Perceive, Know, Fulfill

The first Sunday that follows the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord always causes a slight struggle within me. The struggle is this. What should be observed on that Sunday: The First Sunday after Epiphany or The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord?

Culture, Doctrine & PracticeJason BraatenJanuary 12, 2021Comment

Waiting until things get back to normal . . .

Culture, Doctrine & PracticeJason BraatenJanuary 9, 2021 Comments

A Poem for Mother's Day

CultureBurnell EckardtMay 8, 2020Comment

The World's Tactics Have No Place In the Church

Eighth Commandment, CultureJason BraatenAugust 13, 2019Concordia University Chicago Comments

Gottesdienst or Geldings in the Real World?

One of the things that I like about the Gottesdienst Crowd is that we are not advocates for the liturgy because of personal taste or effete sensibilities, or an intellectual devotion to historical marginalia. Pastors and laypeople involved in the life of the church understand that as the blood of Christ is the lifeblood of the Church, Sunday morning Divine Services are the vessels that carry the blood of the Lamb to us. Hence our name Gottesdienst.

Culture, Adiaphora, Music, Rites/Ceremonies, SynodLarry BeaneMay 25, 2019 Comments

Article 24 Matters!

In our churches Mass is celebrated every Sunday and on other festivals when the sacrament is offered to those who wish for it after they have been examined and absolved. We keep traditional liturgical forms, such as the order of the lessons, prayers, vestments, etc.

~ Apology 24:1 (Tappert Translation)

Culture, Adiaphora, Liturgy, Rites/CeremoniesLarry BeaneApril 3, 2019 Comments

Adiaphorocracy

The 2007 movie Idiocracy isn’t for everyone. Especially for children. Please don’t queue up the DVD in the Sunday School room. It’s even more inappropriate for children than Veggie Tales. If you are easily offended by crude language, it is not for you. But in the case of this film, the crudeness is necessary, as it is a satire upon the increasing crassness of our culture.

Adiaphora, Culture, LiturgyLarry BeaneNovember 5, 2018 Comment

What's in a Name?

A pastor of an LCMS congregation recently made a big production out of his congregation’s name change. They had previously excised the name “Lutheran”, but had retained the rest of the congregation’s original name after one of our Blessed Lord’s apostles. But now, in response to the disapproval of unbelievers, and based on focus groups and research, the pastor pushed for the congregation to adopt a completely non-traditional name that was actually the same as the brand name of an SUV. It has generated some humorous responses in the world of Lutheran social media and blogs.

Culture, Synod, AdiaphoraLarry BeaneNovember 3, 2018 Comments