Writings of St. Paul (Norton Critical Edition)

Book Description

Of all the first-century partisans of Christianity, only St. Paul left a substantial written legacy. Letters attributed to him comprise a quarter of the New Testament, and another twelfth of its pages—most of the Book of Acts—are devoted to a description of his career.

St. Paul's letters are the focus of this volume. Close attention must be paid to them, for they are our most direct and earliest primary sources from the beginning of Christianity. They are presented here with an introduction and annotations by Wayne A. Meeks and John T. Fitzgerald. The letters are accompanied by a selection of critical writings on St. Paul and his influence by some of the foremost religious and philosophical minds of all time. Together these writings form a thorough introduction to the man who has been called "the second founder of Christianity."

About the Series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent resource.......2004-11-10

This is a must-have book for those interested in Paul's writings. The first part contains his letters in the Revised Standard Version, with introductions and footnotes. The Revised Standard Version is probably the best translation of Paul - because it is very literal (vs. the clumsy inclusiveness of the NRSV, which changes "brothers" into "brothers and sisters").

The second part of the book excerpts many, many commentaries about Paul and his work and his place in the Church - and this is quite fascinating. These include works by the Early Church Fathers, but also comments by such folks as Martin Luther, Nietzsche, George Bernard Shaw, Kierkegaard, Albert Schweitzer.

Get this book. It is stunning in its depth and breath.

WGL

On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ: Selected Writings from St. Maximus the Confessor (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press "Popular Patristics" Series)

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The World According to Maximus
Maximize Your Maximus Studies!

On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ: Selected Writings from St. Maximus the Confessor (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press "Popular Patristics" Series)
Paul M. Blowers , and Robert Louis Wilken
Manufacturer: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Orthodoxy | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 088141249X

Book Description

The last half of the twentieth century saw the establishment of the reputation of St Maximus the Confessor as the greatest of all Byzantine theologians, with a wholeness of vision that speaks directly to many of our concerns today. Until very recently, however, little of his work has been available in English translation, save for some collections of brief reflections arranged in centuries and a few brief treatises, too easily classified as "spirituality." This volume provides translations from St Maximus, two main collections of theological reflections, his Ambigua (or Difficulties) and his Questions to Thalassius, plus one of his Christological opuscula, hitherto unavailable in English.

The translations are accompanied by immensely helpful notes, and prefaced by a long, brilliant introduction to the theology of the Confessor. This is the ideal volume from which to learn at first hand the depth and insight of St Maximus' cosmic vision and grasp of the complexities of human nature, as he patiently explores the nature and consequences of the renewal of all things in Christ. Robert Wilken and Paul Blowers have put us all deeply in their debt.

- Andrew Louth,
Professor of Patristics and Byzantine Studies, University of Durham

Paul M. Blowers is Professor of Church History at Emmanuel School of Religion and an historian of early and Byzantine Christianity.

Robert Louis Wilken is the William R. Kenan, Jr Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.

On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ is part of the POPULAR PATRISTIC SERIES.

Customer Reviews:

The World According to Maximus.......2005-08-28

In the millennia-long conversation of Christian theology, St. Maximus (580-662) stands out as a profound, original contributor. For this reader, the most striking feature in this collection of his writings has to be his understanding of "deification.". Based on his reading of II Peter 1:3-4, deification (or divinization) stands at the very center of his thought concerning the redemption and transfiguration of the entire cosmos. According to Maximus this process occurs in a "blessed inversion":

"... the power that elevates man to God through his love for God and brings God down to man because of his love for man. By this blessed inversion, man is made God by divinization and God is made man by hominization." (Ambiguum 7)

So, while Western theology's development of man's reconciliation to God has emphasized the descent of God into the human, Maximus gives equal time to man's ascent into the divine. Perhaps the closest theological term in the Western tradition to Maximus' "deification" is sanctification, the process whereby the Christian becomes purified from the old, corrupt self and grows into the new, Christ-like self. Maximus, developing II Peter 1:3-4, seems to take things farther: while we in the West are used to the notion of becoming like Christ (as remote as that can seem from our day-to-day reality), Maximus insists that our being is transformed to share in the very nature of God.
In doing so, Maximus gives this reader a fuller picture of the wondrous union of God and man brought about by the grace of God in Christ - a union that removes all barriers to the realization of Eternal Love between Church and Christ, Bride and Bridegroom.

