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Luther's Gospel Sermon for Reminiscere, The Second Sunday in Lent. Matthew 15:21-28. Canaanite Woman

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Luther's Sermon for REMINISCERE. SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. Matthew 15:21-28

German text: Erlangen edition 11:121; Walch 11:744; St. Louis 11:544.

TEXT:

Matthew 15:21-28. And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. And he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs. But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

CONTENTS:

THE FAITH OF THE SYROPHENICIAN WOMAN, AND THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THIS GOSPEL.
I. HER FAITH.

1. Her faith was truly perfect

2. How and whence her faith originated 2-3.

3. How Christ tries her faith.

A. The First Trial. a. The trial itself 4. b. The conduct of the woman during this trial 5.

B. The Second Trial. a. The trial itself 5-6. b. The conduct of the woman during this trial 7.

C. The Third Trial. a. The trial itself 8. b. The conduct of the woman during this trial 9.

II. THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THIS GOSPEL.

1. The first part of this interpretation 10-12.

2. The second part of this interpretation 13.

3. The conclusion of this discourse

1. This Gospel presents to us a true example of firm and perfect faith. For this woman endures and overcomes in three great and hard battles, and teaches us in a beautiful manner the true way and virtue of faith, namely, that it is a hearty trust in the grace and goodness of God as experienced and revealed through his Word. For St. Mark says, she heard some news about Jesus, Mark 7:25. What kind of news? Without doubt good news, and the good report that Christ was a pious man and cheerfully helped everybody. Such news about God is a true Gospel and a word of grace, out of which sprang the faith of this woman; for had she not believed, she would not have thus run after Christ etc. In like manner we have often heard how St. Paul in Romans 10:17 says that faith cometh by hearing, that the Word must go in advance and be the beginning of our salvation.

2. But how is it that many more have heard this good news concerning Christ, who have not followed him, and did not esteem it as good news?

Answer: The physician is helpful and welcome to the sick; the healthy have no use for him. But this woman felt her need, hence she followed the sweet scent, as is written in the Song of Solomon 1:3. In like manner Moses must precede and teach people to feel their sins in order that grace may be sweet and welcome to them. Therefore all is in vain, however friendly and lovely Christ may be pictured, if man is not first humbled by a knowledge of himself and he possesses no longing for Christ, as Mary’s Song says, “The hungry he hath filled with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away,” Luke 1:53. All this is spoken and written for the comfort of the distressed, the poor, the needy, the sinful, the despised, so that they may know in all times of need to whom to flee and where to seek comfort and help.

3. But see in this example how Christ like a hunter exercises and chases faith in his followers in order that it may become strong and firm. First when the woman follows him upon hearing of his fame and cries with assured confidence that he would according to his reputation deal mercifully with her, Christ certainly acts differently, as if to let her faith and good confidence be in vain and turn his good reputation into a lie, so that she could have thought: Is this the gracious, friendly man? or: Are these the good words, that I have heard spoken about him, upon which I have depended? It must not be true; he is my enemy and will not receive me; nevertheless he might speak a word and tell me that he will have nothing to do with me. Now he is as silent as a stone. Behold, this is a very hard rebuff, when God appears so earnest and angry and conceals his grace so high and deep; as those know so well, who feel and experience it in their hearts. Therefore she imagines he will not fulfill what he has spoken, and will let his Word be false; as it happened to the children of Israel at the Red Sea and to many other saints.

4. Now, what does the poor woman do? She turns her eyes from all this unfriendly treatment of Christ; all this does not lead her astray, neither does she take it to heart, but she continues immediately and firmly to cling in her confidence to the good news she had heard and embraced concerning him, and never gives up. We must also do the same and learn firmly to cling to the Word, even though Go with all his creatures appears different than his Word teaches. But, oh, how painful it is to nature and reason, that this woman should strip herself of self and forsake all that she experienced, and cling alone to God’s bare Word, until she experienced the contrary. May God help us in time of need and of death to possess like courage and faith!

5. Secondly, since her cry and faith avail nothing, the disciples approach with their faith, and pray for her, and imagine they will surely be heard. But while they thought he should be more tenderhearted, he became only the more indifferent, as we see and think. For now he is silent no more nor leaves them in doubt; he declines their prayer and says: “I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This rebuff is still harder since not only our own person is rejected, but the only comfort that remains to us, namely, the comfort and prayers of pious and holy persons, are rejected. For our last resort, when we feel that God is ungracious or we are in need, is that we go to pious, spiritual persons and there seek counsel and help, and they are willing to help as love demands; and yet, that may amount to nothing, even they may not be heard and our condition becomes only worse.


6. Here one might upbraid Christ with all the words in which he promised to hear his saints, as Matthew 18:19: “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them.”

Likewise, Mark 11:24: “All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them;” and many more like passages. What becomes of such promises in this woman’s case? Christ, however, promptly answers and says: Yes, it is true, I hear all prayers, but I gave these promises only to the house of Israel. What do you think? Is not that a thunderbolt that dashes both heart and faith into a thousand pieces, when one feels that God’s Word, upon which one trusts, was not spoken for him, but applies only to others? Here all saints and prayers must be speechless, yea, here the heart must let go of the Word, to which it would gladly hold, if it would consult its oven feelings.

7. But what does the poor woman do? She does not give up, she clings to the Word although it be torn out of her heart by force, is not turned away by this stern answer, still firmly believes his goodness is yet concealed in that answer, and still she will not pass judgment that Christ is or may be ungracious. That is persevering steadfastness.

8. Thirdly, she follows Christ into the house, as Mark 7:24-25 informs us, perseveres, falls down at his feet, and says: “Lord, help me!” There she received her last mortal blow, in that Christ said in her face, as the words tell, that she was a dog, and not worthy to partake of the children’s bread.

What will she say to this! Here he presents her in a bad light, she is a condemned and an outcast person, who is not to be reckoned among God’s chosen ones.

9. That is an eternally unanswerable reply, to which no one can give a satisfactory answer. Yet she does not despair, but agrees with his judgment and concedes she is a dog, and desires also no more than a dog is entitled to, namely, that she may eat the crumbs that fall from the table of the Lord.

Is not that a masterly stroke as a reply? She catches Christ with his own words. He compares her to a dog, she concedes it, and asks nothing more than that he let her be a dog, as he himself judged her to be. Where will Christ now take refuge? He is caught. Truly, people let the dog have the crumbs under the table; it is entitled to that. Therefore Christ now completely opens his heart to her and yields to her will, so that she is now no dog, but even a child of Israel.

10. All this, however, is written for our comfort and instruction, that we may know how deeply God conceals his grace before our face, and that we may not estimate him according to our feelings and thinking, but strictly according to his Word. For here you see, though Christ appears to be even hardhearted, yet he gives no final decision by saying “No.” All his answers indeed sound like no, but they are not no, they remain undecided and pending. For he does not say: I will not hear thee; but is silent and passive, and says neither yes nor no. In like manner he does not say she is not of the house of Israel; but he is sent only to the house of Israel; he leaves it undecided and pending between yes and no. So he does not say, Thou art a dog, one should not give thee of the children’s bread; but it is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs; leaving it undecided whether she is a dog or not. Yet all those trials of her faith sounded more like no than yes; but there was more yea in them than nay; ay, there is only yes in them, but it is very deep and very concealed, while there appears to be nothing but no.

11. By this is set forth the condition of our heart in times of temptation; Christ here represents how it feels. It thinks there is nothing but no and yet that is not true. Therefore it must turn from this feeling and lay hold of and retain the deep spiritual yes under and above the no with a firm faith in God’s Word, as this poor woman does, and say God is right in his judgment which he visits upon us; then we have triumphed and caught Christ in his own words. As for example when we feel in our conscience that God rebukes us as sinners and judges us unworthy of the kingdom of heaven, then we experience hell, and we think we are lost forever. Now whoever understands here the actions of this poor woman and catches God in his own judgment, and says: Lord, it is true, I am a sinner and not worthy of thy grace; but still thou hast promised sinners forgiveness, and thou art come not to call the righteous, but, as St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, “to save sinners.” Behold, then must God according to his own judgment have mercy upon us.

12. King Manasseh did likewise in his penitence as his prayer proves; he conceded that God was right in his judgment and accused himself as a great sinner and yet he laid hold of the promised forgiveness of sins. David also does likewise in Psalm 51:4 and says: “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight; that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” For God’s disfavor in every way visits us when we cannot agree with his judgment nor say yea and amen, when he considers and judges us to be sinners. If the condemned could do this, they would that very moment be saved. We say indeed with our mouth that we are sinners; but when God himself says it in our hearts, then we are not sinners, and eagerly wish to be considered pious and free from that judgment. But it must be so; if God is to be righteous in his words that teach you are a sinner, then you may claim the rights of all sinners that God has given them, namely, the forgiveness of sins. Then you eat not only the crumbs under the table as the little dogs do; but you are also a child and have God as your portion according to the pleasure of your will.

13. This is the spiritual meaning of our Gospel and the scriptural explanation of it. For what this poor woman experienced in the bodily affliction of her daughter, whom she miraculously caused to be restored to health again by her faith, that we also experience when we wish to be healed of our ,sins and of our spiritual diseases, which is truly a wicked devil possessing us; here she must become a dog and we become sinners and brands of hell, and then we have already recovered from our sickness and are saved.

14. Whatever more there is in this Gospel worthy of notice, as that one can obtain grace and help through the faith of another without his own personal faith, as took place here in the daughter of this poor woman, has been sufficiently treated elsewhere. Furthermore that Christ and his disciples along with the woman in this Gospel exhibit to us an example of love, in that no one acts, prays and cares for himself but each for others, is also clear enough and worthy of consideration.



Reminiscere Sunday, The Second Sunday in Lent, 2016. Matthew 15:21-28. The Canaanite Woman

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Annibale Carracci, Christ and the Canaanite Woman, 1595.
Oil on canvas, Palazzo Municipale, Parma.


Reminiscere Sunday, The Second Sunday in Lent, 2016

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson




The Hymn #652   I Lay My Sins on Jesus              
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       
The Gospel              
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #142    A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining - Gerhardt  


Comfort Revealed in Hard Passage

The Hymn #
454            Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire                
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 374                 Grace Tis a Charming Sound 

KJV 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God,even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

KJV Matthew 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Second Sunday In Lent

Lord God, heavenly Father, grant us, we beseech Thee, by Thy Holy Spirit, that He may strengthen our hearts and confirm our faith and hope in Thy grace and mercy, so that, although we have reason to fear because of our conscience, our sin, and our unworthiness, we may nevertheless, with the woman of Canaan, hold fast to Thy grace, and in every trial and temptation find Thee a very present help and refuge, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.


Comfort Revealed in Difficult Passage

KJV Matthew 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

This passage is listed in the difficult sayings of Jesus, one which seems to portray Him in a bad light. The skeptics crawl over these passages - like ants on spilled sugar, which only shows they do not see or grasp what they are reading.

The ongoing error in Biblical teaching is seeing passages, verses, even fragments of verses in isolation. That is the great merit of false teachers - they argue with great energy about their diamonds, as Zwingli called them, sections that support their wild ideas, which are contrary to the unified message of the Bible. These false teachers assume that the poor, rural apostles did not even realize they were putting together Gospels full of contradictions. The wolves are so much smarter than these simple folk, so we should stand back and admire the rationalists rather than the Evangelists - so they assume.

Studying the Evangelical cults helped me realize that many Fundamentalist preachers do exactly what the liberal apostates do - they pick out a verse and make it mean what they want, contrary to the well known concept that the Bible is one revealed Truth from God. If they can get an Amen Corner going for them, they are successful. One minister just died from rattlesnake bites because he was continuing the rather unpopular tradition of handling rattlesnakes to prove that poison would not hurt him. There is a great gap between God protecting us from danger and thrusting ourselves into danger for the thrills and crowd appeal. 

One literary argument against this idea of the simple Gospel writers, no matter what anyone believes, is that the small scale of publishing in ancient times made each work far more  consistent. The Gospels are brief, and yet we struggle to explain them with large books. People were far more used to hearing stories than reading them. The printed page really put a crimp on memorization, and with memorization the details really matter. 

In comparison we have great literature from the past versus an avalanche of books and essays in the present. Although technical knowledge has expanded rapidly, spiritual wisdom has been shrinking. Knowledge of the Bible is minimal, because it is more important to agree with everyone than to start from the foundation of God's Word being the final authority and revelation of God's will.

Beginning there, we have to ask how Jesus responded to those who asked for help. The Gospels show that He gave them what they needed and wanted, with each healing miracle being different in making subordinate teaching points. The question is not whether He could perform the miracle or wanted to, but what that particular miracle teaches us about the nature of God. 

The opening to this miracle identifies the woman as Gentile, not Jewish, and yet she addressed Jesus as Son of David. And she was praying for her daughter, vexed with a devil. This addresses the issue of the Gospel being limited to the Jewish audience, which was the primary group at the start. For many, the issue was being a faithful Jew in obeying the Law in order to be a real Christian. Paul addressed that in Galatians and it was also a question answered in Acts, where the concept of kosher eating was aimed at loyalists to that group of Christians.

Can the Gospel alone convert Gentiles? Paul said yes and acted accordingly, even though he worked effectively among the Jews in his role as a Jewish Christian rabbi.



Faith, Fame, Report
The reason the Gentile woman came to Him was the spread of His fame as a healer. We know the woman considered Jesus the Messiah because of the title she used - Thou Son of David. That was a confession of faith that this promised Savior would release her tortured daughter from the bonds of a devil.

I used those terms, fame and report, to reflect Isaiah 53 and Romans 10. How does God plant faith in the hearts of people? The proclamation of the Gospel Word accomplishes this. In this passage we have the effect - in Isaiah 53 and Romans 10 we have the explanation of how it happens.

Vast numbers came to hear and see Jesus in action, but many early disciples (learners, to be precise) were only there to hear what they wanted to hear. They did not like the entire message and fell away (John 6). "This is a hard saying, who can listen to it?"

As Paul always tried to show, reflecting the teaching of Jesus (John 8) being a child of Abraham - through the flesh - meant nothing at all. That was the claim at the time - We are the promised People of God. We are the Children of Abraham. How dare you tell us anything!

