The Burr in the Burgh

NEW ADDRESS

2008-09-28T07:10:00.005-04:00

Announcing a new residence for my blog. The Burr in the Burgh will now have this address:

www.burrintheburgh.com

Please update your listings.

Thought on Google Chrome?

2008-09-25T06:43:00.002-04:00

Time to compare web browsers. Do any of you web savvy browser mavens have insights into the new browser "Google Chrome?" Is it worth investigating?

I prefer Firefox over everything I've tried because it's just super customizable and functional for me. Some webpages only work properly when viewed on IE, so I do keep that one around basically put I have to. I tried Safari but didn't like it. Opera is great because it is super fast. I've even used Flock which is very cool for social networking. Now what about Chrome?

Gobble This Up!

2008-09-23T07:08:00.004-04:00

My wife's latest children's book is Gobble-Gobble Crash: A Barnyard Counting Bash published by Dutton. Unlike most of Julie's books which can be purchased from CPH, this one is not religious.

Her latest book is also one of her earliest books. I remember the day she wrote it in our backyard in Pittsburgh about eight or nine years ago. For those of you who aspire to publish, patience is your friend.

Language of the Liturgy

2008-09-07T07:25:00.003-04:00

Recently, I read that the Roman Catholic Church will soon be revising the wording of bits of their liturgy. The discussion then ensued about whether liturgical language should be lofty or more colloquial.

I noticed from the examples I read online that a number of the "updates" actually bring the new Roman mass closer to our Lutheran worship texts. So I asked our seminary Dean of Chapel, the Rev. Dr. Paul Grime, to comment. Prior to coming to teach at the seminary a year ago, he was the chief architect of our synod's newest hymnal.

His comments are found on our seminary blog here.

Why I Support the McCain - Palin Ticket

2008-09-05T07:01:00.006-04:00

John McCain has never been my favorite Republican. I haven't always agreed with him on every issue. I'm not a hard right-winger or anything. I really don't like Rush Limbaugh (oooooooh). I am definitely no Libertine, uh, I mean Libertarian.

I believe in fiscal responsibility, but I am not voting primarily on the economy. As I understand it, human governments are instituted by God primarily to protect us. One of the few real reasons we need a federal government is to raise and command armed forces.

That's how God protects us on a national scale. The armed forces. In a more personal sense, God protects us through legislature, courts and law enforcement.

And here is where the rubber hits the road for me. If you and I cannot agree on the definition of "human being," we've got problems. How can a man deny that a human zygote or a fetus deserves to be protected? Even a mangy dog will protect his pregnant bitch. Even a goose will become aggressive if you approach her eggs. In other words, denying the humanity of an unborn child is contrary to natural law. And everyone knows it.

A leader who will not agree that it is his/her divine calling to defend every person in his realm, the aged, the ill, and in utero is both self-deluded and dangerous.

What is a human being? If you don't know or are not sure, then you are not qualified to govern.

I believe that John McCain and Sarah Palin know what a human being is. And they know it would be their responsibility to protect all Americans.

Sexual Harassment: Judge Approved

2008-08-27T09:10:00.004-04:00

A Russian judge ruled that it is acceptable for men to sexually harass women in the workplace because such behavior helps to insure the survival of the species. No, you know what would really help the human species survive?? The banning of abortions. Russia has one of the highest abortion rates in the world, something like 2 abortions for every live birth.

Is this for real? I expected to see that this came from a humor mag like The Onion. It seems like a real news item.

Useful Quiz for Voters

2008-08-24T07:27:00.002-04:00

Thanks to SouthCon for this nifty tool. A page called Glassbooth can show you which of the presidential candidates most closely shares your views on a variety of subjects.

An Amazing Tool for Writers

2008-08-22T17:10:00.002-04:00

A Visual Dictionary.

I think this is amazing! A dictionary which uses visual dynamics to show how a word relates to other words while defining it. You have to see it.

St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord (obsvd)

2008-08-14T20:39:00.001-04:00

Text: Luke 1:39-55

There are only 133 shopping days left until Christmas. If you are like most people, here in the middle of the August heat and humidity, Christmas is probably the farthest thing from your mind. It seems strange to consider at this time the narrative of the Annunciation, the Holy Family, and Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth. But there is good reason for us to do so. There is always good reason to examine the deeds of God in and among his people.

The early fathers of the Lutheran Reformation continued to faithfully observe much of the same holy calendar which had become custom in the West. Even though many Lutherans today feel uncomfortable with recognizing saint days, that was not the case for our spiritual forefathers. They knew that there were indeed certain excesses and malpractices to be avoided. But they also well understood the value and benefit of observing these special occasions in the liturgical life of the church.

One of the benefits of remembering the saints, for instance, is for our encouragement and the strengthening of our faith. How does this happen? When we recall the marvelous things which God accomplished through those earthen vessels, we respond in hearty thanks and praise. Look how God Almighty rescued the Israelites from cruel slavery in Egypt through His servants Moses and Aaron and Joshua. See again how God defended His people from the giant Goliath through a shepherd boy’s sling. These accounts along with dozens of others help us to understand the nature of God, that He protects His children and provides for them. As it was in the past, so it will be today. God is at work even now guarding you against the Evil One and He is providing for your needs of body and spirit. You and I have never seen God directly. No, God is known through His deeds. And His greatest deeds are often accomplished through men and women He chooses. No one sees God directly. But we see Him at work in our world through those whom He calls and appoints to serve us. God is active in our government officials, through public servants, through police and firefighters, through doctors and scientists, through farmers and laborers. It is by those means that He helps you, defends you, feeds you and heals you.

Furthermore, our faith can strengthened when we recall the great compassion He has shown toward sinners. David was forgiven for his adulterous affair. St. Peter was absolved for denying Christ. When we see the mercy of God at work in the lives of Christians who have gone before, we can take heart that God’s mercy will extend also to us. God is good to sinful men and women. In our corporate confession of sins we acknowledge that we deserve to be punished for our sins both now in time and forever in eternity. But God does not treat us as our sins deserve. He loves you and extends the hand of friendship to you. He invites us into His presence to enjoy table fellowship with Him.

A couple of years ago, I was a guest at a family’s house for their New Year’s Eve celebration. I’d never met them before. I was traveling for the seminary and circumstances just worked out for me to be there that night. In some ways, I felt very out of place at that meal and the celebration of the evening. This family and their group of friends were all wealthy, highly educated people, people in positions of power and authority and influence. And then there was little ol’ me. But I guess I would say that was one of the most enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebrations I have every experienced. The meal was grand and expensive. We were served delicacies and wines of the highest quality. But the main reason it was such a pleasantly memorable night for me was because of the warm welcome that I was shown. Though I was a stranger, though I am not a person of affluence and power, everyone was kind and gracious. They made me feel welcome and as though I belonged.

We are unworthy of standing in the holy awesome presence of God. Our God is a consuming fire. It is a fearful terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But we can come into His presence, not trembling with self loathing, terrified of His wrath, unsure of our standing before Him. Because of the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross, we are declared righteous in the eyes of God Almighty. Our sins have been atoned for in full by the bloody sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And it is on His account, by His merit, that we can enjoy God’s good favor and be welcomed into His festal hall.

Our faith is fortified when we understand that God so often chooses the weakest and lowliest among us to accomplish His purposes. This was never more true than in His selection of Mary of Nazareth to bear and deliver His Son. In the eyes of the world, she was nothing. She was a peasant, a nobody, a peon. But in the eyes of God, she was precious beyond measure. It was not due to any merit or virtue in her as a person that God chose her. It was purely out of God’s incredible grace that He showed His servant this unspeakable kindness, that she should become the Mother of our Lord.

It seems to me that Mary, the mother of our Lord, was one of the world’s most profound theologians. For in her beautiful song, the Magnicat, she exhibits an understanding of the ways of God which seems to escape so many wise heads both then and now. She sang, “He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away….” She understood so eloquently that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. For it would be the way of the world to bless the rich and curse the poor, to admire the strong and despise the weak. But God lifts up the lowly and removes the haughty. Beware all you who are confident in yourselves, for God will leave you to yourself. The God of Moses and David and Peter and Mary is the God who dines with sinners. He is the God who comes down to the lowly and then exalts them. He has come for you. God, in Christ, has chosen you in your sorrow, your fear, your failure, your unhappiness. He has chosen you in your sin, your rebellion, your disease. God Has chosen you to be the lords and ladies of His Kingdom. He will wipe your face. He will dress you in finery. He will take you proudly, a groom with his bride, into the hall where angels will bow before us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Vacation to D.C. and Beyond

2008-07-27T07:20:00.003-04:00

Our family left Friday night for our annual two week vacation. For the past several years, we've gone to Colorado (Denver, Colo Springs, Rocky Mtn National Park, Grand Lake, Glenwood Springs), which we always enjoy. But this time, we just wanted to see something different. Jacob's never seen any part of New England and I've only seen parts of it in passing.

11:45 p.m. Friday, July 25: We got two sleeping compartments on the Amtrack which took us from the station north of Fort Wayne all the way to Washington D.C.

