Lutheran Confessions

I think that is a valid point.

2009-11-05T13:02:21.405-06:00

I think that is a valid point.

I thought it was interesting that Rev. Bouman, whi...

2009-11-05T10:23:07.815-06:00

I thought it was interesting that Rev. Bouman, while in one breath decrying the sarcasm of the CORE speakers, kept using the rhetorical "Are you kidding?" line. When my teen uses this line its almost always in a contemptable manner and we have to call her out on it. Had he left them out, I think it would have been a good attempt at reconcilliation. As composed, I think it only serves to maintain or, possibly, widen the chasm. I'll continue to pray for the ELCA; that Christ will heal her so that she may give witness to the cross of Christ which she seeks to profess to the world.

I, like you, could probably be described as an 'ev...

2009-10-29T03:10:47.952-05:00

I, like you, could probably be described as an 'evangelical catholic'.

I've nowhere near the education you have (I can't read Milbank, though I've tried).

I spent a good portion of the last couple years becoming orthodox and finally reading Catholic theology, with an eye towards potentially converting to Rome.

Of course, I'm more ecclesially homeless than you. I was excommunicated by the denomination that baptized me into Christ.

I was invited back, but not before discoving the liturgical church in the ECUSA.

It's easy to theorize. I came to the ECUSA for the Catholic, only to discover that they're all liberal protestants!

Nonetheless, for the very reasons you describe, I wouldn't feel right 'converting' to Rome.

Thanks for your thoughts - 4 years ago.

Bartimeus is great!

2009-10-24T21:01:34.942-05:00

Bartimeus is great!

I enjoyed your blog, it is showing the progress of...

2009-10-18T14:12:15.329-05:00

I enjoyed your blog, it is showing the progress of the Church conceived and built by Luther.
Acess my blog. www.vivendoteologia.blogspot.com

It's important to put Scripture first. What is wr...

2009-10-03T20:22:57.074-05:00

It's important to put Scripture first. What is wrong with reading God's Word in a consistent and literal way? Does God not keep His promises?
All of the Bible is profitable for study (2 Tim. 3:16).
The fact is that Christ Himself appealed to Moses and the Prophets as to where He got His authority.
You also hastily generalize dispensationalism. Dispensationalism is simply that the Church and Israel are not the same thing. I don't see how you could possibly read the Bible in a regular way and come to any other conclusion. You would have to allegorize to the extreme and plant your own theology.

Pastor Ervin

Excellent Clint. Thank you. I'm taking Confessions...

2009-09-16T05:20:05.034-05:00

Excellent Clint. Thank you. I'm taking Confessions right now, so am sharing this with the profs and students. God's peace.

Thank you for posting this and giving structure to...

2009-09-13T06:10:43.762-05:00

Thank you for posting this and giving structure to the words
In God's Love,
Rev. M.

I'll leave it to people more in the know, and with...

2009-09-12T13:56:16.606-05:00

I'll leave it to people more in the know, and with more concern, to analyze that. My goal will be to read the two back to back and see what I learn differently from each.

It is strange, isn't it, that Augsburg Fortress co...

2009-09-12T11:16:48.800-05:00

It is strange, isn't it, that Augsburg Fortress copied our name after we had announced it years before they started their project? But they say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

I recently came accross your blog and have been re...

2009-09-04T08:28:38.616-05:00

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Susan

http://mariahcareylyrics.net

I bought some "lutheran" beads with some suggested...

2009-09-03T20:00:39.530-05:00

I bought some "lutheran" beads with some suggested prayers but I never could settle down enough to actually use them. I like the idea tho.

Wow, that's a complicated thought.

2009-09-01T21:26:32.067-05:00

Wow, that's a complicated thought.

we do this every year, but I LOVE the way you've a...

2009-08-17T13:19:08.182-05:00

we do this every year, but I LOVE the way you've added motions and shared beautiful scriptures! I'm going to use this on Sunday! Bless you!

God on our side, since 1774. And thus began an un...

2009-07-03T21:59:23.359-05:00

God on our side, since 1774.

And thus began an unfortunate American tradition.

sigh

"The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is never pr...

2009-07-02T14:41:25.728-05:00

"The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is never present where lies are told. There is actually more unity of the church present where Christians of differing confession honorably determine that they do not have the same understanding of the Gospel than where the painful fact of confessional splintering is hidden behind a pious lie."

-- Hermann Sasse, "Union and Confession"

I'm too tired and busy with other projects to do t...

2009-07-01T20:12:41.417-05:00

I'm too tired and busy with other projects to do this, but I would like to examine Bishop Hanson's theology of unity with the ELCA's ecumenical efforts.

What is the relationship between Bishop Hanson's reiteration of Paul's statement of baptismal unity (Gal 3:26-27) to our full communion dialogues and to various rostering and liturgical changes we've made to achieve full communion? Were we already not united in Christ through baptism with our Episcopalian brethren before Called to Common Mission was passed?

I fear that Bishop Hanson's letter calls for a lower bar of unity than we've sought with our ecumenical partners. Are we expecting less of ourselves than we're seeking from our ecumenical partners?

Just some thoughts - perhaps off-base - by a pastor and parent weary after a long day.

Thanks for helping spread the word about Lutheran ...

2009-06-29T12:13:03.058-05:00

Thanks for helping spread the word about Lutheran World Relief’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka. People who fled the recently-ended civil war are now living in crowded camps where there is insufficient food, water, sanitation, and support for children. So that LWR can keep responding to these needs through community kitchens, hygiene kits, and schools, we continue to raise funds and value your support of this urgent work.

All the best,

Erin from Lutheran World Relief – www.lwr.org

You are correct. However, if we institutionalize t...

2009-06-04T14:47:11.396-05:00

You are correct. However, if we institutionalize this proposal now, we'll be institutionalizing segregation, which will be even harder to root out, as history has shown.

I too thought the second dissenting view from the ...

2009-06-04T14:02:02.530-05:00

I too thought the second dissenting view from the recommendations was the better way to go. I don't like all this "Do whatever seems best to you"

The problem is that is already the case. And if the recommendation is voted down, that is going to continue to be the case. There are gay and lesbian pastors in committed relationships serving the ELCA now. Either their bishops are playing "don't ask, don't tell" or the congregations have been "disciplined" and are in ELCA limbo. At least if the recommendations are passed we can at least get these congregations out of limbo.

amen come Holy Spirit, come.

2009-06-01T00:27:33.839-05:00

amen
come Holy Spirit, come.

Wendell Berry is simply one of America's greatest ...

2009-05-28T19:51:31.894-05:00

Wendell Berry is simply one of America's greatest writers. Although he is not all that self-describing as a Christian, there is no denying that he is preaching the Word. His book, Jayber Crow, for example is simply one of the most beautiful (and beautifully written) parables on fidelity/faithfulness that I can think of. I commend you for having the good sense to put something of his on you Blog!
-Dwight P (who can't get the system to recognizse his Google sign-on!)

Thanks very much for linking to "Mr Wendell Berry ...

2009-05-23T16:01:50.859-05:00

Thanks very much for linking to "Mr Wendell Berry of Kentucky," but please note that the url has changed to http://brtom.typepad.com/wberry/. I agree with your characterization of "prose to die for" ... but I probably wouldn't go that far.

Wish I had that when I was leading our study with ...

2009-05-18T06:54:00.000-05:00

Wish I had that when I was leading our study with "Rediscovering the Book of Faith" which is on how the bible came to be and is very very lightweight and needs a LOT of supplementing and I was scrambling for resources to fill in the holes.

I guess somehow it doesn't bother me that much. As...

2009-04-21T13:39:00.000-05:00

I guess somehow it doesn't bother me that much. As an outreach I actually like the fact that we are doing advertisements, etc. Why not?