Writings of Bo Giertz
Published writings by Giertz available in English, in alphabetical order by title
Complied by Eric R. Andræ and Matthew Erickson
[Translators are indicated where known. Some of the writings were originally in English]
“Adapted Translation of Bo Giertz’s Holy Week Homilies.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia XIV, no. 3 (2005): 84-86. Also, as “Holy Monday” and “Holy Tuesday,” in Gottesdienst 22:1 (2014): 4-6. Published in Swedish in Giertz, Att tro på Kristus. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 1999. 187-188, 194-195.
“Be Not Discouraged.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia VIII, no. 2 (1999): 54-55. Published in Swedish in Giertz, Då föll Herrens eld: Nytt liv i tjänsten. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 1996. 45-48.
“Bo Giertz on Persecution and Public Education.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia XXIV, no. 2 (2015): 67. Excerpt from the book Den stora lögnen och den stora sanningen: Femton kapitel om kristna grundsanningar. Gothenburg: Kyrkliga Förbundets Bokförlag, 1993 (1st printing: 1945), 205-207.
“Bo Giertz on Righteousness in Romans.” Trans. Charles Henrickson. Propter Christum: Christ at the Center: Essays in Honor of Daniel Preus, Scott R. Murray, Aaron M. Moldenhauer, Carl D. Roth, et al, eds. n.c.: Luther Academy, 2013: 97-102. Published in Swedish in Förklaringar till Nya Testamentet 2. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2001: 280, 283-284, 291-293 (originally in Romarbrevet på modern svenska med korta förklaringar för lekmän. Gothenburg: Pro Caritate, 1976).
“The Burning Holiness of God.” Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Comments by Ronald B. Bagnall. Lutheran Forum 37, no. 3 (2003): 69-70. An excerpt from The Hammer of God (see below).
“Christ frees for loving slavery.” Christ Frees and Unites 4, no. 3 (1957). This was among the many materials received by those who attended the 1957 Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in Minneapolis.
Christ’s Church: Her Biblical Roots, Her Dramatic History, Her Saving Presence, Her Glorious Future. Trans. Hans O. Andræ. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2010. Published in Swedish as Kristi Kyrka. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1939.
“The Church and God’s Kingdom.” An illustration. Lutheran Forum 39, no. 4 (2005): 6. Published in Swedish in Grunden. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1947. 88.
“Church attendance and congregational life in Sweden.” The American Swedish Monthly 51, no. 10 (1957): 17-20. This article was originally written by Giertz in English.
“Confessional Fidelity.” Trans. Weslie Odom. Logia XXI, no. 1 (2012): 5-11. Available online here. Published in Swedish as Giertz,“Bekännelsetrohet” in Kvinnan och ämbetet enligt skriften och bekännelsen. Stockholm: SKDB, 1958. 114-134.
“Consequences of atheism.” Light and Salt Periodical 2 (1962).
“Daily Vocation.” Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Lutheran Forum 39, no. 4 (2005): 55. Excerpts from the essay “What is an Evangelical Lutheran,” contained in its entirety in The Message of the Church in a Time of Crisis and Other Essays,14-21. (see below). Lutheran Forum‘s article is from a piece published in Swedish as “En evangelisk-luthersk kristen” in Linköpings stifts julbok vol. 39 (1944), which is reprinted as a chapter in Giertz, Den stora lögnen och den stora sanningen. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1945. 180-191. “Daily Vocation” is not identical to the longer “Our Daily Calling” found in Logia (see below), as only one paragraph is shared in common.
“The Day of the Apostles, Trinity 5.” Trans. Hans O. Andræ. Gottesdienst 19, no. 2 (2011): 5-7. A sermon preached on 3 July 1994 at St. Paul’s Church, Gothenburg, Sweden. Published in Swedish in Giertz, Söndagsboken: Trefaldighetstiden. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2007. 44-52.
“Do Not Lose Heart.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia X, no. 4 (2001): 54. Published in Swedish in Giertz, Då föll Herrens eld: Nytt liv i tjänsten. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 1996. 64-65.
“Enlightenment.” An illustration. Trans. Ronald B. Bagnall. Lutheran Forum 39, no. 4 (2005): 36. Published in Swedish in Grunden. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokörlag, 1947. 106.
