“It is not judgmental to identify smoking tobacco as harmful. We agree it is not judgmental but loving to encourage people to stop smoking,” writes Merton Strommen. To see how this applies to same-sex behaviors, read here.
Everything – except what really counts
ELCA Bishop Peter Rogness reports to the ELCA Conference of Bishops that our post, “Lutherans: Hands Off!” — is much-ado-about-nothing. To the contrary, it’s much-ado-about-the-main-thing: The touch which alone gives bishops the special grace to ordain other clergy and make Christ present in the Eucharist. Rogness doesn’t get it. His report shows he’s uninformed about […]
Wingren on Ministry
Gustaf Wingren (1910-2000) was no ivory tower theologian. He spoke out about the necessary consequences of the gospel for the church. A recent review article on Wingren shines light on many of his achievements but neglects his strong defense of Lutheran ministry over against those traditions which require a sacramental, hierarchical episcopate (Lutheran Quarterly 23:2, […]
“Inspiration” isn’t what they think it is…
The key verse is 2 Timothy 3:16. In the early church: “The scriptures were not the only ancient writings that were believed to be inspired by God.” So what’s inspired and what’s not? Kalin has shown that “in the early church inspiration applied not only to all scripture, but also to the Christian community, as […]
Lutherans: Hands Off!
Remember CCM? That horse-trading deal in which Episcopalians agreed “to study”[1] the Lutheran Confessions in exchange for the ELCA’s adoption of the sacramental historic episcopate? Look at what happened Saturday, Feb 13th. Three ELCA bishops attended the ordination of the new Episcopal Bishop of Minnesota, the Right Rev Brian Prior. The grand pageant was held […]