“What’s in a name?” Juliet asks, bemoaning Romeo’s last name of Montague. “’Tis but thy name that is my enemy”! Some today may surmise the Evangelical Lutheran Synod could also declare that its name is an enemy and prevents us properly to fulfill Jesus’ great commission. An opinion piece in the New York Times on Oct. 26 suggests “Evangelical” is … [Read more...] about What’s in a Name?
January-February 2022
Pooling Up Jesus for Us
Read 2 Peter 1:16-21 Children are kind of amusing, aren’t they? Watching them observe and take in seemingly simple truths is one of the great God-given joys of life. I recall a seminary classmate retelling the account of his toddler-- maybe 1-year at the time -- in one of these joyful observing moments. The young boy was in the bathtub … [Read more...] about Pooling Up Jesus for Us
Echoes from ELS Pulpits Past – Do You Value Your Baptism?
Occasion: Baptism of Our Lord Excerpted from print: Morning Bells at Our Saviour’s – 2008 (Rev. N.A. Madson ) Do You Value Your Baptism? | Matt. 3:13-17 Fellow Redeemed, With the account of our Savior’s baptism we are again brought face to face with one of the fundamental questions of our Christian faith, namely: “What does baptism … [Read more...] about Echoes from ELS Pulpits Past – Do You Value Your Baptism?
Songs Out of Zion – Lord Jesus Christ, My Savior Blest
We had to recite hymn verses every Friday. I’m not sure how happy I was to do this at the time, but now I am grateful for this unique aspect of my Lutheran School education. One of the hymns that made a strong impression on me was “Lord Jesus Christ, My Savior Blest.” I learned it out of the old Lutheran Hymnary (#278). It was also published in The … [Read more...] about Songs Out of Zion – Lord Jesus Christ, My Savior Blest
Is the Church Really to Blame?
Shedding Light on the “Dark Ages” The Inquisition, the Crusades, the stifling of science—Christianity often gets a bad rap when it comes to the Middle Ages. But what does history actually reveal about the influence of Christianity upon Western Civilization? The Inquisition was rare and unusual, not characteristic of the church as a whole. It … [Read more...] about Is the Church Really to Blame?
The Holy Art of Dying – Memento Mori
Part I: Memento Mori (Remember You Must Die) This last September, my family and I had the opportunity to attend a quaint and curious carnival: the aptly-named “Hearsefest.” As its name implies, Hearsefest is a car show for hearses. Over 100 hearse collectors from all over the country drove to the tiny town of Fowlerville, Michigan to show off … [Read more...] about The Holy Art of Dying – Memento Mori