The true children of Abraham are children by faith, not by flesh. Jesus said, in a way that conveyed His divinity, "Before Abraham was, I AM." In other words, He used the name of God for Himself, showing with the verbs used, that He existed from eternity while Abraham belonged to a much later time. In Exodus 3, the Name of God is I AM.

So this woman, by faith, is a child of Abraham. Thus the miracle is really about being a Christian believer while waiting for God's answer.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.  24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The Canaanite woman came to Jesus in faith, addressed Him properly, and He remained silent. This is representative of people asking God for help and not getting an answer right away. The disciples want the woman's prayer answered, so she can be sent away in peace. They seem annoyed, as Lenski noted.


Lenski:
Yet the disciples had never seen Jesus deny anyone pleading for help, although at times he had delayed a little while (John 4:47, etc.; Matt. 8:5, etc.), namely whenever some question had first to be settled. It is fair, therefore, to conclude that the disciples think of a dismissal by granting the woman’s prayer. They indicate, however, that they are not moved entirely by pity for her distress.
Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN. : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 595.

In this brief miracle we experience with the woman the idea of praying for someone and seeming to get silence in return. This is reflected in the Lutheran country club attitude. There are many pastors who are not from the country club. That is their fault - they are not from the right families. Those pastors from the right families can do whatever they want, even follow their mistress to another location and still get a call. They can teach whatever they wish and be obnoxious to everyone from their financial angels - everyone excuses them.

Many Lutheran pastors feel like this Canaanite woman, asking for mercy and getting silence in return. 

Luther uses the expression of God exercising faith, making the individual stronger and not like those who stop by for a miracle when handy. The vast crowds were intimidating to the Jewish and Roman rulers, but they did not last. When the crowds experienced something unpleasant to their ears or emotions, they went away. 

Exercise is a good analogy, because our muscles adapt to the chores we do. If we change the chores for one day, the muscles howl in pain. In order to face big physical challenges we have to exercise with those tasks in mind. Lacking the support of major muscles, one's body will refuse to do the task or end up with major injuries.

Those who live in peace with error taught all around them will adapt to it, adjust for it, and defend the error. One ELCA leader is still in his synod although he loathes what it does and teaches. As an actor he cannot get work because word is out there that he does not approve of Left-wing activism. I said, "You are not a prisoner. By staying you are offering silent approval." Likewise, someone studying at an ELCA college is miffed at their teaching while friends suggest he stay and "bear witness." I said, "You cannot stay in the same stall with false teacher, as Luther said. You are casting pearls before swine."

The apparent silence of God is His effort to exercise our faith, which will be needed in difficult times ahead. Questioning His gracious will is a sin, as Chytraeus wrote.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Jesus' response seems to reflect the country club attitude. He is not say, "No, because I was only to the lost sheep of Israel." Instead He is repeating what would be assumed by Jewish Christians. The Gospels emphasize the rooting and grounding of Christianity in Judaism, but they also expand this into the Gentile mission, as Jesus did here.

This is what distinguishes the Christian Faith from ethnic religion. Although there are claims from others that they transcend race, only Christianity does by showing membership in the Kindom of God as derived from faith alone, not from race or station in life. And women are not second-class members of the Kingdom. There is no distinction in membership, only in role.

 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 

The ultimate sign of faith is this worship. Nothing deflects this woman from asking and trusting. And yet Jesus states the standard reply - This bread, this favor belongs to the children of Abraham (by blood) and not to the Gentile dogs. In the Apostolic Age, the Christian Church had to address this prejudice, which was natural in the old man, since they were trained from birth to consider blood member the key in being faithful Jews.

This addresses the feeling of unworthiness that people experience. The feeling works against the grace of God, since people want to make up for their sins, pay for their sins, or suffer sufficiently for their sins.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

She catches God at His own Word, as Luther wrote and preached. Her confession is, "Yes, I am not worthy, but I will accept the crumbs from Your table."

Dogs are an interesting sidelight in the Gospels. They licked the wounds of Lazareth and are used as a standard insult here. Unspoken is what Jesus implied, these words - "Wouldn't most people tell me not to take bread from the children and give it to dogs?" Although the statement is not so diplomatic, her response is one that brims full of faith in His gracious will. Even an unworthy dog will accept a few crumbs.

We still use dog in pejorative way, yet we also know and appreciate their nature. They always expect the best. One stray followed us home and walked right into the bedroom, expecting food or lodging - or both. I can tell it was one of those loose dogs that gets away and trolls the neighborhood for food and affection. It was not an abandoned dog but a wandering one, at the time.

The moment I have meat or cheese ready for the morning omelet, Sassy sits in the way of the frig (which I used), getting in the way so she can obtain her tithe. She never doubts this and only poses there for meat or cheese. After that, she waits in the living room for the finish, then follows me in for breakfast, which we eat during the morning news on TV. Sassy waits for us to finish her breakfast (reading the expression in her eyes) and finishes up.

As Luther wrote, that should be our attitude toward God, always expecting the best from Him. 

We should not overlook the response of Jesus toward this woman, which was twofold. Great your faith! - literally, making a bigger emphasis than using "is." Her prayer was answered and her daughter healed that moment. If faith is so unnecessary and superfluous for forgiveness and salvation, then why does Jesus praise it? We have an example of faith, contrition (even the dogs), and the fullest expression of Jesus' blessing, forgiveness, and praise. What did she do? That was not a matter of doing, but believing. She became a member of Jesus' own family by believing in Him, before she saw Him, before He did anything for her, in the face of apparent indifference and coldness.

In times of self-torment and  external difficulties, the Canaanite woman is our example of persistent and cheerful faith.




Quotations
"But see in this example how Christ like a hunter exercises and chases faith in His followers in order that it may become strong and firm."
     Sermons of Martin Luther, ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1983 II,  p. 149.  Matthew 15:21‑28.

"In like manner Moses must precede and teach people to feel their sins in order that grace may be sweet and welcome to them.  Therefore all is in vain, however friendly and lovely Christ may be pictured, if man is not first humbled by a knowledge of himself and he possesses no longing for Christ, as Mary's Song says, 'The hungry he hath filled with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away,' Luke 1:53."
     Sermons of Martin Luther, II, p. 149.
         
"All this is spoken and written for the comfort of the distressed, the poor, the needy, the sinful, the despised, so that they may know in all times of need to whom to flee and where to seek comfort and help."
     Sermons of Martin Luther, II,  p. 149.

"Now what does the poor woman do?  She turns her eyes from all this unfriendly treatment of Christ; all this does not lead her astray, neither does she take it to heart, but she continues immediately and firmly to cling in her confidence to the good news she had heard and embraced concerning Him, and never gives up.  We must also do the same and learn firmly to cling to the Word, even though God with all His creatures appears different than His Word teaches.  But, oh, how painful it is to nature and reason, that this woman should strip herself of self and forsake all that she experienced, and cling along to God's bare Word, until she experienced the contrary.  May God help us in time of need and of death to possess courage and faith!"
     Sermons of Martin Luther,  II,  p. 150. 
               

"As for example when we feel in our conscience that God rebukes us as sinners and judges us unworthy of the kingdom of heaven, then we experience hell, and we think we are lost forever.  Now whoever understands here the actions of this poor woman and catches God in His own judgment, and says, Lord, it is true, I am a sinner and not worthy of Thy grace; but still Thou hast promised sinners forgiveness, and Thou art come not to call the righteous, but, as St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, 'to save sinners.' Behold, then must God according to His own judgment have mercy upon us."
     Sermons of Martin Luther, ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1983 II,  p. 153. Matthew 15:21‑28; 1 Timothy 1:15 

Jay Webber and Rev. Becky Hand Prepared for Their Big Moments at ELCA's Online Seminary

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Rev Becky Hand prepared for the ministry
at ELCA's online seminary -
Institute of Lutheran Theology,
UOJ guru Jay Webber (ELS) earned his STM there.

Science leads pastor into ministry

Hand: Paul’s writings are down to earth to post-resurrection people

The Rev. Rebecca Lynn “Becky” Hand had long been certain her destiny was to be a veterinarian when she graduated from Odessa High School in 1983, but a serious illness during her first year at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences ended that ambition.
After recovering from mononucleosis, Hand got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in science and genetics from Tarleton State and Texas Tech and taught the subjects for 14 years at Odessa College; however, the ministry’s call changed her course again when in 2007 she became the founding pastor of Life in Grace Lutheran Church at 1009 N. Tom Green Ave.
Asked if she sees a conflict between science and religion, Hand said, “No, we study the signs and how things were made, but that doesn’t mean God didn’t make them.
“I marvel at the intricate details life has. There are things we still don’t know, but God knows all the secrets because He did it. I worried about aliens when I was young, but it dawned on me that if there are other life forms, God created them, too, and He is still in charge.”
Hand leads services at 11 a.m. Sunday, where an average of 30 people attend, and at 9 a.m. Sunday at Hope Lutheran Church in Midland.
She earned a master’s of divinity degree from the Institute of Lutheran Theology in Brooking, S.D., in 2014. Hand and her husband Robert have three children and three grandchildren. Her maiden name was Hennig.
“The sermon always has to be about Jesus, His love for us and His grace and forgiveness,” she said. “The entire Word is inspired by God, and through the whole scripture the thread that ties it all together is Christ.
“I love the books of Romans and Ephesians because Paul is down to earth in his writings to post-resurrection people. He tells us to live like it is our last day, and we have to take that to heart.
“We can’t see the whole ocean from any one viewpoint, and God’s love is bigger than that with more depth and breadth than we can imagine. We can try to see others the way God sees them, but sooner or later our innate selfishness is going to get in the way.”
Tammy Brown of Albany, who attended Tarleton State University with Hand in Stephenville, said the minister “was very grounded even as a young person.
“You could talk with Becky about anything, and she always had an answer,” Brown said. “You could see God was in her with the way her eyes twinkled.

“She has the biggest heart and a real cute sense of humor. She’s a genuine, good, Godly person who cares about people.”

---

BlogView All Articles >>

The long awaited day of Rebecca Lynn (Becky) Hand to graduate with a Master of Divinity arrived on August 17, 2014. Along with her ordination as an LCMC pastor and installation as pastor of Life in Grace Lutheran Church, Odessa, TX, and Hope Lutheran Church, Midland, TX. 
Pastors in ceremony attendance were as follows: Rev. Alsen Wenzel, St. John's Lutheran of Winters, TX, Rev. John Rasmussen and Rev. Timothy J. Swenson of the Institute of Lutheran Theology, Brookings, SD, Rev. Mark Schimmel, Zion Lutheran of Priddy, TX, and retired Lutheran pastor Jerry Kaskela of Lubbock, TX.
The Grace of our Lord was overflowing from early morning church service to Pastor Becky's special afternoon service with family, friends and other Lutheran churches of the community! We all know and believe that she will spread the Gospel of the "Good News" to everyone, for God has called her to do so and she will deliver his Word!
Jay Webber's ILT graduation ceremony was held
in the corner of a restaurant.
---

Thanks to all who contributed and participated in the District convention April 25. Pr. Becky Hand from Gardendale, Texas preached on the theme “Hope for the Long Haul.” Keynoter Pr. Steve Lien, LCMC Coordinator of Pastoral Ministry, discussed sobering challenges facing pastors and congregations, but also reminded the convention of the good and the hopeful. Pr. Julie Smith, LCMC Board of Trustees updated the convention on LCMC activities. Pr. Becky Hand, Odessa, TX was elected to complete the District Council term of Pr. Randy Freund. Loren Brekke, Hanska, MN; Pr. Craig Nehring, Caroline, WI; Jane Evers, Comfrey, MN and Lou Weeks, Marshall, MN were elected to three year terms. Emilie Wildey, Stewart, MN and Gaylen Lerohl, Alexandria, MN were reelected to three year terms on the District Council. 


Paul McCain Was Causing a Stir in 2013. Intrepid Lutherans Became the Fourth Blog To Ban McCain

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McCain is in the top four page views for the month. Mrs. Ichabod and I laughed all the way through the latest classic post as I read it out loud, below the dotted line.

649
348
233
180
135
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Dr. Lito Cruz, with his wife Lynne,has an endless thread on Extra Nos,
featuring McCain and Kilcrease,

but Kilcrease kilcreased all his own comments.







Paul McCain said...
Just one more suggestion, if I may.

I'd suggest doing all you can possibly do to put as much distance between yourself and that wacko Greg Jackson as humanly possible. [GJ - Editor McCain repeats himself.]

I urged Pastor Rydecki to do so, but he remained very silent, which I found more than a bit disturbing. [GJ - Very silent? Is that more silent than silent?]

It's one thing to stand up for what you think is truth, but quite another sort of total foolishness to allow your church body to be trashed in such reckless, and frankly, psychotic fashion, by Jackson, a man who is championing "your cause" as he sees it.  [GJ - Whose mental health was challenged by a moderate, irenic discussion blog?McCain's.]



FWIW.

Was McCain counting up the blogs that banned him,
or just updating his resume on LinkedIn?


---

Intrepid Lutherans said...
Dear Rev. McCain,

Your ad hominem attack and personal insult against Greg Jackson is irrelevant, unchristian and out of place, especially here where we have made it clear that such personal attacks are unwelcome.

You may consider yourself banned from making further comments on Intrepid Lutherans.

Links to The CORE Scandals - Glende and Ski - The Booze Brothers - from 2013. 100% Support from Mark Schroeder the Reformer. Ha.

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 The latest post on the Ski-Glende court case can be found here.


Note to Mequon graduates - you only need to left-click on the titles to find the post. That is called an embedded link. They teach embedded links in Web 101.

Write a letter about Ski getting back into the ministry, as Engelbrecht and Schroeder promised.

Team Glende's epic humiliation - all lawsuits dropped on Friday the 13th.

Friday the 13th - Three St. Peter Freedom pillars still suing.

Three from St. Peter are still suing, including Sexpert Ski.

Tim Glende's Lawsuit against His Own Member - Thrown Out of Court. Denied.

Hitler just found out.

Glende's First Congregation Will Close Soon.

More Hoo-Hah from Fox Valley WELS.

Four from St. Peter in Freedom are suing the husband of Ski's victim, hauling him to court to silence him.

Ski will return to The CORE as the pastor, as DP Engelbrecht promised and SP Schroeder agreed.

Ski's Scrotum Sermon - Which They Were Proud To Post.

All St. Peter Freedom (which includes The CORE) posts labeled on Ichabod.

