Cyberbrethren: A Lutheran Blog

How To Subscribe to Growing in Christ Podcasts in iTunes

OK, I admit it. I do not use podcasts, but I know I should. I've never bothered to learn how. I use my iPods only to listen to music, but I have no excuse why I've not used them to listen to podcasts on my commute. Thanks to Christopher Gillespie for instructions on how to listen to the Growing in Christ podcasts in iTune. My understanding is that once you set this up in iTunes it will automatically grab a new podcast, and when you sync your iPod, the Podcast will be downloaded to you iPod. (My apologies to those shaking their heads over such "obvious" information!).

Copy the Podcast address (i.e. http://cph.podshowcreator.com/feed.aspx?feedid=1904) and open iTunes. In iTunes, go to Advanced on the taskbar, select “Subscribe to Podcast…” and paste the address there. The podcast will show up in your podcast tab on the left.

Here is Apple's information page on podcasts and iTunes, and if you dig around a bit you find this important statement:

Not in the Store? Not a problem..

If while surfing the web, you ever come across a podcast that you can’t find in the iTunes Music Store, here’s an easy way to subscribe to it anyway. From the Advanced menu, choose “Subscribe to Podcast...” and enter the podcast feed URL. iTunes will subscribe you to the podcasts and begin downloading immediately.

Podcast for Growing in Christ

Growing in Christ, the great Lutheran Sunday School curriculum, featured an extremely popular weekly radio interview in which the Senior Editor, Deaconess Pamela Nielsen, reviewed the coming week's lesson. We know that thousands of people were downloading these and listening to them.

After a brief hiatus, these helpful talks are available again as podcasts directly from Concordia Publishing House. We are expanding our Internet media and content delivery and this is part of that effort.

Please go to the CPH podcast page. You may subscribe to our podcasts so you get them when they become available. I've heard from a lot of people who enjoyed these shows before, even though they were not Sunday School teachers. Each week Deaconess Nielsen will, with Pastor Baker, be walking you through the upcoming Growing in Christ lesson. I think you will really like it! Check it out.

Christian Spirituality for Today: Grace Upon Grace

Please don't miss this new book. This is a powerful study of Christian spirituality with solid, pastoral advice, direction, suggestions and guidance for understanding what "spirituality" is all about for the Christians. With all the dreck floating out there purportedly offering help for Christians to have a fuller, richer spiritual life, this book "delivers the goods" -- anchoring you in Christ and His gifts. You are going to love this book.

"Christian spirituality is, quite simply, following Jesus. It is the ordinary life of faith in which we receive Baptism, attend the Divine Service, participate in the Holy Supper, read the Scriptures, pray for ourselves and others, resist temptation, and work with Jesus in our given location here on earth." – from the Introduction of Grace Upon Grace: Spirituality for Today by John Kleing

The longing for spiritual fulfillment, inevitably paired with spiritual frustration, is common among Christians.

    * Do we read and study the Bible enough?
    * Do we worship often and in the right way?
    * Do we pray enough, in the correct way, and for the right things?
    * How do we become truly spiritual?

And the answers from numerous self-help spirituality books only lead to confusion and the fear of missing key steps on the road to becoming spiritual.

In response, John W. Kleinig clarifies that there is no process for becoming spiritual. Instead, God graciously gives to us every spiritual gift that we need, beginning with the very gift of faith in Christ, our Savior. Because God has joined us to Christ, He continually comes to give us life. This book offers good, solid, pastoral advice, wisdom and direction for people looking to recover the classic resources of Christian spirituality.

About the Author

Rev. Dr. John Kleinig

About the author:  The Reverend Dr. John Kleinig is author of Leviticus (Concordia Commentary Series, Concordia Publishing House, 2003). Dr. Kleinig serves as lecturer and dean of chapel at Australian Lutheran College in North Adelaide, South Australia.

Regular Price: $14.99. The 20% church worker discount applies.
To order call 800-325-3040
Or order online.


Product Details:
Format: Paperback
Item Number: 12-4289WEB
Number Of Pages: 287
Availability: In Stock

Vatican Declares Automatic Excommunication

Vatican City, May 29, 2008 / 02:29 pm (CNA).- The Vatican declared today that any women who attempt “ordination” or any bishops who attempt to “ordain” women are automatically excommunicated from the Church by their actions. The decree from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is said to be absolute, universal and immediately effective.

The rest of the story


Here is the text of the decree:

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
General Decree

Regarding the crime of attempting sacred ordination of a woman

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to protect the nature and validity of the sacrament of holy orders, in virtue of the special faculty conferred to it by the supreme authority of the Church (see canon 30, Canon Law), in the Ordinary Session of December 19, 2007, has decreed:

Remaining firm on what has been established by canon 1378 of the Canon Law, both he who has attempted to confer holy orders on a woman, and the woman who has attempted to receive the said sacrament, incurs in latae sententiae excommunication, reserved to the Apostolic See.

If he who has attempted to confer holy orders on a woman or if the woman who has attempted to receive holy orders, is a member of the faithful subject to the Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches, remaining firm on what has been established by canon 1443 of the same Code, they will be punished with major excommunication, whose remission remains reserved to the Apostolic See (see canon 1423, Canon Law of the Eastern Churches).

The current decree will come into immediate force from the moment of publication in the 'Osservatore Romano' and is absolute and universal.

