Gottesblog

I had the opportunity to sit down with the Rev. Bryan Stecker, host of the podcast On the Line (OTL) back in July, and the episode dropped earlier this week. OTL features a wide range of guests, both Lutheran and from many other traditions, with recent episodes covering C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Mormonism, infant Baptism, artificial intelligence, and much, much more. Many of the guests will be familiar names to readers of this blog, and many will be less familiar, but all will be thoroughly interesting.

The daily liturgical calendar for the upcoming year has been made available from The Lutheran Missal. It is available in two forms, the first in a Google Sheet with readings noted, easy for pastors and musicians to copy and adapt for their service planning purposes, to print for a ready reference, or to distribute to altar guilds for their use. The readings listed are for the mass, not the daily office, though one could also use them for that purpose if desired. The TLM calendar is also available in a Google Calendar format for ready and easy access on one’s computer or other devices.

In the early 1520s, while still in his thirties, Luther had hoped that the civil authorities would abolish all usury and responsibly reform and regulate the purchase of rental income (Zinskauf), which so often produced the same deleterious effects as interest-bearing loans. He recognized that it remains the duty of the state to restrain such sinful practices and the mammonism they foster. By the late 1530s, however, then in his fifties, Luther had abandoned hope that this would ever be accomplished. Consequently, rather than striving any further to persuade civil leaders, he turned his attention to his fellow pastors, exhorting them to preach boldly against this sin, if for no other reason than for their own sake, that they might be found faithful on the day of judgment.

Last week on The Didymus podcast, I discussed with the Revs. Joseph and Jesse Schlie the common Lutheran cliché “That’s Too Catholic,” specifically the matters of chanting, the sign of the cross, and outward expressions or reverence, such as bowing and kneeling. Part Two dropped today, in which we discuss saints days, vestments, and crucifixes. Take a listen, subscribe, and look through the back catalog on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Pocketcasts, or your platform of choice.