DP Engelbrecht's email supports Ski's CRM status, implying a return to The CORE.

August 13th meeting - this was held to get Ski's CRM status going.

Budget for St. Peter is $1.4 million, so why did they get a $500,000 plus grant to buy a bar?

Remove the 12 WELS Apostates - Starting with Deputy Doug Engelbrecht

DP Engelbrecht Approved Plagiarism of False Doctrine

All posts labeled The CORE

Ski - so bad, he was canned twice. This is the second, official canning, April of 2013.

Bishop Katie cannot spell either, not even on her own web page.

DP Engelbrecht had two different stories about Ski leaving.

Church and Change.

All posts labeled Church and Change.

All posts labeled Tim Glende.

All posts labeled Fox Valley WELS.

Intrepids on Time of Grace.

Glende, Ski, and Engelbrecht kicked out Rick Techlin - for being correct about plagiarism of  false doctrine, and Glende lied about his plagiarism.

Meeting with the DP's sock puppets.

"This will solve our PR problems."

Ski turned down for CRM Status.

Photos of all the main players can be found here.

More about Writing - Ichabod and Beyond. The Power of Myths

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The first statistics I check in the morning are the posts being read in the last few hours. Increasingly, like the Glende links which are listed here - or the Paul McCain stories, linked here and also here - stories show up as being read by a group of people, even though the posts are several years old.

In case you wonder how they find those stories, here is a tip. Using Google search engine, put Ichabod the Glory in the window and also one search item - Glende, Ski, Buchholz, Webber, or McCain.

Example - Ichabod the Glory McCain - will yield the latest bog stories on McCain first. Ichabod the Glory McCain plagiarism will cough up McCain's plagiarism. But Ichabod the Glory plagiarism will include all blob plagiarism posts - Glende, Ski, McCain, DP Engelbrecht.

For fun, use the same search technique to find graphics on the topic. Warning. Warning, Master Robinson - I own the Lutheran topics from constant posting of graphics with captions. Serious and funny, they clog the Google search engine. And yet, I have no reason to apologize.

If an old story is being read, I post it again and update it. A blogger said the updates were really appreciated.


Teaching is going well so I have time to concentrate on writing. The booklet on Making Disciples is nearing its finish. That has been fun, so I will produce some more booklets in the future, on Amazon and also for free on the blog. The next big project is Creation Gardening, which will be printed in full color and lavishly illustrated - with photos from my rose farm and graphics from Norma Boeckler.



My three favorite authors in gardening are Facebook friends, and we often chat back and forth. Compare and contrast that with the number who sought to silence me, shunned and unfriended and blocked me, and sought to undermine me in every possible way. They only motivated me to outlive, outpublish, and out them.

"One little Word shall fell them."


Myths are powerful. Even though they are demonstrably false, they dominate the thinking and the errors of large groups of people.



The Missouri Synod was started by a syphilitic sex offender, Martin Stephan, who used his position to be intimate without countless young women. The outbreak of syphilis fueled the riot which Walther led and enabled, just as he led and enabled the clergy circle around Stephan, with his eye on the prize. Walther was poorly educated, in rationalism and fanatical mindless Pietism, but he remains the American Luther for the LCMS and its fragments. That myth is powerful, but still based upon the lies promulgated by Walther and his circle

Even the honest In Search of Religious Freedom has the title all wrong. Stephan was free, as a Pietist in a special Pietist congregation, to conduct his cell group ministry on the church property. But he enjoyed breaking all the rules, taking young women for walks in the woods, installing one in his home,, setting up cell group meetings elsewhere, and having his clergy circle raise money for his luxuries and VD treatment at the spa. Stephan wanted to keep his harem in peace, so his house arrest provided the final step in moving his cult to America. Their early years were so racy, raunchy, and riotous that Walther did not want the history written down.


Even now, the official LCMS history has the synod starting in 1847, when it was officially organized, but the Missouri Synod began when Stephan ordered his cult to American and took his main mistress on the ship with him and his eldest son - but left dying wifey and syphilis-deformed children at home.

Even now, the Synodical Conference leaders, pictured above, try to convince unknowing members that Halle Pietism is Lutheran Orthodoxy.

According to Webber and other snake-oil salesmen,
the Pietists Rambach and Quistorp are orthodox Lutherans
because they agree with the OJ of Pietism.
That is circular reasoning, forbidden in academic writing.

Yes, Jay Webber would have us believe that his doctrinal history, as slanted as the Marxist-Leninist history of the world, is valid, even though:

  • Forgiveness without faith (Objective Justification) is nowhere to be found in the Bible, Luther, the Book of Concord, or the immediate post-Concord era (except in Huber the Heretic).
  • The language and explanations for OJ come directly from Halle University.
  • The OJ/SJ terms are found in the Calvinist translation of the Knapp Halle lectures, a two-fer if I ever saw one.
  • Evidence shows that justification by faith was the main teaching in Missouri and WELS - until the Walther-Pieper faction took over in gradual steps, supplanting the original German catechism of Missouri (1905), the Gausewitz catechism for all three synods, and the dominant influence of Luther and the Reformation versus Calvin and Pietism.
  • Many LCMS pastors now teach justification by faith and some WELS clergy do as well. However,  the death squads do not administer their gracious extending of the Left Foot of Fellowship without fear or favor. Some must be flogged, others culled, yet some spared, just to show the SP will have mercy on whom he has mercy. Nevermind, go back to work for Holy Mother Synod.


The Value of Polarizing - The Tolerant Side Eventually Loses

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I belonged to the radical Michigan Synod, LCA, but joined by getting a call - after some Left-wing stunts were used successfully.

One was organizing an educational series that had each parish - ideally - admitting they were all racists. That was over 40 years ago, and Detroit was still strong, not entirely war torn and desolate.

Another stunt was bringing a woman around who admitted she had an abortion - when that was quite rare, perhaps even before Roe vs. Wade. The activists who brought her along were sure to tell the congregational groups that "she did the right thing."

These efforts bore fruit, even though people complained about them. When the ELCA was being formed in 1987, the LCA component demanded racial and gay quotas, and they got them. I offered to nominate a Lutheran pastor from Gay, Michigan for the gay quota. He said with rare anger, "You better not."

"Brett, we are not done in ELCA yet.
It will get a whole lot worse."


I refused to participate in the ELCA merger and left for WELS, which billed itself as horrified with the laxness of the LCMS and the degenerate gaity of ELCA. Irony and church history run parallel paths.

The ELCA gay and racial quotas, not to mention feminist quotas, bore fruit in the 2009 vote to ordain and to marry homosexuals and lesbians. How could that be surprising, given the quotas used for 22 years and the febrile attention to the issue even before the merger? The bad leaven takes time to work through the dough and the leaders work hard to calm down, placate, deceive, bribe, or get rid of those who object.

The 2009 vote lit the fuse and ELCA blew up. I hear reports from friends and classmates about congregations torn up and still polarized over the issues. One high school classmate, a member of a Disciples congregation in Moline, became an ELCA pastor later and resigned from an enormous, apparently wealthy ELCA congregation. She said in her letter, "I cannot do this any more." The congregational newsletter implied that the budget was polarized over support for ELCA.

When the Illinois ELCA bishop accused Faith of violating
the Eight Commandment, I created this graphic,
which a member accidentally emailed to the synod staff.

The wounds show up in different ways. Faith in Moline left ELCA, but the bishop fought them, insulted them, and did everything possible to topple the effort to be independent of the 2009 vote. Faith won while telling the bishop that he or his staff would be arrested by the Moline Police if they appeared on the church property for any reason. Faith's sister church (Trinity, Augustana Synod years ago) hosted a faction from Faith still loyal to ELCA.


The Synodical Conference is another example of polarizing people, step by step, until the radicals are in complete charge:

  1. Objective Justification
  2. Unionist activities with the Babtists, ELCA, etc.
  3. Church Growth
  4. Feminist language in hymns and creeds
  5. Women usurping authority and teaching men
  6. Women's ordination
  7. Open communion
  8. The NIV and then the New NIV
  9. Homosexual ministry - carried out by homosexuals. That was a key reason for leaving the LCA!
  10. Pro-abortion and funding abortion activists. Another reason why we left the LCA.


Marcus Brenner-Manthey confused this issue entirely, deeply offended that I identified known criminal teachers and pastors in WELS. He said I should post all my sins, with photos, showing that he does not know the first or second part of this crucial section of the Large Catechism. (Shroeder to Bivens - "There is a large one? Mine is small.")

If I had any arrests or had to post bond - as Ski did in Milwaukee - I would be eager to post all the information.

WELS has been abusive so long and in so many ways that the members thereof have Stockholm Syndrome, loving the abuser and jumping on anyone who points out the truth.

Polarizing has worked beeyootifully for WELS. The younger ones will see WELS formally join ELCA in the future, but all of us have already seen the de facto merger.

Eaton's win was a big win for the Lavender Mafia,
just as Mark Hanson's was - before her.

Advocates of UOJ Inevitably Get Corked Off from Having Anyone Answer Why They Are Wrong. Father Larry Beane, LCMS, Reveals New Talent as a Vulgarian, And Unfriends Me on Facebook!

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No one dare answer honest questions with honest answers - even free books -
if said person steps on the Third Rail of UOJ,
right, Father Beane? (genuflecting at the altar)
Or maybe peacocks simply flock together.
Even then - their cries are raucous
even when the plumage is spectacular.

The discussion began about Scalia's funeral and whether it was a Gospel service or not. Since Father Scalia referred several times to Purgatorial devotion in the Church of Rome, I added this graphic to Larry Beane's initial thread. (See below)

Someone posted a David Scaer graphic, so I posted my graphic about his UOJ quote.

Someone asked what was wrong with Scaer's statement, so I linked my new book. He was asking me, after all.

He wanted a free book - and also a CliffNotes version, so I linked the free one and also a summary post that involved Robert Preus quotations from his last book.

The person who asked finished by saying -

Kenneth Bomberger Thanks for the link! I'll read it at my earliest convenience.

So what did Larry Beane write? Oh my. He went full Paul McCain on me for responding to questions, something we do on discussions, no?

Here is Father Larry Beane - responding to the thank you from Kenneth Bomberger -


Pater Larry Beane  Gregory, please use your own Facebook page for self-promotion. I charge $100 for ads. 

You're getting to be like the embarrassing relative that drinks too much at Thanksgiving and passes out on the bed with all the coats on it. 

Every family has members who want to hijack every expression of gratitude and joy, every real discussion and lighthearted banter, and even obvious humor, into a self-serving and dour political or doctrinal argument. 

Gregory, you need to display better behavior from now on, or you won't be invited back. 

To my other guests, I apologize. Hopefully your coats will not require dry cleaning.

---

I was surprised by his vulgar, gratuitous response, so I naturally wrote - 


You should order your friends not to ask questions that deserve an answer. If you read the posts, you will see that.

---

Father Larry Beane, LCMS Pastor responded  -

Pater Larry Beane Gregory, the way to save face is not to urinate in the kitchen.





***

Where my participation started.
Gregory L. Jackson ...in Purgatory.

Gregory L. Jackson's photo.
LikeReply1 hrEdited
Gregory L. Jackson Yes I do, Larry. And with Scaer's doctrine too.

Gregory L. Jackson's photo.
LikeReply1 hr
Jim Roemke What does a peacock head and swirly weird colors have to do with anything?
LikeReply11 hr
Tony Esolen I don't know, but the peacock was a symbol of Christ in some of the old iconography ...
LikeReply31 hr
Gregory L. Jackson Luther compared false teachers to peacocks.
LikeReply1 hr
Gregory L. Jackson Luther on the peacock as a symbol of false doctrine.

Gregory L. Jackson's photo.
LikeReply1 hr
Kenneth Bomberger Enlighten me, plox, what exactly is wrong with the rainbow quote from Scaer?
LikeReply1 hr
Gregory L. Jackson Scaer denounced Luther, Melanchthon, and the Book of Concord, not to mention the Holy Spirit, and the Apostle Paul.

Gregory L. Jackson's photo.
LikeReply57 mins
Kenneth Bomberger But how is this false? To call this statement false is to denounce 1 Tim. 15, is it not?
"Whoever denies objective justification reduces justification to the act of believing and does not believe in it at all."

LikeReply46 mins
Gregory L. Jackson Kenneth, you need to study how you have been hoodwinked by Halle Pietism -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BSVTGRM



This book was prompted by the despicable essay given by Jay Webber at the Emmaus…
AMAZON.COM
Kenneth Bomberger Do you have a CliffNotes version, or do I need to buy your book to dialogue? wink emoticon
LikeReply38 mins
Gregory L. Jackson That's the Kindle. I have a free PDF. Let me look for it.
LikeReply36 mins
Gregory L. Jackson Calov refutes Scaer, and this is from Robert Preus' book.

Gregory L. Jackson's photo.
LikeReply33 mins
Kenneth Bomberger Thanks for the link! I'll read it at my earliest convenience.


Pater Larry Beane Gregory, please use your own Facebook page for self-promotion. I charge $100 for ads.

You're getting to be like the embarrassing relative that drinks too much at Thanksgiving and passes out on the bed with all the coats on it.

Every family has members who want to hijack every expression of gratitude and joy, every real discussion and lighthearted banter, and even obvious humor, into a self-serving and dour political or doctrinal argument.

Gregory, you need to display better behavior from now on, or you won't be invited back.

To my other guests, I apologize. Hopefully your coats will not require dry cleaning.



Luther on False Teachers as Peacocks

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J-642.1
"The peacock is an image of heretics and fanatical spirits. For on the order of the peacock they, too, show themselves and strut about in their gifts, which never are outstanding. But if they could see their feet, that is the foundation of their doctrine, they would be stricken with terror, lower their crests, and humble themselves. To be sure, they, too, suffer from jealousy, because they cannot bear honest and true teachers. They want to be the whole show and want to put up with no one next to them. And they are immeasurably envious, as peacocks are. Finally, they have a raucous and unpleasant voice, that is, their doctrine is bitter and sad for afflicted and godly minds; for it casts consciences down more than it lifts them up and strengthens them."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 642.


I was shocked that Father Larry Beane, LCMS, would explode in vulgarities and extremely personal insults on Facebook, then unfriend me.

