On Relevance
Yesterday, I was struck by just how relevant our print journal is.
The word “relevant” has often come to mean its Orwellian opposite, such as shallow entertainment, shallow advice about things unrelated to the kingdom of God, and the shallow avoidance of topics that truly matter in these dark and latter days. In other words, “relevant” has come to be synonymous with “shallow.” But actual relevance is anything but. For life in this fallen world is complex - especially for the Christian living out his salvation in the midst of a diabolical minefield.
I’m grateful that our print journal is neither worldly and shallow, nor esoteric and ivory-towerish, but rather brings to bear the Scriptures, the Gospel, the Confessions, and the Sacraments in a practical and thoughtful way in the life of the believer.
While running errands, I was driving and my dear wife was reading the Michaelmas 2021 journal aloud. We had just finished praying Matins wherein the reading was Matt 22:1-21 - including the incident about taxes and the image of Caesar. While on the road, we read one of Dr. Stephenson’s extraordinary essays: “A Quickening of the Apocalyptic Pulse?” In this piece, there is the magnificent and provocative passage:
As I sense that the dramatic developments of the past two years constitute a dramatic intensification of the signs of the Lord’s coming, I would ask whether it is fanciful to suppose that electronically-monitored vaccine passports are at the least a dress rehearsal for the worldwide imposition of of the mark of the Beast that has puzzled interpreters ever since the writing of Revelation 13:16ff. While some detect a marked rise of the mercury in the eschatological thermometer, much of visible Christendom appears sunk in apathy, with leading churchmen preferring to encourage '“climate” hysteria and other suchlike chic concerns.
Wow!
The entire article is teeming with relevance.
Dr. Stephenson touches upon the Great Reset, the theologies of the previous two popes, BLM, Socialism, and Liberation Theology, Wilhelm Loehe, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Caesars - while masterfully weaving these themes together into the most relevant question for us Christians, especially in times of a possible return to a “pre-Constantinian” epoch to come of Christian persecution : How do we live the faith in the world we find ourselves in right now?
As an underscore of the relevance of Dr. Stephenson’s brilliant piece, just as my wife concluded the article with the author mentioning several Caesars by name, we drove past the New Orleans Superdome - recently rechristened “Caesars Superdome.” In the evening, it is lit up with an actual image of Caesar, even as this Sunday temple is filled with worshipful spectators watching the Saints, while the churches are increasingly sparse on saints coming to worship in the Divine Services.
“Render unto Caesar, indeed.”
We also read Pr. Petersen’s most timely and relevant “Commentary on the War” column entitled: “Riding Out the Storm: A Strategy for Creating Confessional Congregations.” He addresses the challenge of pastors to long-term faithfulness from the pragmatic nuts-and-bolts perspective that only a grizzled veteran of the parish can speak to. I can personally attest to the soundness and Scriptural practicality of his advice to the beleaguered pastor serving the Lord in troubled times. His piece is a survey of the Sacred Scriptures and their application in the daily and continual battle that is “the War” concerning which his column is a running commentary. I would be willing to bet that at least one - and more likely several - pastors’ ministries will be saved - and thus the Word and Sacraments will continue by his mouth and hands - as a result of reading this exquisite piece.
On the way back home, we took up Dr. Burnell Eckardt’s “Liturgical Observer” column, “The Dignity of Womanhood.”
Dr. Eckardt fearlessly takes on the sacred cows of feminism and popular movies - including Disney favorites - that push a biological agenda at odds with Scripture, contrary to natural law, and in denial of reality itself. Again, citing Scripture and weaving together an approach to the Christian life - especially as to how we raise our boys and girls to live - the article is both grounded in the Bible and eminently practical.
Also in this issue is also a flier announcing the upcoming Novemberfest Gottesdienst Conference. While other conferences - including those of LCMS officialdom - are being canceled, Gottesdienst plows ahead to uphold pastors and laity with the wisdom of the Scriptures and how they apply to the very real life of the Christian. In other words, the pursuit of relevance. And the theme of the conference is not some wishy-washy bland irrelevant topic designed not to offend or to make people feel good. This conference is entitled “Reactions to Persecution.”
Again, relevant and grounded in Scripture, the Confessions, and the very real liturgical life of the Christian.
I haven’t been yet able to read the rest of the journal, but I’m sure there is just as much gold in the pages yet to be mined.
If you don’t subscribe to the print journal, I would urge you to give it a shot. As much as I love to blog and seek relevance on the pages of this online publication, the tone and tenor of the print journal are different. The journal is just as hard-hitting, but tends to be less tied to a specific moment in time. The journal articles are generally deeper in thought than the blog format.
Gottesdienst makes a great gift for both pastors and laity who are seeking to ground the life of the Bible-believing Christian in the relevance that is the truly Christian life. If you’re like me, you read the pages of the print journal and cannot help but reflect on how relevant the Scriptures, the Confessions, the liturgy, and the hymns are to the lived-out Christian life - no matter what is going on in the world.