The "What About..." Series, written by former Synod President A.L. Barry, is a series of 29 pamphlets that address doctrinal topics, moral issues, and concerns in the church. These questions are designed to help Christians grow in their understanding of these topics.

Preface

The What About pamphlets are anchored in the unchanging truth of God’s Holy Word and the faithful exposition of that Word provided in the Lutheran Confessions. Unchanging truth in changing times is precisely what these summaries of Christian doctrine are all about.When President Barry issued the first four What About pamphlets in 1996, little did he realize how popular they would prove to be. Twelve million copies later, they continue to be used throughout the English speaking world in churches and schools, parish meeting rooms, small-group Bible studies and in private homes. They are found in hospitals and nursing homes, colleges, universities and seminaries.Military chaplains use them around the world on board ships and at various military installations. Prison chaplains have used them in state and federal facilities. They are used in parish evangelism programs and a wide variety of community events. More uses for the What About pamphlets have been found than were imagined by President Barry when he first thought of producing them.

When the What About series began, hundreds of parish pastors were asked,“If you could have some clear doctrinal pamphlets to give people as you go about your ministry, what would be helpful?” The response to that question provided us with the titles in this series.You will notice that the What About series begins with the most important issue of all: the Gospel, followed by one on the Bible. These two are followed by a series on the six chief parts of Luther’s Small Catechism, encouraging the reader always to return to this foundational confession of the Lutheran Church. The rest of the What About series present brief statements on key doctrinal and ethical issues.A number of titles of the What About series were devoted to anti-Christian cults and groups, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism and Islam.

President Barry was keenly interested in what was said in these pamphlets and how it was said. No matter where he traveled in the Synod, the subject of his What About pamphlets was sure to come up. He received countless expressions of thanks from laypeople and pastors alike who told him how much the church needed these clear, to-the-point expressions of Christian truth. Some of the most appreciative comments received came from pastors in other churches. For example, a pastor from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America wrote a letter to the Lutheran Witnessfollowing the special issue devoted to Dr. Barry’s death.

Many of us in the ELCA greatly appreciated Dr.Alvin L. Barry. I especially admired the way in which he was able to explain divisive doctrinal and social issues in his many,“What About” pamphlets—the one on “The Differences Between the ELCA and the LCMS,” for example. In producing this material, he proved to be an outstanding communicator on behalf of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He always combined pastoral sensitivity and precision of terminology with uncompromising faithfulness to our Lutheran Confessions, as they are fully based on Holy Scripture. By God’s grace, Dr. Barry was a true teacher and pastor for God’s people in our time! Soli Deo Gloria. (Letter to the Lutheran Witness, July 2001, p. 4).

It is important that the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation be recognized and thanked for providing the funds that made it possible to distribute the What About pamphlets for free to all those who requested them. The Schwan Foundation’s support, encouragement and devotion to faithful, genuine Lutheranism has proven to be such a blessing to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and many other Lutheran entities and agencies throughout the world. This book has been designed to provide the user with the What About pamphlets in a camera-ready format.

This is a book that is intended to be copied! Permission to copy is given, with the stipulation that no copies be sold, but always distributed for free.

The blessing of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, attend all who use these faithful expressions of unchanging truth in changing times.