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Australian Christian Resources |
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From the author:
The first edition of this new version of Luthers Large Catechism appeared as an Anniversary Translation in 1983 to accompany the 500th commemoration of Martin Luthers birth. Since then it has seen a number of reprints. Coinciding with the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, the new publisher expressed interest in a revised and updated edition of the translation together with the accompanying introductory essay.
A spate of new literature has appeared in recent decades, especially in Germany and in the USA, which has corrected or added to our understanding of Luther and his works. It was important for the introduction to this translation of the Large Catechism that new significant references and insights be recognised. A short bibliography, which makes no claim to be complete, has been included at the end of this book. A number of references in the footnotes are to articles on various aspects of Luthers catechisms by Albrecht Peters (1987), from whose profound seminars on Luther and in systematic theology I profited many years ago during my doctoral studies in Heidelberg, and to whom I remain indebted for many new insights. Fortunately, his five volumes on the catechisms, published posthumously in German, are now also available in English and have greatly enriched our understanding of Luthers catechisms and their contribution to the faith and life of the church.
These new editions reveal an increasing awareness that the translation of a text must not only be accurate, but also appropriate to the character and style of the original. This is of particular importance for the translation of Luthers catechisms, which were after all written for the benefit of children and ordinary people, as Luther puts it in his Preface to the Large Catechism in 1529, and which were based on his sermon series on the catechism in Wittenberg. Luthers German is direct and colourful. It flows from his pen with dynamism, reflecting the living situation of the preacher addressing a congregation. Luther is not afraid to use the occasional colloquialism, or even to disregard the normal rules of grammar. Some sentences suddenly change direction, and thoughts are not always completed. Often a variety of ideas crowd in on one another within a single sentence. Above all, Luther is inventive and authentic, as far as linguistic expression is concerned.
