Education has come into question lately. Do you wonder about what your children are learning in school? Or are you a student who is questioning some things you hear? The best thing we can do to combat this is to arm ourselves with God’s Word, and the best place to start is with the Catechism. In our library we have several copies of both the Small Catechism and the Large Catechism. While the Small Catechism is familiar, the Large one may not be. It’s not just for Pastors. The Large Catechism is a collection of sermons written by Dr. Martin Luther about the chief parts of the Small Catechism. He expands on them, clarifying and giving further explanation. It is an easy-to-read, excellent book to use after studying the Small Catechism. Families can study and learn together by utilizing these two books. Great conversations will come from it, no doubt. Both of these books are on display.
Also on display are two other books to enlighten and educate. The first is Faith Misused: Why Christianity if not Just Another Religion by Rev. Dr. Alvin Schmidt. Dr. Schmidt corrects the common misuse of the word “faith”. He goes back to the New Testament and the Greek word for “faith”, teaching us how the word is used in Scripture in a very different way than we are used to. President Harrison (LCMS president) says, “The reader will never again speak in such a subjective, emotional, and finally meaningless manner about faith…”.
The second book is The Messianic Message: Predictions, Patterns and the Presence of Jesus in the Old Testament by Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing and Rev. Dr. Andrew Steinmann. Dean Wenthe, former president of Concordia Theological Seminary, says in his introduction that “educational models have evolved in North America” causing “less and less exposure to history and literature.” This book offers one solution to that problem by showing us how the Old Testament provides “the history of Jesus, along with His thoughts, words, and origins”. The Old Testament is truly a great book of history and literature.