3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26: Arrived in D.C. and took cab to hotel in downtown, about a mile from the Capitol building.

4:00-10:00 p.m. July 26: Got checked in and hung around the hotel. We ordered room services. Jacob and I got some mean chicken wings. Julie ordered a salad. And a bucket of Amstell Light. Went swimming on the rooftop pool.

J & J went on a walk and took some nice snapshots. I stayed at the pool area to finish reading Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is really good, by the way.

10:30 p.m., July 26: Sack time.

Dark Knight of the Soul

2008-07-25T10:37:00.003-04:00

St. Paul wrote: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things (Phil. 4:8)."

Many Christians read this passage and focus on the pure & lovely. But notice that the first word Paul uses is TRUE. Think on the truth. Not every truth is delightful to behold. According to the pure & lovely standard, narrowly understood, one might need to exclude important scriptures such as the beheading of Goliath, the global destruction of the flood, the slaughter of the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel, or the torture and murder of Jesus. Those are horrifying scenes indeed. I know of people who have been deeply upset to learn of such excessive violence in Holy Scripture. In some cases, their very faith was shaken. The book of Ecclesiastes often takes fire for being, in the eyes of some, a hopeless text. The Gospels are blamed for inciting hatred against the Jews. The epistles of St. Paul have several rather harsh blasts of holy anger. My point is that the Bible itself contains much distasteful content. It is, at times, disturbing, unsettling, and infuriating.

Other important works of literature may not pass the pure & lovely test either, including the plays of Shakespeare (Macbeth, Hamlet, Titus Andronicus), Homer's Odyssey, the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Graham Greene, and John Steinbeck to name only a few.

Some Christians will disagree with me vehemently, but I think the latest cinematic Batman episode, The Dark Knight, written and directed by Chris Nolan, is a work of genius. Yes, it is dark. Yes, parts of it are hard to watch. But it tells the truth, at least part of it. An important part.

I'm no expert on the work of Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross, but I am familiar with his great work entitled "Dark Night of the Soul." That phrase has come to refer to those times in the life of a person when God seems particularly distant, when the soul is alone with his corruption. That's what this movie is about. The Joker is the archetypal man.

Much of contemporary culture is infused with a deadly optimism about human nature. And this is a demonic lie which blinds people to the depth of their need for someone more than a super-hero, a true white and noble Knight to rescue them.

Mutilation. Disfigurement. Anarchy. Random violence. Betrayal. It's no Frank Capra flick. Chris Nolan did not make a "feel good" picture. But he did make a great movie that tells the important truth of mankind's deep inbred narcissism. Without external restraints, we are worse than savages. Apart from restoration in Christ, all people are disfigurements. Deep beneath the veneer of civility, all human beings are unfunny clowns who appear to thrive on mayhem. At one point, the Joker says, "Madness is like gravity. All people need is a little push."

One extremely useful insight the film conveys is the utter meaninglessness of evil. We don't want to believe that. We constantly want to explain away our bad behavior, to make excuses, to justify ourselves. I steal because I'm poor. I hate because I'm ignorant. I kill because I'm a victim. Ultimately, that is just baloney. We do those things because we are bad. That's all. Sinners sin because they are sinful.

The Joker says, "Do I really look like a man with a plan, Harvey? I don't have a plan. The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. I just *do* things."

Alfred, Batman's butler, gets it. He says, "Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."

In the dark night of the soul, when God is absent, there is no meaning, no purpose, no direction. Even an evil direction would be more bearable than having none whatsoever. Of course, Chris Nolan's masterpiece knows nothing of the dawn, the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). But if you can sit through the 2 1/2 hours of "Dark Knight" and not exit craving the sunshine, you are made of cement.

The untimely death of actor Heath Ledger several months ago, makes his performance particularly bitter to watch. What a loss. His Joker strikes me as one of the most amazing on-screen performances I've ever seen. Of course, it goes a bit over-the-top. It has to. Otherwise most of us would scarcely notice. As Flannery O'Connor once said, "you have to make your vision apparant by shock, to the hard of hearing, you must shout. And for the almost blind, you draw large and startling figures."

In my judgment, this is not a movie about Batman. It's about the Joker. Which is to say that it's about me. The Joker is a mirror, a truth-teller of unpretty realities.

Christ Academy Sermon, 2008

2008-06-22T20:53:00.001-04:00

June 21, 2008
Text: Colossians 2: 1-12

When I was a teenager - about 150,000 years ago - I was a pretty big fan of riding roller coasters. The amusement park near where I grew up in Kansas City, MO is called Worlds of Fun. I can remember the first roller coaster that I ever rode that had a loopty loop. It was called the Scream Roller. The first wooden coaster I rode was the Timber Wolf. But my all-time favorite, which now no longer exists, I'm sad to say, was the Orient Express. I could go on and on. And now I have the joy of watching my almost 13-year-old son become entusiastic about theme parks and extreme thrill rides.

Last year, I went with the Academy to Cedar Point and a great time, even though my stomach cannot tolerate the rides like it used to. There is just something about being thrust along at 70 m.p.h., 75 degree angles, 350 foot drops, loops, twirls, corkscrews and having my head jostled around, back and forth, like a bobble-headed doll in an earthquake that just is not as fun as it used to be. It can be disorienting. It makes me feel dizzy and light-headed and yes, maybe even a little bit nauseous.

Like so many things, this can be a metaphor for life. Is your life merely a day at the park? All fun and games? Cotton candy for dinner and ice cream for dessert? Or is it sometimes fun and sometimes confusing, disorienting, dizzying, terrifying or even nauseating?

We have an enemy, the devil, and he is a liar. Jesus said that the devil has been lying from the very beginning. Ever since he told that deadly little fib to our first mother, Eve, in the garden of earthly delights. Jesus said that when the devil lies, he is speaking his native language.

The very best lies, the most effective deceptions, are those which are blended with a dose of the truth. The difficulty is being able to divide the truth from the errors. St. Paul speaks to us today and he says: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

This is precisely the reason why I rejoice to God that all of you are here at Christ Academy these two weeks at the end of June. Some of you are here for the very first time and others of you have been here year after year. Frankly, I consider that to be a miracle of God. It is miraculous that you young men, with all the world's temptations displayed lavishly before you, have chosen to be here in humble Fort Wayne, IN in order to study the very words of our great and living God. You are here by God's design. Not your own. And what we give you here are not the philosophies of this age, the empty traditions of men, but rather the truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that the truth shall make you free. Well, He is the truth. He is the One who makes us free. Not as a mere theory or abstraction but in reality, in flesh-and-blood, in history, on the earth.

We want you to have fun while you are here as well. And we schedule a number of events and activities that we think you will enjoy like Cedar Point yesterday, the baseball game on monday, a movie night later next week. We want you to enjoy the good things of God's world and to make lasting friendships with one another. But most importantly, Christ Academy exists in order to train young men in the things of the spirit, to deepen the roots of your faith in the soil of Holy Scripture and perhaps even to equip some of you for a later life of formation and pastoral ministry.

One of the most pernicious and persistent lies of this age is the doctrine of naturalism or scientific materialism. This is the belief that all there is to human existence is summed up in what the hand can hold and the eyes can see. Very persuasive entities in our culture maintain that nothing exists except that which can be observed. And although most Americans still profess some kind of belief in God, many are living as if all that really matters is material stuff: money, possessions, bodily enticements, and the feeding of your carnel appetites.

St. Pauls was concerned for the congregation in Colossai that they not be, as he puts it, deluded by plausible arguments. That rebelliousness that resides inside all of us wants to be deluded by plausible arguments. We want to be persuaded that the pursuit of earthly gain is a good thing. We want to believe that everything is ok and we are alright in the sight of God, all on our own, no matter what. A part of you wants to be independent, not just from your parent, teachers and human authority, but from God Himself. And there is nothing natural or good or beneficial in that rebelious wish. In fact, it is destructive, corrosive, poisonous and foul.

In our reading from Colossians chapter 2, St. Paul states: Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in him.... "Walk in him" is a common biblical way of saying live your life in Christ, take every step in fellowship with Jesus. He says, "as you recevied Christ Jesus... so walk in Him." In other words, live your life as a Christian in the same manner as you began it. And how did you receive Christ? In what manner did that occur? Certainly, not as a result of your good works. Not by the effect of your will. No, you received Christ Jesus by God's grace. He gave Himself to you at your Baptism. He continues to give Himself to you in preaching, absolution and the sacrament of the altar. God is a giver. It is the very nature of God for Him to offer himself to those whom he loves. That is the definition of love, the giving of oneself to another, with no thought for personal gain. Our Lord has no need of us. There is nothing compelling Him to love us, forgive us or save us. This He does freely, purely out of goodness and mercy, concepts which we can never fully understand. For just as it is the very nature of God to give, it is the very nature of created beings to receive.

You have received Christ and with Christ, you receive all things, forgiveness, righteousness, and abundant life both now and forever. As Christians and as sons of God, we live by faith, not by sight. The Bible says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)." Contrary to the philosphers of this age who place their ultimate hope in material goods, we see what lies beyond.