William Cardinal Levada
Prefect
Angelo Amato, S.D.B.
Titular Archbishop of Sila
Secretary

Indiana Jones Thirty Second Review

If you were never much of a fan of Indiana Jones movies, you won't like this one either; on the other hand, if you are like hundreds of millions of other human beings on this planet who love Indiana Jones, this movie is a real treat. Here is my thirty second review:

Same old fedora. Same old Indy. Film makers at the top of their game. Beautiful camera work. Breathtaking effects. Suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. Spooky graves. Frightening chases. Evil villains. Unexpected surprises. Sheer entertainment. You'll never look at an ant hill the same way again. Classic Hollywood escapism. Extremely satisfying. Grade: A+

NASA Spends $420 Million to Discover My Back Yard

One of the first images back from the latest trip to Mars shows this patch of ground. I would gladly have allowed NASA to send a probe to my back yard in August. It would have found the same thing: red, rocky, lifeless soil. I'm all for exploring. I love it in fact, so no problems there. But spending $420 million dollars got me thinking on other big projects we, as a nation, need to be moving on, quickly.

I guess I'm at a point where I'm fed up with the federal government and big oil for not harnessing all the power of their respective resources to perfect and finish the development of alternative fuel technologies. The Congress should open up oil exploration off the shores of our nation and allow for the sideway drilling technology into the Denali National Forest in Alaska to provide us with oil, and time to perfect alternative fuel source technology: water, wind, solar, hydrogen. 

A large percentage of the obscene profits being raked in these days by big oil should be diverted to alternative fuel technology development, mandated by law. If we are going to be paying $4-$5 a gallon for fuel (which has been the case in Europe for years, by the way). I'd like to think that at the end of the day the profits from these sales will result in stable, alternative fuels that do not require me to be putting cash into the pockets of nations and terrorist groups that would love to kill me and destroy my nation. We put a man on the moon in less than ten years. We can get this job done too.

Prince Caspian Thirty-Second Review

We are hitting the big recent releases this week. Here is my thirty second review of Prince Caspian.

Confusing. Lots of talking animals. Lots. Badgers make soup. Cute talking mice. Tough-guy dwarves. Lots of heavily accented English, hard to understand. Sound track poorly recorded. Shiny swords waved about. Battles here and there. No overt Christian symbolism, as in the first movie. Good guys win. Bad guys get killed. Little blood. Lots of violence. Maybe if you are a big fan of the books you'll like it a lot more. I give it a C.

The Roman Catholic Mass

A A new conversation is underway at the Blog of Concord, on the Smalcald Articles, Part II, Article II. Come on over and check it out. 

Treasury of Daily Prayer: Coming This October

Have you ever been frustrated trying to juggle multiple books as you attempt to have a daily, structured, time of prayer and meditation on the Word of God? Have you ever wondered why it is that Roman Catholics and Anglicans have such fine books for daily prayer, called breviaries, but that Lutherans kind of/sort of do, but don’t—almost, but not quite there? Have you wondered why most one-volume prayer resources that are now out there are so complicated, complex and vexing to use, requiring you to turn pages until you are dizzy? Are you looking for a resource that will allow you to dwell richly in the Word, and engage in the ancient practice of lectio divina (divine reading)? Have you been looking for a daily resource for a full, complete life of prayer and meditation on the Word that reflects the rich heritage of Lutheranism with its keen focus on Christ and His Gospel? Well, your wait is over.

Announcing the most complete resource for daily prayer ever before provided in the history of the Lutheran Church, in any language, let alone English. I present to you:

Treasury of Daily Prayer
   
Concordia's Treasury of Daily Prayer is a comprehensive uniquely Lutheran resource for daily devotions, unlike anything else before, or presently available, bringing together under one cover Scripture readings, prayers, psalmody, hymnody, and devotional readings from the church fathers. The chief benefit of this resource is that everything for daily prayer and meditation on God’s Word will be available in a single book, with all the "propers" for each day provided together in the same place in the book.

The heart of Treasury of Daily Prayer is the Daily Lectionary developed for Lutheran Service Book. Each day’s section will contain: (1) the full text of the two Scripture readings. Using this plan nearly all of the New Testament, and about a third of the Old Testament, is read each year. (2) Psalmody and (3) Hymnody that captures the content, subject or theme of the appointed readings. (4) A devotional writing from a church father or the Lutheran Confessions; (5) on the days where a feast, festival, or commemoration falls, a brief biography of the person (or event) being commemorated will be included. (6) Finally, a brief prayer will be included that collects the thoughts and themes that are seen in the day, especially the New Testament Reading.

Treasury of Daily Prayer is designed to be equally useful for individuals, families, and small groups with the inclusion of the four brief orders of Daily Prayer for Families and Individuals. In addition, for those who choose to use them, the order of Matins, Vespers and Compline are included in the center of the volume.

In addition to the Daily Readings and Writing and the Orders of Daily Prayer, the book will contain a section of daily and occasional prayers, the Litany, the common canticles of the Church, Luther’s Small Catechism, all 150 Psalms, and several other resources for daily prayer and piety.  

God willing, this will be published this coming October. We are not taking orders for it yet, but I thought you would like to hear about it. I’ll keep you posted.

Memorial Day and Veterans Day

Note: Memorial Day is NOT Veterans Day. They are two unique and distinct national holidays. Memorial Day is set aside to honor those who died in battle serving our nation. Veterans Day honors all who have served in the Armed Forces. One of my pet peeves is when people mistake the two days. I know that for many war veterans, it is embarrassing for them to be singled out on a holiday set aside to remember those who died in battle. Every war veteran I've spoken with, and I'm an avid student of World War II, every single one, and there have been hundreds, they all say the same thing: the real heroes are those who never made it home.

