Magazine challenge

This month’s issue of The Lutheran features a variety of material, all of which reenforce the “general interest” label carried by the magazine.

First and foremost is the cover story, “Lutheranism 101: Culture or confession?” Kathryn A. Kleinhans of Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, walks us through seven core elements of what it means to be a Lutheran. For many, this will serve at best as a refresher course. But a sizable number of survey respondents told us last fall they wanted to know what it means to be a Lutheran today. In fact, the topic ended in a virtual tie with modern thinking about and interpretation of ancient scripture. That will be our cover story in the September issue.

Interest in the fundamentals of our faith can’t be overestimated. Witness the success of The Lutheran Handbook by Augsburg Fortress, Publishers. It sold more than 116,000 copies last year and spawned great interest in The Lutheran Course, an adult forum curriculum and companion piece to the handbook. Both are credited with aiding a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of the denomination’s publishing house.