It reminds me a little bit of those police television shows where the detectives are interrogating their prisoners in the poorly lit room with no windows. There is only a single long mirror on the wall. But of course, we the viewers all know that it is not really a mirror, but a two way glass and that there are other detectives on the other sides observing all that takes place.

Like the suspect in the interrogation chamber, the people of this world look and all that they see is a reflection of themselves. We are on the other side of the wall and because of illumination we have in Christ, we can see through the glass, not at ourselves, but at reality as it truly exists.

You know the truth about yourselves, about this world and its passing fantasies. You know the truth about your Creator and your eternal destiny in Him. For Jesus Christ, in whom dwells all the fullness of the deity in bodily form, He has suffered and died on your behalf, in your place, in the place of sinners, so that we who were once captivated by the lies of Satan, in bondage not with shackles of iron but with the brittle chains of false promises. And you have been liberated from your bondage, set free from captivity, unleashed by the pronouncement of God. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Best Burger's in the World

2008-06-08T15:16:00.003-04:00

I'm back in my hometown area, Kansas City, MO, doing a bit of recruiting for the seminary. I do love being here. One thing I'd nearly forgotten about is the legendary Winstead's burger joint. I'm glad to see there are some new locations, but this place is pretty unique to Kansas City. There just happens to be one near my hotel. I haven't eaten there yet, but will probably for dinner tonight. They have arguably the best steakburgers in the world and the awesomest chocolate malts named The Frosty long before there ever was such thing as Wendy's. They've been in business since 1940.

If you ever come to Kansas City, MO, there are a few must sees. One is the excellent art museum, the Nelson Atkins gallery. I've been to art museums all of the nation and the one in KC is one of the best. Another is Gate's Bar-B-Q. But if you don't at least once at Winstead's, there's something wrong.

Candy Coating Jesus

2008-05-29T11:01:00.003-04:00

A great pal has this short insightful post on his blog, The Lutheran Logomaniac.

In case you've wondered at the recent scarcity of posts here, I have been putting most of my blogging energy recently into the new seminary admission department blog called Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary. Come pay a visit.

Remind Me Not to Go to Congo...

2008-04-25T10:41:00.000-04:00

Penis Theft Panic Hits City

New Way to Search Online

2008-04-19T18:24:00.001-04:00

I don't know yet what I think of Stumpedia. It's interesting. I've been adding a bunch of links. You should too.

Supporting "Issues, Etc."

2008-04-09T13:25:00.001-04:00

I think this is great!

South Wisconsin District Votes Unanimously to Support "Issues, Etc."

Making the Internet Obsolete

2008-04-09T09:06:00.002-04:00

Did you just figure out how to get online a year ago? Have you only recently discovered what "Googling" means? Well, get ready for the next information technology paradigm shift.

European scientists are unveiling something called "the Grid" which is supposed to be so fast that it will download full length feature films in two seconds.

Check it out.

Satanists At Large

2008-04-02T11:50:00.002-04:00

I've been doing some research lately on the history and practice of Satanism. I just finished Lure of the Sinister: The Unnatural History of Satanism, in which the author, Gareth Medway, argues that there is no proof of any satanic crimes or ritual abuse/murders, as was the scare in the 60s, 70s and 80s. For the longest time, it was frequently reported that covens were sexually abusing, torturing, and murdering children and adults in Black Masses or other satanic rituals.

You can see evidence of this popular fascination with Satan by the way scary movies changed in the 1970s. In the 30s, horror films dealt mostly with mythical and literary figures. In the 40s and 50s, the struggles with fascism and communism were mirrored in alien invasion pictures. Also in the 50s, a string of atomic mutant films emerged with giant ants, Godzilla, etc. But in the 60s and 70s, the horror themes became much darker. That's when satanic conspiracies were in the backs of peoples' minds, i.e. The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, The Omen.

Medway posits that this is a phenomena akin to people who talk about being abducted by aliens: lots of reports and rumors with scant physical evidence.

Certainly, we saw lots of "survivors" of ritual abuse and former high priestesses on Oprah and Sally Jessy Raphael. In the 70s and 80s, a popular evangelical preacher/comedian named Mike Warnke made an impression on me. I had some of his comedy tapes and I thought he was hilarious. But then he would become serious and talk about his years as a satanic high priest as his evangelistic hook. The trouble is that he made it all up. He was exposed as a liar and fake. Medway points out that this is the pattern with most of these scenarios.

Gareth Medway is not unbiased. His inclinations are easily apparent. He reveals upfront that he is a practicing pagan. And it is evident that he believes that followers of dark spiritualities have been persecuted by narrow minded Christians. Indeed, many innocents have had their reputations destroyed by the conspiracy theorists.

I don't know if he's right or not about satanic crimes and ritual abuse. And it is helpful to distinguish between Wiccans, neopagans, Church of Satanists and run-of-the-mill devil worshippers. What is crucial, I believe, is that the Christian Church have a clear understanding of the person and work of Satan. Out of sight, out of mind. But this mustn't be out of our mind. If the sensational stories are mostly bunk, there still is a rebellious spirit who oppresses the earth and all upon it.

The Annunciation

2008-03-26T17:24:00.001-04:00

I posted a commentary on the incarnation and abortion over at the seminary blog. Go here to check it out.

Vampire Author's Second Novel About Jesus

2008-03-25T09:22:00.004-04:00

I'm thoroughly enjoying Anne Rice's second novel about Jesus, having read and enjoyed the first when it came out. It's called, Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana. Her first novel about Jesus which looked at a portion of his childhood is Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.

I am one who has also read a couple of her former vampire books, and derived a certain literary enjoyment even from them. She is, without question, a gifted writer.

And I can't imagine the overpowering experience it must have been to pen these books on Jesus' life, especially as they are told in the first person, from the Lord's point of view. I would be terrified to attempt that. And I ordinarily would scoff at anyone who would be bold enough to attempt it.

But my impression is that she pulls it off. The books are reverent without being saccharine or entirely predictable or boring. Her extensive biblical and historical research is evident, but not in the sense of bogging down the story. Rather in the sense of illuminating it. Writing these must have been an act of worship for her. I can see no other way. Only with much prayer and fasting could one do this.

I have not finished The Road to Cana yet, but what I've read so far is very encouraging.

Dr. Gene Vieth posts some new remarks from Rice about her conversion over on his blog. Go here to see.

Cats and Dogs: Images of Human Nature

2008-03-14T12:18:00.002-04:00

We have two cats and one dog. Our dog happens to be one of the most popular breeds, a Golden Retriever.

Living with these animals, I enjoy observing their behavior especially as they relate to Julie and Jacob and I.

The dog is an innocent. She really is without guile. This animal adores us. She worships us. Her greatest desire is to please us. Her greatest fear is our displeasure. If anything, she is too obsequious. It gets kind of pathetic at times, her constant need for our approval. But that is unarguably a dog's charm. There is no one more loyal, no one more faithful, no one more reliable than one's pet dog. Man's best friend. She is also a pacifist. Don't raise your voice in her presence. Don't appear to make any threatening gestures. If she thinks you are getting violent, she will not hesitate to take you DOWN! She even breaks up the cats when they fight with each other. Though Lucy can be annoying as she fawns for attention, she is amazing in that she is always happy to see me, she is always the first one to greet me when I get home from work, she is always ready to do whatever I desire. I have no greater fan than Lucy and no more loyal subject.

The cats are different. Everyone knows that. They are more solitary animals. In their feral state, dogs live in packs while cats are their own masters. They do like human companionship but they aren't as obsessed with us as the dog is. The relationship is always on their terms.

I am clearly Lucy's master. Not so with the kitties. They acknowledge no lord but themselves. I exist to serve them, not the other way around.

When Lucy does something "bad," and I scold her, her emotional state is clear as crystal. Immediate remorse and fear of punishment. The cats don't give a rip. Oh, they know what I'm saying, they just don't care.

Not all cats and dogs are the same. When you are around them for any stretch of time, you begin to note their unique "personalities." But what amazes and amuses me, at times, is how much they reflect various aspects of people.

Across the Universe

2008-03-08T00:28:00.004-05:00

All I can say is "Wow!" Julie and I watched Across the Universe this evening after a romantic dinner at the Glenbrook Mall food court. It's a terrific film, particularly for music lovers. When was the last time you saw a really good new movie musical? Moulin Rouge? Chicago? Those were good, but this one transcends them.

Hearing all those incredible Beatles songs in these new settings was a really powerful experience for me. I've always liked a lot of their stuff, but tonight I completely fell head-over-heels in love with them all over again. Man, oh man.

Just the other day, Julie and I were listening to some of the tracks from Abbey Road and remarking on how creative was the Fab Four. Every song is completely unique. They sound like absolutely no one else. Poets and musical geniuses really. Most of today's popular music sounds like the same song just replayed over and over again. Blah! Like eating nothing but Saltine crackers for every meal.

Over impressed with their massive talent, I'd almost forgotten how truly sweet and charming so many of their songs are. And humorous too. But the performances in Universe with the art, the style, the dance, the design, the 1001 inside jokes and references, and the story moved me. Bravo!