The Lutheran Study Bible

Please pass this news along to your various e-mail groups, blog sites, mailing lists, social networking sites, to your friends and neighbors

For Immediate Release

CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE
ANNOUNCES NEW LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE

Saint Louis, MO – Concordia Publishing House will release The Lutheran Study Bible in October 2009. The Lutheran Study Bible is the first study Bible in English to be developed from the ground-up with notes that are “exclusively and distinctively Lutheran.”

The Lutheran Study Bible includes more than 26,500 study notes, including over 2,000 application notes and prayers for every part of the Bible; over 80,000 center column cross-references and 900 cross-references to 120 full or half-page maps, charts, and diagrams; and more than 220 articles and introductions to biblical books and topics. The Lutheran Study Bible notes were prepared by Lutheran theologians, scholars, and pastors from 12 Lutheran church bodies. “We are excited to offer all English-speaking Christians a study Bible that offers such a comforting and powerful Christ-centered understanding of the Scriptures,” shares Rev. Paul T. McCain, Publisher and Executive Director of Editorial for CPH. “As the Lutheran Reformers put it, Christ and His Gospel is the unspeakable treasure that alone opens the door to the entire Bible.”

The Lutheran Study Bible uses the English Standard Version® translation, one of the fastest growing translations worldwide and considered to be one of the most precise English translations available. “TLSB is a truly unique offering in the study Bible ‘market’,” says Gretchen Jameson, CPH’s Corporate Communications manager, “it combines a personal, devotional, and practical application approach to Bible reading, alongside solid scholarly study notes. There is, quite simply, nothing else like it available today.”

Detailed information about the unique features of The Lutheran Study Bible will be online at cph.org/lutheranbible in October 2008.

The Lutheran Study Bible is available for Internet pre sale in March 2009.   

For more information about this news release, please email publicity@cph.org

Stay Tuned for First News on The Lutheran Study Bible

Word to the wise: stay tuned for a press release from Concordia Publishing House on The Lutheran Study Bible, the first study Bible, in English, to be prepared using exclusively Lutheran scholars, theologians, pastors, researchers and authors, who are all committed to the confession of historic, genuine Lutheranism, designed from stem-to-stern by Lutherans. It uses the English Standard Version of the Bible. That's all I'll say for now, but it is coming and we are beginning to talk about it.

By the way, that picture to the left is *not* it. That's the very first complete translation of the Bible, by Martin Luther, from 1534. Not to worry: The Lutheran Study Bible will not be that huge. Big? Yes. Huge? No. Chocked-full of Lutheran goodness? Most definitely! But that wonderful Luther Bible will play a role in TLSB. Every cross reference put in the 1534 Luther Bible will be included in The Lutheran Study Bible. Cool, huh?

This is most definitely not simply a new edition of the Concordia Self-Study Bible. This is entirely new. You are going to love it. It has a rich variety of notes, annotations, study helps, articles, introductions, including quotes from Luther, the Confessions, Early Church Fathers, and the like. But I'll say no more for now.

Well, maybe a bit more. It combines sturdy scholarly notes and helps, with richly devotional and practical Law/Gospel application notes. That's all I'll say though.

OK, one more thing. This Bible puts "legs" on this statement from the Lutheran Confessions: "The chief topic of Christian doctrine [justification] isespecially useful for the clear, correct understanding of the entire Holy Scriptures, and alone shows the way to the unspeakable treasure and right knowledge of Christ, and alone opens the door to the entire Bible." Really, that's all I'll say for now. More is coming. I can't wait to share more news with you about it, soon, very soon.

Digital Book of Concord and Digital ESV Bible: $20

Please be sure to take advantage of a limited-time offer from Concordia Publishing House. Get the Concordia edition of the Book of Concord *and* the complete ESV Bible in digital/computer format for only $19.99. This is a self-contained product and installs the software you need to run it on your computer, the Libronix system. It works on PCs and Macs running the Parallels or Bootcamp software. Pass the word on to the Lutheran blogosphere. This price is good from May 19-June 1.

High School Graduation

What happened? Just a couple years ago I was holding this guy in my arms, now look what happened: he just graduated from high school last night! This is our son, Paul Jerome, quite happy as he is shaking hands with the principal of his high school here in West County St. Louis. Because of his ACT score of 34 (two points shy of a perfect score), he received a full academic scholarship to Truman State University here in Missouri, where he will be headed off to college this coming August. He maintained a high-A average throughout high school, while maintaining a very full schedule of music, and being drum major for the marching band for two years. Can you tell I'm a proud dad? Yup, I am. And so his mother. I mean, she is a proud mother, not a proud dad. You know what I mean.

(Photo geeks: We were sitting in the top row of the bleachers in the arena where the graduation took place. Fortunately, we were on the right side for me to get this shot of Paul crossing the stage after receiving his diploma. This is a cropped image from the original taken with natural light, from about 250  feet away. Taken with the Canon 5D, with the 100-400 mm L IS lens, handheld. ISO 3200. Not too bad!)

Revitalizing Lutheran congregations that are no longer Lutheran

I was reading a Missouri Synod district's blog site and ran across this comment by the district president. I appreciated his candor and pastoral wisdom. I believe that it is precisely in such honest assessment of reality as we find it in the church today that we have the best opportunity for the kind of open, honest communication that is so necessary.

