The Role of Fear in Our Love of God: A Lutheran Perspective |
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| Authors: | Kristin Johnston Largen |
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| Institution: | Kristin Johnston Largen is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. She is the current editor of Dialog. Her latest book is Baby Krishna, Infant Christ (Orbis Books, 2011). |
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| Abstract: | Abstract : Lutheran Christians in particular have been taught in the Catechism to “fear and love God.” This article questions the assumption that in a contemporary context, fear and love can helpfully co‐exist, examining the different ways in which “fear of God” is a challenging concept for twenty‐first‐century Christians to understand. The article concludes with suggestions for how “fear of God” might be re‐interpreted and re‐articulated in a constructive way, leading to a more meaningful Christian life in the world today. |
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| Keywords: | fear and love of God fear and anxiety fear and Martin Luther fear and love of neighbor |
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