Challenge of Islam

2008-03-01T23:42:00.003-05:00

It's not very politically correct, and in some quarters is not even safe, to say that Islam is a problem. A couple of years ago, I spent several days in the Kenya/Sudan border town of Lokichoggio in the Turkana district of Kenya. If you've seen the movie Constant Gardener, Loki factors into that plot. Getting to know one of the Christian men there, I noticed that he kept referring to a lot of the locals simply as al Quaeda. Here in the U.S., of course, one think of that term to refer to a very specific group of Islamic terrorists. I asked my new friend about this and he simply said that that is how they refer to all Muslims there.

My point is that the soft and ignorant Westerners tend to want to assume the best of everyone. All Muslims are nice until proven otherwise, we are prone to think. I'm just not so sure. People in other parts of the world, such as Africa, seem to perceive Islam a bit differently.

I'm delighted to report that our seminary is hosting a conference on the challenge of Islam led by Dr. Adam S. Francisco, of our CTS faculty. Click here for the brochure.

Homily on Luke 11:14-28

2008-02-25T17:41:00.003-05:00

Third Sunday in Lent
February 24, 2008
Text: Lk 11.14-28

We don’t know much about the man who was possessed by the demon in Luke chapter 11. We don’t know his name or where he came from. We don’t know how long he’d been possessed or how he came to become possessed. All we do know is that while he was under the control of Satan, he was mute. And when Jesus performed the exorcism, the man began to speak.

There were three types of response to this miracle. The Scripture says that some were amazed. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. They conclude, and rightly so, that this is clear evidence that God is moving amongst them in powerful ways. Matthew's account tells us that a hopeful murmur went up from the crowd, "Could this be the Son of David?" Is he the one?

Incredibly, some of them doubted and said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” The word “Beelzebub” is usually translated as “Lord of the Flies.” It could also be “Lord of the Dung Heap.” This verse reminds me that there are always people who insist on seeing everything in the worst light. They aren’t happy unless they’re mad at something. A man is delivered from a debilitating demonic affliction. It must be the work of the devil. They can’t tell the difference between good or evil. God blesses them and they insist that it’s a curse.

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. But if releasing a man from demonic possession is not a sign, I don’t know what is. What they had just witnessed in the cleaning of the demoniac was an unambiguous demonstration of the power of God. Yet they are so blind to God’s mercy that they fail to see the obvious.

Jesus' exorcism of demons should be seen as signs pointing to the arrival of the Kingdom of God, just as seeing leaves budding on the trees is an indication that the lifeless tyranny of winter is coming to an end. The exorcisms indicate that an invincible, world-transforming potency has been set in motion. The visions of the prophets are being fulfilled! The day is dawning. The night is over.

Remember the song?

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know The Wicked Witch is dead!

The scene in The Wizard of Oz when the munchkins realize that their oppressor had been crushed under Dorothy’s house?

Jesus is not a pacifist. Elsewhere he said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace to the world, but a sword.”

The Muslims speak of the concept of a jihad, or a holy war. The only holy war is the war that Christ has waged against the Devil. And it is a war that will not be fought and won with bullets and guns. Our sword is the Word of God that pierces through your armor of defensiveness and self-justification. There is no diplomacy. There is no negotiation. There is no appeasement. There is only crushing, brutal, devastating victory from the ashes of which springs new life.

There are no Switzerlands in spiritual warfare. Neutrality is not an option. No one is merely an onlooker. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. It is impossible to remain uninvolved in the conflict of the ages – the conflict between the Church Militant on earth, and the satanic realm of darkness and evil.

On the one side, there is joy and peace and knowledge and power. And on the other is madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness.

In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” I think many times Christians understand this to mean that God will preserve His Church on earth through every toil and pain, that no matter what evil Satan pours out upon us, the Holy Church will endure by the grace of God. It certainly means that, but also something more. The idea is not merely that the Church will survive, but that the Church will prevail. It says the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against us. We, the church, are on the offense. We are not quietly enduring the assaults of the devil. No, the Church is laying siege to hell itself. And the battering ram of the gospel, of the good news of forgiveness, will shatter the gates of Satan’s realm. The chains of guilt which bound us drop from our arms and the prisoners, newly freed, go delirious with their freedom. In Christ, the dominion of evil is ended. By his glorious resurrection from the dead, our Lord Jesus is not merely a survivor. He is the victor. Christ’s epic battle with Satan is not some kind of draw or stalemate or deadlock. He won the decisive victory. He is the champion and his scars are his trophies. Jesus is the victor and He shares the spoils with all of us.

But that does not mean there will not still be trouble for us here. The enemy insurgents are still trying to sabotage Christ’s victory. But do not be afraid.

A couple of years ago, when I was still pastoring a congregation in Pittsburgh, PA, there was one Sunday morning when I was sitting in the Sedalia off the to the side of the chancel during the hymn just before the sermon and I saw coming toward me on the carpet a big, black, fuzzy spider. Of all of God’s creatures, the spider is one of the few that creeps me out. I know I should have been paying attention to the hymn or at least thinking pious thoughts in preparation for delivering the message. But I just kept watching that little fiend coming closer and closer. Finally, it came to the point, where I felt action was required on my part. So right when he got to my foot, I lifted my black, leather, wingtip shoe to send him to his maker when the most amazing thing occurred. For at that moment, the spider must have detected my challenge and he stopped in his tracks and he raised up his legs at my shoe like this (demonstrate). Now I almost had to laugh because, his threatening gesture aside, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was going to smoosh him. And I did. That spider was no match for the sole of my shoe.

In the words of Jesus this morning, Satan is the strong man who has built a fortress around his possessions. And we are born into this world as objects of God’s wrath. Before we do or say anything, we are alienated and enemies of our Creator. And we are fully subjects of the Evil One. Looking all around you, it is obvious the mastery which Satan has in this world, this fallen order of things. Yes, Satan is strong. He is the strong man. But Jesus Christ is the stronger man who comes to invade the devil’s fortress. Jesus Christ breaks down the doors of hell and He overpowers the tyrant. And He expels that bully, that braggart, from our lives forever. And He did so with the flick of His finger.

Once upon a time, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and Pharaoh would not let them go. How were they eventually freed? God Almighty attacked the arrogance of Pharaoh and his evil magicians with one plague after another to confound them. In exasperation the sorcerers and witch doctors of Egypt exclaimed: "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:18). That is the same unusual phrase Jesus uses this morning. He casts out demonsby the finger of God. We are also told that after God finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him two tablets of stone, written by “the finger of God.” Jesus had the same power and authority as Yahweh when He emancipated His people of old. And He comes to emancipate us as well.

Think of that the next time you see your pastor use finger to make the sign of the cross upon the baptized to mark him as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Unhappiness is Boring

2008-02-24T00:13:00.000-05:00

The famous first line of the novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy is: Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Tolstoy was a brilliant writer but I think he’s got it wrong. It’s exactly the opposite. It’s unhappiness that is monochrome, uniform and boring. Joy is lively and complex and filled with an abundance of variation.

Lutherans Before Luther?

2008-02-16T08:53:00.006-05:00

Thanks to Rev. Paul McCain for bringing this fine article by Pastor William Weedon to light. Did Lutheranism exist before there was a Martin Luther? In other words, did the Lutheran Reformers innovate a new doctrine or are the standards of the Reformation truly catholic? Read and enjoy.

UPDATE: Here it is as a pdf.

Is John McCain a Liberal?

2008-02-11T00:51:00.000-05:00

If you are a conservative Republican but find yourself getting tired of Rush and other rightist blowhards talking as if a McCain nomination will be the end of the world, check out this article from the National Review Online by William Bennett and Seth Liebsohn. They argue quite soundly that John McCain is no liberal and would be lightyears better for America than any Democratic nominee. In fact, McCain is a conservative who has taken some liberal positions. While I don't necessarily agree with everything McCain stands for, I'd take him as president in a heartbeat.

The two issues that speak loudest to me personally are life and national defense. John McCain's voting record in the Senate speaks for itself. He is strongly pro-life and strongly pro-military.

HT to Gene Veith.

Cats and Dogs

2008-02-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Some people are dog people and some are cat people. I'm both. Or one of each. Or whatever. Growing up we always had a dog. But then as a married couple, me going to seminary, living in apartments, Julie and I decided to get a cat. Well, actually, a group of sixth graders in Alhambra, California decided to get us a cat, a kitten. Julie was their teacher and that was her going away present. And we have been cat people ever since. Now our household includes 2 cats and a Golden Retriever. Yesh, cats and dogs living together.

Somewhere I read a quote, I believe from C.S. Lewis, where he opines as to why God gives us animals for pets. Scientific studies show that pet owners tend to have less stress, lower blood pressure, and live longer. Having an animal can be beneficial for a person's physical and mental health. But the quote I'm seeking says something to the effect that God teaches us to be gentle and merciful through animals. In other words, if a man is able to have pity on a beast, it inclines him to being merciful with other people.

