The Hammer of God

by Bo Giertz

Book Overview

In this bestselling novel, three pastors learn the necessity of relying on God's grace. They fall short of their pastoral duties through public humiliation, self-doubt, inability to accept God's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080665130X
• ISBN13: 9780806651309
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Augsburg Books
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

To be read and reread

I am about through my third reading within less than ten years of this novel. Aside from themes mentioned by previous commentators, the recreation of rural Sweden should commend this book to some readers. THE HAMMER makes me want to learn more about Swedish history. The translation reads very well, as if the book had been written in English.I have thousands of books. If I had to dispose of all but 200 of them, I'm sure I would keep this one. I would like to get extra copies to give away.

Almost the best book I've ever read

("The Fight" by John White is the best.) The previous reviews have explained the content, so I won't go into that... I just want to add a personal note; that in the last 30 years, since the age of fifteen, I've read The Hammer of God in my native Norwegian version at least five times, and every time it has made me cry. (And not many books are able to make 45-year-old men cry...) This is one of the top Christian books of all time, recommended for any and all Christians, regardless of background and denomination. Great as a gift, perfect as a Confirmation gift.

"The best Law/Gospel narrative ever written!"

THE HAMMER OF GOD [Original: STENGRUNDEN (1941)] has been rightly called "the best Law/Gospel narrative ever written" (The Rev. David Mulder, Director of Leadership Development for the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod). At the tender age of 36, and as an associate pastor in rural Småland, Sweden, Bo Harlad Giertz wrote a book which battles those forces which would seek to destroy historical Confessional Lutheranism then and now. Through the stories of three young pastors from different time-periods, he "earnestly contend[s] for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (p. 321, see Jude 3). As such, Giertz fights heterodoxy through three novellas and in three foms: neology (p. 40), New Evangelicalism/Pietism (pp. 147-148), and Liberalism (pp. 267-268). With Henric Schartau's (1757-1825) doctrine of the Order of Grace as the foundation (see the first novella, pp. 3-131 [especially pp. 116-117], as well as pp. 202ff., p. 267, p. 295, p. 334, etc.) and Augsburg Confession IV & V as the backbone, Giertz shows what it is to be a "rätt präst" ("true/right pastor"): one who is a believer himself, preaches the Gospel in its purity, and administers the sacraments according to the Lord's Word (Augsburg Confession VII). A "true pastor," standing firm in the time-tested Holy Word & Holy Liturgy of the Church (p. 201, pp. 210-211, p. 332), is equipped to care for souls by rightly dividing Law and Gospel (p. 124). To be such a pastor is the prayer of Pastor Torvik in the third novella (p. 335; an autobiographical character?) and should indeed be the prayer of every pastor. The theology of the book is summarized in a fantastic & powerful sermon (pp. 313-320) that every pastor could fruitfully borrow for some Sunday morning Divine Service ("gudstjänst"). Also, every pastor (and lay person) should read this stunning work regularly, though it is rather strange that the last chapter ("I syndares ställe" ["In the Place of Sinners"]) was not translated.Mainly due to his writings, such as THE HAMMER OF GOD, Giertz went on to become the Bishop of the Göteborg Diocese (1949-70). Both due to his age and position, this was a shock: bishops were commonly selelcted from among Cathedral Deans and University Chairmen of Theology. He also became the leader of the Confessional movement in Sweden ("Kyrklig Samling Kring Bibel o. Bekännelse" ["Churchly Gathering Around Bible and Confession"]) and served as vice president of the Lutheran World Federation (1957-63).

This is the best book I have ever read.

God is at work through word and sacrament in this wonderful book of grace and forgiveness. Three young, Sweedish pastors are given "front-line" experience in the war against sin and imperfection, their own and the members around them. God shows His power through their supervising pastors and through His love in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus.This is a timeless book that will refresh any reader who is searching for meaning in life. I have red and re-read the book and am in the process of sending a copy to a friend. God is good and patient in "The Hammer of God."

Excellent Stories of Three Pastors

"Hammer of God" is set in Sweden, when the Swedish Lutheran Church was struggling for its identity. There were many who felt that the "rigid/dead orthodoxy" no longer served a purpose in people's lives. Naturally, nature abhors a vacuum. In place of orthodoxy came two schools of thought: rationalism (scientific thought) and pietism. This masterful volume follows three recent seminary graduates serving their first parishes. Obviously, their mentors are of the "dead orthodoxy" bent. The young pastors feel that the people should be more scientific or live more perfect lives. Needless to say, the new approaches do not work out. Touching is the old soldier, in the throes of senility, barking out fighting orders and using profanity. The young pastor soon realizes that it is by God's grace that we are saved, not in building a better life to become more perfect. This book was required reading at a small Lutheran seminary I attended in Mankato, MN (as was Walther's "The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel."). I will forever be indebted to the professor who required us to read this book. It was very enlightening and graphically displayed Christian faith in action in everyday life.