H. Schmid, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
Schmid's Doctrinal Theology was a favorite text for the ALC and WELS long ago. I sold mine after copying my favorite quotes from it. I bought another copy recently, to study in the car when waiting for Mrs. I.
There are many versions online. I like the text version that I linked above because it is easy to find Biblical passages and theological terms with control-f.
Schmid is a one-volume compendium of Lutheran quotations, arranged by topic. The ignorant UOJ Stormtwoopers wig out because they know so little about the Book of Concord and the post-Concord era.
The UOJ Stormtwoopers call themselves orthodox and confessional, but they oppose the Book of Concord and the era of orthodoxy following the 1580 publication of the Lutheran Symbols.
Schmid blended Book of Concord quotations with clarifying statements published after 1580. Some sections are verbose and tedious, because we are not engaged in the same debates at this time. However, most of the book is edifying and useful because of its orderly selection and range of authors.
ABBREVIATIONS. Ap. Conf., Apology of the Augsburg Confession. Art. Smalcald, Smalcald Articles. Behm., Bechmann. Br., Baier. Brchm., Brochmann. Cal., Calovius. Cat. Maj., Luther's Large Catechism. Cat. Min., Luther's Small Catechism. Chmn., Chemnitz. Chmn. ex. c. Trid., Chemnitz on the Council of Trent. Chmn. d. c. D., Chemnitz on the Lord's Supper. Conf. Aug., Augsburg Confession. Form. Conc., The Formula of Concord. Grh., Gerhard. Hfrffr., Hafenreffer. Holl., Hollazius. Hutt., Hutterus. Kg., Koenig. Mel., Melanchthon. Quen., Quenstedt. Schrzr., Scherzer. Seln., Selnecker. Symb. Nic., Nicene Creed.
Few people have all the works of these authors. Many of them have only recently become available in English.
The big guns are Luther, Melanchthon, Chemniz, Selnecker, and Gerhard.
Major theologians Calov and Quenstedt are worth reading.