Maximus is not all sweetness and light, however. Sadly, in his diatribe against Jews in Ad Thalassium 64, he adds his two cents to a poisonous, persistent theme in the history of Christian discourse. Also, for present-day readers, his insistence that the act of conceiving a human life is sinful tends to undermine his explanation of the corruption inherited from Adam.

Yet given what a product of his times he is in on these issues, he (surprisingly) concedes a redemptive role to human emotions. The fires of passion are not simply condemned (as they are in many manifestations of Christianity), but refocused so that passion may find its greatest fulfillment: "[turning] desire into the appetitive movement of the mind's longing for divine things." This is a perspective developed most recently in Evangelical Christian circles by John Eldridge in his The Divine Romance and The Journey of Desire. From a psychological standpoint, we might say that Maximus represents a surprisingly healthy and compassionate approach to human emotion, especially for a church father writing in the 7th century! Yet this all flows logically from his overarching view of the cosmos: all is redeemable and will find deification in Christ.

Further, Maximus makes distinctions around passions and attachment that can seem uncannily Buddhist or Hindu to our ears: "Anything non-existent seems to exist merely by the presumption of mistaken judgment when actually it has no existential basis at all; indeed, mere fantasy deceives the mind and, through passion, causes vain attachment to objects that do not exist." His insights on the illusory nature of our attachments foreshadow Buddhist-influenced Christian discourse in the 20th century, for example in the meditations of Catholic writer, Anthony De Mello (The Way To Love).

All in all, for those already within the Christian faith, Maximus deepens the awe that comes over us in the light of "amazing grace." For those seekers of truth who are open to the idea of a universe where Spirit evolves us to higher consciousness and greater compassion, Maximus may open the possibility that Christianity lives in a bigger house that they had previously thought.

Maximize Your Maximus Studies!.......2003-11-23

Great translation of the hero and confessor of the faith who defended the natures of Christ, wills of Christ and hypostatic union. Really he helped defend the core of the faith against those who taught that Jesus was not exactly like usand exactly of the nature of the Father. Great material.

Second-Language Writing in the Composition Classroom: A Critical Sourcebook (Bedford/St. Martin's Professional Resources)

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Second-Language Writing in the Composition Classroom: A Critical Sourcebook (Bedford/St. Martin's Professional Resources)

Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
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Binding: Paperback

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Exploring the Dynamics of Second Language Writing (Cambridge Applied Linguistics)
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ASIN: 0312444737

The Heart of Catholicism: Essential Writings of the Church from St. Paul to John Paul II

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Excellent Introduction to Catholic Writings

The Heart of Catholicism: Essential Writings of the Church from St. Paul to John Paul II

Manufacturer: Our Sunday Visitor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Jesus of Nazareth
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ASIN: 0879738065

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introduction to Catholic Writings.......2006-05-08

This book is an excellent and basic collection of Catholic writings. It contains writings dating from the New Testament times to Pope John Paul II. Included are writings by Ignatius, Clement, Justin, Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Ambrose, Augustine, Benedict, Francis, Thomas Aquinas, Leo XIII, Chesterton, and more. It also contains creeds and Church council documents. While each author is not exhaustively represented (it would take hundreds of volumes!), the book contains relevant and popular excerpts from many well-known and lesser known Catholic authors, enough to generate interest to look into the authors further. Both Eastern and Western writers are included. However, this is not just a book of quotations or excerpts; some works appear in their entirety.

The writings are about topics as diverse as monasticism, the Trinity, justification, modernism, mysticism, the sacraments, love, and so forth. As such the writings provide a general introduction to Catholicism. However, this book is not a catechism or systematic theology, but a basic sampling of writings, so those looking for writings on specific topics may have to sort through the writings.

Overall, I recommend this book for those wanting a good sampling of Catholic writings from the beginning until the present. However, if you are already familiar with many of these writings, the book may not be worth the investment. Even if this is the case, it would still make a good gift.