This month I'd like to talk about revitalization. If you remember the goals of ABLAZE, you recall that one of them is to revitalize 2000 congregations by 2017. While a number of our congregations have asked to hear a presentation on this process, and while some have already begun the process, I want to draw your attention to a different kind of revitalization that four of our District pastors have been involved in at one time or another in their ministry (and not all of these happened while they were in the Ohio District). When they reached their congregations, these four pastors made a surprising and sad discovery: their congregations were no longer Lutheran. Oh, they were Lutheran in name, but certainly not Lutheran in teaching and practice. In several instances, some lay leaders and members proved to be quite hostile to any suggestion that Lutheran teaching should be reintroduced. Yet, to their credit, these pastors very patiently and lovingly set about to bring those congregations back into something resembling Lutheran congregations. For the most part, they taught and preached from Luther's Small Catechism. In some cases the teaching was received happily; in other cases, life became very difficult and challenging for them, especially when strong objections came or when people packed up and left. But these pastors persevered and with God's help, most saw progress. To their credit, when some laity saw that they were now being taught Lutheran doctrine, they left. They admitted they really did not believe our Lutheran teaching after all. I commend them for that integrity.

I once thought that reviewing the catechism with the congregation on a regular basis was pretty boring. I don't think so any more. What pastors know by heart is not always embedded so firmly in the hearts and minds of those we shepherd. A daily barrage of “Christian” radio and TV can muddy our distinctives over time. How pastors re-establish Lutheran teaching varies with each congregation and with each pastor's ability to apply the catechism to today's American version of Christianity.

These pastors could have taken an easier route. They could have rolled with the situation and continued down the path they found. But instead, they took the road less traveled. The saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, minus legalism, minus decision-theology, minus pietism, was restored in all of its comforting beauty and power. Wherever people hear that their sins are forgiven and that through faith in this Christ, a glorious eternity awaits them, a fruitful response comes and the congregation is strengthened.

I am fully aware that other pastors share the same desire to see their congregations revitalized in just that way, too. Restoring a Lutheran identity is a commendable task. But do you have the patience? Do you possess a winsome spirit? Can you be happy with progress sometimes measured in millimeters? If not, instead of revitalization, you may bring even worse discord and division that now has been agitated by a strident personality. It was said of our Lord that “a bruised reed He would not break, a smoldering wick he would not extinguish.” Besides a love for the Truth, an evangelical spirit coupled with a love for your people must be in any pastor who undertakes such an ambitious and praiseworthy revitalization project. Without them, however, the last state of such a congregation may become worse than the first.

Ohio District ABLAZE

Rev Terry Cripe

May, 2008

 

What do the candles mean in church? A Pentecost thought

Rev. Benjamin Mayes led chapel for us at Concordia Publishing House last week. In addition to stealing all my thunder, since he devoted his homily to Pentecost, and I am giving the chapel service this coming Wednesday, he began with an aside that I thought was quite profound and useful. He paused to point to the burning candles and said, "We've always said that the candles we light represent the light of Christ, and that is true, but I was thinking that as we consider the tongue of fire on the candle, we should be reminded of the tongues of fire that appeared on the heads of the Apostles and the rest of the disciples on that first Pentecost (Acts 2:1-12). And then as we recall that event, we consider that today the Holy Spirit is present, and at work among us, through the Word and Sacraments, and so that tongue of fire on the candle is a symbol of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit." I thought that was quite a good thought!

Is the Gospel cliche?

Has the Gospel become cliche? The dictionary defines "cliche" as "something that has become overly familiar or commonplace." The way the word "Gospel" is used in much of modern Christendom has, indeed, turned it into a cliche. Tragically, "Gospel" often means anything, and everything, but the true Gospel. The Gospel, as taught in Sacred Scripture, through Old and New Testaments, is the good news that Christ is the sacrifice for our sins, and that by His blood we are cleansed, pardoned and renewed, receiving the righteousness of Christ as a gift, through faith, alone, entirely by grace, alone. This is the Gospel; however, for much of Christendom the Gospel has been reduced to a cliche. Jesus: the kind man, philosopher, moral example, moral leader, friend of the downtrodden, model of humility, revolutionary, paragon of virtue, model of human kindness.

What makes all these "Jesus cliches" appealing is that there is truth to be found in each of them. But they all fall short and ultimately prove misleading. In the second part of the Smalcald Articles, Martin Luther sharply focuses on the "chief article." He is simply laying out the very heart and soul of what Christianity is all about and what sets it apart from any human religious opinions or systems. Because of its significance for understanding the Smalcald Articles, let's put the entire text on the table for discussion (italics added for emphasis):

The first and chief article is this:

1 Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification (Romans 4:24–25).

2 He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), and God has laid upon Him the iniquities of us all (Isaiah 53:6).

3 All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works or merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood (Romans 3:23–25).

4 This is necessary to believe. This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law, or merit. Therefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us. As St. Paul says:

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:28)

That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. [Romans 3:26]

5 Nothing of this article can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth and everything else falls [Mark 13:31].

For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

And with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Upon this article everything that we teach and practice depends, in opposition to the pope, the devil, and the whole world. Therefore, we must be certain and not doubt this doctrine. Otherwise, all is lost, and the pope, the devil, and all adversaries win the victory and the right over us.

