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
by Andrew Leahy
I write this on the Feast of the Epiphany, which is the celebration of the birth of Christ “epiphanied” –manifested – to the Gentiles. One of the themes of this celebration could be stated as “bringing in the outsiders.” Over the centuries prior to Christ’s birthGod had spoken to the descendants of Sarah and Abraham […]
by Robert Benne
Though it was one of the last things I really wanted to do, I felt obligated to argue for traditional Christian sexual ethics at two “dialogues” or “debates” sponsored by the Northern Illinois Synod and the Central/Southern Illinois Synod in November 2003. The task was made easier by the presence of Martha Stortz as a […]
“The priesthood of all believers,” “the ministry of the baptized,” “the call of the baptized” All phrases and concepts for ministry that are rightfully the source of much conversation and reflection as we seek to order the ministry of the church for the 21st Century. These phrases and concepts can also be the source of […]
We have been nourished with Word and Sacrament. We have received the benediction. A lone voice cries out, “Go in peace. Serve the Lord.” We respond, “Thanks be to God.” I always shout this response. Sometimes this shout is an affirmation. Moved by proclamation and fortified by the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, I […]
Note: The following excerpts are from an article by the same name in Lutheran Forum,Vol. 29, No.4, November 1995. Used by permission. Over the centuries since the Reformation, Lutherans have proudly laid claim to the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers and that of Christian vocation. Luther, they declared, was the first Reformer to […]
My interest in the life and thought of Albert Schweitzer as a guiding principle came via a circuitous route. For some time I had been aware of considerable social and economic change and turmoil in the world. It seemed to me that we, as a society, were losing what I call “mutual regard,” i.e., a […]
cialis uk broadvisiongroup.comIn his congregation’s newsletter, Pr. Peter Marty of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa, describes being struck by the way a summer camp counselor spoke of her role as a “memory-maker for kids.” He comments that this young woman did not have a summer job, she had a calling—a wonderful experience that can […]
by Andrew Leahy
In 1983 in Vancouver, the Assembly of the World Council of Churches articulated a “eucharistic” vision which …unites our two profoundest ecumenical concerns: the unity and renewal of the church and the healing and destiny of the human community. Church unity is vital to the health of the church and to the future of the […]
“Thee, thee and thee, but not me,” Dr. Kubler-Ross used to say about death and dying.It happens to everyone else but not to me. So it is with tragedy and lament in the ministry. Things happen in other communities, but not here; things happen to other pastors but not to me. And then it happens. […]
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, there has been renewed attention to the role of lament in public and private life. Lament involves the recognition that we are not in control. It is a healthy corrective in a culture which focuses on success (presumed to be attainable) and on being in control of our […]
by Walter Brueggemann Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002. 75 pp. $6.00 Reviewed/excerpted by Joyce M. Bowers Walter Brueggemann is the William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He is a prolific author; many of his books have been published by Fortress Press, notably Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy […]
The theme of this article is “The Law-Court Pattern of Prayer.” This pattern is used by the poets in accounts about Abraham, Moses, and Elijah, and is present in about fifty Psalms, in Jeremiah and in Job. In all of these texts the poets wrestle with the experience of innocent suffering. We will look at […]
I. We lament death. We grieve and we mourn. “Blessed are those who mourn,” said Jesus, “for they shall be comforted.” In this beatitude many people take refuge. I have heard people call this the principal beatitude of their lives. What are we lamenting? We lament death. Death means change. Death disrupts what we have […]
Gerald L. Lundby responded to Frank Senn’s column “As I See It … The Need to Observe the Rubrics” in Volume 7, Issue 2 as follows: Pastor Senn’s comments on the proper use of the liturgy were scholarly and appreciated. I sometimes find that the “contemporary liturgies” popping up all over our synod congregations leave […]
This is off the beaten path for me, but the situation in the Holy Land has been an interest of mine since I was privileged to travel to Israel and Palestine in the summer of 1998 in the Christian Clergy Traveling Seminar sponsored by the Chicago Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. I’m grateful that […]