Slouching Toward Fargo:: A Two-Year Saga Of Sinners And St. Paul Saints At The Bottom Of The Bush Leagues With Bill Murray, Darryl Strawberry, Dakota Sadie And Me

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Diamond in the Rough
A Book As Wild, Wacky And Wonderful As The Team It Covers
Doesn't get more charming than this
one of top baseball books i have read
Hilarious - Couldn't Put It Down!

Slouching Toward Fargo:: A Two-Year Saga Of Sinners And St. Paul Saints At The Bottom Of The Bush Leagues With Bill Murray, Darryl Strawberry, Dakota Sadie And Me
Neal Karlen
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Wild and Outside: How a Renegade Minor League Revived the Spirit of Baseball in America's Heartland
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ASIN: 038079215X

Amazon.com

Any baseball book beginning with a descriptive list of characters that includes a Benedictine nun, the hold-out college player of the year, a woman pitcher, a 300-pound pig, a seemingly washed-up Darryl Strawberry, a blind announcer, comedian Bill Murray, Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, and the spirit of Bill Veeck--the game's greatest showman--hovering over it all as the holy ghost, is a book that swings for the fences. Slouching Toward Fargo does go deep, even off the deep end at times. The really amazing thing is that it's all true.

A resourceful veteran writer, Karlen spends the summers of 1996 and 1997 following the mismatched misfits who mold themselves into the St. Paul Saints of the unaffiliated A-level Northern League, one of the strangest clubs in one of the oddest leagues in the history of organized baseball. On one level, his chronicle is a certified hoot; the presence of team owners Murray and Mike Veeck, who inherited his father's gene for baseball theatrics, ensures that Fargo flirts with the unpredictable. But this is also a circumspect tale filled with second chances--not the least of which is Karlen's own redemption as a journalist, which resonates in counterpoint throughout. His adventure begins at a personal crisis point when he accepts an assignment from Wenner, who's had a longstanding grudge against Murray, to follow the comedian and do a hatchet-job on him for Rolling Stone. Karlen needs the check, sure, but he needs a reality check too. "It was time to put my scorecard in order," he admits; after all, this isn't his grudge. Can you hear the bass chord of conscience beginning to thrum? "As I followed the team, I would be searching for some clue to my own battered spirit." By the end of his journey, both the clues and the Saints entertainingly add up to a winning volume and a winning team. --Jeff Silverman

Book Description

In Slouching Toward Fargo, author Neal Karlen describes his two-year journey with the St. Paul Saints--the most audacious bushleague ballclub ever to plumb the bottom of the pro sports barrel. Coowned by comedian Bill Murray and run by Mike Veeck--son of the infamous sports promoter Bill Veeck--this motley collection of mutts, hopefuls, and has-beens has become a national phenomenon for playing with as much gusto off the field as on ... while proudly adhering to the timeless sports credo that it takes heart, skill, and cheap theatrics to plant devoted butts in stadium seats. This is where Darryl Strawberry was rehabilitated (the first time) and began his long comeback climb to the Majors. Jack Morris--once baseball's winningest pitcher and biggest s.o.b.--joined the team only to vanish without a trace. Baseball's first female player, Ila Borders, made history on the mound of the Saints' ever-sold-out Midway Stadium. And St. Louis Cardinals phenom, J.D. Drew, played here for $300 a month while holding out for Major League millions. Here is the true story of one championship season and one complete collapse; a tale told with high spirits and genuine affection of frantic fans and baseball Annies, a back-rubbing nun, a blind sportscaster, and a 300-pound pig ballboy; a glorious celebration of the boys who still play the game for the best of reasons: SO THEY CAN GET CHICKS.

In this era of spoiled millionaire athletes and Big Business baseball, the spirit of the Game is alive and well---if a bit deranged---in America's heartland.

