Dr. Richard W. Marrs, associate professor of Practical Theology and director of the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has published a new book, Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered.

Before joining the Seminary faculty, Marrs earned a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Loyola University Chicago, Ill., and served as a Christian counselor and licensed psychologist. He combines his counseling and pastoral areas of expertise in his new book. Written for Lutheran pastors and for Christian counselors of all denominations, Marrs’ book delves into Martin Luther’s soul-care theology and offers counseling techniques for treating guilt and shame.

“Many Lutheran pastors refer their parishioners to Christian counselors from other denominations, and those counselors rarely have learned of Luther’s soul-care emphases like Law and Gospel, the theology of the cross and the two kinds of righteousness,” Marrs said. “I hope Lutheran pastors will loan their copy of the book to other Christian counselors they refer parishioners to, and will follow up with those counselors through a conversation about Luther’s very biblical, very Christ-centered theology. I hope this will then have an impact on not just the counseling received by Lutheran counselees, but also the soul care provided to counselees of all denominations.”

The book has been endorsed as “groundbreaking” and “practical” by Dr. John W. Kleinig, speaker at the Lutheran spiritual-care center DOXOLOGY and professor emeritus at Australian Lutheran College, North Adelaide, Australia. Additionally, Dr. Robert Kolb, professor emeritus at Concordia Seminary, says Marrs “demonstrates how Luther’s insights into the Gospel of Jesus Christ help bring healing and comfort to those struggling with guilt, shame, fear, loneliness and other spiritual afflictions in our day.”

The book is available from WestBow Press in softcover for $19.95, hardcover for $35.95 and e-book for $4.99. A majority of royalties from purchases made through WestBow Press and the Concordia Seminary Campus Store will be donated to DOXOLOGY and the Christian care organization Ambassadors of Reconciliation. The book also is available from the Ambassadors of Reconciliation’s online store.

About Concordia Seminary

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit csl.edu.