I am very pleased to provide an introduction to this new edition of Salty Christians by Hans-Ruedi Weber. Dr. Weber was one of the initiators in the 20th century of the renewal of lay ministry in the life of the ecumenical churches. When this study was first published in 1963, he served as the Associate Director of the Ecumenical Institute for the World Council of Churches. Weber was one of the foremost advocates for making the ministry of what I prefer to call “the Christian people” (aka “laity”) the centerpiece of the church’s mission for the life of the world.

Upon discovering this Study Guide on the biblical foundations and vocation of the laity, I wondered that it remained so relevant for our time. The three chapters are: 1) At the Edge of the Church and the World, 2) A Peculiar People, and 3) Concrete Obedience. Biblical texts included in the study are Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 19:1-6, 1 Peter 2:9-12 and 3:14-15, Ephesians 4:7 and 4:11-16, and Acts 2:42-45. Major themes covered include Our Origin and Call, A Missionary People, The Common Life of the Early Church, Work and Vocation, Worship and Work, and Holy Worldliness. The Study Guide concludes with instructions for small group leaders. While there is a dated mention of “Indian raids” and publication predated the use of inclusive language, these limitations need not preclude its use as a study resource now more than 60 years later.

I am extremely grateful to the widow of Hans-Ruedi Weber, Caroline Helena Weber, and his daughters, Barbara Aho-Weber and Saskia Weber Guisan, as holders of the copyright for their permission to republish the original version without modifications. I am also grateful to Lyn van Rooyan of the World Council of Churches for mediation in obtaining the permission and to the staff of the Reu Memorial Library at Wartburg Theological Seminary for preparing the digital version.