Of course, we know with the extremes of the animal "rights" movement today that loving animals and loving people do not automatically go together. They say that Adolph Hitler loved dogs. But the extremists aside, there may be a principle truth in the elusive quote nonetheless. At least the adverse is true. People who are intentionally cruel to animals, who take pleasure in the suffering of senseless beasts, are deeply impaired and are likely incapable of compassion. Most serial murderers and sociopaths have a history of tormenting animals before they take out their aggressions on other persons.

Does anyone know the Lewis quote I'm thinking of?

Take Up Your Cross and Follow

2008-02-04T18:14:00.000-05:00

Below is the homily I delivered this morning in chapel.

Kramer Chapel
February 4, 2008
Text: Luke 9:23-27

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."

In a fundamental sense, your salvation is something that happens out side of you, extra nos. We speak in our circles of objective justification. By this, we mean that your redemption was accomplished as a real historical event when the Son of God bled and died as a sacrificial lamb upon the altar of the cross. At that moment, God’s just anger toward sin was quenched and satisfied forever. And that is not a thing which happens in your heart or as a result of your actions or by any movement of your will.

Another Christian once asked me, “Are you saved?” And I said, “Yes.” The person then asked me, when were you saved? And I said: “I was saved when Jesus died on the cross for me. Why? When were you saved?”

Your salvation is an objective fact, a reality that occurs outside of you. Christianity then at its very heart is not about you. It is about Jesus. From our perspective, it is never about us.

But from the perspective of God, it is always about you. It is you specifically that our Lord had in mind when he He told Nicodemus that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son. Jesus said that God loved the world. Who is meant by that phrase, “the world?” The world is not just some abstraction, some generic concept, not a platonic idea. The world refers to you! Whom does God love? The world. That is to say, He loves you.

Love is never a hypothetical. Cartoonist Charles Schulz once said, “I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand.” Its corollary for the church, I suppose, would be, “I love the church. It’s the individual members I can’t stand.” That line is humorous to us because it’s so obviously ridiculous but it’s also how most of us feel at least part of the time. But the truth of the matter is that you cannot love in the abstract. Nor does God. The world which God loves and for whom He sent his only-begotten Son is you and it is me.

Likewise, when John the Baptist hollered from banks of the Jordan, “Behold, there goes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” There is a part of you that finds it easier to believe that God loves the world than that he loves you. And that same part finds it easier to believe that the Lamb of God paid for the sins of the world than to consider that He has atoned for your sins. This is manifest in every Christian, particularly every preacher, who confidently declares to others the mercies of God in Christ, but who continues to languish in guilt of his own.

I started this homily pointing out that there is something objective and external about the justification of sinners. But that coin naturally has another side to it for whoever heard of a one-sided coin? On one side, your salvation is objective, occurring outside of yourself, taking place through historical events and residing in the heart of God. Jesus Christ died for you. His death is the once for all, all-sufficient sacrifice to pay for our disobedience: thought, word and deed. But you also must undergo death and resurrection in Him. Salvation is founded extra nos, outside of us, but it does not remain extra nos.

See how naturally Jesus goes from speaking of his own cross to speaking of ours:

22And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life

23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Crucifixion was a demeaning form of execution. It is an absurdity. It is an obscenity. The cross means one thing: death by torture. To die in Jesus Christ is the painful death of the old nature. German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote in his most famous book, “When Christ calls a man, He bids Him come and die.” Sounds very appealing does it not? Not too many evangelism programs will be adopting that line as their motto. And if every Christian is called to suffer and die in Christ, then that cross is all the heavier for those called into the Office of the Holy Ministry. Here is what Martin Luther said in one of his house postils: "To the devil with this position! I'm ready to chuck it. That's what it means to have an office. To be on top is no frolic or bunny dance. It entails work and stress, so that no one in his right mind would actively seek it." No one in his right mind, Luther said, would actively seek to hold an office in the church.

First of all, I’d be very curious to know what a “bunny dance” is exactly. But I think I get the gist of it. Do you love this world? Do you desire comfort and pleasure? Then you should not be a student here. I say this with every ounce of sincerity I am able to muster, the pastoral ministry is filled with moments of tremendous joy. I, Scott Stiegemeyer, am very pleased to work at this institution, but I would be able to return to parish ministry without a blink of hesitation. To paraphrase slightly one of the characters in The Hammer of God, I can think of nothing more wonderful than to be a pastor in God’s church. But a “bunny dance,” my friends, it is not.

Here we are, on the brink of lent. Tomorrow is fat Tuesday, one last huzzah before seven weeks of stricken, smitten and afflicted. While Rick Warren talks about his 40 Days of Purpose, we begin our 40 Days of Purple. And when, not if, but when you fast and practice self-denial, it is likely that the words of Luke 9:23-27 and similar passages will underlie your observance and rightly so.

But we do dis-service to these words of Jesus if we make them nothing more than an injunction to being a more committed Christian, as it were. These harsh and hard words are not merely law. They are also promise. To die with Christ is also to rise with him.

You are made participants in the death and resurrection of Jesus by God’s Word as it is applied to you especially in baptism and as your once-in-time baptism continues to unfold its power in you in daily repentance and faith. Matthew and Mark record this passage nearly identically. But it is Luke’s sources that add the word “daily.” The Christian life is a daily dying and rising in Christ. A work both completed at Calvary and ongoing in your heart.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pray for Peace in Kenya

2008-02-02T15:55:00.000-05:00

February 1, 2008 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 11

World Mission re-evaluating situation in Kenya

By Paula Schlueter Ross

LCMS World Mission has asked its missionaries to Kenya to remain indefinitely in Ethiopia after they attend regularly scheduled meetings there, according to Travis Torblaa, the mission board's personnel care manager.

The move came in the wake of post-election rioting in the East African country that has left more than 600 dead, hundreds of thousands displaced, and widespread destruction of property, including as many as 10 churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK), an LCMS partner.

LCMS World Mission decided Jan. 30 to temporarily relocate the missionaries -- Dr. Paul and Joy Mueller and Rev. Claude and Rhoda Houge -- after receiving a recommendation to do so from its crisis-response management service. The two couples will remain in Ethiopia "while we re-evaluate the situation" in Kenya, Torblaa said.

"We are hopeful that it will be for a very short time," he added.

Dr. Carlos Walter Winterle, former president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil who has been serving for more than a year as pastor of an international congregation in downtown Nairobi, also is leaving Kenya, according to Torblaa. Winterle's ministry is a partnership of LCMS World Mission and its partner churches in Kenya and Brazil.

Two days earlier, on Jan. 28, Joy Mueller had said via e-mail that the missionaries had no plans to leave, but were taking precautions, especially regarding their travel within the country. She said U.S. embassy officials there were "very optimistic that the [peace] talks will go well and reconciliation and peace will be restored." Some ethnic fighting is still taking place in isolated areas, she said.

Mueller said that Bishop Walter Obare of the Kenyan church body met Jan. 25 with political, community, and gang leaders in Kibera, and the group is "working together to bring peace into Kibera and restore harmony in the community."

In a Jan. 29 telephone interview with LCMS World Relief and Human Care staff, Mueller described the Kenyan people as "very resilient."

"The people have gathered their strength in the Gospel and they've gathered to worship in His name," she said. "They aren't waiting for outside help to come in and solve their problems, but they're getting together, they're praying together, and they're going into communities and they're serving each other out of the love of Christ."

LCMS World Relief and Human Care has sent $60,000 in emergency grants to the ELCK to help people in need. Mueller said the Kenyan church body is using the funds "to help restore lives, homes, churches" and to "share God's love with all."

Contributions to help Kenyans may be sent to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861 -- please make checks payable to "LCMS World Relief and Human Care" and note "Kenya Relief Effort" on the memo line. Or, to make a donation by phone, call the toll-free gift line at (888) 930-4438.

To hear the audio interview with Joy Mueller, visit the Web site of LCMS World Relief and Human Care at http://www.lcms.org/?12981.

Be Inspired. Stay Informed.

2008-01-29T23:52:00.000-05:00

The seminary admission office is delighted to announce a new monthly electronic newsletter called ePilgrimage. This is our latest project to help us stay in touch with inquirers, friends and supporters. It is a supplement to the quarterly printed and mailed version called simply Pilgrimage and that will not change.

Who is ePilgrimage for? It’s written for Lutheran pastors, prospective students, teachers, family members, alumni and everyone interested in staying up-to-date with the happenings and opportunities at Concordia Theological Seminary.

Go to this link to sign up:

http://seminaryblog.com/sign-up-for-a-monthly-email-newsletter/

My Favorite Blog About Blogging

2008-01-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

As I was recently working on creating a new blog, I spent a fair amount of time researching the art and science of blogging. There are oodles of websites and resources to learn from. One blog that I'd never seen before, but now can't live without is called Copyblogger by Brian Clark. He's full of insight on everything to do with marketing and promoting your blog to the principles of good style. A few of the gems I've recently discovered:

Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques

The Persuasive Power of Specificity

Do You Make These Mistakes When You Write?

