Concordia Seminary’s Dean of Theological Research and Publication Dr. Kevin Golden talks with Dr. Joel Biermann, Professor of Systematic Theology, about his new book, “The Two Realms and the Separation of Church and State,” part of the Concordia Publishing House series “Apropos.” Biermann explains that the book addresses the intersection of biblical truths and American political systems, emphasizing that the two realms encompass all of life, both temporal and spiritual. He critiques the tendency to oversimplify the temporal realm to politics and the tendency to over-separate the spiritual and temporal realms. Biermann argues that Luther’s teachings on the subject are still relevant and should guide Christians in engaging actively in the world, balancing their responsibilities to God and neighbor. “Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in Cost of Discipleship that the single most impactful thing that ever happened to the world was Luther leaving the monastery, because he’s now bringing theology back into the world, bringing Christ back into the world and the churches in the world,” Biermann says. “And so when Christ restores us as individual Christians, the obvious thing is [that] He’s not waiting then for us to someday join Him in heaven, but He sends us back into the world to do there what He’s given us to do.”
The book is available now through Concordia Publishing House and Amazon.