I decided not to add more to the previous post, because those graphics heavy Facebook quotations get difficult to manage. However, I am always happy to make published comments even more public.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that some people own their own FB pages. That was new to me. I thought Facebook was a public website that provided space free so they could mine our information for ads they sell.

I thought discussions meant there were various positions to articulate, defend, or question. But that is never true with the Left, as I have witnessed many times.

UOJ, which I dared to question, using pixels owned by Father Beane, is a decidedly Left-wing position, a foundation for radicalism and Antinomianism (no Commandments).

Proof - the founder of the first gay Lutheran seminary - Seminex - came from WELS and advocated UOJ. He was also an apostate on Biblical inerrancy, so he was outted in WELS, then in Missouri, and finally settled in the ALC, pre-ELCA.

Seminex was the official seminary for the
all-gay Metropolitan Community Church.
The faculty members at Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago,
were controlled by the Seminex faction that moved to their campus.

Steadfast Bullies - All Bullies Are Cowards

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The Steadfast Lutherans - in their solemn clergy roles, below.
The Steadfast Lutherans as they appear on their blog, above.

The Matt Harrison re-election team started the Steadfast (sic) Lutherans (sic) to provide impromptu and alleged volunteer support for Matt the Fat.

Darwin Schauer's infamy is preserved on this blog,
but erased from the Harrison-serving Steadfast Lutherans blog.

When some of the authors let themselves of their cage and expressed their dismay at the LCMS promoting a known sex offender into the pseudo-clergy ranks, Matt reminded them of their lowly stations in life. They caved and removed all the data about Darwin Schauer and the LCMS DP who empowered him.

The editor-in-chief of the Harrison Lobby comes from the parish where Darwin had sex with another minor. He told me about Harrison ordering the cover-up, adding an unhappy face  :(.

Why protect and stand up for children from one's home parish when a career is on the line?

Steadfast Founder Tim Rossow called all those who support
justification by faith "morons.



Steadfast and UOJ
Some may recall that Steadfast did not allow a discussion of justification by faith on their precious posts.

They even made it a point not to link this blog at any time. Most realize that not one of them has a PhD in theology or any publications to speak of, so that protecting their little sandbox is very special for them. Why let people know that most believing Christians teach justification by faith? Why let on that the Chief Article is justification by faith, not universal absolution without faith?

Behind every raging bully is a quivering, pants-wetting coward. They gather their brother bullies into micro-mob or they play hit-and-run, post-and-erase.

I told Herman Otten that Werning changed sides and was defending Bohlmann,
but Otten did not believe me.

Paradoxical Effect
Bullying works in many human endeavors, but has a paradoxical effect in the Christian Faith. The more hysterical the bullying, the more people wake up to the reason behind the loutish behavior of the bullies.

When I challenged "conservative" Waldo Werning about his allegiance to Fuller Seminary and proved he was lying (by quoting my Day-Timer notes), he went into a rage - behind my back of course. One ELS pastor said, laughing, "What did you do to Werning? He is bad-mouthing you like crazy."

Likewise, I drove the CLC's (sic) David Koenig to the brink by telling the truth about Valleskey and Fuller Seminary. He got Valleskey to admit going there, since they were Church Growth brethren of the same mould. When I published the confirmation and my source, Valleskey wigged out on Koenig. An audio tape would have been so amusing. "How dare you tell the truth to Jackson?"

And - that made Koenig angry with me. "The truth makes enemies," as Walther said when covering up the truth about his many crimes.

The truth does make enemies, but only the truth matters on Judgment Day. I wonder what so many "Lutheran" clergy will say when presenting themselves. James wrote,

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.


Steadfast Lutherans annual feast.

Latest Section - Making Disciples: The Error of Modern Rationalistic Pietism

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Dynamic Equivalency – Bastard Child of Lower Criticism


          The Wisconsin Synod had a minor stir for a few years, over the New NIV translation, which some clergy or laity were resisting. One district president dared to speak against it at the earlier convention, but he retired into silence. As expected, various strategies were used to defuse and neutralize the opposition. Although Synod President Mark Schroeder was rumored to be completely against the NIV, no opposition was mentioned at the second convention, which passed an all-encompassing, all-loving, non-judgmental, uncritical embrace of every single translation. Nevertheless, no one should expect WELS is use any form of the King James Version, including many modern KJV editions.
          The Southern Baptists were not so warm and mellow about the NIV. One article describes what most people knew about this enhancement of the original NIV.
At their annual summer convention, the Southern Baptists passed a resolution expressing "profound disappointment with Biblica and Zondervan Publishing House" for publishing the 2011 New International Version, concluding that "we cannot commend the 2011 NIV to Southern Baptists or the larger Christian community." (Battle for the Bible Translation, Christianity Today, September, 2011)
Apparently, the convention did not want the New NIV in their bookstores, not even on display. Ironically, some WELS pastors took a group selfie of them attending a Southern Baptist Convention – not that it gave them any enlightenment.

Eugene Nida Took Away the Precise Translation Method of the KJV

          The battle concerns precision translation compared to the dynamic equivalency advocated by Eugene A. Nida. The issue is not word-for-word translating, which is awkward and difficult to follow. A general word-for-word translation example can be found in an inter-lineal Bible, where the original text has a translation of each word directly above the main text. Since the grammatical rules are different, this only helps the poorly trained language student stay at their low level of translating. The language of the interlinear is out of order and quite wooden. As one brilliant Latin teacher said, “If I see the English version above or on the next page, I read that instead. Laziness makes our eyes drift to the easy way to read.”
          Nida, now dead, is the single most important influence over translations today, given his dominant role in the American and United Bible Societies. He constantly advocated his new idiomatic style of translating, which spawned Good News for Modern Man (TEV), the NIV, and The Message. The foundational problem with this approach is the anything goesattitude. The translator becomes someone who paraphrases the text, putting the original thought, as he imagines it, into his own words, regardless of the text. The ultimate end of this approach is The Message, also known as The Surfer Dude Version.
          Preparing the synod for the change from the King James Version to the NIV, years ago, Mequon made sure the new WELS pastors despised the KJV, spreading their prejudice to congregations. How many Lutherans found this attitude ironic and deeply disturbing, given the history of the King James Version of the Bible.

Tyndale Studied under Luther and Melanchthon

          William Tyndale (1493-1536) is the forgotten martyr behind the King James Version,
William Tyndale could speak seven languages and was proficient in ancient Hebrew and Greek. He was a priest whose intellectual gifts and disciplined life could have taken him a long way in the church—had he not had one compulsion: to teach English men and women the good news of justification by faith.
Tyndale had discovered this doctrine when he read Erasmus's Greek edition of the New Testament. What better way to share this message with his countrymen than to put an English version of the New Testament into their hands? This, in fact, became Tyndale's life passion, aptly summed up in the words of his mentor, Erasmus: "Christ desires his mysteries to be published abroad as widely as possible. I would that [the Gospels and the epistles of Paul] were translated into all languages, of all Christian people, and that they might be read and known."
(William Tyndale, The First Translator of the Bible, Christianity Today, March, 2016)
Justification by faith, as taught by the Word, was so important to Tyndale that he poured out his life and savings into the effort of giving this doctrine to the English. He offered to translate the New Testament into English, but his bishop did not appreciate the offer.

Tyndale, Luther, and Melanchthon

          Tyndale had to look for a safe place to work and eventually settled in Antwerp. Various historical accounts place Tyndale with Luther and Melanchthon, perhaps learning Hebrew there. He definitely started his New Testament translation at Wittenberg, a momentous and inspiring event for the Reformation scholars. Given his unique abilities and Melanchthon’s attraction to England, Tyndale’s connection with the Lutheran Reformation should be far more authoritative than the Murdoch money machine at Zondervan (Reformed) Press.
We take religious freedom for granted in America, even as we see the First Amendment being whittled away by schools and government authorities. Just the opposite was true in Tyndale’s era, when no place was really safe from agents of the Pope, or King of England, or others. A false friend betrayed Tyndale, who was captured and killed, then burned at the stake. His prayer, “Open the King of England’s eyes,” was answered when King James I of England authorized the English Bible commonly named after him, KJV, or his approval – the Authorized Version.
          Tyndale spent time in various German cities, and he doubtless knew German from an early age. The influence of the Reformation scholars on Tyndale should be especially significant to Lutherans - and all Protestants. English is a Germanic language layered upon the vocabulary and grammar of Greek and Latin. Tyndale was the pioneer scorned, persecuted, and skilled, but his translation endured by being copied by others putting together their English Bibles.

"You forgot the Surfer Dude Paraphrase -
The Message."

All English Bibles Begin with Tyndale


From Bible.org
Truly, no modern translation of the Bible is a wholly original work. Tyndale’s is the exception to this rule. The genealogy of the English Bible always begins with Tyndale. Miles Coverdale, an Austin friar, published the first printed English translation of the entire Bible. The New Testament was essentially Tyndale, slightly revised by Coverdale after comparing it to Luther’s New Testament. The Pentateuch is also largely Tyndale’s translation, published by him in 1530.

The next Bible in the line is the “Matthew’s Bible”, published in Antwerp in 1537, authorized by King Henry VIII of England. John Rogers, the translator, also used Tyndale’s New Testament, Pentateuch, and the previously unpublished translations Tyndale made of Joshua through Second Chronicles. The apocrypha and other books were largely based on Coverdale’s Bible. This Bible bears the large, ornamental initials “W.T.” between the Testaments, thus solidifying the tacit acknowledgement of Tyndale’s presence. This Bible was also known as the Great Bible because of its size – 16 x 11 inches!

On the heels of this great work came the Taverner’s Bible, a revision of the Great Bible by Thomas Cromwell’s protg, Richard Taverner. Work on all English translations stopped abruptly on July 6th, 1555 when Bloody Mary took the throne, and all advances for reformation in England were laid low. As Protestants fled the country, God used this horrible time to bring some of the best expatriate scholars together to produce an enduring monument to Puritan scholarship in 1560 – the Geneva Bible.

The Geneva Bible bears the distinction of being the first Bible to be divided into verses. This Bible was less expensive and smaller than the Great Bible, and it soon became the choice of the commoners on the entire island. It was also the Bible used by the Puritans when they migrated to the New World. It was the Bible of Shakespeare and Milton and went through 150 editions before being suppressed in the seventeenth century. This Bible is also called the Breeches Bible because of its translation of Gen 3:7—“They sewed fig tree leaves together and made themselves breeches.”

The clergy of England were a bit miffed over the popularity of the Geneva Bible, so the Archbishop of Canterbury commissioned a revision of the Great Bible, completed in 1568. This revision was four years in the making, and retained in large part the readings of the Great Bible, which was (as I stated earlier) for the most part Tyndale’s translation. It is a historical irony to note that those same clergy who heartily approved of Tyndale’s execution and labeled his translation as “heretical” gave their stamp of approval to essentially the same work just 30 years later.
The next Bible in the line is, without a doubt, the most loved, enduring, and best- selling translation in history. Until the 1990s it outsold every other translation, and still ranks as THE Bible with most Christians today. This Bible is the King James (KJV), or Authorized Version (AV). A brief history of this great work is in order before examining the influence Tyndale’s translation had on it.
(William Tyndale – A Lasting Influence, retrieved from https://bible.org/article/william-tyndale-%E2%80%94-lasting-influence)
The abandonment of the King James family of translations – there are many related to the KJV – is one of many signs of apostasy within the ranks of the Lutheran Church. The German Bible is still described as “after Luther” in many different modernized versions, since vocabulary and grammar have changed over the centuries. But the Lutheran Bibles are all “after Nida” as if the KJV never existed, as if they never used the KJV for centuries in America, whenever English was the language of the worship service and school. Deserting the KJV has accelerated the downward spiral of Lutheran worship, education, and memory work. Once many translations are far better than the one established, unified voice of the English language, remembering the wording in the Babel of many versions and paraphrases is impossible.

“But all Bibles are God’s Bibles, just as all truths are God’s truths” – as the pothead Zen Christian would say. The effect of these poor translations, these Nida open living paraphrases, can be demonstrated verse by verse in the New NIV, which is a best-seller and displaces the classic (less evil) NIV of 1984. By the way, the first NIV took off because they wisely included leaders of every single denomination, so they had built-in, paid cheerleaders to pave the way for a best seller, a real money-maker for Rupert Murdoch and Zondervan.


Reactions to the Hitler Video on Extra Nos

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http://extranos.blogspot.com/2016/01/hitler-loses-univeral-objective.html




Blogger Alec said...
This is fantastic. Don't know how I missed it before.
Thank you. I needed the laugh!

Alec
Friday, January 8, 2016 at 3:19:00 AM GMT+11
Blogger Gregory Jackson said...
I read it to my wife again. We both laughed because the Lutheran leaders wrote the script. I just copy and paste.
Friday, January 8, 2016 at 11:05:00 PM GMT+11
 Delete
Blogger Alec said...
True art. It teaches and entertains with a light touch.

Reposted today at Humor | Hitler loses the Universal Objective Justification (UOJ) War

Hope many more people enjoy it and learn. Thanks Greg (and Lilo).
Friday, January 8, 2016 at 11:12:00 PM GMT+11
Blogger LPC said...
Hi Alec,

Thanks for reposting, Pr. Greg is one heck of a witty writer.

Blessing to you brother.

LPC
Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 11:41:00 AM GMT+11
Blogger Don Vega said...
I fail to see the humor. There are mis-representations galore. This Jackson fella; He makes the claim on his blog and in the video that Robert Preus repudiated objective justification. Where is the citation for this claim?
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at 6:30:00 AM GMT+11
Blogger LPC said...
Don,

It is in the Preus' book 'Justification and Rome'. Preus sites old Lutherans and the quotation from them are denials of UOJ.

It is denial by default - that is by quoting the statements of orthodox Lutherans involved in the BoC. One has to have a wild perverted imagination to read UOJ in to the statements of Calov or Quenstedt etc.

LPC
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at 2:06:00 PM GMT+11


Intrepid Lutherans - About Martin Luther - From Doug Lindee. Mequon Grads - Do You Remember Him from Last Year's Reformation Service?

