LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

LTR IX (Academic Year 1996-97) 75-83
REVIEW ARTICLE:
Hermann Sasse: A Man for Our Times
Edited by John R. Stephenson and Thomas M. Winger
(St. Louis, MO: Concordia Academic Press, 1998) 271 pp. 1
Roger D. Pittelko
The new volume on the life and theology of Hermann Sasse, edited by
John R. Stephenson and Thomas M. Winger, is a compilation of the papers
presented at the Sasse Symposium held from 30 October to 1 November
1995 under the auspices of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St.
Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Drs Stephenson and Winger have done the
church a great service by editing and publishing these important papers on
the work of Hermann Sasse. Scholars from the United States, Canada,
Australia, and Europe participated in the symposium. Papers were prepared
and delivered by Ronald R. Feuerhahn, Lowell C. Green, John R. Wilch,
John W. Kleinig, Thomas M. Winger, Tom G. A. Hardt, Kurt E. Marquart,
Gottfried Martens, John R. Stephenson, Norman E. Nagel, and Edwin
Lehman.
The symposium attempted to answer the question posed by the title of
this volume. Is Sasse “a man for our times” or just an interesting theological
figure noted for his provocative “letters to Lutheran pastors” Do his life
and theological work have any significance and relevance for life in the
church today It is clear that this volume of symposium papers answers the
question in the affirmative. Sasse’s theological insights and concerns
specifically address many situations that are still current and relevant.
Dr Ronald Feuerhahn’s paper (11-36) sets the tone for the remainder of
the book by concentrating on the theology of Hermann Sasse. Feuerhahn
views Sasse as a churchman. He both taught about the church and taught the
church. He was a pastor and scholar who spoke to the church from both
viewpoints. As a scholar he did not devise a new theological system. He
understood that he was a follower in a long train of followers enunciating
and teaching the orthodox Christian faith. He wanted simply and profoundly
to make the confession of the fathers and to encourage those who followed
him to make the same confession. His gift was not to draw us to himself or
to his theology, but rather to draw us to the theology of the church and the
church’s confession. Sasse believed and taught that theology really counts
and that history is beneficial and necessary in understanding our theology.
1 Available for US $24.99 from Concordia Publishing House.