In SLOUCHING TOWARD FARGO, author Neal Karlen describes his two-year journey with the St. Paul Saints---the most audacious bush-league ballclub ever to plumb the bottom of the pro sports barrel.Co-owned by comedian Bill Murray and run by Mike Veeck---son of the infamous sports promoter Bill Veeck---this motley collection of mutts, hopefuls, and has-beens has become a national phenomenon for playing with as much gusto off the field as on...while proudly adhering to the timeless sports credo that it takes heart, skill, and cheap theatrics to plant devoted butts in stadium seats. This is where Darryl Strawberry was rehabilitated (the first time) and began his long come-back climb to the Majors. Jack Morris---once baseball's winningest pitcher and biggest s.o.b.---joined the team only to vanish without a trace. Baseball's first female player, Ila Borders, made history on the mound of the Saints' ever-sold-out Midway Stadium. And St. Louis Cardinals phenom, J.D. Drew, played here for $300 a month while holding out for Major League millions. Here is the true story of one championship season and one complete collapse; a tale told with high spirits and genuine affection of frantic fans and baseball Annies, a back-rubbing nun, a blind sportscaster, and 300-pound pig ballboy; a glorious celebration of the boys who still play the game for the best of reasons: SO THEY CAN GET CHICKS.In this era of spoiled millionaire athletes and Big Business baseball, the spirit of the Game is alive and well---if a bit deranged---in America's heartland.

In SLOUCHING TOWARD FARGO, author Neal Karlen describes his two-year journey with the St. Paul Saints---the most audacious bush-league ballclub ever to plumb the bottom of the pro sports barrel. Co-owned by comedian Bill Murray and run by Mike Veeck---son of the infamous sports promoter Bill Veeck---this motley collection of mutts, hopefuls, and has-beens has become a national phenomenon for playing with as much gusto off the field as on...while proudly adhering to the timeless sports credo that it takes heart, skill, and cheap theatrics to plant devoted butts in stadium seats. This is where Darryl Strawberry was rehabilitated (the first time) and began his long come-back climb to the Majors. Jack Morris---once baseball's winningest pitcher and biggest s.o.b.---joined the team only to vanish without a trace. Baseball's first female player, Ila Borders, made history on the mound of the Saints' ever-sold-out Midway Stadium. And St. Louis Cardinals phenom, J.D. Drew, played here for $300 a month while holding out for Major League millions. Here is the true story of one championship season and one complete collapse; a tale told with high spirits and genuine affection of frantic fans and baseball Annies, a back-rubbing nun, a blind sportscaster, and 300-pound pig ballboy; a glorious celebration of the boys who still play the game for the best of reasons: SO THEY CAN GET CHICKS.

Customer Reviews:

Diamond in the Rough.......2005-06-18

`Slouching Toward Fargo' could well turn the phrase "bush league" from a term of derision into a complement. Free lance writer Neal Karlen spent two years following the Saint Paul Saints, a team on the bottom rung of the bush leagues, and discovered a place where baseball is still fun; a place far enough away from the big corporate business that the major leagues have become that players and fans still remember what the game is all about. Here, outrageous stunts and promotions amuse enthusiastic fans, while the last-chance ballplayers play the game with great passion if not always great talent.
Karlen started following the Saints on an assignment from Rolling Stone. Jan Wenner, Rolling Stone's publisher and founding editor had a grudge against actor Bill Murray, one of the Saint's owners, and wanted a hatchet job article to run on him and his ball team. Karlen, who had worked for the magazine in the past and was no stranger to hatchet job journalism, was promised a handsome fee to deliver Murray and his team carved on a platter.
Despite the worst of intentions, Karlen was infected by the Saints and their ethos of fun and healing through the power of baseball. That philosophy had a positive effect on everyone, from owners Bill Murray (funny man actor and abdicated Hollywood superstar) and Mike Veeck (son of baseball legend Bill Veeck and banished from the major leagues because of his disastrous 1979 Disco Night promotion in Chicago) to onetime superstar Darryl Strawberry making a last ditch effort to return to major league glory, down through the no name guys who were fighting for their last chance to be professional ballplayers. It took hold of Karlen as well; he cancelled the hatchet job story, and instead wrote this book celebrating the fun and joy of baseball.
Karlen's writing is closer to utility infielder quality than superstar slugger, but a utility infielder having a very good game. It would have been hard to make an error with a story this rich. The drama includes the blackballed Darryl Strawberry magnificently working his way back to the major leagues and World Series glory, the first female to pitch in a professional men's league, a legless second baseman, a blind radio color anouncer, two managers sumo wrestling on the diamond after being thrown out of the game by the umpires, a pig who brings balls to the umpires, and the ghost of the outrageous Bill Veeck, present through his ashes in a coffee can and reaching out from beyond the grave to continue his unique brand of whacky baseball fun. Karlen didn't have to be a slugger to hit a home run on this story; he just had to swing the bat, and despite some sloppy editting, his story scores.
If you love the game of baseball, then this book is a must read. If you once loved the game, but have lost your passion for it and become cynical because of the corporate farce that the major leagues have become, then read this book to remember why you fell in love in the first place.

