The Church & the Office of the Ministry

Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison's new edition of this seminal writing by the first president of the LCMS restores Walther's precise language on the doctrines of church and ministry. As the subtitle of the original German edition states, The Church and The Office of The Ministry is "a collection of testimonies . . . from the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and from the private writings of orthodox teachers of the same." Professional church workers and interested lay members will find a wealth of insights from the Bible, the Confessions, ancient church fathers, Luther, the orthodox Lutheran fathers, and more on the key questions of what or who is the Church, what is and who holds the Office of the Ministry, and what are the powers and duties of each.

During the 20th century, the ecumenical movement made the doctrine of the church one of the most discussed issues of its day. Today, this controversy still exists with congregations exploring the boundaries of what it means to define the church. C.F.W. Walther's classic study of The Church and The Office of The Ministry provides biblically-based answers to these questions facing congregations today.

This new study edition includes:

• New reader-friendly updated translation
• Footnotes explaining terms and history
• Side notes highlighting texts from the Bible, Lutheran Confessions and Martin Luther
• Marginal references to Johann Gerhard
• Glossary of key German and Latin terms
• Appendices including supporting documents
• Scriptural index
• Topical index