Law, Life, and the Living God: The Third Use of Law in Modern American Lutheranism

Rating:
Summary: Scholarly History of Third Use of the Law in U.S. Lutheran
Review: This is a valuable retracing of the history of the third use of the Law in American Lutheran circles.

Originally published as Ph.D. dissertation, Murray provides us with a well researched and footnoted source of this interchange in Lutheran theology about the third use of the law.

Central themes jump out from one's reading which are most useful. One's view on the Law definitely affects one's view of the Gospel. Thus, antinomianism is destructive of the pure Gospel. Further, the allowance of existentialism into theology caused Lutheran scholars to achieve an unfaithful hermeneutic of Law/Gospel which leads to removal of any Law. The history here on simul was fascinating. Its retranslation to sequential explains the resultant mistakes.

Broken into three historical periods: 1940-60; 1961-76 and 1977-98 was most helpful and allows the reader insight into developments and influences. Prolegomena is significant here, as Murrray so aptly points out as the discussion progresses.

Enjoyed very much the intellectual rigor the author held to, and his succinct running commentary. Excellent work to understand what's at stake in the debate over third use and what has occurred on the theological battlefield to date. Will benefit the church significantly.