The Lutheran Handbook: A Field Guide to Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff, and the Bible

Information on a variety of topics tossed in with some interesting humor.

`The Lutheran Handbook', edited by Kristofer Skrade, under the auspices of the Augsburg Fortress publishing house, the publishing arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is a simply delightful little book, which may loosely be thought of as `Lutheranism for Dummies'. It is chocked full of the kind of things they never really get around to teaching you in cathechism class. Or, if they do, you never quite realize the importance of such simple things as how to sing a hymn, how to receive communion, or how to deal with the collection plate. Believe it or not (Plato to the contrary), we are not born with this knowledge. It is also remarkable to see the variability in practices across different Lutheran congregregations, even those belonging to the same Synod of the ELCA.I would be remiss if I didn't point out that there is plenty in here which would be useful to non-Lutherans. As a one-time Catholic, I can vouch for the fact that about half of the book is easily applicable to both Catholics and all the `liturgical' Protestant denominations. I'm a bit fuzzy on what the `non-ligurgical' denominations do in the place of the mass or the Lutheran service, so there may be just a bit less applicability there, but there is no harm in checking it out.As simple as much of the material is, there is also quite a bit which is remarkably sophisticated. I am planning an advanced adult bible study class, and I was astonished to find one section outlining, very concisely, the major events between the completion of the Hebrew Bible and the time of Christ. This is exactly how I was to begin my class, which at the very least makes it easy for me to demonstrate that this ancient history is really important in understanding the origins of Christianity.The icon of a winking Luther on the cover gives away the fact that much of the material in the book is just slightly tongue in cheek. I'm delighted to find that an `official' arm of the Lutheran church can show some hints of the kind of humor Kevin Smith put in his movie `Dogma' (check out the `buddy Christ'). One of my favorite bits of humor was how to approach a pot luck dinner, by region. Being something of an accomplished amateur cook, I'm convinced that the person who wrote this section knows practically nothing about food.In a much more serious vein, it's revealing that the book instructs us (Lutherans, that is) in making the sign of the cross. Now, isn't that a Catholic thing? Well, no it isn't, and it is a perfectly acceptable sign of devotion. I wish I would have known that back in the day when I felt just a bit self-conscious being a former Protestant and participating in services with Catholics genuflecting now and then, especially for grace and what have you. In an even more serious vein, there is advice on how to resolve interpersonal conflict. From personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that there is a lot more of this in church circles than you may expect, more, in fact, than you may even find in the business world. I don't guarantee that `The Lutheran Handbook' will solve all such problems, but it's good to have something you can lean on when the situation arises.For the non-Lutheran, there is a great little bit of information on the taxonomy of Christian denominations. The surprise here is that many contemporary denominations are of relatively recent origin. The Pentacostal denomination, for example, dates back to 1900!Most important of all to Lutherans is a great layman's explanantion of the law, the gospel, and grace. For those of us who are more than 40 years past their confirmation classes, this is worth reading over several times.Note that this same treatment by the same editors is given to Lutheran theology in `The Lutheran Handbook II', which may be even more useful to non-Lutherans.

This book is an extremely easy and fun read that is packed with knowledge. Sections in the book run the gamut in dealing with a host of topics from how to survive an hour in an un-air-conditioned church, to how to sing a hymn, how to cope with loss and grief, how to console someone, how to tell the difference between law and gospel and on to useful charts and diagrams detailing other world religions, Christian denominations, and so forth.Personally I am fairly new to the Lutheran church and learned a lot from this book. The title is published by Augsburg Fortress, which is the publishing house of the ELCA, but even if you are LCMS, WELS, or interested in whatever group of Lutherans I still highly recommend you give this book a read. As a matter of fact, this book is nice even for non-Lutherans. Indeed, the information contained within its pages could prove useful to any Christian or other person interested in learning more about Lutheranism/Christianity, its history, worldview, and other such info.This could be one of those little books that you come across every so often that may not be particularly academic or otherwise heavy in its language, yet proves to be extremely memorable and information packed and so a welcome addition to your bookshelf. I have included a picture with this review giving you a small sample of the seemingly random, yet interesting stuff you'll find in this book.Easily 5/5 stars, check this one out.

Great book for those new to the Lutheran faith, made more readable by gentle jabs and humorous comments in the descriptions

I love this little book! Modeled on the "Worst-Case Scenario Survival" handbooks, it covers basic Christian tenants with a focus on Lutheranism. It's published by Augsburg Fortress, the publishing arm of the ELCA, however it's not overtly ELCA (I think LCMS and WELS Lutherans could appreciate it also). It's probably geared to young adults, but anyone can benefit from it. It covers important basics in a clear, concise way and, in many cases, with a light-hearted tone. It's refreshing to read the chapters about things you've known all your life, like how to pray. The chapters covering the seasons of the church year, comparing various denominations, 60 essential Bible stories, and how to be saved by grace through faith and not good works are particularly good. It also contains chapters on Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation, which are distilled down to the simplest terms and are very helpful for getting a basic understanding. And the introduction to "Luther's Small Catechism" is a great primer before delving into the work itself. Unless you're a religious scholar, there's something here for you. What a great $10 investment! I'll refer to this little gem for many years to come!

I am a new to the Lutheran church and the Pastor gave me this so I can learn more. I love the humor yet I learned the nuances of communion, Martin Luther’s importance and the history of the church. It is well organized and fun to read. I bought others to give to my friends.

Ordered this book originally for a friend as a gift. When I received it and read through it a bit, I went back and ordered myself a copy!The book does a great job at looking at the Lutheran religion and our Lutheran traditions in a humorous light. Sometimes we take oourselves to seriously and need to be reminded that God has a sense of humor too. This is a light read and a good way to introduce "non-Lutherans" to our beliefs. It respects that sanctity of our values and beliefs, while giving you a good chuckle.

This is a delightful and insightful book. I actually laughed many times. Very helpful to me and would be so for most. I would highly recommend this book. Helps one to know what is going on if they new to the Lutheran church services. I truly enjoyed reading this book. Have done so twice. Now use it as a helpful reference.

Great little book. Haha me a greater understanding of Lutheran Theology.

Very good and handy material for confirmation class.

I great little book - filled with fun facts and helpful information. Great way to approach Lutheran theology for young (and old).