“The decision at the August 2009 Churchwide Assembly split our congregation. What help can you suggest for us?” An ELCA member asked this question of Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson at the Town Hall Forum, March 7, 2010. He answered: “I begin from the premise not that some in this church are being faithful to the […]
African Lutherans don’t buy “bound conscience”
Member churches of the LWF in Africa reject the ELCA’s approval of same-sex marriage and families. Meeting in March 24-28 in Abuja, Nigeria, African Lutherans affirmed marriage as the union of one man and one woman as normative (rejecting polygamy and same-sex unions) and mom-dad families as best for children. The Rev. Alex G. Malasusa, […]
Late Luther On The Ministry (1535, 1542)
Late Luther On The Ministry (1535, 1542) [1] Some Luther scholars claim that Luther’s early statements on Ministry were made in the confusion of starting up and that after mature reflection he developed a “higher” view of Ministry. Not true. Sept 12, 1535. A letter by Luther to Dorothea Joerger “On the other matter, do not be led astray by […]
Luther on Easter
“In the midst of life we are ringed ’round by death,’ but the gospel reverses this, saying: in the midst of death we are ringed ’round by life,’ because we have the forgiveness of sins” (LW 13:83).
Calvin is back: Why not Luther?
“When Calvinist preacher Jonathan Edwards told worshipers in 1741 that they were loathsome spiders held over the pit of hell by the gracious hand of an offended God, he wasn’t speaking a heretical creed but the basic vocabulary of American faith.” “Much of modern Christianity preaches a comforting Home Depot theology: You can do it. […]