A New Book from Dave Daubert

Martin Luther’s Small Catechism – A 21^st Century Edition

Over the years people have found the little book, Lutheran Trump Cards, to be helpful. It is routinely used as one of the ways available to introduce new people to the Lutheran Christian faith. Congregations have used it to help existing participants to get clear and accessible information on the tradition they are part of but may not readily understand. And there are more confirmation classes using it than I would have guessed when I wrote it over ten years ago. As I look around the church publishing world, I don’t see anything similar to it and people continue to steadily order it in batches (one congregation recently ordered 80 copies!). I expect that it will continue to be in good demand for years to come.

At the same time, as I talk with people about making Lutheran theology accessible to people, there is still a deep connection to Luther’s Small Catechism. The little book is still routinely given to new members, used in confirmation classes, and provides a way for Lutherans to think about and discuss their faith. For a 500-year-old booklet, it has held up pretty well!

But Luther’s Small Catechism was written in a different time with different questions and concerns. While we don’t know what he would write today, we do know that his concern was accessible content and a path into peoples’ lives. He wanted everyone to use the basics for conversations in their homes and as a foundation for living.

That’s why I have responded to many inquiries about writing a contemporary version of Luther’s Catechism. The title will be Martin Luther’s Small Catechism – A 21^st Century Edition: With words for today by Dave Daubert. It honors Luther’s work by including his entire Small Catechism while also adding new introductions, expanded explanations for today, and contemporary applications in the text. So, it is Luther’s traditional presentation of content using the “What does this mean?” that we all know. But there is also “An answer in today’s words” for each section as well.

Feedback from my pre-publication readers has been very good and I am excited to get this out in time for Fall confirmation classes!

The book is in the final stages of production and will be sent to the printer by the end of the month. It will be ready to ship to people the week of August 25^th. The book will retail for $6.99 per copy but I am taking pre-orders now for a pre-publication discount of $5.89. If you’d like to pre-order, you can go to the book’s online link by clicking here!