Social Ministry in the Lutheran Tradition

This indispensable volume offers a fundamental rationale or 'case' for Lutheran engagement in social services by highlighting the biblical warrants, panoramic historical expressions, and deep theological underpinnings of such Christian corporate social engagement.

In an age characterized by economic transformation, governmental devolution, religious pluralism, and heightened disparity between rich and poor, a key need is for Lutheran Christians, and especially professionals in social ministries, to appreciate and take ownership of the historic commitment Lutherans have made to this work early in the Reformation and to this day. Equally important, however, is the developing vision of how that distinctive heritage can inform and enliven social services today and in the future. Social Ministry in the Lutheran Tradition gathers the insights of historians, theologians, and organizational leaders to address this task.