Coming Soon – Apostolic Agenda: The Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul to Titus and Philemon

It is an honor to announce our partnership with a large host of students* of Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne to publish Apostolic Agenda: The Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul to Titus and Philemon. This translation, which is the first full-length work of Friedrich Balduin available in English, was commissioned and funded by these students as their class gift in appreciation of Concordia Theological Seminary and to edify the hearts and minds of Christ’s Church.

Apostolic Agenda is now available for pre-order (10% off) with an expected release in mid-May. To celebrate our newest title, we are holding a site-wide sale on all books! Browse our collection by hovering over the Books tab in the black bar above. (Apostolic Agenda will ship when released; all other books will ship promptly after the order is placed. This essentially means free shipping for the new book!)

Dr. Benjamin Mayes notes in his Introduction that “Friedrich Balduin was a significant Lutheran theologian of the early 17th century, a well-respected exegete and churchman in his day, who deserves to be rediscovered in our day.” In Apostolic Agenda, Balduin divides Titus and Philemon into sections, first giving the original text with a translation printed alongside. He then offers his analysis and explanation of the text, explaining the context of each verse, indicating parallels to other biblical passages, and discussing other aspects such as geography and history that aid in understanding. Next, Balduin follows up with theological questions, which Dr. Mayes indicates are “often taken from the Bible commentaries of opponents, who used the biblical text to try to prove false doctrine. This is where Balduin shines as a casuist [that is, one who studies cases of conscience].” Finally, he concludes with insightful theological summary statements of doctrines (aphorisms) gathered from the text in an enumerated list. (Visit the Apostolic Agenda page to download a sample of Chapter 1.)

As Berett Steffen, an M.Div. student involved in the book’s editing, points out, “While there are enough complex arguments and obscure references to the classics and other works of antiquity to keep professionals entertained, there is just as much in the way of clarity, application, and simple, well-done exegesis to edify Christians at any theological level.” Indeed, Balduin seeks to teach all Christians about the heart of the faith – the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

*These 56 students are comprised of those from the Master of Divinity class of 2020, the Alternate Route class of 2019, and deaconess students in various degree tracks.