By Robert Hoehner This is Pentecost, a day of celebration; a day to remember and hold fast to our identity as the people of God, and the purpose he intends for our lives in this world, and the new world to come. We are here to give him glory! Our Gospel Lesson is a Pentecost ..
Just one example: Chaplain Steve Lee, head of Peace Officer Ministries, at work, somewhere. The police called me from the house of a woman with a gun to her head. That’s the conversation I overheard in the hallway outside my office. (A workshop for chaplains, peace officers and pastors, focusing on effective Christian ministry to and through law enforcement is meeting at Concordia Seminary this week.) The rest of the story involved 16 cats, animal control, health and human services, and the woman ‘gun to her head’ shouting out the window, You’re not taking away my babies! The end of the story involved this particular chaplain talking the woman down, averting disaster, and restoring calm to the neighborhood
How about that! I actually saw a cerulean warbler. But it wouldn’t have happened without some help. At Lost Valley Trail in Weldon Spring, MO, I ran into a more experienced birder who went by the name, Rad
By Quentin F. Wesselschmidt Preliminary considerations: In his recent book, The Lost History of Christianity (New York: HarperOne, 2008), Philip Jenkins writes: In the late ninth century, an elderly Egyptian monk shocked his Muslim listeners when he explicitly denied that Christianity could be supported purely on the grounds of reason, and agreed that ideas like ..
Concordia Seminary will honor faculty members who have recently published books next Tuesday, May 19, 4:00-6:00PM , in the Seminary’s Koburg Hall ( map and directions ). The celebration will include the requisite fine wine, hors d’oeuvres, and lively conversation. And the writers will be present to sign books
Walter Wangerin, Jr. Last Wednesday, Concordia Seminary hosted the visit of renowned writer and preacher Walter Wangerin, Jr. as part of the Seminary’s annual “Day of Homiletical Reflection.” Among his dozens of books are the National Book Award winner The Book of the Dun Cow , and his bestseller The Book of God
By Henry Gerike The Great Fifty Days of Easter continue as the Church explores how it stays alive. Christ’s resurrection certainly makes us alive. To remain alive in Christ is to stay connected to him through his Word and the Sacraments. The idea of the vineyard and the vine is not new; it was already ..
A few weeks ago I reviewed a fascinating book by Scott Weidensaul about the migration of birds in the western hemisphere. Here in St
Last year in a little article, “Can Lutherans Observe Earth Day?” I asked if being theologically conservative required us to be politically conservative on social issues like the environment. After all, Luther’s recovery of the Gospel led him to revalue creation as our good home
My colleague, Tim Saleska, put me on to an op-ed in the New York Times regarding a ballot initiative that was passed by Californians to ban certain factory farm practices. In particular, it states that farm animals cannot be confined for their entire lives to cages in which they cannot move
Sometimes I wonder if we conservative Christians have become what might be called second and third article Christians (that is we care only about the second & third articles of the Nicene Creed). In other words, we think of Jesus as the one who gets us to heaven with the result that we then regard creation as of little importance by comparison
By Robert Rosin Although the reading begins with verse 14, the context from the start of the chapter is helpful. Nicodemus, a learned man, an expert in the law, and a leader of the religious community (Sanhedrin), came by night to see Jesus—to see but not be seen. Darkness provided cover, giving Nicodemus hope that ..
By Francis C. Rossow Sermon notes 1. Like our text, the Epistle for this Sunday (1 Cor 7:29-31) has something to say about time. Paul’s comment that “the time is short” echoes the urgency of our Lord’s announcement, “The time has come” (v. 15)—the only difference being that Paul is speaking of the quantity of ..
By Thomas E. Manteufel, In this Easter season we hear the apostle Peter exhorting the Christians to live righteously, turning from evil and doing good, seeking peace and pursuing it (1 Pe 3:8-12). In doing this he wants us to look at: Jesus Christ, the Guide to Right Living I. The followers of Christ are ..
By Arthur E. Graudin, Textual Considerations: The words “judges each one according to each one’s deeds” (1:17) (ESV) are a reminder of the final judgment described by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46. Good deeds do not earn salvation but are the evidence of faith. The words εv φοβω (1:17) have been translated “with fear” (ESV), “in fear” ..
By Arthur F. Graudin, The Introit for the Day in the Altar Book, LSB reminds the worshippers that the One who is the subject of the day’s worship is “the King of Glory.” “The King of Glory” is identified as “the Lord of hosts”—who is in charge of human and angelic armies, the sun, the moon, ..