Low Tech Utility for Cleaning Your Monitor

2008-01-24T23:48:00.001-05:00

Here's a must-have utility.

The Sad Death of Actor Heath Ledger

2008-01-23T10:48:00.000-05:00

Heath Ledger's most critically acclaimed performance was for the recent Brokeback Mountain, a film I did not happen to see. But I could tell from several earlier performances such as The Patriot and Monster's Ball that this was a young artist of considerable promise. It is with some sadness then that I write of his strange and sudden death.

My further comments can be read at the Seminary Blog.

Is the Bible Reliable?

2008-01-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

Haven't you heard this before from non-religious people? "Oh, the Bible has been copied and translated so many times in the past 2ooo years, no one can really know what the original manuscripts said."

What is frustrating is that this critique is made so often and is simply accepted as common knowledge when the science of textual criticism would lead to very different conclusions. The historical integrity of the biblical manuscripts is not a matter of religious faith or theological speculation. It's supported by evidence and reason.

See this useful article.

Prospective Seminary Students May Win a Free Lutheran Service Book

2008-01-19T16:06:00.000-05:00

Prospective Students! How would you like to win a copy of the Lutheran Service Book, the Personal / Gift edition and become a published blogger in the process?

We are inviting Concordia University students as well as other prospective seminary applicants to submit brief answers to this question: "What is your favorite hymn in LSB and why?" The answers must be between 300-500 words. A person may submit an entry no more than once per week. A person will only be selected once.

Twice in the month of February (10th & 24th), we will publish on this blog what we believe are the best two responses. The winning writers will receive this handsome resource.

So put on your thinking caps and tell us what you love about the LSB.

The entry form can be found on the seminary's new blog here.

Erin Bode Wows the Crowd

2008-01-18T00:14:00.000-05:00

St. Louis songstress, Erin Bode, was a huge hit at the banquet this evening at the Grand Wayne Center here in Fort Wayne. Every year, Concordia Theological Seminary hosts its annual Exegetical and Confessional Symposia. This year the topic was on the Atonement. And every year, the Thursday night of Symposia week is the night of the banquet. Traditionally, attendees were treated to speakers, intros, jokes, etc. This year, to the relief and delight of some and most likely the chagrin of others, the faculty roasts and inside jokes were put aside and the packed banquet hall was filled with the sounds of jazz music. Bode was quite the hit receiving a lengthy standing ovation at the end. Go here to read information about her inspiring work with the Themba school in South Africa.

Voting for Best Religion Blog

2008-01-12T22:09:00.000-05:00

As you may know, we've launched a new blog from the Admission Department of Concordia Theological Seminary. It's called Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary. Cute, eh? We're trying hard to use that new blog to bring attention to our school and to hopefully inspire prospective students to inquire.

If you have 2 minutes, you could help us tremendously. Go to the seminary blog and look at the left hand column. Down a bit, you'll see a notice that Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary is in the running for best religion blog. If you think our efforts have merit and want to help us generate higher traffic, please click that button and vote for us.

Thanks for your support.

Paying for Praise??

2008-01-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

Do you ever wish you had your own personal cheerleader?

Check out the latest post at Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary.

Not Just Any God Will Do

2008-01-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord. The word "epiphany" means that something is revealed. Epiphany is a season which focuses on the manifestations of Jesus' divine nature. God reveals His glory most supremely in the flesh and blood of a man, Jesus Christ.

The Gospel reading for this day is Matthew 2:1-12, the story of the wise men. The Holy Scriptures actually tell us very little about these fellows. And several misunderstandings have piled up over the years.

The songs says, "We Three Kings," but the bible says nothing about them being royalty. They are called magi which means that they were wise men or scholars. We don't know where they came from exactly, though Persia is a good guess. The Scriptures merely say they came from the east. Even though your crèche has the wise men figurines, they were not present at the time of our Lord's birth. The holy family was no longer in a stable, but in a house and Jesus was probably about 2 years old when they showed up. We don't even know that there were three of them. It just says that they brought three gifts.

One thing we do know is that they were not Jews. Thus, they represent the nations of the world coming to Israel for salvation. Jesus later said, "Salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). Many moderns assume that all religions are essentially the same. The Gospel of Matthews suggests otherwise. If that were so, why did those poor stargazers and their camels cross mountains and deserts to worship the newborn king of Israel? If all religions are the same, they should have just stayed home and prayed to Ishtar and burned that frankincense in the temples of Zoroaster.

The Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer, 38, Fort Wayne

2008-01-07T21:22:00.000-05:00

Author of study guide for ‘The Golden Compass'

By Rosa Salter Rodriguez

The Journal Gazette

Janelle Sou Roberts | The Journal Gazette

Scott Stiegemeyer, a Lutheran pastor, says “Compass” author Philip Pullman “clearly does have an anti-church agenda.”

Leave it to the Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer not to stray too far from the front lines of the culture wars.

A pastor in the Lutheran Church’s Missouri Synod who now serves as admissions director of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Stiegemeyer has a longtime interest in the intersection of faith and popular culture.

So, it didn’t surprise him when an editor at the synod publishing house called him three weeks in advance of the release of the controversial movie version of Philip Pullman’s “The Golden Compass” and asked him to write a study guide for use in churches.

“He was a reader of my blog,” says Stiegemeyer, who uses current events and cultural topics to gather readers to his “Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary.”

But, while some are calling on Christians to boycott the movie because of its allegedly anti-Christian themes and Pullman’s militant atheism, Stiegemeyer’s guide doesn’t.

Instead, it lays out some of the issues and provides biblical and doctrinal context for approaching the work in a question-and-answer/discussion format.

Should Christians read/see works by unbelievers? Who is Philip Pullman and what does he believe? Should I, as a Christian, see the movie?

Formerly a pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh, where he started his first blog, “The Burr in the Burgh,” Stiegemeyer has credentials that include presentations on C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The DaVinci Code.”

For about two years, he and another Lutheran pastor, Don Matzat, turned an otherwise dead Sunday night radio time slot into two hours of lively chat on a call-in show, “Let’s Talk About Jesus.” The two took on topics such as the then-popular apocalyptic “Left Behind” book series.

“Questions and Answers about Philip Pullman’s ‘The Golden Compass’ ” is available free at www.cph.org/compass.

Why would you as a pastor even get involved in this area of popular culture?

“It seemed to me that congregation members, especially those of the younger generation, are getting more and more of their information from entertainment media even more than from the hour they’re in church on Sunday morning. Popular culture is influencing people’s faith. So as a pastor, I felt called to help them sort the good from the bad, and interpret what they are hearing and seeing from the perspective of their faith.”

What piqued your interest with this movie?

“Well, I had read the novels several years ago, and what piqued my interest about them then is they’re fantasy genre, and with fantasy genre novels, they often have spiritual themes. And Pullman has been outspoken about wanting to be the anti-C.S. Lewis (known for his Christian orientation). I think (Pullman) may be a bit tongue in cheek about that, but he despises C.S. Lewis. So that intrigued me. And a lot of (the commentary) was sort of predictably reactionary and emotional. … ‘Knee-jerk’ is a good word. So I wanted to balance that out.”

For those of us who might have been living under rocks, what’s the fuss about with this movie?

“This is the first part of a trilogy called ‘His Dark Materials.’ Its (theme) is not at all subtle. The characters find the church and God are evil, and they go on a crusade to kill God, whom they call The Authority. It’s set in an alternative universe, but very similar to the one we know. The characters do travel between universes. But it’s very complex, as fantasy novels are. ‘The Golden Compass’ is the most toned down, and the movie, if anything, softens the potentially objectionable material.”

So what happens in “The Golden Compass?”

“The bad thing that happens is that children are being taken, and what you eventually find out is that it is the church that is taking them and torturing them. The church is conducting experiments on them and basically sapping their souls. The heroine and her companions go on this rescue crusade.”

Not a pretty picture.

“No. It’s not a pretty picture. (Pullman) clearly does have an anti-church agenda.”

Which I’d guess you think isn’t accurate?

“In his view, the church is oppressive of free thought and free expression. I think it’s unquestionably true that at times in its history it has been oppressive, by burning books, and, occasionally, people. I’m not defending the flaws. But even from a secularist point of view, the church has done a lot of good.”

So you think Pullman is going to the extreme?

“In his church, there are no good people. There’s no ambiguity there. There’s nothing redeeming. And there’s nothing appealing about the religious characters. I think it’s not only not true, but it also hurts his storytelling, because the art of a good storyteller is to have characters that are multifaceted.”

Do you think his portrayal of God is Christian?

“ He portrays the church and God as being purely about law and rules. His favorite term for God is ‘The Authority,’ which leaves out a lot of things, like mercy and kindness, compassion and love, which are essential features of the God I believe in. He never really talks about Jesus and what he represents. If the church taught what he says, I’d be against it.”

Do you think the movie or the book is appropriate for the audience at which it’s aimed, which is young teens?