Looking through the rest of the Smalcald Articles, we see how Luther comes back to this point, over and over again. Consider Luther's statements:

The Mass in the papacy has to be the greatest and most horrible abomination, since it directly and powerfully conflicts with this chief article. (SA II.i.1; Concordia, p. 264)

If these institutions will not serve this purpose, it is better to abandon them or tear them down than have their blasphemous, humanly invented services regarded as something better than the ordinary Christian life and the offices and callings ordained by God. This too is contrary to the chief article on the redemption through Jesus Christ. (SA II.iii.2; Concordia, p. 267).

Since monastic vows directly conflict with the first chief article, they must be absolutely abolished. (SA III.xiv.1; Concordia, p. 283).

Luther's constant theme is one echoed throughout the Lutheran Confessions, note for instance:

It is necessary for the chief article of the Gospel to be preserved, namely that we obtain grace freely by faith in Christ, and not by certain observances or acts of worship devised by people. (AC XXVIII.52; Concordia, p. 61).

Melanchthon hammers the point home in the Apology [Defense] of the Augsburg Confession:

In this controversy, the chief topic of Christian doctrine is treated. When it is understood correctly, it illumines and amplifies Christ’s honor ‹which is especially useful for the clear, correct understanding of the entire Holy Scriptures, and alone shows the way to the unspeakable treasure and right knowledge of Christ, and alone opens the door to the entire Bible›. It brings necessary and most abundant consolation to devout consciences. Therefore, we ask His Imperial Majesty to hear us with patience in matters of such importance. For the adversaries do not understand what the forgiveness of sins or faith or grace or righteousness is. Therefore, they sadly corrupt this topic, hide Christ’s glory and benefits, and rob devout consciences of the consolation offered in Christ. (Ap IV.2-3; Concordia, p. 82).

And again:

It [the article on repentance] contains the chief topic of the Gospel, the true knowledge of Christ, and the true worship of God. (Ap. XII.2; Concordia, p. 158).

This is the chief article that we are debating with our adversaries and the knowledge we regard is necessary to all Christians. (Ap. XII.58; Concordia, p. 165).

And:

Among the people, whoever understood the doctrine of repentance as presented by the adversaries? Yet this is the chief topic of Christian doctrine. (Ap. XXIV.25; Concordia, p. 228).

The constant drumbeat of justification continues in the Formula of Concord. Note:

This article about justification by faith (as the Apology says) is the chief article [see Ap IV 2–3] in all Christian doctrine. Without this teaching no poor conscience can have any firm consolation or truly know the riches of Christ’s grace. Dr. Luther also has written about this: "If this one teaching stands in its purity, then Christendom will also remain pure and good, undivided and unseparated; for this alone, and nothing else, makes and maintains Christendom.… Where this falls, it is impossible to ward off any error or sectarian spirit." [LW 14:37] Paul says especially about this article, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” [1 Corinthians 5:6]. Therefore, in this article he zealously and earnestly urges the use of exclusive terms [particulas exclusivas], that is, words that exclude people’s works from justification (i.e., “apart from works of the law,” “apart from works,” “by grace” [Romans 3:28; 4:6; Ephesians 2:8–9]). These show how highly necessary it is that in this article, along with the pure doctrine, the antithesis (i.e., all contrary doctrine) be stated separately, exposed, and rejected by this method. (FC SD III.6; Concordia, p. 536)

These and similar errors, one and all, we unanimously reject as contrary to God’s clear Word. By God’s grace we abide firmly and constantly in the doctrine of the righteousness of faith before God, as it is embodied, expounded, and proved from God’s Word in the Augsburg Confession, and the Apology issued after it. Concerning what is needed further for the proper explanation of this profound and chief article of justification before God—upon which depends the salvation of our souls—we direct readers to another document. For the sake of brevity we refer everyone to Dr. Luther’s beautiful and glorious commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians [1535]. [LW 26–27] (FC SD III.67; Concordia, p. 546).

It is only the Biblical Gospel that is Gospel—at all. Gospel, of course, meaning in the Greek, literally, "a message of good news." There any number of other religious philosophies and opinions that proclaim "good news" but the actual "good news" of Jesus Christ is what makes Christianity, Christianity, and it is what makes Lutheranism, Lutheranism.

It is a hard, but necessary, word to speak to fellow Christians when we declare that other confessions of the Gospel distract from, and obscure, the glory and merit of Christ, but they do and that is why we continue, to this day, and until the return of Christ, to hold high the banner of the Gospel, as it is so beautifully, clearly and powerfully confessed in the Book of Concord.

Why? Because we know that it is only the truth and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that comforts sinners. We are not interested in any other message. We preach Christ and Him crucified and risen because it is only Christ and the preaching of Christ that rescues people from the misery of their sin and an eternity of separation from God in hell. We know that it is only the Gospel of Jesus Christ that gives life meaning. It is the Gospel, alone, that gives us the peace that passes all understanding, and joy, even in the midst of sorrow and hardship. The Gospel not only gives, it is. The Gospel is love, hope, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. The Holy Spirit gives these gifts as the gifts of the Gospel. The Gospel is what gives life meaning.

Only the good news is the power of God that saves. Therefore, we stand fast and proclaim this alone-saving truth: the Gospel of Christ, the chief article of the Christian faith. We can not do otherwise. God help us. Amen.

