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Atonement in Confessional Lutheran Theology: Franz Pieper

Synoptic Text Information Services, Inc. has released its next new title, Atonement in Confessional Lutheran Theology: Franz Pieper. Presented in English are three of Franz Pieper’s writings about the atonement:

  • The Doctrine of Christ’s Work, capturing the lecture notes on the atonement used at Concordia Seminary, the first translation of Die Lehre von Christi Werk: de Officio Christi (Baier III, 100-133) into English ever published.
  • The Reconciliation of Man with God, a district convention address.
  • The High Priestly Office of Christ, newly translated “Das hohepriesterliche Amt Christi” in Christliche Dogmatik (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1917), II.404-461.

Pieper shows that the confessional Lutheran doctrine of vicarious satisfaction is the teaching of Scripture, the Lutheran confessions, and Lutheran Orthodoxy. It is the only doctrine that can give sin-stricken consciences assurance and peace. The scriptural doctrine is not a theory, and it stands over against speculative theories of atonement. Erroneous theories vogue today are not new. They had their forerunners before Pieper’s time. In these three writings, Pieper’s refutation of stock theoretical errors remains current. Pieper’s work is for today and the future.

Jack D. Kilcrease says in the Foreword: “In the translations contained in this volume, Francis Pieper achieves two distinct goals. First, Pieper successfully critiques alternative contemporary rivals to his theological positions. Secondly, Pieper outlines an appropriate confessional Lutheran account of the doctrine of atonement. In the translations in this volume, Pieper is able to achieve these goals with impressive agility.”

The new book also contains:

  • A Biographical Sketch of Dr. Francis Pieper by Theodore Graebner
  • Dr. Francis Pieper the Churchman by W. H. T. Dau
  • Bibliography of the Works of Franz Pieper, First Edition, Compiled by Robert E. Smith. Supplemented and edited by T. R. Halvorson and Joel David.
  • Bibliography:  Atonement, by T. R. Halvorson

Franz Pieper (1852 – 1931) was President of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, president of the seminary, and editor of Lehre und Wehre, the faculty journal. He was the author of the three-volume Christliche Dogmatik (1917–1924), translated by Theodore Mueller and published in English by the synodical publishing house as Christian Dogmatics (1950-1953). He was the principal author of A Brief Statement [of doctrine] of 1932 which was adopted by the synod in convention. Christian Dogmatics and A Brief Statement remain authoritative presentations of the synod’s theology.

SynopticText™ has published three titles in its Atonement in Lutheran Orthodoxy Series:

A fourth volume in that series currently is in development with the translation of another father of Lutheran Orthodoxy by world renowned translator Matthew Carver.

The new Pieper volume is the inaugural title of a new series: Atonement in Confessional Lutheran Theology.

With the inauguration of this series, SynopticText™ is expanding its distribution. Previously we published only through KDP Direct Publishing. Distribution via this channel is limited to Amazon. While the reach of Amazon is great, it is not complete. While continuing to use KDP Direct Publishing, we have added aggregator IngramSpark and direct retailer Lulu. Besides distribution through Amazon, IngramSpark distributes to more than 39,000 retailers, brick and mortar bookstores, libraries, and online book distributors in hard cover, paperback, and ebook formats. Some of the more well-known added outlets it covers are Barnes & Noble (including Nook ereader), Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Books.

The KDP Direct Publishing edition has been released and is available here.

The IngramSpark’s release date for both paperback and ebook is July 15, 2024. Its distribution of the paperback has shown up so far as we have seen on:

As IngramSpark’s distribution proceeds, the paperback will become available on additional retailers’ sites.

The paperback also is available now on Lulu, which is nice for the seminary students, pastors, theologians, and lay people who have accounts there.

IngramSpark’s distribution of the ebook has shown up so far as we have seen on:

Even before any public announcement of the release of this title, the Kindle edition became the Number 1 New Release on Amazon in:

  • Lutheran Christianity
  • Christian Theology – Soteriology
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