“It is targeted to the 12-to-14 age group. That’s a very difficult age. Young people are starting to define themselves. If you have someone who is uncertain in their beliefs, this could have an influence. And there is some merit to the argument that it is an entrée to the other books, but I think that is a weak argument. Do I think it’s appropriate? I wouldn’t ban it. But I don’t think I would just hand it out. I think discussion in a book club or church group is certainly a good way to approach it.”

So, if I’m a parent of someone in that age group, what do I do?

“I am a parent of someone in that age group! (Stiegemeyer and his wife, Julie, a children’s book author, have a son, Jacob, 12.) We went and saw the movie together. I didn’t block him from the book, but he doesn’t show any real interest in it. He was interested (in the movie), but I would have given the movie only a fair grade because it was confusing, and it wasn’t that well crafted as a film. His one response about the movie was that it was confusing. He liked the action scenes and special effects, the computer animation.”

What about parents who say they don’t want, as Christians, to expose themselves or their kids to these ideas?

“Some parents will say, ‘I want to avoid it,’ and I don’t blame them for that; I can respect that. But as a parent, I think we have the responsibility to equip ourselves to answer the challenges it raises, not avoid them. I’m not one of those Christians who want to shield themselves from the surrounding culture.”

So, you’re saying to parents “Don’t overreact”?

“I don’t think it’s a major threat to faith. People will want to forbid it, but I think that will have the opposite effect. If a kid wants to read it, he’ll read it, or if he wants to see the movie, he’ll find a way. I’d rather he do it in front of me than reading it or seeing it and hiding it from me. That way we could have a conversation about it. I just don’t want to make a law about it. I don’t want to be what Pullman says we are, which is lawgivers to exclusion of everything else.”

Symposium on the Atonement

2008-01-03T17:57:00.000-05:00

Why did Jesus die on the cross? I wrote a blog post on that question a while back and it is by far the number one most viewed post on this blog still to this day. Not that I wrote something so terrific. But I still get Google hits on it daily. And that is because people all over the world are asking and debating that question. [Go here to see that old post.]

The Mel Gibson movie brought this discussion to the surface and I was astonished (I was naive) at the number of commentators on the film saying that it is wrong to focus so much attention on the death of Jesus, as if the crucifixion were merely the unfortunate demise of an otherwise promising young man.

Concordia Theological Seminary is conducting an in-depth series of lectures on the subject of the atonement. Classic understandings are being dismissed, even in traditionally evangelical circles. What a delight it is to be part of a major institution that still boldly maintains the central truths of Jesus Christ and His salvation.

Register now to attend the Symposia, January 15 - 18, 2008. Engage with world-class theologians from our institution and elsewhere. David Scaer, William Weinrich and many others.

Posted also over at Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary.

Seminary Choir Touring Western States

2008-01-01T17:45:00.001-05:00

The CTS Kantorei, a 16 voice choir, is making stops in WY, MT, and CO this week. Check their schedule here and if any of those locations are near to, they'd love to have you come.

Protestant Knee-Jerking

2007-12-30T22:48:00.000-05:00

Philip Meade is a great blogging buddy over at The Beast's Lair whom I've enjoyed reading for quite some time. Currently, I believe, he is a student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY whose president, by the way, Albert Mohler, is an active blogger himself. See here for President Mohler's always engaging blog.

I love reading Phil's blog because he seems to like a lot of the things I like, such as scary movies, theme parks, pop culture, and theology. Of course, he's a Southern Baptist and I'm a pretty traditional Lutheran so we wouldn't see eye-to-eye on everything. But one thing I do so enjoy is discovering how much common ground we really have. At least that is how it seems to me. I don't mean this in the sense that either one of us waters down our distinctives but in the sense that we both spring from a common Western Christian Reformational tradition.

All that having been said, I want to direct you to a very fine post he wrote recently that I think expresses views I too have long held. Here is The Knee-Jerk Effect.

Tale of Two Christmases

2007-12-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

In America today, there really are two distinct holidays celebrated on and around December 25th. Both celebrations are called "Christmas." One is a cultural celebration while the other is religious. These are not necessarily mutually exclusive although it seems common for people to observe one and not the other.

See the seminary blog for my post "Keep the Mass in Christmas."

NEW Seminary Blog!!

2007-12-28T00:14:00.000-05:00

Hey, check this out! The Admission Department of Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne, IN now has a blog. Here it is. It's called Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary. Cute, eh? Please come by and say howdy to me and the gang. And check back often too because we plan to post daily.

Eastern Promises: Violence and Horror in Film

2007-12-26T15:29:00.000-05:00

Eastern Promises is the latest film directed by David Cronenberg and stars Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

Cronenberg has a bizarre repertoire of films with a flair for the grotesque. Not only are his movies often graphically violent, but they serve as veritable meditations on the effects of violence, both emotionally and bodily. And in that sense, I hate to say, I think he may have a spark of genius.

Personally, I do not have a high opinion of most of his work. His most recent two films, Eastern Promises and A History of Violence, however, do deserve a bit of attention. It would surprise me very much, in fact, if Eastern Promises does not earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

Director Cronenberg began his career making low-budget horror films specializing in yuck. E.P. is not a horror film by strict definitions, but is very similar thematically. And there is no shortage of yuck. Two fundamental themes for the horror genre are transformation and identity. Many literary forms ask the question "who am I?" but horror asks "what am I?" and "what am I becoming?", with typically unhappy answers.

The definition of a monster is a being who should not exist but does, or a being that cannot be classified. For instance, Frankenstein's monster is a being who should not exist but does. He is the fabrication of a scientist who plays God and attempts to manufacture new life out of old body parts. And Darth Vader is also a monster because we don't know what he is. He's hard to classify. Is he man or machine?

So horror asks, "what is it?" Dead or alive? Man or machine? Male or female? Plant or animal? Earthly or extraterrestrial? Sane or insane? Healthy or sick? Clean or unlcean? Think of the horror monsters you've seen and you'll find that these are the questions most often at play. The significant thing is that they urge us to ponder what it means to be a human. When does a being cross the line of being non-human to human or vice-versa? Etc. With today's bio-ethical dilemmas and the advances of research in genetics, artificial intelligence, robotics, cloning, chimeras, etc., you will see more and more, I predict, horror stories asking such questions.

How does Eastern Promises fit into this horror scheme? It's not a horror film, per se, but it considers transformation. A History of Violence does so even better, I'd say. Transformation from one thing into another, usually as the result of violence or bodily disfigurement. In E.P., Viggo Mortensen does a truly brilliant job portraying the ultimate thug as part of the Russia mafia in London. He captures the accent, look and mannerisms masterfully.

Here is what I value in this film. It assumes and teaches that violence changes human character. Not being the object of violence, but the subject. My pastor, Rev. David Petersen, posed a fascinating question in Bible class last Sunday, a question that he found in the work of Peter Kreeft, I believe. Suppose your child were a prisoner is a Nazi concentration camp. Now suppose, your child were approached by the sadist Dr. Josef Mengele who proposes to spare your son or daughter if he or she will assist him in his experiments. So the choice is this: Assist Mengele in torturing others or be tortured by him. Now how would you want your child to choose?

Many would say that since they don't want their child to be harmed, they'd prefer him to assist the doctor. But what is truly more damaging, to be tortured or to torture. I agree with Pastor Petersen's point that to do violence to another person damages the doer in more deep and lasting ways.

In his own way, I think Cronenberg makes this point. The monsters in this world are not those who've been damaged externally but those who do the damaging. They became spiritual freaks, if you will, disfigured on the inside.

How Do Atheists Celebrate Christmas?

2007-12-23T17:37:00.000-05:00

How do atheists celebrate Christmas? That's the question posed by the always articulate Dinesh D'souza here.

The added question, for me, is WHY do atheists celebrate Christmas?

Oh, I see. Parties and booze. Parties and presents. That's the ticket.

I don't know. It seems pretty disingenuous to me. I would not trouble myself to observe a major holy day of a religion I disbelieved. Even worse. Many of the new atheists are not just a-theists. They are anti-theists. If religion, and Christianity in particular, is responsible for the bulk of this world's woes as some claim, then why would they commemorate the birth of its founder? I guess it's the parties, the booze and the presents.

UPDATE: See my related post at Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary.

Vatican Blasts "Golden Compass" as Godless and Hopeless

2007-12-21T12:53:00.001-05:00

That is the headline from Reuters earlier this week. Calling for a boycott of the recent film based on the controversial trilogy, His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman, the Vatican statement elaborates: "when man tries to eliminate God from his horizon, everything is reduced, made sad, cold and inhumane". Also according to Reuters, the Vatican paper called The Golden Compass, "the most anti-Christmas film possible."

The Golden Compass is indeed a reason for concern, primarily because of the subsequent two volumes of the trilogy it is associated with. The current movie version of Compass is only mediocre as a movie and for the most part, avoids the most sticky wicky points.

How should Christians respond? First, I agree with the Vatican's concerns, but I believe it is important to remain cool-headed. Is it truly the most anti-Christmas film possible? Such exaggerated assertions suggest that the reviewer either didn't really see the film or is prone to overreaction. In both cases, our cause is harmed.

