A blog of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy
A soft confessional Lutheran is a contradiction in terms. We are people who have already died. Confessional Lutheran preachers are men who crucify people with Jesus. Men who wear soft clothes are in kings’ palaces. Men who make harmless tweets and go to harmless conferences and say, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace are not confessional Lutherans. If they are, they are men who are selling their birthright. We are called to much more.
Read MoreThe hymns of the Lutheran Church teach us how to be martyrs for Christ. Martyrs are witnesses. The most extreme form of witness is shedding our blood to seal our testimony to Christ, but before a Christian can do that, he must (usually) learn to be a faithful witness in smaller things.
Read MoreOur aim with all sinners, including those struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, is to point them to the hope we have in Christ, and the encouragement that He never leaves us as we fight the good fight of faith – a fight we should never give up.
Read MoreMerry Christmas! We have seen quite a bit of talk from Dr. Mayes and Dr. Koontz on the applications of Holy Scripture. Here is how the Elector, or Ernestine Bible of 1641 teaches us to apply Luke 2.
Read MoreTo be sure, the Creator and creature are different, but – especially at this time of year! – we can rejoice in the fact that we shouldn’t draw such a sharp distinction between God and man that the rest of the Scriptures are at odds with a crude understanding of that bare statement.
Read MoreBelow are recordings of the three presentations that I gave at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Union Grove, Wisconsin on The Greatness of Difficulty.
Read MoreSometimes Gottesdienst gets criticized for complaining too much and too quickly, and not leaving enough leeway for district officials to handle trouble spots that pop up in the Missouri Synod. And we’re certainly willing to take constructive criticism, since we know how fallible we are, and that we sometimes can get things wrong, or make mistakes, and that we certainly have the capacity to be unfair. It’s always a good thing to be circumspect.
Read MoreIn light of the Gospel reading from the One-Year Lectionary for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity on the parable of the Unjust Steward, I offer a few paragraphs from John Schaller’s “The Battle for the Christian School as a Battle for the Christian Worldview,” published in Theologische Quartelschrift, Vol 7, 1910, 204—221.
Read MoreThe purpose of this essay is to strive for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, so that we might together humbly accept the Word of God on this matter, submit to it, and encourage each other to apply it to our congregations and synod, speaking the truth in love, lest the devil divide us by seducing us from the clear word of God.
Read MoreIf the leaders will not lead with the truth, why should the people take a stand on the truth?
Read MoreAfter putting forward 8 Theses on Women Teaching in the Church, there have been helpful comments on a number of them, especially how they could be improved, modified, and some cases removed.
Read MoreSamuel Johnson, known especially for his contribution to the standardization of the English language by producing A Dictionary of the English Language in 1755, was a devout Anglican and struggled against slothfulness his whole life. Below are a couple of his prayers against this.
Read MoreGiven the current climate that Christians face in this world—a world that has lost its mind—here is a little sanity. It is a good reminder of what the task of the church in general, and her ministers specifically, are charged, yes, commanded, to be, do, and say. “In the world you will have trouble, but take heart (have courage, be bold, speak plainly and forthrightly), for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4—5)? We have overcome the world. Let us act like it!
Read MoreThere is no peace in a state church - only what is outward, false, and forced, a conformity that knows no peace, only sheer compliance.
Read MoreThere is a petition circling to help Rev. Dr. Gregory Schulz after highlighting the issues of CRT that are going on at Concordia University Wisconsin as they seek a new president. Please consider signing it.
Read MoreNo one wants to hear about enduring hardship until hardship comes. Now we face hardship all the more boldly because we are being rooted and renewed in Christ in ways we did not imagine three years ago.
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