The title of this book plays upon the central place a theology of the cross holds in Lutheran theologies, especially lucid in Luther's Heidelberg Disputation (1518). The 500th anniversary of this document coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations wherein the preamble points to a global aspiration of a common good shaped by freedom, justice and peace. This book is located at the intersection of these two themes, asserting that the cross has material content in being the means by which Christ in suffering solidarity with individuals, communities, and the cosmos advances freedom, justice, and peace. Employing a variety of methods, and exploring a broad range of geographic locales, the contributors illumine the misuse of Reformation themes and offer a corrective in service of a common good that is publicly accountable and theologically sound. The book thereby explores how contemporary Lutheran theology has utility both for analyzing injustice and for advancing justice in local as well as global contexts.
Allen G. Jorgenson is assistant dean and holds the William D. Huras Chair in Ecclesiology and Church History at Martin Luther University College at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. Kristen E. Kvam is professor of theology at Saint Paul School of Theology in Greater Kansas City and Oklahoma City.
A timely and fascinating engagement with the Lutheran tradition to mine resources to address contemporary issues such as human rights, freedom, global racism, and climate justice. The diverse authors display both intellectual rigor and commitment to the common good. This book is a must-read for people interested in the future of Lutheran studies and the intersection between theology and politics. --Kwok Pui-lan, Candler School of Theology, Emory University Human rights and the rule of law are essential for modern democracy and citizenship. While Lutheran churches today are committed to the promotion of these cornerstones of our society, the historical and intellectual resources of Reformation theology in these matters continue to be debated. The present volume offers the reader a deepened understanding of justice, freedom, and human rights as they appear in the context of Luther's theology of the cross. --Risto Saarinen, University of Helsinki
