Lutheran Seminary Professor Timothy J. Wengert is co-editor

PHILADELPHIA – The nearly 10-year-effort was painstaking. At times Professor Timothy J. Wengert, a foremost expert on the Lutheran Confessions, wondered if he would get through the editing journey he and Robert Kolb took together to complete the just-released edition of The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The new edition contains the foundational texts of the Lutheran witness to the Christian message.

But talk to Wengert, who teaches Reformation History at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and you get the clear impression it has been well worth the struggle he undertook beginning in 1991 with co-editor Kolb of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Wengert describes Kolb as a close colleague and "the foremost expert on second-generation Lutheran reformers," the individuals who continued the work of Martin Luther, Luther’s "right-hand" colleague Philip Melanchthon, and others.

Wengert describes The Book of Concord (Augsburg Fortress, 2000) as depicting "sixteenth century Christians caught in the act of confessing their faith. Believers today are likewise called upon to do this. By seeing how they (the Reformers) behaved in their context, we can understand more clearly how our faith connects us today to our own challenges, our own confessional acts." Wengert sees this edition of The Book of Concord as helping pastors and their people to "hear, taste and see the Christian faith interpreted for the realities of parish ministry."

The new edition succeeds an earlier 1959 version edited by the late Theodore Tappert, also an LTSP Professor. That volume was published by Muhlenburg Press in Philadelphia and is still currently in use. Kolb and Wengert worked with a translation team of leading Reformation historians and consulted more than 100 other scholars and teachers who use The Book of Concord continually. The new edition differs from its predecessor in that it features expanded introductions and annotations offering richer historical context, accessible but accurate translations into modern English, and a format that is easier to read and use. For one of its documents, the Augsburg Confession, the original German text translated into English appears on the Book’s left pages and the Latin text translated to English appears on the right pages. It uses the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible where possible.

Timothy Wengert is known for a scholarly intensity that makes him both comfortable with academic language and yet able to communicate poignantly his understanding of the faith to a hushed congregational audience. He makes history come alive through use of passionately delivered personal anecdotes and simple diagrams. He is known as one of the foremost scholars of this age on the life and works of Philip Melanchthon. His style is to punctuate his teaching with a sense of humor marked by a twinkle in the eye.

Some language changes for the new volume were easy to decide upon, such as changing the use of "men" to humanity, reflecting current concerns for gender equity. Other word usages were outdated in a different way, Wengert explained. For example, "the word ‘Stand’ in German translates to ‘estate’ and the use of that English term has passed out of our understanding in many ways. We don’t talk about the estate of marriage much anymore," he says. In such situations it became a struggle to figure out which contemporary word to use. The editing challenges frequently spawned vigorous discussions and debates.

Despite differences between the scholars' parent church bodies (the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod), working with Kolb did not produce any rancor. "Bob Kolb was fun to work with," Wengert says with a smile. "We saw eye to eye and debated with a wonderful spirit. I recall being in Germany with him, later meeting for three days straight in my office and even exchanging six-hour phone conversations while we went over the translations line for line."

Wengert says The Book of Concord is often regarded as a refutation of the Roman tradition of the Reformation, "but it contains proposals for agreement (the Augsburg Confession) as well as confessions of faith." While the Book may appear on the surface to "fence off" Lutherans from other churches, Wengert said it may also be seen as a "gift to other churches."

"Its language may be compared to voices from other traditions, voices who have grappled with their understanding of faith," Wengert says. "And we find ourselves (Lutherans) increasingly in relationship with these other traditions today. The Book also reminds us

that our understanding of the Christian faith did not just drop out of a basket. It comes to light in very specific historical situations."

Wengert and Kolb will gather in Philadelphia for a celebration of the new edition on LTSP’s campus March 20, 2001. In addition to Kolb and Wengert, presenters will include Dr. Irene Dingel, Professor of Church History at the University of Mainz in Germany and Dr. James Nestingen, Professor of Church History at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Wengert earned his M.Div. at Luther.

Wengert's recent writings include Human Freedom, Christian Righteousness (Oxford University Press, 1998) for which he won the Melanchthon Prize from the year 2000 from the City of Bretten, Germany, and Law and Gospel (Baker Book House, 1997). With M. Patrick Graham he also edited a collection of essays, Philip Melanchthon…and the Commentary (Sheffield Academic Press, 1997).