Gottesdienst
Gottesblog transparent background.png

Gottesblog

A blog of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy

Filter by Month
 
Wasn't this covered in I John 2:23?

One of the things that continually shocks me about the contemporary Roman Church is the complete loss of bearings regarding the Jews. Take the Bible passage quoted above and toss in a little Talmud, say Sanhedrin 43a. and 107, and the conclusion are not hard to come by, among them: the sons of Abraham according to the flesh who reject our Lord Jesus Christ are not our brothers, do not know our Father, and need praying for not with. Spirit of Vatican II, indeed. 

Read More
Heath CurtisComment
The District Visitation

My District President, upon his first ascending to that office, took in hand a personal visitation of all his pastors. This was a low key affair - a devotion, a prayer, and a brief discussion of "how are things." It was a kind and, knowing the man, a heartfelt gesture. Toward the end he asked what the district could do for me, what I saw as a profitable role for the district in my parish's ministry.

Read More
Heath Curtis Comments
Holy Space

There is a rhyme and reason to traditional church architecture. It's no mistake that Joel Osteen's church is just a stage with a couple ferns. Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and traditional Anglican churches are built as they are because those are the folks who believe that the Sacrament is really Jesus' body and blood.

Read More
Heath Curtis Comments
On Synergism (the good kind)

Another bit of Gerhard from the tomb of forgotten theology: we cooperate with God in our sanctification and He rewards our good works with eternal rewards. That's one reason why the rewards are promised - so that we will not lose heart in struggling against our sin and living righteously. This volume on Free Will and Free Choice is going to be worth every penny when CPH puts it out (and I don't get royalties, so no conflict of interest).

Read More
Guest Author Comments
What sola fide does and does not mean

Another crystal clear statement from Gerhard. For a while back in the late 1990's it was fashionable in some confessional theological circles to say very provocative things about "sanctification by faith alone"or "sanctification is Christ in action,"etc. Whatever valid points the purveyors of these statements were making, I was always leery of them. Justification is by faith alone and we are purely passive, but in sanctification we are active, though in great weakness, in our will and works. Here is a classic statement of this from Gerhard.

Read More
Guest Author Comments
Pride

Pride is the chief sin. It is the sin against the First Commandment, and as every sin is against the First Commandment, every sin is pride. Every sin says to God, "I know what you want, how you say I should live, but I know better; I have a better law." So every sin is making oneself one's own god - pride.

Read More
Heath Curtis Comments
What De Servo Arbitrio does and does not mean

I am very excited for the Gerhard volumne on free choice and free will to come out. There is perhaps no more misunderstood work of Luther today than his seminal De Servo Arbitrio. Even the translation is wrong: that's "bound choice [arbitrium]" not "bound will [voluntas]." One of the most egregious errors in Lutheranism today is a creeping antinomianism painted up to look like Luther's bound choice.

Read More
Guest AuthorComment
Gerhard on Luther and Melanchthon

I'm working through Gerhard's section on free choice and free will. He continues to impress me not only as a genius in theology, but also as a reasonable man full of good sense. He is no sycophant to the theologians who have gone before him and neither does he commit the sin of Ham against his fathers in the faith. Here is a fine example of his moderation, kindness, and honesty toward the giants on whose shoulders he stands.

Read More
Guest Author Comment