Creatio ex nihilo

This first monograph on Luther's doctrine of the creatio ex nihilo demonstrates the comprehensive character of his interpretation of the phrase, emphasises its present-day significance and inquires into its theological and philosophical backgrounds. If the notion of creation from nothing runs counter to all logic and experience, the author works from Luther's great lecture on Genesis to show that for Luther the phrase names neither the "Whence" of creation nor the scientific "How" of its genesis. Rather, it answers the question of the relationship between creator and creature - in creation, maintenance and re-creation. Thus the formulation creatio ex nihilo is no peripheral determination of divine action, but the basic matrix of the Creator's dealings with humans and the world.

Diss. theol. Tübingen, 2003. Der Autor ist Assistent für Systematische Theologie an der Evangelisch-theologischen Fakultät der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen.

"Der Leser bekommt Lust, beim Schriftausleger Luther in die Schule zu gehen. In der heutigen Zeit ist ein solches Lektüre Resultat nichts weniger als eine „creatio ex nihilo‟.
Armin Wenz in: Lutherische Beiträge 3/2009

"Das Buch von Johannes Schwanke schließt eien Lücke der Forschung."
Jürgen Bründl in: Theologische Revue 4/2006

"Ein wichtiger Beitrag zur Theologie Luthers."
Gerhard Müller in: Luther 2006

"This outstanding study of Luther's theology of creatio ex nihilo - the first monograph on this topic - offers a comprehensive interpretation of this central but neglected theme, combining remarkable erudition with appreciation for the scope and significance of Luther's thought. This is scholarship of the first rank: highly recommended."
Prof. Dr. John Webster, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity, University of Oxford

"To be created out of nothing is to be nothing without God. Dr. Schwanke's Dissertation shows how important this is for Luther and the Doctrine of Grace. His work is impressive and should provoke friendly discussion."
Sir Henry Chadwick, Regius Professor em. of Divinity, of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge