Referring again to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd uses of the law. Although I've seen 3rd use referred to as either exhortatory or didactic, I'm not sure what the difference is. To say that something teaches without exhorting is a false distinction.
Nevertheless, I've traditionally argued that the 3rd use IS the 1st use. The civil use teaches and exhorts all on its own, and the Christian, after hearing the gospel (3rd use is always the use for those who have already heard the gospel), is thrown immediately back into the world of vocation and life in the world. Therefore subject to the 1st use the same as everybody else.
The gospel, on the other hand, never exhorts. It is not didactic. Instead, it sets free. It says, "You are free indeed, for Christ's sake."
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Friday, June 27, 2003
Getting Your Schrift Out There
Sometimes the law can really kick you in the pants. Although this is a small digression from the normal format of commenting directly on the articles of the AC, I believe it is also a worthwhile expansion of the format. Intention- to intersperse other reflections between commentary pieces on the AC.
Getting back to the law. Today I received an e-mail from another member of the web community who is equally concerned about increasing awareness and study of the Lutheran confessional documents. Interestingly, though, the e-mail did not concern the content of the site (discussion of theology, etc.) but was rather a close examination of the design of the site. So, although I was initially taken aback by the very directive and evaluative nature of the e-mail, especially from someone I don't even know, it was also a goad into action. I found myself this afternoon fixing some of the blog formatting flaws, adding commenting to the posts, that type of thing. And now this evening I've been browsing the web learning about other Lutheran and Christian blogs. I've discovered, for example, that if you Google "Lutheran confessions blog", our site comes up first on the list. But if you enter simply "Lutheran confessions" it doesn't come up at least in the first few pages. I thus have tried to find ways to raise the readership of the site by increasing its presence on blog lists, etc. One really helpful site that does this is call blogs4god.
I think I'm also supposed to make the blog look more appealing with links to books and music and such on the side, but apparently the law has not as of yet goaded me that hard.
But herein lies the contradiction, and therefore the connection to my Lutheran confessing. I value the confessional understanding of the uses of the law, but since I tend to argue against a distinctive third use of the law, what use of the law is occuring when I'm goaded to fix my web log (this is only slightly tongue in cheek- certainly part of the failure to uphold the law has to do with doing shoddy work, being lazy, I'm sure I can find some law I've broken). Is it the civil use (first use)? The theological use (2nd use, to convict of sin, to show to the sinner their depravity and the impossiblity of their doing the good)? Or the exhortatory (3rd use) which has traditionally been understood to operate only in the life of the believer?
In other words, did I jump up and fix my web site because of the law's civil function in my life, or because, as a believer, the reminder functioned in an exhortatory fashion, thus saying to me to live more fully into the Christian life guided by the law?
Am I even framing these questions correctly? Therefore the query that will hopefully garner some reflection. What is the relationship, if any, between the law and the will, and especially what insights do we have regarding this as they come to us through the confessional writings? Another way of saying this, "What does my bound will have to do with my fixing this web site at the proddings of an e-mail from a complete stranger?"
Sometimes the law can really kick you in the pants. Although this is a small digression from the normal format of commenting directly on the articles of the AC, I believe it is also a worthwhile expansion of the format. Intention- to intersperse other reflections between commentary pieces on the AC.
Getting back to the law. Today I received an e-mail from another member of the web community who is equally concerned about increasing awareness and study of the Lutheran confessional documents. Interestingly, though, the e-mail did not concern the content of the site (discussion of theology, etc.) but was rather a close examination of the design of the site. So, although I was initially taken aback by the very directive and evaluative nature of the e-mail, especially from someone I don't even know, it was also a goad into action. I found myself this afternoon fixing some of the blog formatting flaws, adding commenting to the posts, that type of thing. And now this evening I've been browsing the web learning about other Lutheran and Christian blogs. I've discovered, for example, that if you Google "Lutheran confessions blog", our site comes up first on the list. But if you enter simply "Lutheran confessions" it doesn't come up at least in the first few pages. I thus have tried to find ways to raise the readership of the site by increasing its presence on blog lists, etc. One really helpful site that does this is call blogs4god.
I think I'm also supposed to make the blog look more appealing with links to books and music and such on the side, but apparently the law has not as of yet goaded me that hard.
But herein lies the contradiction, and therefore the connection to my Lutheran confessing. I value the confessional understanding of the uses of the law, but since I tend to argue against a distinctive third use of the law, what use of the law is occuring when I'm goaded to fix my web log (this is only slightly tongue in cheek- certainly part of the failure to uphold the law has to do with doing shoddy work, being lazy, I'm sure I can find some law I've broken). Is it the civil use (first use)? The theological use (2nd use, to convict of sin, to show to the sinner their depravity and the impossiblity of their doing the good)? Or the exhortatory (3rd use) which has traditionally been understood to operate only in the life of the believer?
In other words, did I jump up and fix my web site because of the law's civil function in my life, or because, as a believer, the reminder functioned in an exhortatory fashion, thus saying to me to live more fully into the Christian life guided by the law?
Am I even framing these questions correctly? Therefore the query that will hopefully garner some reflection. What is the relationship, if any, between the law and the will, and especially what insights do we have regarding this as they come to us through the confessional writings? Another way of saying this, "What does my bound will have to do with my fixing this web site at the proddings of an e-mail from a complete stranger?"
Monday, June 23, 2003
I'm not sure I'm qualified to explain why private confession and absolution has come into disuse in the Lutheran church. Below I've copied a portion of the rule of the Society of the Holy Trinity that lays out some practical pastoral guidelines re: how to re-establish private confession in our churches. They are as good as any I know. A short list of why private confession has gone into disuse would include at least these:
1. The triumph of the therapeutic. We don't got before the pastor to confess sin but to work through issues. Thus we tend not to go to pastors anymore but rather to therapists. This is not all bad. Therapy is incredibly helpful for millions of people. But in our context the rise of therapy and the decline of individual confession go hand in hand. The fact that therapists in the context of their work cannot or do not offer the absolution is more problematic.