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On October 31, 2014, the 497th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther’s famous posting of hisNinety-five Theses on the door of the Church in Wittenberg, and a day which Lutherans annually commemorate as the Festival of the Reformation, we published the first part of a history of Dr. Martin Luther with the post, Dr. Martin Luther, the Corruption of Rome, John Tetzel and Indulgences, and the Ninety-five Theses. It was taken from a work that was originally written by Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Seiss in 1888, Luther and the Reformation: The Life-Springs of Our Liberties. A co-founder of the General Council along withCharles Porterfield Krauth, Rev. Seiss was a 19th Century Lutheran pastor, serving congregations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One can read more details about him in the introduction to our first part of Luther’s history. This first part emphasized the facts that Luther initially proceeded out of great concern for the Pope’s good reputation and the integrity of Christ’s Church, writing many personal letters to his bishops detailing the abuses he had witnessed; that when it became evident that his letters were largely ignored he then began to write and speak more openly of these abuses – even seeking open debate – in hopes that open dialog might help bring resolution to these issues and reformation in the Church; that though many agreed with him, they nevertheless advised him to relent and be silent about these abuses; that some even conspired against him; that in the end, his separation from the Church was neither planned nor desired, but necessary due to Rome’s obstinacy.



Following this, on June 25, 2015, a day which marks the anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession in 1530, we published a second part to the history of Dr. Martin Luther and the Reformation in Germany, with the post From the Ninety-five Theses to the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession. This second part emphasized the nature of ChristianConfession, and its relation to Christian Conscience and Christian Martyrdom. It is growing ever more apparent that it is very necessary for Western Christians to once again be acquainted with what it truly means to Confess one’s faith in word and deed, as the consequences for doing so increasingly seem to invite discrimination, recrimination, financial and physical harm, and even death. Dr. Martin Luther, as he stood before Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521, was standing before his executioner when he refused to recant what he was convinced as a matter of Christian Conscience was the Truth, and instead emphatically Confessed the contrary, saying:
    “Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simply reply, I will answer... Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can not do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

    [Bainton, R. (1950). Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther. New York, NY: Abingdon-Cokesbury. pg 185.]
With these words Dr. Martin Luther taught the world. Nine years later, eight German Princes and the leaders of two free cities (Nuremberg and Reutlingen) stood before the Emperor, refusing on the basis of Christian Conscience to make political peace with the Empire under the requirement of adopting a false religion, stood their ground, instead reading their publicConfession before him and all the world. The Presentation of the Augsburg Confession in 1530, represents a monumental shift in the history of the West – in both religious as well as political terms – as with Augustana the convictions of conscience were placed at the center, and at the pinnacle, of civil liberty. It seems, though, that such a position is it not so irrevocable. From a survey of today’s political landscape, it is more than apparent that human conscience itself is under attack: words which can be in any way construed as offensive, as well as the thoughts behind those words, are now regulated and punished in many places, even in the United States; in Europe, with the current Refugee crisis, even words which are taken as politically inconvenient are reprimanded by the authorities; “freedom of religion” is being supplanted by “freedom of worship”; and more frequently, in the interest of advancing the so-called secular State, we see a perplexing willingness – veritably, an open desire in Academia and the Press – to ignore the manifold crimes committed against Christians worldwide, especially by Muslims, or to even blame Christians themselves for those crimes. Thus, it is vitally important that Christians be reacquainted with the true meaning of Christian Confession, and its connection to Christian Conscience andMartyrdom, as the day is swiftly approaching in the West – even in America – when all Christians will be called upon to stand before their executioners where they will either confess or recant, and henceforward think, speak and act – live and die – accordingly.

Today, February 18, is another special anniversary. Unlike Festival of the Reformation and the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession, it is not a Festival of the Church year – not that I am aware. It is on this day in 1546 that Dr. Martin Luther died – in the same town in which he was born in 1483: Eisleben Germany. In honor of this date, we publish the final part of our three-part series on the history of Dr. Martin Luther. It begins where we left off last June, briefly bringing to a close the history of events in which he was involved after the Presentation, then concluding by, in effect, eulogizing him, by discussing who he was as a person, his achievements and their broad and lasting impact on the world.



From the Presentation to the
Final Days of Dr. Martin Luther
22

THE LEAGUE OF SMALCALD.

The emperor’s edict appeared November 19th, and the Protestant princes at once proceeded to form a league for mutual protection against attempts to force their consciences in these sacred matters. It was with difficulty that the consent of Luther could be obtained for what, to him, looked like an arrangement to support the Gospel by the sword. But he yielded to a necessity forced by the intolerance of Rome. A convention was held at Smalcald at Christmas, 1530, and there was formed the League of Smalcald, which planted the political foundations of Religious Liberty for our modern world.

By the presentation of the great Confession of Augsburg, along with the formation of the League of Smalcald, the cause of Luther became embodied in the official life of nations, and the new era of Freedom had come safely to its birth. Long and terrible storms were yet to be passed, but the ship was launched which no thunders of emperors or popes could ever shatter.
Doors of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg, on which Dr. Luther nailed his Theses
Doors of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg,
on which Dr. Luther nailed his Theses in 1517
When the months of probation ended, France had again become troublesome to the emperor, and the Turks were renewing their movements against his dominions. He also found that he could not count on the Catholic princes for the violent suppression of the Protestants. Luther’s doctrines had taken too deep hold upon their subjects to render it safe to join in a war of extermination against them. The Zwinglians also coalesced with the Lutherans in presenting a united front against the threatened bloody coercion. The Smalcald League, moreover, had grown to be a power which even the emperor could not despise. He therefore resolved to come to terms with the Protestant members of his empire, and a peace – at least a truce – was concluded at Nuremberg, which left things as they were to wait until a general council should settle the questions in dispute.

LUTHER’s LATER YEARS.

Luther lived nearly fifteen years after this grand crowning of his testimony, diligently laboring for Christ and his country. The most brilliant part of his career was over, but his labors still were great and important. Indeed, his whole life was intensely laborious. He was a busier man than the first Napoleon. His publications, as reckoned up by Seckendorf, amount to eleven hundred and thirty-seven. Large and small together, they number seven hundred and fifteen volumes – one for every two weeks that he lived after issuing the first. Even in the last six weeks of his life he issued thirty-one publications – more than five per week. If he had had no other cares and duties but to occupy himself with his pen, this would still prove him a very Hercules in authorship.23

But his later years were saddened by many anxieties, afflictions, and trials. Under God, he had achieved a transcendent work, and his confidence in its necessity, divinity, and perpetuity never failed; but he was much distressed to see it marred and damaged, as it was, by the weaknesses and passions of men. His great influence created jealousies. His persistent conservatism gave offense. Those on whom he most relied betimes imperiled his cause by undue concessions and pusillanimity. The friends of the Reformation often looked more to political than Christian ends, or were more carnal than spiritual. Threatening civil commotions troubled him. Ultra reform attacked and blamed him. The agitations about a general council, which Rome now treacherously urged, and meant to pack for its own purposes, gave him much anxiety. It was with reference to such a council that one other great document – The Articles of Smalcald – issued from his pen, in which he defined the true and final Protestant position with regard to the hierarchy, and the fundamental organization of the Church of Christ. His bodily ailments also became frequent and severe.

Prematurely old, and worn out with cares, labors, and vexations – the common lot of great heroes and benefactor – he began to long for the heavenly rest. “I am weary of the world,” said he, “and it is time the world were weary of me. The parting will be easy, like a traveler leaving his inn.”

He lived to his sixty-third year, and peacefully died in the faith he so effectually preached, while on a mission of reconciliation at the place where he was born, honored and lamented in his death as few men have ever been. His remains repose in front of the chancel in the castle church of Wittenberg, on the door of which his own hand had nailed the Ninety-five Theses24

PERSONALE OF LUTHER.

The personal appearance of this extraordinary man is but poorly given in the painted portraits of him. Written descriptions inform us that he was of medium size, handsomely proportioned, and somewhat darkly complected. His arched brows, high cheek-bones, and powerful jaws and chin gave to his face an outline of ruggedness; but his features were regular, and softened all over with benevolence and every refined feeling. He had remarkable eyes, large, full, deep, dark, and brilliant, with a sort of amber circle around the pupil, which made them seem to emit fire when under excitement. His hair was dark and waving, but became entirely white in his later years. His mouth was elegantly formed, expressive of determination, tenderness, affection, and humor. His countenance was elevated, open, brave, and unflinching. His neck was short and strong and his breast broad and full.

Though compactly built, he was generally spare and wasted from incessant studies, hard labor, and an abstemious life.

Mosellanus, the moderator at the Leipsic Disputation, describes him quite fully as he appeared at that time, and says that “his body, was so reduced by cares and study that one could almost count his bones.” He himself makes frequent allusion to his wasted and enfeebled body. His health was never robust. He was a small eater. Melanchthon says: “I have seen him, when he was in full health, absolutely neither eat nor drink for four days together. At other times I have seen him, for many days, content with the slightest allowance, a salt herring and a small hunch of bread per day.”

Mosellanus further says that his manners were cultured and friendly, with nothing of stoical severity or pride in him – that he was cheerful and full of wit in company, and at all times fresh, joyous, inspiring, and pleasant.

Honest naturalness, grand simplicity, and an unpretentious majesty of character breathed all about him. An indwelling vehemency, a powerful will, and a firm confidence could readily be seen, but calm and mellowed with generous kindness, without a trace of selfishness or vanity. He was jovial, free-spoken, open, easily approached, and at home with all classes.

Audin says of him that “his voice was clear and sonorous, his eye beaming with fire, his head of the antique cast, his hands beautiful, and his gesture graceful and abounding – at once Rabelais and Fontaine, with the droll humor of the one and the polished elegance of the other.” In society and in his home he was genial, playful, instructive, and often brilliant. His Table Talk, collected (not always judiciously) by his friends, is one of the most original and remarkable of productions. He loved children and young people, and brought up several in his house besides his own. He had an inexhaustible flow of ready wit and good-humor, prepared for everybody on all occasions. He was a frank and free correspondent, and let out his heart in his letters, six large volumes of which have been preserved.

He was specially fond of music, and cultivated it to a high degree. He could sing and play like a woman.25 “I have no pleasure in any man,” said he, “who despises music. It is no invention of ours; it is the gift of God. I place it next to theology.”
Luther's Death Mask
Cast of Dr. Martin Luther’s face and hands,
made upon his death in 1546.
He was himself a great musician and hymnist. Handel confesses that he derived singular advantage from the study of his music; and Coleridge says: “He did as much for the Reformation by his hymns as by his translation of the Bible.” To this day he is the chief singer in a Church of pre-eminent song. Heine speaks of “those stirring songs which escaped from him in the very midst of his combats and necessities, like flowers making their way from between rough stones or moonbeams glittering among dark clouds.” Ein feste Burg welled from his great heart like the gushing of the waters from the smitten rock of Horeb to inspirit and refresh God’s faint and doubting people as long as the Church is in this earthly wilderness. There is a mighty soul in it which lifts one, as on eagles’ wings, high and triumphant over the blackest storms. And his whole life was a brilliantly enacted epic of marvelous grandeur and pathos.26

Luther’s qualities of mind, heart, and attainment were transcendent. Though naturally meek and diffident, when it came to matters of duty and conviction he was courageous, self-sacrificing, and brave beyond any mere man known to history. Elijah fled before the threats of Jezebel, but no powers on earth could daunt the soul of Luther. Even the apparitions of the devil himself could not disconcert him.

Roman Catholic authors agree that “Nature gave him a German industry and strength and an Italian spirit and vivacity,” and that “nobody excelled him in philosophy and theology, and nobody equaled him in eloquence.”

His mental range was not confined to any one set of subjects. In the midst of his profound occupation with questions of divinity and the Church “his mind was literally worldwide. His eyes were for ever observant of what was around him. At a time when science was hardly out of its shell he had observed Nature with the liveliest curiosity. He studied human nature like a dramatist. Shakespeare himself drew from him. His memory was a museum of historical information, anecdotes of great men, and old German literature, songs, and proverbs, to the latter of which he made many rich additions from his own genius. Scarce a subject could be spoken of on which he had not thought and on which he had not something remarkable to say.”27 In consultations upon public affairs, when the most important things hung in peril, his contemporaries speak with amazement of the gigantic strength of his mind, the unexampled acuteness of his intellect, the breadth and loftiness of his understanding and counsels.

But, though so great a genius, he laid great stress on sound and thorough learning and study. “The strength and glory of a town,” said he, “does not depend on its wealth, its walls, its great mansions, its powerful armaments, but in the number of its learned, serious, kind, and well-educated citizens.” He was himself a great scholar, far beyond what we would suspect in so perturbed a life, or what he cared to parade in his writings. He mastered the ancient languages, and insisted on the perpetual study of them as “the scabbard which holds the sword of the Spirit, the cases which enclose the precious jewels, the vessels which contain the old wine, the baskets which carry the loaves and the fishes for the feeding of the multitude.” His associates say of him that he was a great reader, eagerly perusing the Church Fathers, old and new, and all histories, well retaining what he read, and using the same with great skill as occasion called.

Melanchthon, who knew him well, and knew well how to judge of men’s powers and attainments, said of him: “He is too great, too wonderful, for me to describe. Whatever he writes, whatever he utters, goes to the soul and fixes itself like arrows in the heart. He is a miracle among men.

Nor was he without the humility of true greatness. Newton’s comparison of himself to a child gathering shells and pebbles on the shore, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before him, has been much cited and lauded as an illustration of the modesty of true science. But long before Newton had Luther said of himself, in the midst of his mighty achievements, “Only a little of the first fruits of wisdom – only a few fragments of the boundless heights, breadths, and depths of truth – have I been able to gather.”

He was a man of amazing faith – that mighty principle which looks at things invisible, joins the soul to divine Omnipotence, and launches out unfalteringly upon eternal realities, and which is ever the chief factor in all God’s heroes of every age. He dwelt in constant nearness and communion with the Eternal Spirit, which reigns in the heavens and raises the willing and obedient into blessed instruments of itself for the actualizing of ends and ideals beyond and above the common course of things. With his feet ever planted on the promises, he could lay his hands upon the Throne, and thus was lifted into a sublimity of energy, endurance, and command which made him one of the phenomenal wonders of humanity. He was a very Samson in spiritual vigor, and another Hannah’s son in the strength and victory of his prayers.

Dr. Calvin E. Stowe says: “There was probably never created a more powerful human being, a more gigantic, full-proportioned MAN, in the highest sense of the term. All that belongs to human nature, all that goes to constitute a MAN, had a strongly-marked development in him. He was a model man, one that might be shown to other beings in other parts of the universe as a specimen of collective manhood in its maturest growth.”

