The Hammer Of God

Rating:
Summary: Must Reading for every Pastor (Laymen, too)
Review: "Hammer of God" is a touching portrayal of the lives of three new pastors coming to terms with how orthodox, Biblical faith can anchor us securely in Christ when rationalism and pietism finally reach their dead ends. In an age where so many fads and philosophies for "growing the church" vie for a pastor's attention and allegiance, "Hammer of God" helps us to come to grips with our calling and our duty to God and His people to bring them the historic, fundamental truths of Christ and His Word. I have read this book a number of times and am always refreshed and renewed again in my desire to be a faithful pastor in Christ's Church.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Stories of Three Pastors
Review: "Hammer of God" is set in Sweden, when the Swedish Lutheran Church was struggling for its identity. There were many who felt that the "rigid/dead orthodoxy" no longer served a purpose in people's lives. Naturally, nature abhors a vacuum. In place of orthodoxy came two schools of thought: rationalism (scientific thought) and pietism. This masterful volume follows three recent seminary graduates serving their first parishes. Obviously, their mentors are of the "dead orthodoxy" bent. The young pastors feel that the people should be more scientific or live more perfect lives. Needless to say, the new approaches do not work out. Touching is the old soldier, in the throes of senility, barking out fighting orders and using profanity. The young pastor soon realizes that it is by God's grace that we are saved, not in building a better life to become more perfect. This book was required reading at a small Lutheran seminary I attended in Mankato, MN (as was Walther's "The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel."). I will forever be indebted to the professor who required us to read this book. It was very enlightening and graphically displayed Christian faith in action in everyday life.

Rating:
Summary: Almost the best book I've ever read
Review: ("The Fight" by John White is the best.) The previous reviews have explained the content, so I won't go into that... I just want to add a personal note; that in the last 30 years, since the age of fifteen, I've read The Hammer of God in my native Norwegian version at least five times, and every time it has made me cry. (And not many books are able to make 45-year-old men cry...) This is one of the top Christian books of all time, recommended for any and all Christians, regardless of background and denomination. Great as a gift, perfect as a Confirmation gift.

Rating:
Summary: A great new edition
Review: First, a couple notes about what has been added: Included is the previously missing ninth chapter, which completes the loop and ties all three novellas together nicely. Also, there is a good foreword and introduction which helps set up the historical background to the novel, anchoring it in the historical setting a little better for those of us who do not know as much Swedish history as we perhaps should. The biography of Bo Giertz is also a welcome addition.

The only drawback to this new edition is that the main body of the text of the first eight chapters needed a little more thorough proofreading. There are several typographical errors (changing she to he, had to has, etc.), as compared to the text of the 1960/1973 edition, which mar this otherwise excellent update of a classic.

Even so, the novel itself is easily on a par with any I have read, and it fully deserves 5 stars, especially in this new, complete edition.

Rating:
Summary: "The best Law/Gospel narrative ever written!"
Review: God is at work through word and sacrament in this wonderful book of grace and forgiveness. Three young, Sweedish pastors are given "front-line" experience in the war against sin and imperfection, their own and the members around them. God shows His power through their supervising pastors and through His love in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus.

This is a timeless book that will refresh any reader who is searching for meaning in life. I have red and re-read the book and am in the process of sending a copy to a friend.

God is good and patient in "The Hammer of God."

Rating:
Summary: To be read and reread
Review: I am about through my third reading within less than ten years of this novel. Aside from themes mentioned by previous commentators, the recreation of rural Sweden should commend this book to some readers. THE HAMMER makes me want to learn more about Swedish history.

The translation reads very well, as if the book had been written in English.

I have thousands of books. If I had to dispose of all but 200 of them, I'm sure I would keep this one. I would like to get extra copies to give away.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent presentation of basic doctrines
Review: I highly recommend this book to any Christian! It hits many relevant issues for modern congregations as well as reflects the culture of the periods it is set in. It displays God's grace as coming to one head, Jesus Christ and does so in a 3 entertaining and thoughtful stories.

Rating:
Summary: Superb book, but poor copyediting
Review: I was thrilled when I heard that a new edition of "The Hammer of God" was to be published -- one that included the ninth chapter that for some reason never made it into the original english edition. My copy of the new edition arrived several weeks ago, and I began it eagerly. I am extremely disappointed to find that such a wonderful novelistic depiction of the power of the Gospel has been diminished by multiple misprints and typos -- sometimes two on the same page. It got to the point where I began circling the mistakes I found with the intention of reporting them to the publisher. Giertz deserves much better than this! I hope that Augsburg releases a corrected edition of this volume.

5 stars for Giertz's book itself - but only 2 stars for the poor proof-reading job. (I realize that adds up to 3 & 1/2 stars, but who's counting!)

Rating:
Summary: A True Distinction
Review: The Hammer of God was Bo Giertz first novel. In a time when many people have a blurred vision of God, Giertz clears the picture with a true distinction between Law and Gospel. Giertz uses three fictional narratives to illustrate the importance of not only proclaiming God's Word, but using it as God intended. Each story deals with a pastor's struggle to be a servant of the Word, and the pitfalls that can happen when God's Word is proclaimed incorrectly. Giertz's characters and situations are crisp and alive, and his writing is brisk and descriptive. I would highly recommend this book to any reader wanting to grow closer to his God.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining novel that explores deep religious issues
Review: This book is divided into three stories of approximately 100 pages each. Although the time changes, the stories all have the same theme: a young, beginning pastor wrestles with the fact that, although he tries to "live a good life that God would be proud of," he still sins. The characters struggle with this fact and end up realizing that EVERYBODY sins and that because Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins, we needn't worry about our sinful nature because Jesus death is bigger than any sin.

I have to admit that Giertz does a much better job than I did in describing the above (essentially, a forgiven Christian cares that he sins but can't help it while an unforgiven sins and couldn't care less). In the course of the book, Giertz addresses infant baptism, the work of the Holy Spirit, liturgical worship vs. non-liturgical worship, conflict between Christians, and a historical vs. a literal interpretation of the Bible.

While he tackles heavy subjects, Giertz does it in an entertaining way through this novel. Not only is it a good read, but it'll get you thinking about deep religious issues. Recommended