author

Joseph Stump

1866–1935

A Lutheran theologian, pastor, and teacher whose books helped generations of readers approach doctrine with clarity and calm confidence. Best known for his explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism, he wrote in a plain, practical way that still feels approachable.

1 Audiobook

An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism

An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism

by Martin Luther, Joseph Stump

About the author

Born in Marietta, Pennsylvania, in 1866, Joseph Stump studied at Capital University and at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He was ordained in 1887 and went on to serve both as a pastor and as a seminary professor.

He taught at the Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary and later at the Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, where he also served as president. Contemporary accounts describe him as a widely known figure in the Lutheran church and a leading authority on dogmatic theology.

Stump wrote numerous religious books and textbooks, including An Explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism, The Christian Life, and The Christian Faith. His work is marked by its teaching spirit: careful, direct, and meant to help ordinary readers and students understand Christian belief more clearly.