As the guide and master of one of the greatest revolutions of time we look in vain for any one with whom to compare him, and as a revolutionary orator and preacher he had no equal. Richter says, “His words are half-battles.” Melanchthon likens them to thunderbolts. He was at once a Peter and a Paul, a Socrates and an Æsop, a Chrysostom and a Savonarola, a Shakespeare and a Whitefield, all condensed in one.

HIS ALLEGED COARSENESS.

Some blame him for not using kid gloves in handling the ferocious bulls, bears, and he-goats with whom he had to do. But what, otherwise, would have become of the Reformation? His age was savage, and the men he had to meet were savage, and the matters at stake touched the very life of the world. What would a Chesterfield or an Addison have been in such a contest? Erasmus said he had horns, and knew how to use them, but that Germany needed just such a master. He understood the situation. “These gnarled logs,” said he, “will not split without iron wedges and heavy malls. The air will not clear without lightning and thunder.”28

But if he was rough betimes, he could be as gentle and tender as a maiden, and true to himself in both. He could fight monsters all day, and in the evening take his lute, gaze at the stars, sing psalms, and muse upon the clouds, the fields, the flowers, the birds, dissolved in melody and devotion. Feared by the mighty of the earth, the dictator and reprimander of kings, the children loved him, and his great heart was as playful among them as one of themselves. If he was harsh and unsparing upon hypocrites, malignants, and fools, he called things by their right names, and still was as loving as he was brave. Since King David’s lament over Absalom no more tender or pathetic scene has appeared in history or in fiction than his outpouring of paternal love and grief over the deathbed, coffin, and grave of his young and precious daughter Madeleine. “I know of few things more touching,” says Carlyle, “than those soft breathings of affection, soft as a child’s or a mother’s, in this great wild heart of Luther;” and adds: “I will call this Luther a true Great Man; great in intellect, in courage, affection, and integrity; one of our most lovable and precious men. Great not as a hewn obelisk, but as an Alpine mountain, so simple, honest, spontaneous; not setting up to be great at all; there for quite another purpose than being great. Ah, yes, unsubduable granite, piercing far and wide into the Heavens; yet, in the clefs of it, fountains, green, beautiful valleys with flowers. A right Spiritual Hero and Prophet; once more, a true Son of Nature and Fact, for whom these centuries, and many that are yet to come, will be thankful to Heaven.”

HIS MARVELOUS ACHIEVEMENTS.

A lone man, whose days were spent in poverty; who could withstand the mighty Vatican and all its flaming Bulls; whose influence evoked and swayed successive Diets of the empire; whom repeated edicts from the Imperial throne could not crush; whom the talent, eloquence, and towering authority of the Roman hierarchy assailed in vain; whom the attacks of kings of state and kings of literature could not disable; to offset whose opinions the greatest general council the Church of Rome ever held had to be convened, and, after sitting eighteen years, could not adjourn without conceding much to his positions; and whose name the greatest and most enlightened nations of the earth hail with glad acclaim – necessarily must have been a wonder of a man.29

To begin with a minority consisting of one, and conquer kingdoms with the mere sword of his mouth; to bear the anathemas of Church and the ban of empire, and triumph in spite of them; to refuse to fall down before the golden image of the combined Nebuchadnezzars of his time, though threatened with the burning fires of earth and hell; to turn iconoclast of such magnitude and daring as to think of smiting the thing to pieces in the face of principalities and powers to whom it was as God – nay, to attempt this, and to succeed in it – here was sublimity of heroism and achievement explainable only in the will and providence of the Almighty, set to recover His Gospel to a perishing race.30

HIS IMPRESS UPON THE WORLD.

To describe the fruits of Luther’s labors would require the writing of the whole history of modern civilization and the setting forth of the noblest characteristics of this our modern world.31

On the German nation he has left more of his impress than any other man has left on any nation. The German people love to speak of him as the creative master of their noble language and literature, the great prophet and glory of their country. There is nothing so consecrated in all his native land as the places which connect with his life, presence, and deeds.

But his mighty impress is not confined to Germany. “He grasped the iron trumpet of his mother-tongue and blew a blast that shook the nations from Rome to the Orkneys.” He is not only the central figure of Germany, but of Europe and of the whole modern world. Take Luther away, with the fruits of his life and deeds, and man today would cease to be what he is.

Frederick von Schlegel, though a Romanist, affirms that “it was upon him and his soul that the fate of Europe depended.” And on the fate of Europe then depended the fate of our race.

Michelet, also a Romanist, pronounces Luther “the restorer of liberty in modern times;” and adds: “If we at this day exercise in all its plenitude the first and highest privilege of human intelligence, it is to him we are indebted for it.”

“And that any faith,” says Froude, “any piety, is alive now, even in the Roman Church itself, whose insolent hypocrisy he humbled into shame, is due in large measure to the poor miner’s son.”

He certainly is to-day the most potently living man who has lived this side of the Middle Ages. The pulsations of his great heart are felt through the whole corpus of our civilization.

“Four potentates,” says the late Dr. Krauth, “ruled the mind of Europe in the Reformation: the emperor, Erasmus, the pope, and Luther. The pope wanes; Erasmus is little; the emperor is nothing; but Luther abides as a power for all time. His image casts itself upon the current of ages as the mountain mirrors itself in the, river which winds at its foot. He has monuments in marble and bronze, and medals in silver and gold, but his noblest monument is the best love of the best hearts, and the brightest and purest impression of his image has been left in the souls of regenerated nations.”

Many and glowing are the eulogies which have been pronounced upon him, but Frederick von Schlegel, speaking from the side of Rome, gives it as his conviction that “few, even of his own disciples, appreciate him highly enough.” Genius, learning, eloquence, and song have volunteered their noble efforts to do him justice; centuries have added their light and testimony; half the world in its enthusiasm has urged on the inspiration; but the story in its full dimensions has not yet been adequately told. The skill and energy of other generations will yet be taxed to give it, if, indeed, it ever can be given apart from the illuminations of eternity.32

HIS ENEMIES AND REVILERS.

Rome has never forgotten nor forgiven him. She sought his life while living, and she curses him in his grave. Profited by his labors beyond what she ever could have been without him, she strains and chokes with anathemas upon his name and everything that savers of him. Her children are taught from infancy to hate and abhor him as they hope for salvation. Many are the false turns and garbled forms in which her writers hold up his words and deeds to revenge themselves on his memory. Again and again the oft-answered and exploded calumnies are revived afresh to throw dishonor on his cause. Even while the free peoples of the earth are making these grateful acknowledgments of the priceless boon that a has come to them through his life and labors, press and platform hiss with stale vituperations from the old enemy. And a puling Churchism outside of Rome takes an ill pleasure in following after her to gather and retail this vomit of malignity.

Luther was but a man. No one claims that he was perfection. But if those who sought his destruction while he lived had had no greater faults than he, with better grace their modern representatives might indulge their genius for his defamation. At best, as we might suppose, it is the little men, the men of narrow range and narrow heart – men dwarfed by egotism, bigotry, and self-conceit – who see the most of these defects. Nobler minds, contemplating him from loftier standpoints, observe but little of them, and even honor them above the excellencies of common men. “The proofs that he was in some things like other men,” says Leasing, “are to me as precious as the most dazzling of his virtues.”33

And, with all, where is the gain or wisdom of blowing smoke upon a diamond? The sun itself has holes in it too large for half a dozen worlds like ours to fill, but wherein is that great luminary thereby unfitted to be the matchless centre of our system, the glorious source of day, and the sublime symbol of the Son of God?

If Luther married a beautiful woman, the proofs of which do not appear, it is what every other honest man would do if it suited him and he were free to do it.

If he broke his vows to get a wife, of which there is no evidence, when vows are taken by mistake, tending to dishonor God, work unrighteousness, and hinder virtuous example and proper life, they ought to be broken, the sooner the better.

And, whatever else may be alleged to his discredit, and whoever may arise to heap scandal on his name, the grand facts remain that it was chiefly through his marvelous qualities, word, and work that the towering dominion of the Papacy was humbled and broken for ever; that prophets and apostles were released from their prisons once more to preach and prophesy to men; that the Church of the early times was restored to the bereaved world; that the human mind was set free to read and follow God’s Word for itself; that the masses of neglected and downtrodden humanity were made into populations of live and thinking beings; and that the nations of the earth have become repossessed of their “inalienable rights” of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
    “And let the Pope and priests their victor scorn,
    Each fault reveal, each imperfection scan,
    And by their fell anatomy of hate
    His life dissect with satire’s keenest edge;
    yet still may Luther, with his mighty heart,
    Defy their malice

    Far beyond them soars the soul
    They slander. From his tomb there still comes forth
    A magic which appalls them by its power;
    And the brave monk who made the Popedom rock
    Champions a world to show his equal yet!”



------------
Endnotes:
  1. Seiss, J. Luther and the Reformation: The Life-Springs of Our Liberties. Philadelphia: Porter & Coates. 1888. pp. 111-134. (return)
  2. “Never before was the human mind more prolific.” “Luther holds a high and glorious place in German literature.” “In his manuscripts we nowhere discover the traces of fatigue or irritation, no embarrassment or erasures, no ill-applied epithet or unmanageable expression; and by the correctness of his writing we might imagine he was the copyist rather than the writer of the work.” – So says Audin, his Roman Catholic biographer.

    Hallam’s flippant and disparaging remarks on Luther, contained in his Introduction to the Literature of Europe, are simply outrageous, “stupid and senseless paragraphs,” evidencing a presumption on the part of their author which deserves intensest rebuke. “Hallam knows nothing about Luther; he himself confesses his inability to read him in his native German; and this alone renders him incapable of judging intelligently respecting his merits as a writer; and, knowing nothing, it would have been honorable in him to say nothing, at least to say nothing disparagingly. And, by the way, it seems to us that writing a history of European literature without a knowledge of German is much like writing a history of metals without knowing anything of iron and steel...Luther’s language became, through his writings, and has ever since remained, the language of literature and general intercourse among educated men, and is that which is now understood universally to be meant when the German is spoken of. His translation of the Bible is still as much the standard of purity for that language as Homer is for the Greek.” – Dr. Galvin E. Stowe. (return)
  3. “Nothing can be more edifying than the scene presented by the last days of Luther, of which we have the most authentic and detailed accounts. When dying he collected his last strength and offered up the following prayer: ‘Heavenly Father, eternal, merciful God, Thou hast revealed to me Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Him I have taught, Him I have confessed, Him I love as my Saviour and Redeemer, whom the wicked persecute, dishonor, and reprove. Take my poor soul up to Thee!’

    “Then two of his friends put to him the solemn question: ‘Reverend Father, do you die in Christ and in the doctrine you have constantly preached?’ He answered by an audible and joyful ‘Yes,’ and, repeating the vows, ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit,’ he expired peacefully, without a struggle.” – Encyclopædia Britannica. (return)
  4. Mattähus Ratzenberger, in a passage of his biography preserved in the Bibliotheca Ducalais Gothana, says: “Lutherus had also this custom: as soon as he had eaten the evening meal with his table companions he would fetch out of his little writing-room his partes and hold amusicam with those of them who had a mind for music. Greatly was he delighted when a good composition of the old master fitted the responses or hymnos de tempore anni, and especially did he enjoy the cantu Gregoriana and chorale. But if at times he perceived in a new song that it was incorrectly copied he set it again upon the lines (that is, he brought the parts together and rectified it in continenti). Right gladly did he join in the singing when hymnus or responsorium de tempere had been set by the Musicus to a Cantum Gregorianum, as we have said, and his young sons, Martinus and Paulus, had also after table to sing the responsoria de tempore, as at Christmas, Verbum caro factum estIn principio erat verbum; at Easter, Christus resurgens ex mortuisVita sanctorumVictimæ paschali laudes, etc. In theseresponsoria he always sang along with his sons, and in cantu figurali he sang the alto.”

    The alto which Luther sang must not be confounded with the alto part of today. Here it means the cantus firmus, the melody around which the old composers wove their contrapuntal ornamentation.

    Luther was the creator of German congregational singing. (return)

  5. Luther’s first poetic publication seems to have been certain verses ode on the martyrdom of two young Christian monks, who were burned alive at Brussels in 1523 for their faithful confession of the evangelical doctrines. A translation of a part of this composition is given in D'Aubigné’s History of the Reformation in these beautiful and stirring words:

      “Flung to the heedless winds or on the waters cast,
      Their ashes shall be watched, and gathered at the last;
      And from that scattered dust, around us and abroad,
      Shall spring a plenteous seed of witnesses for God.

      “Jesus hath now received their latest living breath,
      Yet vain is Satan’s boast of victory in their death.
      Still, still, though dead, they speak, and trumpet-tongued proclaim
      To many a wakening land the One availing Name.”

