresses a genuine challenge facing contemporary American Lutheranism. As Veith observes, we live at a time in American Christianity where “denominations are out of vogue” and people are not tied to denominations the way they used to be (29). Thus, taking proactive steps to help Lutherans embrace their Lutheran heritage is important for the continuation of confessional Lutheran churches. Veith should be commended for doing just that.
It should also be noted that significant portions of chapters 10–12 focus primarily on the history of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, which makes perfect sense for the author and his intended audience. Nevertheless, this emphasis makes the book less pertinent to other confessional Lutherans, as well as slightly less accessible. (For example, he encourages his readers to look up hymns in the Lutheran Service Book multiple times.)
Since the usefulness of Embracing Your Lutheran Identity depends on the maturity of its readers, I would recommend it selectively. I would share it with a mature member who knows little about Lutheran history and wants to learn more, has a solid doctrinal foundation, and can understand my caveats. However, because of the previously mentioned concerns, I wouldn’t recommend Embracing Your Lutheran Identity to aless spiritually mature member as an introduction to Lutheranism.
Because of the strong Missouri Synod focus, I would also hesitate to recommend the book for direct use in Bible Classes in other Lutheran synods. Nevertheless, I would recommend it to any pastor who wants a quick review or a helpful resource which will better equip him to bring more Lutheran history and heritage to his members and build them up in their Lutheran identity. Embracing Your Lutheran Identity is a valuable book that would enhance a pastor’s ability to explain church history concepts in simple and practical ways and ask questions that help his members to connect themselves with believers of the past.