The challenge for us in the task of explaining the basics of Luther’s theology in so few pages and in its main points is this: Luther’s rich and varied, and for many, multi-layered and cumbersome doctrinal system has just one, may I say, practically immovable center. From this center everything else is simple, convincing and clear. He himself called this center the article of justification, or the righteousness of faith, the “only solid rock” upon which the entire church stands.3 The article on the