    Audin, though a Romanist, says: “The hymns which he translated from the Latin into German may be unreservedly praised, as also those which he composed for the members of his own communion. He did not travesty the sacred Word nor set his anger to music. He is grave, simple, solemn, and grand. He was at once the poet and musician of a great number of his hymns.” (return)
  6. Froude supplemented. (return)
  7. It must be observed that the coarse vituperations which shock the reader in Luther’s controversial works were not peculiar to him, being commonly used by scholars and divines of the Middle Ages in their disputations. “The invectives of Valla, filelfo, Poggio, and other distinguished scholars against each other are notorious; and this bad taste continued in practice long after Luther, down to the seventeenth century, and traces of it are found in writers of the eighteenth, even in some of the works of the polished and courtly Voltaire.” –Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. (return)
  8. “In no other instance have such great events depended upon the courage, sagacity, and energy of a single man, who, by his sole and unassisted efforts, made his solitary cell the heart and centre of the most wonderful and important commotion the world ever witnessed – who by the native force and vigor of his genius attacked and successfully resisted, and at length overthrew, the most awful and sacred authority that ever imposed its commands on mankind.” – A letter prefixed to Luther’s Table-Talk in the folio edition of 1652. (return)
  9. “To overturn a system of religious belief founded on ancient and deep-rooted prejudices, supported by power and defended with no less art than industry – to establish in its room doctrines of the most contrary genius and tendency, and to accomplish all this, not by external violence or the force of arms, are operations which historians the least prone to credulity and superstition ascribe to that divine providence which with infinite ease can bring about events which to human sagacity appear impossible.” – Robertson’s Charles V. (return)
  10. “From the commencement of the religious war in Germany to the Peace of Westphalia scarce anything great or memorable occurred in the European political world with which the Reformation was not essentially connected. Every event in the history of the world in this interval, if not directly occasioned, was nearly affected, by this religious revolution, and every state, great or small, remotely or immediately felt its influence.” – Schiller’s Thirty Years’ War, vol. i. p. 1 (return)
  11. “Luther was as wonderful as he was great. His personal experience in divine things was as deep as his mind was mighty, large, and unbounded. Though called by the Most High, and continued by his appointment, in the midst of papal darknem, idolatry, and error, with no companions but the saints of the Bible, nor any other light but the lamp of the Word to guide his feet, his heaven-taught soul was ministerially fumished with as rich pasture for the sheep of Christ, as awful ammunition for the terror and destruction of the enemies by which he and they were perpetually surrounded. The sphere of his mighty ministry was not bounded by his defence of the truth against the great and powerful. No! He was as rich a pastor, as terrible a warrior. He fed the sheep in the fattest pastures, while be destroyed the wolves on any side. Nor will those pastures be dried up or lost until time, nations, and the churches of God shall be no more.” – Dr. Cole’s Preface to Luther on Genesis (return)
  12. “It was by some of these qualities which we are now apt to blame that Luther was fitted for accomplishing the great work which he undertook. To rouse mankind when sunk in ignorance and superstition, and to encounter the rage of bigotry armed with power, required the utmost vehemenoe of zeal as well as temper daring to excess.” – Robertson’s Charles V. (return)
    This is even more true today.
 

Drama Queens Want To Win Through Emotional Displays

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I have seen many emotional displays used to bully people into submission. Often synodical leaders just erupt into anger so that everyone thinks, "I should not cross this guy. Better to remain silent than to share the humiliation of his victim."

They may appeal to Holy Mother Synod, like the old vaudeville performers ending a song to mama on one knee.

Sometimes they use a plea for pity. One CLC (sic) bully constantly reminded people that his church first worshiped in his house and "people had to go through our bedroom to reach the restroom." That is called bearing the cross, or in this case, still pouting about it like a little girl, decades later. He used it to say, "I am right about this issue because people once walked through our bedroom to get to the restroom." Pathetic, but it works on those who are united by a common history.

Naturally, the world will come to an end - or worse - "the synod will come to an end unless..." will always move large groups in to stupid decisions.

That is the most frequently used gambit, and will be used until Judgment Day. "If this case goes to court, the LCMS will lose $10 million and there goes the Siberian mission."

"If you continue to bring up these abuse cases, the synod will be crushed, people will be hurt, and nothing good will come of it."

"If we do not implement these new praise worship models, all the young people will go away and join up-to-date churches." And yet the Praise Band is full of balding Boomers with their beer bellies hanging out over their blue jeans.



Mid-Week Lenten Service. 2016. Jesus the Son of God

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Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, 2016

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson



The Hymn #145 -          Jesus Refuge of the Weary          
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41
The Psalmody                   Psalm 23                  p. 128
The Lections                            The Passion History
                                                 John 1 
The Sermon Hymn #657       Beautiful Savior              

The Sermon –     Jesus the Son of God
 
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymn #660 - Heaven Is My Home  

KJV John 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  



Jesus the Son of God
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Two Natures in Christ have not been separated, ever since the Incarnation, but we can see that passages in the Bible emphasize one Nature, then the other, many times in the same section. For us is these times, it is good to consider the categories because people have denied one or the other. This rationalistic age denies and attacks the divine nature of Christ. Almost all the mainline theologians and scholars simply start from the concept of Jesus as a man, around Whom the early followers invented a religion. 
Many modern sermons presume the same, but people of faith hear the faith words and still believe. They hear the Scripture readings and still believe. Where the liturgy and creeds have not been kicked to the curb, and the hymns are still sung, those elements also strengthen faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

I read that John does not speak of the Virgin Birth, but that means ignoring the nature of the Fourth Gospel, which is to supplement Matthew Mark and Luke. John's Gospel goes beyond the Virgin Birth to reveal more about the pre-existence of the Son of God and His role in Creation, not to mention additional proclamation about the Trinity. To do this in a few verses, in such simple words, is beyond human ability, unaided by the Holy Spirit.

The first verse is Trinitarian, using the Word three times and making it clear in the following verses that Jesus is the Word of God - Logos in Greek. The Logos created everything in the universe. And in the style of Biblical revelation, there are no exception. "without him was not any thing made that was made."

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

This is a beautiful statement, because life really means eternal life. The Gospel brings eternal life to everyone who hears and believes, so it is the light of men also. The Gospel of John (like Paul) uses light and darkness to illustrate truth and error. The occult followers "send light" to their friends. One person was sending me light during a talk I gave - that is how low Lutheranism has sunk today.

There is only one Truth and only one Light. John's Gospel makes that absolutely clear. I told one classmate that he should study John's Gospel and forget about the shortcomings of the visible Christian Church.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
This is a prose interlude in the middle of the Logos hymn (or poem, or confession of faith.
How important was John the Baptist? He fulfilled Isaiah 40, so his arrival on the scene was the definite sign of the Messianic Age. That stirred the excitement of the people and the anger of the authorities, but it also prepared people for the coming of Jesus and His public ministry.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
So John turns back to Jesus the Son of God. John was not the Light - HE was te true Light. There is only one illumination, one enlightenment, one wisdom, and that is Christ the Light of all the living. 
Here is the paradox. He was in the world, the very world He created, and yet the world did know realize or acknowledge this. 
Even worse, He came to His own people and His own people did not believe in Him.
Although many Jews converted to Christ, the entire nation did not, which grieved Paul so much. Jesus wept over Jerusalem, knowing the tragedy they were buying by their rejection.
Receiving is an important word, parallel to believing. They are different words for the same concept. It is not making a decision. Christians are new Creations by the Word (creatures in KJV) not New Decisions. It is not an act of the will or intellect. But by hearing the Gospel our hearts are open to receive Him, to trust in Him for forgiveness and eternal life.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
One could say - as many as believed in Him... But the variation is a simple but profound way to emphasizing what we know to be true. The expression is very much like the Old Testament because receiving is used with believing.
Why name? Nothing is more important than a name. Every false god has a name, and nincompoops want to embrace them all, more like a divine lottery - one must be a lucky number. But there is only One Name by which we are saved. Or to use the exclusive expression of Acts 4:12 - By no other Name is anyone saved than by this one.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin - for not believing on Him, on His Name. We cast our cares on Him because He cares for us.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
This is the Incarnation, the Word (pre-existent) took on our flesh and dwelt among us. Let me be the first to note that this sounds exactly like the Virgin Birth but in different words. The Son born of Mary retained the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
This is the second prose interlude in the Logos Hymn.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [GJ - explained] him. 

Nothing is clearer than John's declaration of Jesus being the essence of God's grace, full of grace, overflowing with grace to give to all who believe in Him. Here is the important distinction between Moses (very important figure in John) and Jesus. The Law came from Moses, grace and truth from Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the best possible one to explain and show God the Father to us. The task of explaining the Scriptures, verse by verse, is called exegesis. Jesus is the only begotten Son - the exegesis of the Father.



Icha-peak Bonus - Christian News 2-15-16 Issue Features The Faith of Jesus: Against the Faithless Lutherans. Wait for the Blowback!

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Otten mistakenly promotes the idea that I have taught something other
than justification by faith. He must not remember Trinity Bridgeton UOJ
Stormtroopers threatening him about my articles appearing in CN.

The beautiful cover was designed by Norma Boeckler.

Christian News editor Herman Otten thought my Photoshop of him was funny, but he also thought it ridiculed him. The graphic is a parable of sorts, not ridicule. LCMS Pastor Otten promoted a horrible, lying, anti-Luther book for his Reformation issue, some time back. When I asked him once or twice about stooping so low, he refused to answer. He finally said on the Net - "I sell to both sides of an issue."

That theory of merchandising explains why he sells Valleskey's Church Growth textbook and Marquart's criticism of Church Growth.

I like Otten, one of the last of the quirky pastors in the LCMS. The rest are all button down, incense burning wannabee priests who tell everyone how confessional they are while sinuflecting to Rome.

I bought an online subscription to Christian News, which is a good deal. $20 for online only, which is convenient for those who work from their computers.


The Popes Speak - Untangling the Strange Tales of Otten, McCain, and the UOJ Wolfpack

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The first calumny is that I should "return to my previous position." That is on the first page of Christian News, 2-15-16 edition.

But I welcome false statements out in the open, which are rare in the Synodical Conference.

I have always taught justification by faith because Luther interested me from the beginning and I often used Luther's sermons in preparing for Sundays.

True - like many others I thought Objective Justification was the same as the Atonement. However, research into the terms and history, continued over the last 15-20 years, has shown that assumption to be false. OJ means everyone is forgiven and saved, without faith, the position of Halle Pietists.

I corrected this assumption in the new edition of Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, which Otten still sells. I just sent him 20 more.



Our next item for amusement is Paul McCain's claim that I am not a real pastor. That comes from a man who never really served a congregation. Instead, he connived to get Al Barry elected as Synod President, secretly sending Otten advance copies of Barry materials so Christian News could run them early. Otten and McCain both bragged to me about it, yet both lied to the public about their covert partnership. Otten even published a denial.

McCain always poses in a clergy collar, yet his blog became famous for his incessant plagiarism from his friends' blogs and The Catholic Encyclopedia. Like all plagiarists, he changed a few words to cover his tracks, but a comparison with the free online papist recruiting tool revealed he was not a scholar but a lazy bum, a devious one at that. He probably figured that the nilhil obstat would give away his source, so he always removed that.

Let's examine McCain's accusation. I am a tent-maker, which has a precedent in the Bible. Think of your first name, Paul. I teach graduate and PhD students in theology, a role for which McCain is unqualified - due to his lack of education and his sordid record of unapologetic plagiarism.

I preach every Sunday, for Advent, Lent, the Ascension, but not the Assumption of CFW Walther.

In 2015 we visited all our members and held services at their homes, both in Washington and in Michigan. Besides that, our members come here for services.

McCain is offended that we hold services "in a rented room!" - to quote the ex-blogger. I wonder how he gets through Christmas with such prejudice, since the Savior was born "in a rented room."

We broadcast free over the Net, so we have people joining us from all over the US and also in various countries. We do not hide our services behind a user name and password, so nothing is secret.

Whether this suits the plagiarist or his editor buddy is no concern of mine. People thank me for teaching in harmony with the Word, Luther, and the Book of Concord.


The Walther myth is the main reason why the LCMS, WELS, and the Little Sect on the Prairie are cratering. They have established this unwritten rule - that Walther is the last word on everything.

Walther only had a BA from the rationalists at Leipzig. His religious training was from one abusive Pietist and then a second one, Martin Stephan. Walther learned his OJ from Stephan and felt it saved his life.

I always tell the truth about the opposition's views and quote them verbatim. However, they are not willing to match their OJ dogma against the Book of Concord, Luther, or the Bible. They simply pound the same old trite statements and ignore anything that contradicts their own contradictions.


Another Set of Books Out the Door. Making Disciples: The Error of Modern Pietism Is Close to Production

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This project took months, because Walmart used up my extra time and energy.

First I sent some ancient Melo Cream calendars to a classmate who is part of the historical society in my hometown area. One calendar is perhaps 70 years old, showing my older cousins as little children.
That was long promised.

Second, I mailed the box promised to the best researcher around, whose name I cannot reveal. One book was signed by Jack Preus himself after denouncing Otten at the Indianapolis convention, as I recall.

A third book box went to another blogger, to help with Greek studies.

A fourth one went to Concordia, Ft. Wayne, to a seminarian.

Most of my purchases are Kindle or used books from Alibris. I found three books on Tyndale for a total cost of $20.

I enjoy finding great Lutheran classics for almost nothing and passing them on to other students of Lutheran doctrine. Sometimes I just send them directly from Alibris.



Apart from that, I send my books from Amazon. Some people donate extra and that makes it easy to send 10 to 15 books at a time. ELDONA received 25 copies of The Faith of Jesus: Against the Faithless Lutherans.



Making Disciples: The Error of Modern Pietism
The new booklet is being illustrated by Norma Boeckler.

The booklet looks at the relationship between Pietism and the almost-universal shift from "teach all nations" to "make disciples of all nations."


From 2007 - Kurtzahn Nails Vallesksey and Later Swims Back to the Sinking Ship Named WELS

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A soft, warm, harmless sheep wants to love and be loved.


"But as you can see from the above references, ever so slyly, like a wolf in sheep's clothing, Valleskey is promoting the Church Growth Movement. [emphasis in original] I will argue that with anyone. God forbid, but my guess would be the next such book out of WELS will be even more CG oriented and even more blatant in its CG statements."

So wrote WELS Pastor Steve Kurtzahn, 1996, when he was still a Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic) pastor. He started as WELS, joined the CLC (sic), and went back to WELS.

So why did Kurtzahn denounce the false doctrine of the president of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, aka The Sausage Factory (Jay Webber's nickname), and then join WELS? Was he trying to out-Preus Jack and Robert Preus?

Answer: - The Greeks have a saying: "A chameleon can turn every color except white."

KJV Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

***
How many pastors perm their hair?
I have trouble with car salesmen who do that.

GJ - From what I read, Kurtzahn went back to Mequon for contrition and homage to their brand of Pietism. He got an assistant pastor's job in Coon Rapids, became the senior pastor, and later took a two-point parish somewhere.

Kurtzahn is like most WELS/CLC/ELS pastors, keen on occupying two opposing viewpoints at the same time - or - easily scared away or bribed away from the truth.

Kurtzahn was only too happy to join hater Paul Tiefel in a ferocious CLC (sic) campaign against the sin of having pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. A pancake dinner was not only a Roman Catholic practice, they insisted, but also one associated with gross immorality. Drama queens love to exhibit their fragile emotions when confronting imaginary evils.

UOJ drama queens follow the same pattern. They screech that their favorite idol is being attacked, effectively setting aside the Scriptures as the ruling norm, the norma normans. In ancient times, as Chemnitz wrote, the church leaders paraded the Scriptures before a conference to show that the Word of God was the only norm.

