Lex Aeterna: A Defense of the Orthodox Lutheran Doctrine of God's Law and Critique of Gerhard Forde - Softcover

Cooper, Jordan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 153261635X ISBN 13: 9781532616358

Publisher: Wipf and Stock, 2017

Synopsis

Martin Luther's theological revolution depended in a significant part upon the distinction between law and gospel. Within the last hundred years, several authors have reevaluated the reformer's understanding of this paradigm in light of its development within the Lutheran orthodox tradition. Some authors have argued that the Lutheran scholastic view of God's law departs from that of Luther. Specifically, it is contended that the Lutheran orthodox contended for a definition of the law which defines it as God's eternal will contradicts Luther's approach, wherein the law is defined almost exclusively in negative terms, as a temporal order to eventually be replaced and superseded by the gospel. In this work, Jordan Cooper argues for the continued validity of the Lutheran orthodox definition of the law. Throughout this text, he contrasts the perspective of Radical Lutheran theologians, like Gerhard Forde, with that of earlier Lutheran writers such as Martin Chemnitz and Johann Gerhard. It is argued that Forde's view is inadequate to address contemporary ethical and pastoral issues, and that the Lutheran scholastic doctrine of the law as God's eternal will remains a necessary concept for the contemporary church.

About this title

About the Author

Jordan Cooper is the pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Brighton, IA, host of the Just & Sinner podcast (visit http: //www.justandsinner.com), and the author of The Righteousness of One: An Evaluation of Early Patristic Soteriology in Light of the New Perspective on Paul (2013).

Edition details

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 153261635X
• ISBN 13: 9781532616358
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160