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord, With All Your Graces Now Outpoured

It is wonderful that Mother's Day falls on Pentecost Sunday this year, for what could be a better way to celebrate Mother's Day than to do so on Pentecost Sunday, which we often refer to as the birthday of the Holy Christian Church. We confess as Lutherans that the Church is the "mother that begets and bears every Christian through the Word of God" (Large Catechism, Creed III.45) so as we thank God for our earthly mothers, we do so on the Sunday when we thank and praise the Holy Spirit for His graces, so lavishly poured into our lives and into our hearts through our spiritual mother, the Church, the bride of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

One of my favorite hymns is Martin Luther's Come, Holy Ghost.

1. Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord!
        Be all Thy graces now out poured
        On each believer's mind and heart;
        Thy fervent love to them impart.
        Lord, by the brightness of Thy light,
        Thou in the faith dost men unite
        Of every land and every tongue;
        This to Thy praise, O Lord, our God, be sung.
        Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

        2. Thou holy Light, Guide Divine,
        Oh, cause the Word of Life to shine!
        Teach us to know our God aright
        And call Him Father with delight.
        From every error keep us free;
        Let none but Christ our Master be
        That we in living faith abide,
        In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.
        Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

        3. Thou holy Fire, Comfort true,
        Grant us the will Thy work to do
        And in Thy service to abide;
        Let trials turn us not aside.
        Lord, by Thy power prepare each heart
        And to our weakness strength impart
        That bravely here we may contend,
        Through life and death to Thee, our Lord, ascend.
        Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

BOC FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions about the Book of Concord

A poll was taken of over 2,000 Lutheran pastors, asking them to list the questions they most frequently are asked about the Lutheran Confessions as contained in the Book of Concord. Here are the questions, in the order of frequency. Following the questions, answers are provided.

What is the Book of Concord?
What are the Lutheran Confessions?
What does Concord mean?
What does confession mean?
What is in the Book of Concord?
What are the Ecumenical Creeds?
What is the Augsburg Confession and Apology of the Augsburg Confession?
What are the Small and Large Catechisms?
What are the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope?
What is the Formula of Concord?
Who wrote the Book of Concord?
Since we have the Bible, why do we have the Book of Concord?
A friend of mine says it is wrong to use creeds or confessions. How do I respond?
Are the Lutheran Confessions just for pastors and theologians?
What documents should a layperson read first in the Book of Concord?
What is a confessional Lutheran?
What is an "unconditional subscription" to the Confessions?
Why is an unconditional subscription to the Lutheran Confessions so important?
Do all Lutheran churches have the same view of the Book of Concord?
Do other churches have confessions like the Lutheran Church?
Summing things up...

What is the Book of Concord?
The Book of Concord is a book published in 1580 that contains the Lutheran Confessions. (The image to the left is the title page from the first edition of the Book of Concord, printed in Dresden Germany, on June 25, 1580).

What are the Lutheran Confessions?
The Lutheran Confessions are ten statements of faith that Lutherans use as official explanations and summaries of what they believe, teach, and confess. They remain to this day the definitive standard of what Lutheranism is.

What does Concord mean?
Concord means “harmony.” The word is derived from two Latin words and is translated literally as “with one heart.”

What does confession mean?
When used in this context, confession means “to say what you believe.” The Lutheran Confessions are statements of faith that Lutherans use to say to the world, “This is what we believe, teach and confess. ”

What is in the Book of Concord?
The Book of Concord contains the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the Augsburg Confession, the Apology [Defense] of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord.

What are the Ecumenical Creeds?
Creed is from the Latin word credere, which means “to believe.” The three creeds in the Book of Concord are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. They are described as “ecumenical,” meaning “universal,” because they are accepted by the majority of Christians worldwide as correct expressions of what God’s Word teaches.

What is the Augsburg Confession and Apology of the Augsburg Confession?
In the year 1530, the Lutherans were required to present their confession of faith before the Holy Roman Emperor in Augsburg, Germany. The Augsburg Confession was publicly presented on June 25, 1530. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession was written to defend the Augsburg Confession. Apology means “defense” when used in this way.

What are the Small and Large Catechisms?
Martin Luther wrote two handbooks in 1529 to help families and pastors teach the basics of the Christian faith. The Small Catechism and the Large Catechism are organized around six topics: the Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, Holy Baptism, Confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. The catechisms were so universally accepted that they were included as part of the Book of Concord in 1580.

What are the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope?
Martin Luther wrote a set of doctrinal articles in 1537 for an alliance of Lutheran princes and territories, known as the Smalcaldic League. Luther’s articles were widely respected and were eventually included in the Book of Concord. At the same meeting that considered Luther’s articles, Philip Melanchthon was asked to expand on the subject of the Roman papacy and did so in his treatise, which was also later included in the Book of Concord.

What is the Formula of Concord?
After Luther’s death in 1546, various controversies arose in the Lutheran Church in Germany. After much debate and struggle, the Formula of Concord was adopted in 1577 by over eight thousand princes, political rulers, theologians, and pastors, effectively ending the controversy.

Who wrote the Book of Concord?
The ancient creeds in the Book of Concord were prepared by early church pastors and theologians. Philip Melanchthon, a layman, was a professor of Greek and theology at the University of Wittenberg. He was chiefly responsible for writing the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope. Martin Luther wrote the Small and Large Catechisms and the Smalcald Articles. A group of Lutheran theologians prepared the Formula of Concord. They were Jacob Andreae, Martin Chemnitz, Nicholas Selnecker, David Chytraeus, Andrew Musculus, and Christopher Koerner.