I could add that the Book of Concord is the ruled norm, except that is not true for any established synod today. The ELS-ELCA-WELS-LCMS combine will discuss justification at length without ever acknowledging the Formula of Concord, Article III on....wait for it...The Righteousness of Faith.

No one would claim that these pusillanimous pinheads and peculators have read Melanchthon's brilliant essay on justification by faith in the Apology, which they supposedly confess as their own.


From 2014 - Son-Burnt - WELS Still Giddy on Making Disciples. From Polluted WELS, Another Zapped Blog

$
0
0

Worshipful Master is the Sun in the East -
Masonic Lodge lore.
mndp@wels.net
Mark.Schroeder@wels.net

Here is your chance, especially the anonymous commenters of this and other blogs, and particularly the anonymous commenters who claim these blogs don't do anything but bellyache. The first email address above is for District President Charles Degner, the remaining DP holdout participating in the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience. The second is President Schroeder's email address. Send an email urging DP Degner's withdrawal from the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience. Mine has already been sent. 

Sorry, but it will be difficult for you to do this and remain anonymous. And yes, there are risks involved. 

Vernon
August 13, 2014 at 1:35 PM


A Travesty Examined, Part Nine

The "worship music" at the Christian Leadership Experience's ecumenical worship services will be provided by the SON Band. The SON Band is associated with Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. They play for Pilgrim's contemporary worship service entitled "The SON Experience".

Pilgrim's website provides links to videos of the SON Experience. You can find them here. I haven't had a chance to watch all of the videos in their entirety, but what I've seen is extremely concerning. 

"Experience!"


Most concerning is a "SON Message" in which Dr. Scott Gostchock (who is not a pastor) preaches a "sermon" in which he states the following: 
  • It isn't good enough to preach God's Word from the Bible because that's just "words on a page". 
  • We must somehow "experience" God's presence apart from those words on a page.
  • It's not the job of the church to condemn sin.
The entire "sermon" is pure enthusiasm--the teaching that one must experience God's presence apart from Word and Sacrament. 




If you watch the video, notice how many times Gostchock uses the word experience. Notice that this takes place during a service called The SON Experience. Notice that Gostchock will be speaking and the SON Band will be performing at something called the Christian Leadership Experience.

This is clear proof that the Church Growth leaders within the WELS have traded a theology centered on the Means of Grace for a theology centered on human experience and emotion.

A member of the Synodical Council (WELS)
and Don Patterson's parish said this.










Anonymous said...










I didn't manage to get all the way through Gostchock's "Community in Christ" message. I stopped around 2:22. Maybe he was speaking poorly (in which case, shame on him) or maybe he really is wishy-washy on the Trinity (in which case, a lot of shame of him) but he talked about God having three distinct beings, parts, pieces...

This runs counter to Col. 2:9 "For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form..."

Jesus is truly 100% true God. He is not a part of or just one third God.
Same with the Father. He is truly 100% true God. Not just one third God.
And Same with the Spirit. He is 100% true God.

Yet, paraphrasing the Athanasian Creed, we do not have 300%. We do not have three Gods, but one God.


Nor do we have a piecemeal God.


He would have best said that there are three distinct persons in the Trinity and left it at that.


I paused writing this and listened to the speech a little more. I get what he's trying to do. He doesn't want Christians who just sit there and read the Bible and are separate from their fellow Christians. But the way he gets to that point feels very wrong. Claiming that the Bible isn't enough and we need to look at each other and see Christ "in us" is so very dangerous. Schwaermer-enthusiasm.
August 12, 2014 at 12:01 PM
Blogger Henry Town said...
With his message Mr. Gostchock wanted to talk about "community." How he ever got that from the text he read is unbelievable. In fact, after the initial minute or two he simply left the text behind and spoke about what he wanted to speak about. Might this best describe the CGM movement in WELS, GIA particularly?
August 12, 2014 at 12:35 PM
Blogger AP said...
"We need to experience God's presence among us...sometimes that comes from just this overwhelming sense of peace...sometimes it comes from the warm embrace of a friend...sometimes it comes from us giving to others. We need to experience that love of God...its more than just words on paper."

These words are taken directly from the linked video. I also see what the speaker is attempting to communicate, which I think is the need to have a living, active faith. That is a fine thing to have an active faith, but any real faith is bound to be active through the work of the Holy Spirit. If faith is not active, it is probably because it has been starved of the things it needs to live and grow--the Means of Grace.

The linked sermon sounds like pure Pietism to me. Read Jacob Spener and you will see the exact same sentiments: use methods to encourage holy living, which is the only real measure of one's true Christianity.

I do agree though. It is not about just "words on a page" because God's Holy Word is not just "words on a page. To apply such a flippant remark to the Holy Word of God is very dangerous. Again, we are talking about the very word of God, the mighty double-edged sword that always has effect and needs no help from our pathetic efforts to be more effective. We experience God's presence among us in Word and Sacrament, not in feel-good, happy-clappy emotional and enthusiast worship.

AP
Anonymous said...
As a female lay person, I would like to know more from the
learned men here on this blog about this SON group and situation. This is a sincere statement.

When planning a wedding in a WELS congregation, the participants of the service, including the soloist, organist, etc are required to be in affiliation. I adhered, without issue, to this when making my own wedding preparations several years ago.


Reviewing the SON Experience and their website, I see no connection that these are WELS members. Have things changed and it is acceptable to have services, without confessional members within or associated with WELS, providing the music? I don't see a separation form Pilgrim Lutheran and S.O.N. One can only assume they are affiliated.


This group proclaims their Vision as: "Savior of the Nations services through the power of the Spirit will reach and teach the Twin Cities one soul at a time through God's elect."


I viewed their individual biographical information at:

http://www.sonexperience.com/whoweare.html

And that's where my questions and concerns are--their biographies. Do we now avoid or delete any religious education? Otherwise, I'm sure there are much more talented starving artists that I can get together and play and sing off a sheet of music. Executive Director Dr. Scott Gostchock lists no affiliations in his brief bio. Just a minister. My question is where, when, for how long? These have to be my questions. My Christian upbringing told me to ask.


Or is mute because they are reaching out to the unchurched. But they don't say unchurched...they say one soul at a time. That one soul includes me. Do I join in service with a minister whose anonymous experience is with a Methodist or Presbyterian church? Or is it even a church service and none of this applies because its an experience.


The responses to my verbal questions about these blogs are Don't read, stay away, or just shake their head...they fail to realize that Google, Yahoo, and ever other search engine will spider these pages faster than they can tell me what or why to avoid. But I'm reading supporting documentation. I see no vagueness here; but I do see it on the S.O.N. biographies. From rationalwiki: Lying by omission, otherwise known as exclusionary detailing, is lying by either omitting certain facts or by failing to correct a misconception.


I enjoy reading your views on a much higher level than mine so forgive a more simplistic view of this group and issue. I'm learning with your responses to each other. May the Lord bless me and keep me and I continue to do so.
August 12, 2014 at 3:18 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
^ *as (not and) I continue to do so.
August 12, 2014 at 3:23 PM

Der Schwarz Schaf said...
Pastor Flack (if I may be so bold as to address you in such manner) - Thank you for once again doing the job that the synod should be doing and do not, will not, or cannot. Why is it that so many of these churches/conferences/pastors, etc... are not properly vetted? Who's minding the store? Why is it people must find out about such crap as goes on at Pilgrim, and this insane leadershi* meeting from an anonymous blog, rather than the District and Synod Presidents? Older WELS pastor have told me in the past that they were proud to be "ragged individuals," and to both stay out of neighboring pastors' business, and insist that they stay out of theirs. Everyone was - and still is - very afraid of being known as a "busy-body in another man's parish." They are more afraid of that than of false teaching or false teachers! How foolish and stupid! And irresponsible! What does the body have leaders for in the first place but to monitor doctrine and practice? I'm so glad I am no longer a part of this mess of a church! Sad for those still stuck in it.
August 12, 2014 at 3:48 PM
GJ - You are so wrong, Black Sheep. WELS pastors meddle unlike any other breed I have seen (except Paul Tiefel in the CLC - he should transfer). WELS ministers think they are the pastor of their previous congregations and any other congregation where they have friends or relatives. The District Popes and their assistants are even worse, meddling to make sure the evil and the corrupt triumph in each and every case. See the Anything Goes District for examples, Deputy Doug and Zank the Rank.






Anonymous Anonymous said...
Female lay person: they are all WELS. Pilgrim is WELS. The Pilgrim website lists this affiliation, and also links to a WELS statement of beliefs.
August 12, 2014 at 5:14 PM
GJ - I don't have their playing schedule, but I am betting they market themselves to all groups, all denominations. Jeske's disciples follow him in this regard - and there is a lot more loot for everyone this way. 
Koine charges $3,000 just to show up. So yes, they are unionistic. So are y'all, because you reject this but stay in WELS.
Blogger Vernon Knepprath said...
Regarding Anonymous comments at 5:14 PM:

Yes, Pilgrim Lutheran is WELS. If you dig on the web site, you might find it, eventually.

Check the home page. Nothing on it about WELS. In fact, you have to look pretty hard to know it is even Lutheran. Check the header. "Pilgrim" in extra large font. "Lutheran" is in tiny font beneath it. Go to the bottom of the home page. "Pilgrim Church and School"! Where is the "Lutheran"?

Is this what it means to be confessional Lutheran? To hide the fact that you are Lutheran? There is no confession here. This is Church Growth; to hide the fact that you are Lutheran.
Check the "About" page. Look long and hard to find "Lutheran" or "WELS".

We did a project on Intrepid about WELS Church home pages several months back. A number of people scoffed about the study and what we found. What we found is that more and more WELS congregations are suppressing the fact that they are WELS ... or even Lutheran.

Where do you think this comes from? It comes from the likes of the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience.

Lay people of the WELS, wake up!
August 12, 2014 at 6:50 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Woman principal?
August 12, 2014 at 6:58 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pilgrim saw unprecedented growth
because of the inspired vision of its Pastors and members.
August 12, 2014 at 7:10 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I'm not a member of Pilgrim and agree with most of the thoughts on this blog. I do not find that Pilgrim is hiding the WELS affiliation. I often look at other churches websites and if the affiliation is not on the first page then I go to the "Links" tab or the "About us- What do we Believe" section. BOTH had the WELS affiliation clearly listed. Lets not make this something it isn't. Focus on the band, the style, the message, those are worthwhile discussions but Pilgrim's website doesn't look like it is purposely hiding it's (sic) affiliation.
August 12, 2014 at 7:24 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Dr. Scott Gostchock
Director of Christian Development

"I work with development issues for the church and school. My current duties involve supervision of curriculum and instruction, assistance with church and school administration, and exploration of developmental possibilities throughout the community and abroad.

My goal here at Pilgrim is to help all people to see Jesus. Through educational efforts, community service projects, and much more, it is my hope that I can serve you in a personally meaningful way."


Pilgrim Lutheran is the "St. Mark Church of DePere" of the Twin Cities. They have the full blessing of the DP. Always have. I recall, many years ago, a former pastor of mine returning from a service at Pilgrim, nearly livid. Not only was the band mounted in the front of the assembly area facing the audience -- in the location and orientation normally taken by Called Ministers of the Word as they address the congregation by the command and in the stead of Christ -- but members of that band would spontaneously preach their own mini-sermons to the congregation, or engage in impromptu "ex corde" prayer, on themes related to the subject of the music they were singing at the audience. Worse, the most dominant "worship minister" during his visit was one of the female vocalists... No problem with that sort of thing in the WELS anymore, though. Not in their district.

This "SON Band" looks pretty young. They must be new. Several years ago, it was the in-thing for older men to be leading these bands. At least there was some maturity present... HA! One woman from our congregation was mortified, however: "Look at these gray haired old men! With pony-tails and electric guitars!! In church!!! What a bunch of overgrown children!!!" Yeah, other guys that age just go out and buy a corvette... it's called mid-life crisis...

Anyway, the worship entertainment scene in the Twin Cities seems to be a fairly tight-knit. I have several evangelical friends and family members involved. Everyone seems to know everyone else, especially the groups that have been around awhile. I know that they often go places to hear each other play, will jam or practice together, will even flip gigs with each other and trade band members. I recall -- again, awhile back, now -- that there was a flap with one WELS band regarding this kind of involvement with Evangelical "worship ministers." Someone suggested that there might be a Fellowship issue involved by "worshiping" with, and "practicing for worship" with these other non-WELS, non-Lutheran "worship ministers", especially given that in many cases there was joint prayer and study of the Scriptures involved. The responses I heard were something like, "Na, we're just tradin' licks" or "Na, we're just bouncing musical ideas off one another" or "Don't you think they would benefit from the influence of a REAL Christian, I mean, like, you know, a WELS Lutheran?" or "It's our Evangelism ministry" or ... a whole host of excuses which made it very plain that (a) these musicians see very clearly that what they do is not worship, per se, it is entertainment in a worship venue, and that (b) these worship entertainers view themselves as Ministers of the Word. The only things that makes what they do "worship" is the venue (because if they did the same thing in a saloon they wouldn't see it as worship at all) and the fact that they have appointed themselves Ministers of the Word, and thus spiritual leaders of those they find themselves addressing through their entertainment efforts.
---
Grace in Action - The Next Disciple - 
One of Many WELS Shrinker Websties
Dr. Scott Gostchock
Executive Director

Personal Bio: Dr. Scott Gostchock, in addition to serving as the Executive Director for GIA, serves as a site director for Pilgrim Church and School in South Minneapolis, a nonprofit specializing in urban education and multicultural programming. He has served cross-cultural, inner city, urban education as a teacher and administrator for 15 years. He also is teaching online and on campus for a number of different colleges and universities in training teachers and leaders for urban education and leadership.


office # 612-825-5375 ext. 106


Academic Degrees:
EdD Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale FL: Educational Leadership and Administration
MEd Brenau University, Dacatur (sic - MLC spelling) GA: Educational Leadership and Human Resource Management

BS Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm MN: Education




Melanchthon said...on the Polluted WELS Blog
Certainly not a pastor, and I would say not really a "Dr." either.

I see that Mr. Gostchock holds an "EdD" from Nova Southeastern University, well known for quickie online "doctorates" and very popular in the WELS. No scholarly work that I can find anyplace: zero hits in ProQuest, and zero hits in Google Scholar to his own work.
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