Concordia Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger sits down with Dr. Jon Vieker, who became associate professor of Practical Theology in August 2021. He also serves as dean of chapel. Vieker previously served as senior assistant to Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) President Dr. Matthew C. Harrison (2010-21) and assistant director for the LCMS Commission on ..
Concordia Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger sits down with Dr. Kevin Golden, who became associate professor of Exegetical Theology in July 2021. Golden previously served as pastor of Village Lutheran Church, Ladue, Mo. (2009-21), and as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Holts Summit, Mo. (2002-09). “With nearly 20 years of pastoral parish ministry experience, ..
By Thomas Egger It is interesting to look at different paintings inspired by this Bible story. The rich man is surrounded by friends and servants and tables furnished with food, and his gaze is fixed on one of his friends or on an alluring woman or on the platters of food. Poor Lazarus is surrounded ..
By Thomas Egger Better ways, better thoughts. The ways and thoughts of God are immeasurably better than the ways and thoughts of sinful people. God therefore calls all humanity to true repentance, that is, to abandon their own wicked thoughts and ways and to return to God in faith—for God’s ways include incomprehensible mercy toward sinners! The iniquitous ways ..
By Thomas Egger Proposed theme: The sermon focus developed here highlights the language of curse and blessing in Galatians 3. No power of our own, but only Jesus Christ, has delivered us from the God-sized curse of sin and death. Through Jesus, we receive the God-sized “blessing of Abraham.” General notes: This pericope continues from ..
By Thomas Egger Congregations of the LCMS have not heard many sermons on the rainbow, since Genesis 9 did not occur in the lectionary cycles of Lutheran Worship. In fact, the LW three-year lectionary did not include a single reading from the Flood narrative in Genesis 6–9. With the biblical illiteracy of our culture and ..
At its annual booksigning reception, Concordia Seminary honored the following faculty who have written or contributed to books published in the last year
By Thomas Egger At the Jerusalem temple (Mt 21:23), as the great feast approaches, a high-profile religious confrontation takes place. Jesus has entered the city amidst shouts of “Hosanna,” hailed by the throngs as the son of David (21:1–9). Now the religious leaders lock horns with Jesus, challenging his authority, attempting to trap him in his ..
INTERPRETING THE HISTORICAL BOOKS, Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis series, vol. 1. By Robert B. Chisholm, Jr. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2006. 232 pages. Paper. $19.99. Reviewed by Thomas Egger Joshua at Jericho, Gideon and his three hundred men, Samuel anointing the boy David to be king—any pastor, teacher, or Sunday School child may come up ..
by Thomas Egger As the season of Lent approaches its climax—Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection—our Lord summons our attention: “Behold! I am about to do a new thing! Right now it sprouts forth—don’t you perceive it?” (Is 43:19) Ultimately, this pericope has an eschatological thrust. On this Sunday, however, it resonates with the rich Lenten ..
By Thomas Egger This text presents a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in a way that faces up to the homeliness of fallen humanity, reconstructs our shallow contemporary notions of beauty and embraces the promise of the coming age. For the shriveled and the decrepit, for the lonely divorcee, for the sixth-grade ..
By Thomas Egger Mark 4 begins and ends with references to Jesus as a teacher (4:1, 4:38). Yet it is clear from the central theme of his teaching (the kingdom of God) and from his authority over wind and sea that Jesus is much more than a teacher. In his words and works, the end-time ..