Since we have the Bible, why do we have the Book of Concord?
The Lutheran Confessions are a summary and explanation of the Bible. They are not placed over the Bible. They do not take the place of the Bible. The Book of Concord is how Lutherans are able to say, together, as a church, “This is what we believe. This is what we teach. This is what we confess.” The reason we have the Book of Concord is because of how highly we value correct teaching and preaching of God’s Word.

A friend of mine says it is wrong to use creeds or confessions. How do I respond?
The Bible itself not only contains numerous confessions and statements of faith by believers, but it also urges us to confess the faith. If a confession is completely in accord with Scripture, we can hardly claim that the content of the confession is merely “man-made” (1 Corinthians 12:1–3).

Are the Lutheran Confessions just for pastors and theologians?
No. They are for all people: pastors, theologians, and laypersons alike. They are important statements of faith. They are not necessarily easy to understand, but they are so important that everyone who is a Lutheran should be aware of what the Book of Concord is and should have a copy of the Lutheran Confessions. There is an edition of the Book of Concord prepared specifically for laypeople to read, filled with notes, annotations, illustrations, and many other useful materials to aid reading and understanding. It is titled Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions: A Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord and is available from Concordia Publishing House. You may order a copy on the Internet, or by calling 800-325-3040.

What documents should a layperson read first in the Book of Concord?
The Small Catechism is called “The Layman’s Bible” by the Formula of Concord because it does such a good job of summarizing the most important teachings of the Bible. The Large Catechism would be the next document to read carefully. The Augsburg Confession is the primary Lutheran Confession and should be read by every layperson. The Smalcald Articles are lively, bold, and powerful and capture readers’ interest. The time and attention needed to read the longer documents in the Book of Concord are well worth the effort since they are filled with such powerfully comforting and instructive biblical truth.

What is a confessional Lutheran?
A confessional Lutheran is a person who uses the documents contained in the Book of Concord to declare his faith to the world. The contents of the Book of Concord are cherished by such a person precisely because they are powerful means by which the correct teachings of Holy Scripture can be taught and shared with other people. The spirit of confessional Lutheranism is reflected well in the last words written in the Book of Concord: “In the sight of God and of all Christendom, we want to testify to those now living and those who will come after us. This declaration presented here about all the controverted articles mentioned and explained above—and no other—is our faith, doctrine, and confession. By God’s grace, with intrepid hearts, we are willing to appear before the judgment seat of Christ with this Confession and give an account of it (1 Peter 4:5). We will not speak or write anything contrary to this Confession, either publicly or privately. By the strength of God’s grace we intend to abide by it.” (FC SD XII 40).

What is an “unconditional subscription” to the Confessions?
Confessional Lutheran pastors are required to “subscribe,” that is, to pledge their agreement unconditionally with the Lutheran Confessions precisely because they are a pure exposition of the Word of God. This is the way our pastors, and all laypeople who confess belief in the Small Catechism, are able with great joy and without reservation or qualification to say what it is that they believe to be the truth of God’s Word.

Why is an unconditional subscription to the Lutheran Confessions so important?
Authentically Lutheran churches insist on a subscription to the Confessions because they agree with the Bible, not merely in so far as they agree with Scripture. Otherwise, there would no objective way to make sure that there is faithful teaching and preaching of God’s Word. Everything would depend on each pastor’s private opinions, subjective interpretations, and personal feelings, rather than on objective truth as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions.

Do all Lutheran churches have the same view of the Book of Concord?
No. Many Lutheran churches in the world today have been thoroughly influenced by the liberal theology that has taken over most so-called “mainline” Protestant denominations in North America and the large Protestant state churches in Europe, Scandinavia, and elsewhere. The foundation of much of modern theology is the view that the words of the Bible are not actually God’s words but merely human opinions and reflections of the personal feelings of those who wrote the words. Consequently, confessions that claim to be true explanations of God’s Word are now regarded more as historically conditioned human opinions, rather than as objective statements of truth. This would explain why some Lutheran churches enter into fellowship arrangements with non-Lutheran churches teaching things in direct conflict with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

Do other churches have confessions like the Lutheran Church?
Yes, they do. Most other churches have confessions scattered throughout various books. The Book of Concord is unique among all churches in the world, since it gathers together the Lutheran Church’s most normative expressions of the Christian faith into a single book that has been used for nearly five hundred years as a fixed point of reference for the Lutheran Church. Other churches have various catechisms and confessions they can point to, but few have as complete a collection of confessions that has received as much widespread use and support, for so long a time, as the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord of 1580.

Summing things up...
To be a Lutheran is to be one who honors the Word of God. That Word makes it clear that it is God’s desire for His Church to be in agreement about doctrine and to be of one mind, living at peace with one another (1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11). It is for that reason that we so treasure the precious confession of Christian truth that we have in the Book of Concord. For confessional Lutherans, there is no other collection of documents, statements, or books that so clearly, accurately, and comfortingly presents the truths of God’s Word and reveals the biblical Gospel as does our Book of Concord.

Hand in hand with our commitment to pure teaching and confession of the faith is, and always must be, an equally strong commitment to reaching out boldly with the Gospel and speaking God’s truth to the world. That is what confession of the faith is all about, in the final analysis. Indeed, “Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we also speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13). This is what it means to be, and to remain, a genuine confessional Lutheran.

by
Rev. Paul T. McCain
© 2008 All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to copy and use this FAQ for non-commercial purpose with the provision that the content of the FAQ not be changed and that it be reproduced in its entirety, with this copyright notice.