Theo Logos

A Book As Wild, Wacky And Wonderful As The Team It Covers.......2003-08-25

This is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. Neal Karlen was a writer for Rolling Stone, sent to St. Paul, Minnesota to "get the dirt" on Bill Murray, iconoclastic actor and part owner of the St. Paul Saints. The Saints are a minor league baseball team, part of the independent Northern League, and operated by Mike Veeck, son of the legendary Hall of Famer Bill Veeck. (Casual baseball fans will most likely recall the senior Veeck for having sent midget Eddie Gaedel up to bat as a pinch hitter. It was only one of many colorful stunts by the games' most creative promoter ever).

Karlen sticks around for a couple of years; the story for Rolling Stone never materializes, but along the way this book emerges, as much about Karlen's crisis of spirit as it is about the Saints and the zany cast of characters surrounding them. But along the way we meet many of those who have given the Saints and the Northern League their unique cachet: on the field performers like former Mets slugger Darryl Strawberry, who temporarily redeems his life and career during a two-month stay with the Saints; former pitching star Jack Morris, seeking one more taste of glory, but on his terms only; Ila Borders, the first female to play in a professional game; and Wayne "Twig" Terwillliger, player and coach for 50 seasons and quiet representative of so much that's right with the game.

There are also wonderful portraits of Sister Rosalind. the nun who offers massages at games; a blind radio announcer convinced he's on his way to the big leagues; an employee of one of the Saints' rivals who earns the title "Most Beloved Woman in the Northern League" and others who find solace, healing and a chance to keep dreaming dreams in this strange, wacky, wonderful firmamenent. I really hated to come to the end of this one. The empty feeling was almost as bad as the night the World Series ends.

Doesn't get more charming than this.......2003-08-21

Totally winning, both as a portrait of a team (and town) with heart and of a freelance writer who's struggling with the angel (good, real reporting) and devil (fat Rolling Stone paycheck) on his shoulders. The angel wins, and the reader can't help but cheer. Sex, strong women, kooky characters, fiercely loyal fans, minor-league silliness, bratwurst and the honest-to-God love of baseball, which weirdly enough persists no matter how disillusioning the world gets--this book's for anyone who likes Bull Durham, scrappy writers, or independence of spirit in any form. Ignore the minor editing errors; the book's worth it.

one of top baseball books i have read.......2003-04-03

i didn't think the minor leagues could be as interesting as the majors, but this proves i was wrong.

Hilarious - Couldn't Put It Down!.......2002-12-24

I picked this up at my boyfriend's house, read the first few pages, and stayed home on the sofa for an entire weekend because I couldn't put this book down. I'm not a baseball fan, and not from the Midwest, but Karlen's hilarious and equally moving tale of his two years following around this team of wanna-bes, has-beens, and dreamers (some who "made it," some who didn't) had me chortling out loud and even getting teary-eyed at times. This is really a book about Karlen's own search not just for material for his Rolling Stone article (how this book began), but for his own soul as well. Karlen's writing is always entertaining, leaving you wanting more. I'm buying a bunch of these as late Christmas presents -- it's the best gift I can think of. Uplifting, thought-provoking, and one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. You'll never find characters like this in fiction -- what's amazing is they're all real. It should be a movie.

Restless Till We Rest in You: 60 Reflections from the Writings of St. Augustine (The Saints Speak Today)

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Restless Till We Rest in You: 60 Reflections from the Writings of St. Augustine (The Saints Speak Today)
Saint, Bishop of Hippo Augustine , and Thomas Paul Thigpen
Manufacturer: Servant Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Vincent De Paul and Louise De Marillac: Rules, Conferences, and Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality)

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Vincent De Paul and Louise De Marillac: Rules, Conferences, and Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality)
John E. Rybolt , and Frances Ryan
Manufacturer: Paulist Press
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Binding: Paperback

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Papal Primacy: From Its Origins to the Present (Theology)

ASIN: 0809135647

Book Description

This volume presents the principal spiritual teachings of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, the two Vincentian founders who left an indelible mark on the Church of France in the 1600s and beyond to the present.