Faith Alone: The Heart of Everything. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, Calif.: 1517 Publishing, 2020. Published in Swedish as Tron allena. Stockholm: SKDB, 1943.
“Faith Which Can Never Die,” Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Best Sermons : volume VII, 1959-1960, Protestant Edition. Edited by G. Paul Butler. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1959. 133-142. Published in Swedish in Giertz, Kampen om människan. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1947; first printing 1946. 202-219. Also appears in English in The Message of the Church in a Time of Crisis and Other Essays, 46-57 (see below).
“The Freedom to Reform the Church.” Messages of the Third Assembly: The Lutheran World Federation. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1957. 56-67. This was speech given, in English, to the Third Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation meeting in Minneapolis. An audio recording of this speech is held by a handful of libraries.
“The Freedom We Have in Christ.” Lord Jesus Christ Will You Not Stay: Essays in Honor of Ronald Feuerhahn on the Occasion of his Sixty-Fifth Birthday. Houston: The Feuerhahn Festschrift Committee, 2002. 9-21. Originally published in booklet form in 1962: London: Concordia Publishing House Ltd. Giertz wrote and delivered this lecture in English.
“The ‘Godless’ Sweden.” The Lutheran Companion, February 13, 1957, 7-9, 22. Also appeared in The American Swedish Monthly 50, no. 12 (1956): 9-11. This article was originally written by Giertz in English.
“‘The God of Our Fathers’ (Våra fäders Gud).” Translation and introduction by Charles Henrickson. The Pieper Lectures: Call and Ordination in the Lutheran Church. St. Louis: Concordia Historical Institute & The Luther Academy, 2006. 39-42. Published, in Swedish, in Kyrklig Samling Kring Bibeln och Bekännelsen 2(1995): 10-12.
“The Gothenburg Diocese.” The Church of Sweden: Past and Present. Ed. Robert Murray. Malmö, Sweden: Allhem, 1960. 150-161.
A Hammer for God: Bo Giertz. Lectures from the Centennial Symposia and Selected Essays by the Bishop. Ed. Eric R. Andræ. Ft. Wayne, Indiana: Lutheran Legacy, 2010. Contains numerous previously unpublished translations of essays, meditations, homilies, and more.
The Hammer of God, Revised Edition. Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson and Hans O. Andræ. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2005. Earlier editions appeared in 1960 and 1973. Both of the earlier editions are missing the final chapter of the novel. Published in Swedish as Stengrunden. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1941. The entire first novella (first three chapters) is also available as a feature-length film with English subtitles from Hamark Productions.
“How I Read My Bible.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Lutheran Forum 53, no. 1, (2019): 35-38. Published in Swedish in Kyrka och Folk 85, no. 21, (2008): 4-7 (originally in Stiftskrönikan, no. 9, 10, 11/1969, vol. 37, 229–230, 253–254, 281–282).
“How the Seelsorger Cares for His Own Soul.” Trans. Bror Erickson. Concordia Pulpit Resources 15, part 4 (2005): 10-12, 65. Also found in revised form in A Hammer for God: Bo Giertz. Lectures from the Centennial Symposia and Selected Essays by the Bishop. Ed. Eric R. Andræ. Ft. Wayne, Indiana: Lutheran Legacy, 2010: 291-299. Published in Swedish in Svensk Pastoraltidskrift 4, nos. 7-8 (1962): 98-100, 104, 114-116.
“I Believe One Holy Christian Church–What Does it Mean Today?” Trans. Wilhelm Torgerson and Donald Poock. The Springfielder XXXIV, no 3 (1970): 182-189.
“Is Church of Sweden Lutheran?” Trans. Henry Hanson II. The Lutheran Companion,December 24, 1958, 13-15. Published in Swedish in an unidentified issue of the Swedish periodical Una Sancta.
The Knights of Rhodes. Trans. Bror Erickson. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2010. Published in Swedish as Riddarna på Rhodos. Stockholm: Verbum, 1972.
Life by Drowning: Enlightenment through Law and Gospel. Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Cambridge, England: The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, 2008. Available as an e-book from the ELCE, online at www.lutheran.co.uk. This is an extended excerpt from the book Kyrkofromhet. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelsens Bokförlag, 1939. 15-40.
“Liturgy.” Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Lutheran Forum 37, no. 3 (2003): 71. An Excerpt from Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening (see below).
“Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening.” Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Lutheran Forum 37 no. 3 (2003): 7. An Excerpt from Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening (see below).
Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening. Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Rock Island, Illinois: Augustana Book Concern, 1950. Available online here. This is an extended excerpt, in different translation, from the book A Shepherd’s Letter (see below).
“Marriage: The Church in Everyday Life.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia: A Journal of Lutheran Theology 31, no. 3 (2022): 31.
“The Meaning and Task of the Sermon in the Framework of the Liturgy.” The Unity of the Church. Rock Island, Illinois: Augustana Book Concern, 1957. 133-141. This essay was originally published in English.
The Message of the Church in a Time of Crisis and Other Essays. Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson and Eric H. Wahlstrom. Rock Island, Illinois: Augustana Book Concern, 1953. These essays are taken from several sources: the first chapter is from Giertz, Herdabrev till Göteborgs Stift. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1949. 7-22; the second from Giertz, Linköpings stifts julbok vol. 39 (1944), which is reprinted in Giertz, Den stora lögnen och den stora sanningen. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1945. 180-191; the third from Giertz, Den stora lögnen och den stora sanningen, 1-25; the fourth from Giertz, Kampen om människan. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1947; 220-234; the fifth from Giertz, Kampen om människan, 202-219; and the sixth and last from Giertz, Den stora lögnen och den stora sanningen, 120-137.
“My Last Will and Testament.” Trans. Birgitta Peterson. Lutheran Forum 32, no. 4 (1998): 13-14. Published in Swedish in Växjö stifts hembygdskalender, no. 77 (1986): 171-174 and in Svensk Pastoraltidskrift 40 (August 1998).
The New Testament Devotional Commentary, Volume 1: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, Calif.: 1517 Publishing, 2021. Published in Swedish as Förklaringar till Nya Testamentet 1: Matteus till Lukas. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2001. First one-volume edition published by Pro Caritate and Verbum Förlag, 1984; initially published as three separate books in 1978 (Matthew; and Mark) and 1979 (Luke).
The New Testament Devotional Commentary, Volume 2: John, Acts, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, Calif.: 1517 Publishing, 2022. Published in Swedish as Förklaringar till Nya Testamentet 2: Johannes till Korintierbreven. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2001. First one-volume edition published by Pro Caritate and Verbum Förlag, 1985; initially published as four separate books in 1977 (1 & 2 Corinthians; Romans), 1979 (John), and 1980 (Acts).
The New Testament Devotional Commentary, Volume 3: Galatians through Revelation. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, Calif.: 1517 Publishing, 2023. Published in Swedish as Förklaringar till Nya Testamentet 3: Galaterbrevet till Uppenbarerlseboken. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2001. First one-volume edition published by Pro Caritate and Verbum Förlag, 1985; initially published as five separate books in 1976 (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), 1980 (Revelation), 1981 (1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus), and 1982 (Hebrews; and James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude).
“Our Daily Calling.” Logia IV, no. 1 (1995): 66-67. Excerpt from The Message of the Church in a Time of Crisis (see above). Logia‘s article is the concluding excerpt from a piece published in Swedish as “En evangelisk-luthersk kristen” in Linköpings stifts julbok vol. 39 (1944), which is reprinted as a chapter in Giertz, Den stora lögnen och den stora sanningen. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1945. 180-191. “Our Daily Calling” is not identical to the shorter “Daily Vocation” found in Lutheran Forum (see above), as only one paragraph is shared in common.
“Pierced by the Law, Illumined by the Gospel.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia XVII, no. 2 (2008): 59-60. Excerpts from Life by Drowning (see above).
Preaching from the Whole Bible. Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1967. Reprinted: Ft. Wayne: Lutheran Legacy, 2007. Published in Swedish as Vad Säger Guds Ord? Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1957. Brief expositions of the Gospel lesson for each Sunday; intended as much for laity, as for pastors.
“Preach the Word: A Preacher’s Allegiance to Holy Scripture.” Trans. Bror Erickson. Concordia Pulpit Resources 15, part 4 (2005): 9. Also found in revised form in A Hammer for God: Bo Giertz. Lectures from the Centennial Symposia and Selected Essays by the Bishop. Ed. Eric R. Andræ. Ft. Wayne, Indiana: Lutheran Legacy, 2010: 275-277. Published inSwedish in Kyrka ock Folk 35, no. 4 (1958): 7-8.