2. Meaning-making rather than repentance. It is often claimed that our is a culture that is asking, "How can I make sense out of life?", not, as before, "How can I get out of the hands of any angry God?" I don't know about this one.
3. Individual confession was divorced from the preparatory rites of people who would be receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion. Weekly reception of the Lord's Supper meant the impracticability of hearing confession of all penitents each week.
4. We just don't believe sin is that big of a deal anymore.
5. We don't believe that the pastor in his/her office truly speaks as if from God Himself.
These are the major reasons, I imagine. I'm sure there are more. Not that private confession has gone into disuse, it is hard to imagine how congregations would introduce it again. We need more pastors and theologians thinking through these things. The Society of the Holy Trinity is a good place to start.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Individual or personal confession of sins is to be kept and used by us for the sake of the absolution, which is the word of forgiveness spoken by a fellow pastor as from God himself. Therefore, members will:
Learn and adopt the understanding and practice of Confession and Absolution as described in the Augsburg Confession (Article XI, XII, XXV), and the Small Catechism.
Seek out a trustworthy pastor who will be willing to serve as a confessor and who will be able to be available for one's individual confession regularly and frequently.
Prepare to make individual confession by examining one's personal life and relationship with God and others in the light of the Ten Commandments. Also helpful are the penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143) and the Prayer of Manasseh in the Apocrypha.
In preparation for hearing the confession of others, make regular and frequent use of Confession and Absolution, keep confidences, so as to be worthy of the trust of others, read and reflect on the Holy Scriptures so as to provide a reservoir of passages with which to comfort consciences and strengthen the faith of penitents (see FC, SD XI.28-32).
Both as penitent and confessor, refrain from extraneous conversation so that attention is centered on the penitent's confession of sins, the Absolution or forgiveness of sins, and the confessor's use of Scripture passages which comfort the conscience and encourage faith in the Word of God which absolves; refrain from challenging or evaluating the confession; use the order of Confession and Absolution of the Small Catechism or that of the service books of the Church.
As absolved penitents, expect to be held accountable by the confessor for reconciliation with those whom we have offended and restoration of what we have taken or broken.
Confession and Absolution is a sacramental rite of the Church (AP XII.4) and therefore is normally conducted in church buildings where provision can be made for privacy and confidentiality.
Since Confession and Absolution has fallen into disuse among many of us, its restoration demands utmost care and concern for both penitent and confessor. Introduction to and initial use of Confession and Absolution may call for simply following the order of Confession and Absolution lest the penitent worry about a full enumeration of sins or the confessor about comforting and encouraging with passages of Scripture.
1. The triumph of the therapeutic. We don't got before the pastor to confess sin but to work through issues. Thus we tend not to go to pastors anymore but rather to therapists. This is not all bad. Therapy is incredibly helpful for millions of people. But in our context the rise of therapy and the decline of individual confession go hand in hand. The fact that therapists in the context of their work cannot or do not offer the absolution is more problematic.
2. Meaning-making rather than repentance. It is often claimed that our is a culture that is asking, "How can I make sense out of life?", not, as before, "How can I get out of the hands of any angry God?" I don't know about this one.
3. Individual confession was divorced from the preparatory rites of people who would be receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion. Weekly reception of the Lord's Supper meant the impracticability of hearing confession of all penitents each week.
4. We just don't believe sin is that big of a deal anymore.
5. We don't believe that the pastor in his/her office truly speaks as if from God Himself.
These are the major reasons, I imagine. I'm sure there are more. Not that private confession has gone into disuse, it is hard to imagine how congregations would introduce it again. We need more pastors and theologians thinking through these things. The Society of the Holy Trinity is a good place to start.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Individual or personal confession of sins is to be kept and used by us for the sake of the absolution, which is the word of forgiveness spoken by a fellow pastor as from God himself. Therefore, members will:
Learn and adopt the understanding and practice of Confession and Absolution as described in the Augsburg Confession (Article XI, XII, XXV), and the Small Catechism.
Seek out a trustworthy pastor who will be willing to serve as a confessor and who will be able to be available for one's individual confession regularly and frequently.
Prepare to make individual confession by examining one's personal life and relationship with God and others in the light of the Ten Commandments. Also helpful are the penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143) and the Prayer of Manasseh in the Apocrypha.
In preparation for hearing the confession of others, make regular and frequent use of Confession and Absolution, keep confidences, so as to be worthy of the trust of others, read and reflect on the Holy Scriptures so as to provide a reservoir of passages with which to comfort consciences and strengthen the faith of penitents (see FC, SD XI.28-32).
Both as penitent and confessor, refrain from extraneous conversation so that attention is centered on the penitent's confession of sins, the Absolution or forgiveness of sins, and the confessor's use of Scripture passages which comfort the conscience and encourage faith in the Word of God which absolves; refrain from challenging or evaluating the confession; use the order of Confession and Absolution of the Small Catechism or that of the service books of the Church.
As absolved penitents, expect to be held accountable by the confessor for reconciliation with those whom we have offended and restoration of what we have taken or broken.
Confession and Absolution is a sacramental rite of the Church (AP XII.4) and therefore is normally conducted in church buildings where provision can be made for privacy and confidentiality.
Since Confession and Absolution has fallen into disuse among many of us, its restoration demands utmost care and concern for both penitent and confessor. Introduction to and initial use of Confession and Absolution may call for simply following the order of Confession and Absolution lest the penitent worry about a full enumeration of sins or the confessor about comforting and encouraging with passages of Scripture.
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