Dr. Robert Kolb joins The Concordia Publishing House Podcast to talk about the second edition of The Christian Faith, A Lutheran Exposition. Dr. Kolb, along with his coauthor Ted Hopkins, use the history of the church and its creeds and confessions as a guide to share new perspectives on the presentation of Christian doctrine for current day.

Get the book on cph.org now. 

Show Notes

For Martin Luther, pure doctrine was not just the content of Scripture but also that content conveyed faithfully into the lives of those who hear God’s Word.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Dr. Robert Kolb joins host Elizabeth Pittman to talk about the second edition of The Christian Faith, A Lutheran Exposition. He discusses his personal faith journey and ministry, why doctrinal theology is necessary, how Law and Gospel are central to Lutheranism, cultural and theological challenges facing Christians today, and more. 

 Questions

• Could you tell us about your faith journey? How did you come to enter the ministry?
• What is your reaction to the election of Robert Francis Prevost as Pope? 
• What was the motivation for revising The Christian Faith after three decades, and what new challenges in the church or society prompted this second edition?
• You begin the book with the resurrection of Jesus. Why is the empty tomb the starting point for Christian theology?
• Why is doctrinal theology necessary in every generation?
• Why is it significant that this is a Lutheran exposition of the Christian faith, and not just a general Christian theology textbook?
• You highlight the importance of distinguishing Law and Gospel. Why is this so central to Lutheran theology—and how can readers learn to do it well?
• How does theology “listen” both to God and to the neighbor, and what’s the danger if we ignore either one?
• You note that “Christendom” is over. How does that change the task of theology and the way the Gospel is shared?
• What are some of the specific cultural or theological challenges facing Christians today that this new edition addresses?
• You write “The sanctified life is often called a life of new obedience.” What does a life of new obedience look like?
• In an age of increasing biblical illiteracy, how can theology still function as proclamation rather than just academic reflection?
• What do you say to someone who thinks doctrine divides more than it unites?

About the Guest

 Rev. Dr. Robert Kolb received M. Div. and S.T.M. degrees from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and a Ph.D. in history at the University of Wisconsin. He served as the director of the Center for Reformation Research from 1973-1977 and as a professor at Concordia College in Saint Paul, Minnesota from 1977-1993, then the acting president from 1989-1990. Kolb was then the director of the Institute for Mission Studies and professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis from 1993-2006. He continues to teach classes at the seminary following his retirement.