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Gottesblog

A blog of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy

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From the Archives: An Address on the Holy Theophanies by Hippolytus of Rome
From the Archives: An Address on the Holy Theophanies by Hippolytus of Rome

All things are good. But especially good are the created things of our God and Savior: whatever the age sees, whatever the soul considers, whatever reason explains, whatever the hand touches, whatever the understanding comprehends. Indeed, whatever humanity possesses. For what is more multiform than the beauty of the heavenly expanse? What is more bedecked with flowers than the form of the earth? What is more dazzling in its course than the chariot of the sun? What carriage is more beautiful than the heavenly orb of the moon? What work is more marvelous than the music richly emitted by the stars? What is more serviceable for travel than the friendly winds? What mirror is clearer than the light of day? What living thing is worthy of more honor than man? Therefore all things are good, especially the things created by our God and Savior.

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Stefan GramenzComment
Book Review: The Small Town Lutheran Church & Pastor, by Heath Curtis
Book Review: The Small Town Lutheran Church & Pastor, by Heath Curtis

Typical of Curtis’ style, his arguments are concise, his application clear, and his prose eminently readable. He doesn’t wax poetic, but gives us the facts, elaborates on what those facts indicate, and offers clear, practical, and actionable advice on bringing the task of pastoral ministry to bear in this context — which is the highest probability within The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

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Culture, Doctrine & Practice, Liturgy, Ministry, Pastoral care, PreachingJason BraatenBook Reviews, Heath CurtisComment
Interfaith Prayer as a Cause for Hope
Interfaith Prayer as a Cause for Hope

In the aftermath of the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, the Roman Catholic archbishop hosted an interfaith prayer service in the St. Louis Cathedral in the heart of the French Quarter. And this should be a cause for Christians to be hopeful for the future.

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Larry BeaneComment
The One-Year Bible (and an App)
The One-Year Bible (and an App)

There is a great resource for reading the Bible in a year called the One Year Bible. It is a Bible divided up into 365 parts, divided by date, beginning on January 1. If you want to listen to a narration at the same time (or instead of reading), there is a really easy hack to do so (at least for the ESV).

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Larry Beane Comment
Reading Krauth
Reading Krauth

If you’d like to read the Rev. Prof. Charles Porterfield Krauth’s classic The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology (1872), you have a few options. The hardback and paperback version are available in many places: Amazon, CPH, or on used book sites (like Thriftbooks). But it is expensive and it is a large tome to carry about. If you’d like to read it free on your phone or on Kindle, here are some practical tips.

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Larry Beane Comment
Trust and Lug Nuts
Trust and Lug Nuts

A repeated lament in LCMS circles - usually coming from the non-liturgical contingent - is that “we don’t trust one another in the LCMS.” And it is lamentable. But it should be understandable.

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Larry Beane Comments
Liturgy as "Best Practice"
Liturgy as "Best Practice"

I shared this abomination on social media, and someone replied (as I expected), “Please tell me this isn’t an LCMS church.” And yes, let’s admit it: we’re all thinking the same thing. Every time we see a you-know-what show like this online, that is one of the first things (if not the first thing) that pops into our minds.

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Larry Beane Comment