If there are any of you who would like to familiarize yourself with some classic Lutheran texts, here are twenty suggestions. I’ve tried to give a sampling from each of the distinguishing eras in Lutheran history, namely, the Reformation, Confessional, Scholastic, Pietist, Modern, and Contemporary periods.

• Martin Luther, Select Writings, (d. 1546)
• Phillip Melancthon, Loci Communes, (1559)
• The Book of Concord, (1580)
• Martin Chemnitz, Ministry, Word, and Sacraments: An Enchiridion, (1593)
• Johann Arndt, True Christianity, (1610)
• Johann Gerhard, Theological Commonplaces, (1625)
• Phillipp Jakob Spener, Pia Desideria, (1675)
• August Herman Franke & Nicolas Ludwig, Count von Zinzendorf, Select Writings, (1700s)
• Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, Notebook of a Colonial Clergyman, (d. 1787)
• Soren Kierkegaard, Select Writings, (d. 1855)
• Gustaf Aulen, Christus Victor, (1931)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, (1937)
• Gerhard Forde, The Law-Gospel Debate, (1969)
• Heiko Oberman, Luther: Man between God and the Devil, (1982)
• Robert Jenson, Systematic Theology, (1997)
• Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, (1999)
• Tuomo Mannermaa, Christ Present in Faith: Luther’s View of Justification, (2005)
• Eberhard Jungel, Justification: The Heart of the Christian Faith, (2006)
• Oswald Bayer, Theology the Lutheran Way, (2007)