counseling under the cross -- a book review

Bob Kellemen's Counseling Under the Cross:  How Martin Luther Applied the Gospel to Daily Life highlights an often underappreciated element of Martin Luther's writing and work as a theologian:  That Luther was, first and foremost, a priest who offered in word and counsel a message that pointed constantly and consistently to Jesus Christ.

Just in time for 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Counseling Under the Cross shares scores of powerful vignettes, Luther quotes, and real-life narratives that illustrate how Martin Luther provided biblical counseling to hurting and struggling people.

In his own life, Luther struggled to understand how to find peace with God.  After many failed attempts at gaining favor with God by works, Luther finally realized the truth of salvation through Christ alone by faith alone through grace alone.  He then spent the rest of his life helping others to come to the same saving realization.  He nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg because he had a tremendous pastoral concern that people were being led away from grace/faith and led toward works as the means for peace with God.

Luther lived his early life with a terrified conscience, sure that there was nothing he could do to merit God's salvation.  He was tormented by the devil, by his sin, and by his deep and abiding sense of unworthiness.  He came to realize that healing and salvation might only be found in trusting God, and in that trust Luther found his anxieties melt away.

That's why I think Kellemen is onto something:  To understand Luther's preaching and theology, look first to Luther's care as a pastor.  That's an important realization for contemporary pastors:  Don't neglect the care of the people in favor of the weightier things like posting theology on Facebook and think that's counsel.
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I received a free copy of this book as part of the LitFuse blogging tour in exchange for my honest review here.