Here is the PDF version of this document:

Download boc_faq.pdf

Here is the Microsoft Word version of this document:

Download boc_faq.doc

Here is the Text file version of this document:

Download boc_faq.txt

Here is the RTF version of this document:

Download boc_faq.rtf

Pluralism Sunday or Pentecost Sunday?

I receive a lot of news releases from various church press agencies and entities. Most are about as exciting as reading stereo instructions, but every once in a while along comes one that makes me sit up and take notice.

May 11 is Pentecost Sunday but apparently some Christians believe that the celebration of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, often referred to as the birthday of the Holy Christian Church, would be a good day to celebrate Pluralism Sunday, a day on which all world religions are honored for the good they do their adherents. This is a tragedy of indescribable proportions.

Read the following, and weep. Then pray that God the Holy Spirit would stir the hearts of the faithful to reach out in love and compassion for all those are wandering as sheep without a shepherd, either caught up in the error of false and damning beliefs, or who have wandered away from the sheepfold of Christ. Here is the press release, and following it, is the description of the event on the web site of the Center for Progressive Christianity. The Center for Progressive Christianity has 325 web pages of congregations that have indicated they want their affiliation with the CPC to be made public knowledge.

Pluralism Sunday - May 11, 2008 - Worldwide
Christian churches around the world will celebrate Pluralism Sunday on May 11 in worship - in recognition that other religions may be as good for others as their faith is good for them. The worship services will include speakers from other faiths, and music and liturgical elements from other religions, honoring the religious diversity of the world.

Pluralism Sunday is sponsored by The Center for Progressive Christianity, www.tcpc.org. It is a network of over 5000 affiliates and nearly 400 churches nationwide which have adopted a "Welcome Statement" that affirms that other religions can be as good for their followers as Christianity is for Christians. Churches in Australia, New Zealand and Britain are also participating in Pluralism Sunday. "We do not claim that our religion is superior to all others. Instead, we celebrate that we can grow closer to God and grow deeper in compassion, and we can understand our own traditions better, through a deeper awareness of the world's religions," says Rev. Jim Burklo, the event's national coordinator.

Here are the plans of a few of the other churches participating in Pluralism Sunday around the U.S.: Epiphany Community Unitarian Universalist Church of Fenton, Michigan, has invited a Zen Buddhist with a Christian background to be the preacher that day "so that we can experience the similarities of our faith paths," according to Anne Lerche, the pastor Mizpah United Church of Christ in Hopkins, MN, will do a pulpit exchange with Bet Shalom Temple (Jewish) on Fri, May 9, and Sunday, May 11.

The Prince of Peace Church in Anniston, Alabama, will conduct a service that will include readings from the Muslim and Buddhist traditions, and hopes to have a guest speaker from a local mosque. Barbara Currie, pastor of the Congregational Church in Deering, NH, will preach about how Jesus is the church's gate to God, yet there are other equally important and creditable gates to God for other people.

For more information about Pluralism Sunday, see its website: www.pluralismsunday.org, and contact: Rev. Jim Burklo, coordinator, Pluralism Sunday, for The Center for Progressive Christianity: jtburklo@yahoo.com - 415-847-8997 or Fred C. Plumer, President: 253-303-0022

Web site text:

On Pluralism Sunday, May 27, 2007, Pentecost, progressive Christian churches around the US will explore and experience other religious traditions. 

Speakers, music, liturgies, and other elements from various religious traditions will be included in worship services.  This event is sponsored by The Center for Progressive Christianity. 

Participating congregations will benefit by being included in national and regional publicity for the event by TCPC, creating a special “evangelism” opportunity to reach out to people who seek open-minded, open-hearted churches. To be listed as a participating church, contact Rev. Jim Burklo, Pluralism Sunday’s coordinator, at jtburklo@yahoo.com as soon as possible. Indicate your church contact person, email address, phone, church web address, and any plans you have for celebrating Pluralism Sunday in worship on May 27.   For resources and information to help your church participate, see www.tcpc.blogs.com/pluralism_sunday .

Progressive Christians thank God for the diversity of religions in the world! We don’t claim that our religion is superior to all others. We grow closer to God, grow deeper in compassion, and understand our own tradition better by honoring and exploring the world’s religions.

 

Many if not most people think that in order to be a Christian, it’s necessary to believe that Christianity is the only valid way to salvation, and that other religions are inferior at best and evil at worst. But Pluralism Sunday spreads good news: there is a way to be Christian without making this prideful claim, which has been the cause of so much inter-religious division and misunderstanding. Pluralism Sunday takes a big step beyond mere “tolerance” of other religions, and affirms that other faiths may be as good for their adherents as our faith is for us.

Acts chapter 2 in the Bible recounts the powerful legend of Pentecost.  When Jesus’ disciples gathered in Jerusalem, the “curse of Babel” was reversed, and suddenly people who spoke different languages could understand each other.  This coming Pentecost, May 27, progressive churches will celebrate the Holy Spirit of harmony and understanding that is possible among followers of different spiritual traditions. 

PLURALISM SUNDAY is:

* time to bring people of other faiths to our churches to preach or help lead worship and celebrate other religions through songs and liturgies

* time for children and adults to learn more about the rich traditions of other faiths

* time to let the wider community know that our churches embrace religious pluralism.

 

To learn more about PLURALISM SUNDAY nationwide, contact Rev. Jim Burklo, TCPC Pluralism Sunday coordinator, at 415-332-3790 or jtburklo@yahoo.com, and look at  www.tcpc.blogs.com/pluralism_sunday for more background.