20 years of
Living Theology in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod since 1996
By Frederick J. Schumacher
By John A. Lang
By Frank C. Senn
By Benjamin Dueholm
By Gordon J. Straw
By Maxwell E. Johnson
By Frank C. Senn
By Frank C. Senn
One of the most oft-repeated Luther quotes, including by the ELCA Social Statement “Caring for Creation,” is this: “If I believed that tomorrow the world were to end, I would plant an apple tree today.” But the proverb raises some questions. First, where did he say it? Attempts to identify the beloved words in Luther’s […]
The Bible and the liturgy need each other. The Bible was being read in the liturgical assemblies of Christians already by the middle of the second century, according to Justin Martyr (Apology, I, 67), “as long as time permits.” What Justin called “the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets” were the […]
On or about the 4th of July, our Presiding Bishop, Mark Hanson, sent an electronic encyclical to ELCA pastors enjoining us to use our public office of word and sacrament to address public issues, such as matters of social justice and world peace. He gave several examples of his own recent forays into the field […]
The Spring 2004 issue of Let’s Talk stimulated a number of responses from our readers. Many of the comments referred to an article by Robert Benne, which was itself a “Reader’s Response.” We appreciate the thoughtful responses printed below, which have a variety of points of view. Thanks so much for allowing us to see […]
Yesterday at a conference of the Association of Confessional Lutherans I presented almost the same paper I am presenting here today, but under a different title. The title of that paper, “The Difference between the Lutheran and the Roman Catholic Doctrine of the Sacraments,” was exactly the wording of the topic I was asked to […]
by Andrew Leahy
I have a question for our readers’ consideration. What does it mean to be a Lutheran in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church? The Augsburg Confession, Article 7, states: “…it is enough for the true unity of the church to agree concerning the teaching of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments. It […]
Martin Luther wrote very little on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as such, concentrating instead in his own calling as a church reformer on the redemptive work of the Triune God among us. Nevertheless, it was only “the lofty articles of the divine Majesty…both parties confess” (Die Bekenntniss-chriften, der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirche, BSLK, The Smalcald […]
The worship of early Christians developed from Jewish worship and the ministry of Jesus. The New Testament gives us both the forms of worship and the theology behind those forms. As an orthodox Jew Jesus worshipped where Jews worshipped and participated fully in Jewish rites.Although Jesus was critical of many aspects of Israel’s religious life […]
Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia! This resurrection gospel has a lot of what we who have heard the story year after year have come to expect: the women coming to the tomb at dawn; the stone rolled away; the vision of angels; the other disciples’ disbelief of the women’s “idle tale” […]
by Larry Yoder
Dear Nathan, We live in a time of significant controversy in the church. We labor in God’s vineyard amidst contentions contrary to the classic catholic faith of the church. As you await closure on a call for your ordination, I write these reflections on fidelity in ministry. Hear these words from the Holy Scripture: “Preach […]
Let me answer the question in the title in the affirmative. We have had theological discussions in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. One major discussion concerned the ecumenical proposals before the ELCA in 1997. I remember several hundred people making it through a Thursday night rainstorm to Carthage College in 1996 to engage in a discussion […]
The Society of the Holy Trinity is committed to fostering the life of prayer, study and faithful parish practice among pastors of the Lutheran Church. A key component of this life is the use of the Small Catechism. The Society’s Rule stipulates that members will “Provide sound catechesis for all candidates for baptism and confirmation, […]
by Keith Forni
Start with the Sending Let’s begin at the end. Sunday in and Sunday out, the Eucharistic Liturgy ends with a commission. It’s Easter rendition may sound like this: “Go in Peace to Serve the Lord. Alleluia!” You know the assembly’s response: “Thanks be to God! Alleluia!” That cousin of ite missa est — the mass […]
Many things impede full fellowship between Lutherans and Roman Catholics: a history of conflict, theological disputes, and differing approaches to church governance, to name a few. In practice, a foremost impediment is cliché. Centuries of mutual ignorance and even hostility generated lowbrow and persistent images of the brethren separated by a common faith: crawling Catholics, […]
Introduction According to the founding statement of the Society of the Holy Trinity, “Ordained to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments in Christ’s Church, called to such an office in Lutheran churches, we form together an ordered society of pastors. We commit ourselves to gather regularly for hearing the Word, celebrating the Lord’s Supper, […]