Rhodes of 1522: As Seen To-day Through Our Own Eyes. Stockholm: Johanniterorden i Sverige, 1977. This is a paper presented by Giertz at the 1976 Meeting in Rhodes of the Alliance of Knightly orders of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, on the occasion of Giertz being named an honorary member of the order of St. John in Sweden. It was originally presented in English.
“Riddarana på Rhodos.”Trans. Eric R. Andræ. In Treasury of Daily Prayer. Edited by Scot A. Kinnaman. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2008. 416-417. This same excerpt has been published as “A Tale of Two Theologies” (see below). This is an excerpt from The Knights of Rhodes (see above), though it is an independent translation.
Romans: A Devotional Commentary. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, California: 1517 Publishing, 2018. Published in Swedish in Förklaringar till Nya Testamentet 2. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2001: 273-334 (originally Romarbrevet på modern svenska med korta förklaringar för lekmän. Gothenburg: Pro Caritate, 1976).
“Sexual Morality.” Church Times, May 29, 1964.
A Shepherd’s Letter: The Faith Once and For All Delivered to the Evangelical Church. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, California: 1517 Publishing, 2021. Published in Swedish as Herdabrev Till Göteborgs Stift. Stockholm: SKDB, 1949. Translated excerpts appeared previously in Minister’s Prayer Book: An Order of Prayers and Readings, John W. Doberstein, ed. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986: 181, 267-269, 410-412, 414-415. These excerpts were translated from a German edition. An additional extended excerpt was previously published in English as Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening (see above).
“A Tale of Two Theologies: An Excerpt from Bo Giertz.” Trans. Eric R. Andræ. Logia XVIII, no. 4 (2009): 58. This is an excerpt from The Knights of Rhodes (see above), though it is an independent translation. The same excerpt has also been published as “Riddarana på Rhodos,” (see above).
Then Fell the Lord’s Fire: New Life in Ministry. Trans. Bror Erickson. Saginaw, Michigan: Magdeburg Press, 2012. Published in Swedish as Då föll Herrens eld. Nytt liv i tjänsten. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 1996.
To Live With Christ. Trans. Bror Erickson and Richard Wood. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2008. Originally published in Swedish as two companion volumes: Att tro på Kristus: Daglig läsning för tiden Advent till Pingst. Stockholm: Verbum, 1973; and Att leva med Kristus: Daglig läsning för Trefaldighetstiden. Stockholm: Verbum, 1974. Now available in Swedish in one volume as Att tro på Kristus: Daglig läsning för hela kyrkoåret. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2013.
“Twenty-Three Theses on the Holy Scriptures, The Woman, and The Office of the Ministry.” Trans. Wilhelm Torgerson (from a German translation by P. Schorelmmer). The Springfielder 33 (1970): 10-22. Corrected English version reprinted in: Women Pastors? Third Edition. Ed. John Pless and Matthew Harrison. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2012: 249-261. Published in Swedish as 23 teser om skriften, kvinnan och prästämbetet. Stockholm: Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1958.
“Two Problems.” The Franciscan News 3, no. 2 (1961): 48-52. This article was originally written by Giertz in English.
“What is an Evangelical Lutheran Christian.” Trans. Clifford Ansgar Nelson. Lutheran Forum 39, no. 4 (2005): 7. An excerpt from “What is an Evangelical Lutheran Christian.” Published in its entirety in The Message of the Church in a Time of Crisis, 14-21 (see above).
With My Own Eyes: A Life of Jesus. Trans. Maurice Michael. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1960. Published in Swedish as Med egna ögon. Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokförlag, 1947. A new translation by Bror Ericskon was published in 2017 by 1517 Publishing, Irvine, California.
“Women Priests in Sweden.” The Christian, April 8, 1960.
A Year of Grace, Volume 1: Collected Sermons of Advent through Pentecost and A Year of Grace, Volume 2: Collected Sermons Covering the Season of Pentecost/Trinity. Trans. Bror Erickson. Irvine, Calif.: 1517 Publishing, 2019. Published in Swedish as Söndagsboken: Advent-Pingst and Söndagsboken: Trefaldighetstiden. Gothenburg: Församlingsförlaget, 2006.
Also available is a study guide for The Hammer of God written by Prof. John T. Pless located here: https://media.ctsfw.edu/Text/ViewDetails/282