|
Frequently
Asked Questions about Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions-A
Reader's Edition
With several English translations
of the Book of Concord available, why create Concordia:
The Lutheran Confessions?
There are various translations and editions of other texts
for the church, most notably the Bible. Therefore, it is
understandable that there will be, and should be, several
editions of the Book of Concord. Concordia: The Lutheran
Confessions is unique and unlike any other edition presently
available because of its wealth of supplemental materials
specifically included for the lay reader. Here is what Dr.
C.F.W. Walther said about the importance of every Lutheran
layman having a copy of the Book of Concord:
The Book of Concord
should be in every Lutheran home. For that reason our
church should provide a good, inexpensive copy, and pastors
should see to it that every home has one. If a person
isn’t familiar with this book, he’ll
think, “That old book is just for pastors. I don’t
have to preach. After working all day, I can’t sit
down and study in the evening. If I read my morning and
evening devotions, that’s enough.” No, that
is not enough! The Lord doesn’t want us to remain
children, who are blown to and fro by every wind of doctrine;
instead of that, He wants us to grow in knowledge so that
we can teach others. (Essays for the Church, Vol. II,
pg. 51).
[back to top]
Why didn’t
Concordia Publishing House use the Tappert or the Kolb/Wengert traslations of the
Book of Concord in creating Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions
The Tappert and Kolb/Wengert translations
of the Book of Concord are owned by another Lutheran publisher.
Our goal with Concordia was to provide a more affordable
edition of the Lutheran Confessions than was currently available.
To accomplish that goal, Concordia Publishing House needed
to avoid royalty payments for another publisher’s translation,
which would add to the cost of a new edition. Since the Concordia
Triglotta (CPH,
1921) provided an older, reliable, and respected English
translation of the Book of Concord—one originally commissioned
by the LCMS—Concordia determined it
was prudent to make use of that translation.
[back
to top]
Is Concordia: The Lutheran
Confessions a brand
new, from scratch, translation of the Latin and German
found in the Concordia Triglotta?
No. It is an updated, conservative
revision of William H. T. Dau and Gerhard Friedrich Bente’s
English translation found in the Concordia Triglotta. All
existing English translations of the Book of Concord use
previous English translations, as acknowledged in their
respective prefaces. For example, the Tappert edition acknowledges
previous editions. The Kolb/Wengert edition describes itself
as an extensive revision of the Tappert edition while also
making use of other previous English editions. And so, Concordia:The
Lutheran Confessions acknowledges with thanks the work
of Dau and Bente, who also drew on Henry Eyster Jacob’s
translation. We also payed attention to the work of other
translators, to see how they chose to deal with challenging
words and phrases, but clearly this edition is a modest revision
of the Dau/Bente English translation in the Triglotta.
[back to
top]
The English version of the Concordia Triglotta presents
both the Latin and the German texts together. For example,
the English translation of the Apology is based on the
Latin text. Translated portions of the German text are
included in brackets to provide clarification. How was
this handled in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions?
The bracketed material was generally not included in Concordia:
The Lutheran Confessions. However, when an editor felt
English words or phrases needed further clarification,
the bracketed material was consulted. The Concordia
Triglotta provided both the Latin and German texts
of our Confessions. This was not the goal or intention
of Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. We focused
on the base text for each confessional document.
[back to
top]
Were the Latin or German texts in the Concordia
Triglotta consulted by the editors in updating the
English translation?
Yes. The Latin and the German were consulted by the editors
when the original English translation needed further clarification,
with reference to the latest critical edition of the Lutheran
Confessions Die Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch-lutherischen
Kirche
[back to
top]
Why not just offer the English version
of the Concordia
Triglotta without updating the text?
The ConcordiaTriglotta translation reflects
the English style and manner of persons who grew up speaking
German and were fluent in Latin, and who brought that knowledge
and background to their English translation completed in
1921. As a result, ConcordiaTriglotta has an
antiquarian quality that can make it more difficult to read
for twenty-first century English speakers. We believe an
updated English text, along with many other helpful features,
will encourage lay reading of the Confessions. Concordia:
The Lutheran Confessions is not an academic, “critical
edition” of the Book of Concord. Such versions are
important and will continue to have their place. Concordia:
The Lutheran Confessions is specially designed for to
be parish-friendly and lay-friendly. This is why we call
it “A Reader’s Edition of the Book of Concord.”
[back to
top]
Is Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions intended
to replace the Concordia Triglotta, the Tappert
edition, or the Kolb/Wengert edition of the Book of Concord?
No. Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions is not intended,
or designed, to replace any existing edition of the Book
of Concord. It is different from any existing edition, as
readers will quickly notice. Each edition will stand on its
own and serve the needs of the Lutheran Church and others
in various ways. We are grateful to have several different
editions to aid the use and understanding of the Lutheran
Confessions.
[back to
top]
Did Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions undergo
the Doctrinal Review process of The Lutheran Church— Missouri
Synod?
Yes. It was sent
through the Synod’s doctrinal review
process and was approved. (This is required of all Concordia
Publishing House resources.) In addition to the doctrinal
reviewer system, outside readers were asked to review and
react to the content, providing useful insights resulting
in helpful improvements.
[back to
top]
What
makes Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions unique?
Our goal was to provide an affordable edition of the Book
of Concord to the Church, with features that helped people
understand the meaning and importance of the Book of Concord.
Features that are found only in Concordia: The Lutheran
Confessions include:
- Over 115 black and white illustrations
- 32 color plates
- Historic timelines for the entire Reformation
era and for each confessional document
- A map showing key cities and places in the Reformation
era
- Explanations and annotations throughout to guide
reading and to aid understanding
- An extensive index of references and allusions to
Scripture in the Book of Concord, the most comprehensive
available in any edition
- A one-year reading guide
- A winsome typesetting and beautiful binding to enhance
the reading experience
- In the introductions, a key focus
is on helping the church’s laypeople understand
and appreciate the role laypeople played in the Reformation.
Courage, sacrifice, and heroism marked this era as exhibited
by laypeople, who were willing to risk their very lives
rather than compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions is priced
well below any other edition of the Book of Concord presently
available. This makes it a viable choice for those who understand
how important it is for the Lutheran Church to have an edition of the Book of Concord in the home of every Lutheran family and individual.
[back to
top]
How much does it cost?
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions has
a full list price of $29.99, but this year (2005) Concordia
Publishing House is selling it for $20 a copy—in
any quantity. Congregations are being encouraged to offer
the book for sale to their members and then place a group
order. We will promote Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions heavily
in late June and early July by mailing a free copy to every
LCMS congregation, along with promotional materials. WELS,
ELS, and ELCA congregations will also receive promotional
material at that time. We will have another promotional effort
in the fall.
[back to
top]
|
CAN 
