Nope this is not about the marriage altar, but marriage and the Communion altar. If Paul can speak of marriage and really be speaking of Christ and His Church, I can speak of marriage and really be speaking about Communion. Continue reading
Visit to A Wisconsin Synod Church
Only it wasn’t; as my April 2015 visit to a Pentecostal church was really a visit to a contemporary one, so was this. They only mentioned WELS once, and I do mean that literally. Their printed welcome says they are “affiliated with the WELS.” I thought these contemporary worship gigs were all about being seeker and user friendly, but they don’t even bother to spell out what WELS stands for let alone tell you what Wisconsin is doing in Texas or what Evangelical is doing right next to Lutheran and what does the strange word “synod” mean. Continue reading
Rev. Clint Poppe gave a justifiably famous presentation in 2012 on the need for pastors to be barking dogs. I would – without his permission, knowledge, acquiesce, or acknowledgement – modify some of his thoughts based on church history and empirical data. Continue reading
It took me some internet searching to find the origins of “Name it; Claim it.” You have to wade through pages of Joel Osteen and others Pentecostals. As it turns out, it’s really no deeper than a radio gimmick. Continue reading
I share these notes from Albrecht Peters’ Ten Commandments. I have always been troubled by the standard, and it seems to me fascicle, distinction between fearing God in awe and in terror. Luther you will see below speaks of servile and filial fear and at times does make sharp distinctions. But in my opinion, he too saw that it wasn’t always an easy distinction to make. I would add it isn’t always a helpful one either. Continue reading
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” was a 1967 hit by the British rock band Procol Harum. You can’t not know this song if you like classic rock. That would be like a poet lover not knowing “The Rime of the Ancient Marnier” or a techie not knowing Apple could refer to more than a fruit. Continue reading
Here’s a letter I wrote to The Lutheran Witness in June 2015. They never published it or responded at least in print. They might have online and I missed it. Continue reading
One of my sons took his mother to a “Celtic Women” concert for Mothers’ Day. (In case you’re wondering, for Fathers’ Day, I got the stubs.) He called the concert venue and asked what the appropriate attire was and they responded without missing a beat. “Your Sunday best.” Today, in my experience, that is anything from suit and tie to flip-flops and shorts. Continue reading
This is from the TV show Blue Bloods, season 4, episode 5, “Lost and Found.” A “whiskey priest” is speaking. He has been a chaplain to the NYPD since at least 9/11 when he “worked the pile” with firemen and police. One of the priest’s cop buddies from that day recently killed himself. This has led to the priest getting a series of DUI tickets for which the department out of professional courtesy has let him skate. This time he has been in an accident while no one was hurt his behavior can’t be ignored. The police commissioner who “worked the pile” with him also knew the cop who committed suicide. He asks the priest why this one sent him over the edge. Continue reading
You be the judge. Here’s what a book about the profligate, degenerated, proud pedophile William Burroughs says: Continue reading