The collaboratively written, multi-part introduction locates Vincent and Louise within the framework of the spirituality of seventeenth-century France. This rich overview not only provides solid background information on each of the founders but also offers a true sense of their spirituality and practicality, insights into the complementary nature of their relationship, and an understanding of their legacy, which deeply influenced Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rosalie Rendu, D.C. and Frederick Ozanam.

Following the insightful introduction are the original rules of the communities that Vincent and Louise founded, the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity, commentaries on these rules, and a selection of other writings from both founders. All selections breathe the very spirit of the founders in terms of both the spiritual and the practical.

Book Description

Based on Luther's lectures at the University of Wittenburg, this is a major work of Reformation biblical exegesis, which John Bunyan claimed as his favourite book.

Customer Reviews:

Justification By Grace, Through Faith.......2007-04-16

This review covers the Flemming H. Revell Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to The Galations. This version is based upon Luther's lectures at the University of Wittenberg in 1531 and the translation is based upon the "Middleton" edition of 1575. This is the best version to my knowledge, but it is written in King James english. On the positive side, it reads very poetic, but on the negative, it is harder to follow. I personally like this writing as it is closer to the language of the 16th Century. This book was considered by Luther to be his favorite, and history rates it highly. To summarize, it has a number of messages, (1) Galations shows that a person who is in true faith can fall away if they are negatively influenced by false teaching - a real problem in today's world. (2) That Biblical teaching must be solely based upon Bible scripture, and anyone who teaches man's doctrines using random Bible passages to support his/her sermons is most likely not a trustworthy preacher. (3) That even faith is a gift of God, and not a decision that a person makes. (4) That "Justification" is based upon "faith alone. (5) That Mose's OT law condemns mankind, and that anything a person tries to add to God's grace in the way of works or self rightiousness,denies what Jesus Christ did for mankind on the cross - Galatians 5:4. (6) That good works result from heart felt faith, and that good works do not preceed or contribute to salvation when it comes to "Justification."
The world needs this teaching to be more prevalent; however, the world does not like to hear it; therefore, it is almost lost in today's religious teachings. This work is a masterpiece with few peers if any, and is highly recommended to a person familiar with the Bible who desires to grow in their faith and understanding.

One of the Greatest Bible Commentaries in Existance..........2006-02-04

This is, just simply, the best commentary of any book of the Bible I have thus far read. Dr. Luther elequently examines Paul's epistle to the Galations with one sole question on his mind: What does this verse mean? His notes on the verses are structured to answer that very question throughout Paul's book.

I have in my ownership...one of the old editions translated into English - dated 1796. On the inside cover there is a quote from John Bunyan (the infamous writer of "Pilgrim's Progress" and "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners") which reads as follows: "I do prefer this book of MARTIN LUTHER upon the Galatians, excepting the Holy Bible, before all books that I have ever seen." That there speaks volumes of the value of this commentary.

It is considered by many theologians to be Dr. Luther's greatest work. It is a valued book on this Protestant's bookshelf and would highly recommend it to any believer. Sola Scriptura!

By Faith Alone (Sola Fide).......2005-02-08

This is, in my estimation, the greatest non-canonical book ever written.

Luther expounds Paul's epistle to the Galatians with an insight, power and depth of emotion which is sorely lacking in modern commentaries. He is not concerned with the various potential interpretations of "problematic passages" that fill the pages of other commentaries. From the very first page Luther cuts to the heart of the epistle-the doctrine of justification-in the way that only he can. His bold words and plain-sense interpretations result in a work filled with much of the same force and passion that characterized the epistle itself. The grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ cling to every word like the scent of a precious perfume. I cannot recommend this work highly enough.

This is the very essence of the gospel as understood by the one who "rediscovered" the doctrines of faith and grace as he teaches us from the words of the one to whom God first revealed those doctrines. If you are looking for an up-to-date critical commentary or a greek-focused exegetical work then you will not find it here, but if you would hear a plain declaration of the power and wisdom of God then you will not find a better treatise apart from the Bible.

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