The Faith of the Christian Church

Four earlier editions of this book have already appeared. The second edition, 1924, a year after the first, did not show any great changes; but the third edition, 1931, contained many additions and revisions. The fourth edition, 1943 (from which the first English edition was translated) also contained some changes, but the work of revision was not as extensive and complete as I would have desired. This edition appeared at a time when the duties of the episcopal office, other official functions, and work in connection with the war situation left only a limited time that could be devoted to the work. In the present fifth edition the following chapters have been entirely rewritten: 7, 8, 39, 45, and 50. Chapters 3, 11, 20, 21, 27, 41, 42, 43, and 44 have been largely reworked. In other chapters extensive additions, deletions, and revisions have been made. A book of this kind is never finished. The gospel, the Christian message, and therefore the Christian faith as such, are indeed unchangeable. But the task of interpreting the Christian faith in the contemporary situation presents ever new problems to theology. All such attempts necessarily bear the marks of imperfection and incompletion. I am very well aware of the shortcomings of my presentation. At the same time I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to make a new attempt at improvement. The changes which have been made have to some extent indeed been occasioned by contact with modern theological research, which has gained new insights and sound new approaches to the old problems. But my intention has always been to develop more clearly, both in content and terminology, those fundamental motifs which have characterized my presentation of the meaning of the Christian faith. Lund, December, 1956