The future of the church does not look bright in North America and Europe. This is documented by many recent surveys. The church is riddled with scandals, be it sexual abuse or financial misappropriation. This led to a loss of trust which is very difficult to regain. We also live in an aging society in which younger people have been brought up with a consumer attitude which does not stop at the church doors. Moreover, we live in a secular society in which individualism runs contrary to the...

This overview of Christian anthropology by Hans Schwarz uniquely emphasizes three things: (1) the biblical testimony, (2) the historical unfolding of Christian anthropology through the centuries, and (3) the present affirmation of Christian anthropology in view of rival options and current scientific evidence.Schwarz begins by elucidating the special place occupied by human beings in the world, then ponders the complex issue of human freedom, and concludes by investigating humanity ...

Martin Luther is among those most influential and well-known people ever to live. But who was he and what did he want? What significance does he have for the world beyond the church? When these questions are posed, it becomes apparent that Martin Luther's theology, confession, and understanding of the world are little known outside of the Protestantism. Yet, Luther's numerous publications and teaching tenure at the University of Wittenberg extended far beyond Germany and far beyond Luthera...

This reader-friendly primer offers a concise yet thorough overview of the Christian faith. Hans Schwarz, one of the major Lutheran theologians of the last half-century, covers the Christian faith from creation to the final fulfillment of life. He gives his account of the major points of Christian doctrine, always moving from the biblical text to the unfolding of the faith through the centuries to contemporary significance. This brief systematic theology will appeal to professors, students,...

Who is the God in whom Christians believe? Is he just a figment of the human mind as critics of religion claimed in the nineteenth century and as crusading atheists assert again today? Since the beginnings of rational thought the brightest minds among humanity have attempted to assert that God does indeed exist. But even the so-called proofs for God's existence always started with the assumption that there is someone to prove. As soon as we move beyond that which is within space and time m...

Over a career spanning more than fifty years, Hans Schwarz has grappled with nearly all of Christianity's major theological questions. In this latest volume, Schwarz tackles the perennial problem of evil. How is it possible to reconcile the manifest evil and pain in the world with the biblical promise of hope and redemption? Are we, in fact, "lonely wanderers in the immensity of the universe about whom nobody cares," or is there something above and beyond us in which we can trust?T...

In the last thirty years, books on the Trinity have abounded. There seems to be a fascination with this mysterious topic, especially among systematic theologians. The topic has been mined for many different interests, from liberation theology to feminist interpretations of the Christian heritage and from neo-Reformation theology to interreligious dialogue. This book has no intention of adding to the plethora of treatises on the Trinity. The main question with which it is concerned is what ...

This overview of Christian anthropology by Hans Schwarz uniquely emphasizes three things: (1) the biblical testimony, (2) the historical unfolding of Christian anthropology through the centuries, and (3) the present affirmation of Christian anthropology in view of rival options and current scientific evidence.Schwarz begins by elucidating the special place occupied by human beings in the world, then ponders the complex issue of human freedom, and concludes by investigating humanity...

Most biographers of Luther are faced with a choice—focus on Luther’s life or focus on his thought. The choice, though real, is false. Luther’s thought was inextricably bound up with his life. In this short, engaging volume, Hans Schwarz succeeds in blending the two—creating a volume that introduces Luther’s thought in the context of his life story.The book meets the need for a clear and concise introduction to the life and teachings of the great church reformer, Martin Luther. Afte...

Die schönsten Märchen" - in Folge 15 dieser zauberhaften Hörspielreihe hört ihr "Das Wirtshaus im Spessart" nach Wilhelm Hauff.

Die Wirkungsgeschichte der Wittenberger Reformation in Bayern und von dort aus nach Nordamerika und in den Pazifik und den Ostasiatischen Raum wird im vorliegenden Band punktuell dargestellt: Während Altbayern sich weitgehend der Reformation verschloss, wie Luthers Ingolstädter Gegenspieler Johannes Eck bezeugt, ist der Einfluss Wittenbergs im heutigen Bayern deutlich zu spüren. Durch Luthers Erziehungsgedanken, durch die selektive Rezeption Luthers bei Wilhelm Löhe, einem der Gründerväter...

Die Jagd nach dem weißen Wal wird für Kapitän Ahab zu einer Lebensaufgabe und auch zu einem aufregenden Abenteuer auf Leben und Tod. Er ist besessen von einem einzigen Gedanken: Er will Rache üben an seinem Todfeind, Moby Dick, dem riesigen weißen Wal, der ihn zum Krüppel gemacht hat. Mit seinem Walfänger durchsegelt er die sieben Weltmeere.