Tensions in North America? I thought this was a historical journal. Ah, this isn’t about current events but past historical conflict! Read on to learn about confessional tensions in North America from the past. The Summer 2021 Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly (Volume 94, no.2) contains three articles, two of which show just how those tensions presented themselves.

ARTICLES

The first article, entitled, “The Martin Luther Film of 1953 and Confessional Tensions in the United States and Germany” is by Mark Edward Ruff. He presents a little-known fact about this historic film’s showing and the religious and cultural tensions it set off. The second article, written by Benjamin T. Phelps, is entitled, “A Cause of Distress: The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the West”. It shows the involvement of F.C.D. Wyneken with this Lutheran body that predates the Missouri Synod and the tensions he encountered. The third and final article isn’t so much about tensions as it is a swan-song for a congregation. Thomas L. Hollowak, who wrote about this congregation in a past CHIQ issue (Volume 87, no.2), provides us with, “In Remembrance: Christ Lutheran Church, Dundalk, Maryland 1904-2019”, the last congregation in the United States to conduct Polish Divine Services.

BOOK REVIEWS

James Freese reviews “Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns”, produced under the editorship of Joseph Herl, Peter Reske, and Jon Vieker. Cameron MacKenzie reviews David L. Rueter’s “Called to Serve: A Theology of Commissioned Ministry”. Ken Schurb reviews Hellmut Lieberg’s, “Office and Ordination in Luther and Melanchthon”.

The Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly is sent to all members of the Institute, and is also available as a subscription without membership for $40.00 per year. Single copies for issues published during the past three years are $10.00, with earlier issues at $4.00. Shipping and handling are extra for back issues.

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