One of the biggest flaws in Pullman's technique is his extremism. Even some people who agree with his views feel he is an impediment because he overstates his case. I hope the church does not fall into the same approach. Not every attack on the Faith requires the same degree of response. Otherwise, every attack will be the most anti-Christmas film possible. And if every attack is the most anti-Christmas film possible (to use the phrase from the Vatican), then none of them are. Not everything can be the "most possible." Do you see?

So if next year, another film is produced that undermines Christianity but does so in a more direct and sophisticated way, how will we respond if we've already labeled Compass as the worst possible? If it's the worst, then all others must not be as bad.

I am in no way defending the militant atheism of Philip Pullman. I am only saying that our responses to our critics ought to be in proportion to the quality of the threat.

May Women Serve as Pastors?

2007-12-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

New Book on Women’s Ordination Includes Essays by Several CTS Faculty

FORT WAYNE, IN (CTS)—A collection of essays on the ordination of women, Women Pastors? The Ordination of Women in Biblical Lutheran Perspective, edited by Concordia Theological Seminary professor John T. Pless and Matthew Harrison has been published by Concordia Publishing House and is available for $26.99. This anthology of essays includes chapters by CTS professors Charles Gieschen (“Ordained Proclaimers or Quiet Learners?”), Roland Ziegler (“Liberation Theology in the Leading Ladies of Feminist Theology”), William Weinrich (“Women in the History of the Church” and “It Is Not Given a Woman to Teach: A Lex in Search of a Ratio”), and David Scaer (“May Women Be Ordained as Pastors?” and “The Office of Pastor and the Problem of Women’s Ordination”). Other essays are included by North American, European, and Australian theologians Henry Hamann, Bertil Gaertner, Bo Giertz, Reinhard Slenczka, Peter Kriewaldt, David Bryce, Fredrik Sidenvall, Peter Brunner, John Kleinig, Hermann Sasse, Gregory Lockwood, Louis Smith, Louis Brighton, and Robert Schaibley.

CTS President Dean O. Wenthe commented on the significance of the anthology: “It is striking that in the ancient Near East where female deities and priestesses were abundant, Israel was told to have only male priests. Similarly, in the Greco-Roman world, where female gods and priestesses flourished, the church restricted the apostolic office to men. This volume is to be commended for similarly resisting prevailing cultural novelties by supporting in a scholarly and churchly manner the God-given order for the church’s ministry. Women as well as men are blessed when they hear and follow the living, healing voice of Jesus in the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures.”

Greatest First Lines of a Novel

2007-12-16T16:23:00.000-05:00

Of all the books, you've read, wanted to read or wanted to write, which has the most memorable first sentences?

Naturally, someone has compiled a list of the top 100. Someone's choices for the top 100, that is. See it here.

There are a lot of books on there which I've never read and many which I have. But it does happen to be the case that a couple of my all-time favorites are included.

From Anna Karenina by Lev Tolstoy:
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

And number 47, from Voyage of the Dawn Treader by Clive Staples Lewis:
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."

What are yours?

Bacon: One of Life's Greatest Delights!!

2007-12-15T15:52:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't luv bacon?

For bacon-related products go here. Just in time for last minute Christmas shopping.

The Golden Compass Lost Its Direction

2007-12-12T00:30:00.000-05:00

Hi folks,

I just posted a few comments on the Pullman movie over at my department's new blog which you can see right here.

NEW Seminary Blog!!!

2007-12-10T18:24:00.000-05:00

Golden Compass Tanks at the Box Office

2007-12-09T23:31:00.001-05:00

It's a dud, folks. I went to see it today and it's just not that good of a movie. Aside from Pullman's atheistic agenda, this movie is mostly a bore. Seemingly, not many folks are rushing out to see it. Check this out. It only made about 9 million bucks on opening night. The latest Harry Potter flick made over 100 million on it's first night.

I love this reviewer's take. It's hilarious.

Name the New Blog

2007-12-06T15:04:00.001-05:00

The Admission Department of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN is planning to write a blog. I'm pretty excited about. We're seeing it as an opportunity not just to post information but to have a conversation with anyone/everyone but especially those who see themselves serving Christ in a Church vocation.

But here is where I could really use your advice. We want our blog to be funny, serious, edgy, and conventional. So you see our problem.

First, we need a name. I want the name to have a bit of jazz. It needs to be sticky, y'know, to stay in the mind. I've thought of lots of possibilities, but mostly they are dull. Maybe I'm too picky. My personal favorite so far has been The Maggot Sack, a reference to a famous Luther quote where he talks about human frailty. Now that's a sticky name. But a lot of people whose opinions I value have been less than enthused. Weirded out, but not enthused. So give me names people!

My second quandary has to do with which blogging service to use. I've been on Blogger for several years with Burr and I am generally pleased. But I figured this was a good opportunity to examine some of the other main services. The two contenders right now, other than Blogger are Typepad and Wordpress.

Without question, Wordpress seems like the most versatile. But it also seem like you need to be a computer programmer to use it. Which I ain't. As much as I like what I've seen so far, I don't have the time to spend all night trying to update my blog.

Typepad appears to be more powerful than Blogger in some ways and much easier to use than Wordpress for a novice. BUT, the big thing I don't like about Typepad so far is the very limited look. All their templates look basically the same. Typepad blogs are great for content but seriously stink in terms of style. I'm after both. If you know an easy, inexpensive way, to make a Typepad blog look like it did NOT come off an assembly line, please let me know.

Blogger is still a strong option because, like Wordpress, it's free. It's also the easiest to use. It's much more feature rich than it used to be. And here's the biggie, I already know how to use it. My problem with Blogger right now is that I want to host my own domain name. I don't want the word "blogspot" in my URL. Now, I know blogger says this can be done, but i am skeptical and afraid that it'll be a mountain of headaches.

Any suggestions?? I need your help! Pleeaaasseee. Serious suggestions only, please. . . . Why haven't you written a comment yet?

I Agree with Philip Pullman...

2007-12-04T22:38:00.001-05:00

... about one thing. And that is that stories teach. They, in fact, often teach more effectively than any other method I could name.

Here is what the controversial author of The Golden Compass (vol. 1 of His Dark Materials) had to say when accepting an award for it in 1996: All stories teach, whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by. They teach it much more effectively than moral precepts and instructions.

As the great philosopher Arthur Fonzarelli said many a time: "Exactamundo!"

Too bad Pullman didn't take his own statement to heart. Stories teach. Tolkien knew it. Lewis knew it. Dostoevsky knew it. John Milton knew it. Those were excellent writers. It is usually a sign of an amateur writer when the didactic elements overpower the narrative elements. And I have seldom read published works as tediously preachy as His Dark Materials. He makes the mistake of many well-intentioned Christians who appear to write stories but are really just thinking up premises as a pretext for writing an evangelistic tract. I am a Christian and even I find it objectionable to be tricked by an author into thinking I was going to be getting a story instead of a sermon. Don't get me wrong. I like sermons. It's just that I like stories too. Not only is Pullman's teaching objectionable, but he ruins the story.

"The Golden Compass" - A Christian Response

2007-12-04T14:15:00.001-05:00

There are tons of helpful resources out there. But if you are looking for one more, give this one a try. I wrote it for Concordia Publishing House and the price is right. FREE.

If you read it, I'd be very interested to hear your comments.

Aren't polar bears the awesomest, by the way?!

Boar's Head Festival - Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI

2007-11-30T22:33:00.000-05:00

Tonight, my family attended the annual Boar's Head Festival at Julie and my alma mater, Concordia University in Ann Arbor, MI. Back in the olden days, when we were students, Julie sang in the choir and I wore stockings and carried a spear. Neither of us had been to the Boar's Head Festival since we graduated 16 years ago. What a joy it was to be back!

Pictured to the left is Dr. Neil Skov who has been playing the part of King Wenceslaus at least since, oh... around the invention of dirt. Not really. But for a long time. And he OWNS that part baby!

One of my all-time favorite carols is Good King Wenceslaus. And I blame Skov. I'm not embarrassed to say that I tear up everytime. E-v-e-r-y T-i-m-e!! It moves me and this is because of those years participating in the B's Head Fest.

If you don't know the song, it's about a king who looks out on a bitter wintry day and spies a peasant collecting twigs in the weather. He takes pity on the poor soul and directs his young page to "Bring me flesh and bring me wine!" And he determines to take food and kindling out into the snow to the unfortunate subject.

Following custom, the little servant walks in front of the king. The more important person always walks behind the less important. But the snow is deep and wind is battering the little page so he can hardly make another move. The good king tells the boy to walk behind him and step in the footprints he makes. The king then blocks the wind and moves the snow so the boy can keep up, all so that they can bring charity to a poor, weak subject.

The reason this always gets me - other than Skov's powerful portrayal - is that it is deeply moving to see a strong, powerful person stooping to help someone much weaker than himself. In fact, I cannot think of any greater sign of strength than humbling oneself to serve another.

We are the cold, naked, famished peasant reaching for twigs in the snow. God is the king who has compassion on us. And God reaches into our suffering, in Christ, to bring us relief. What a beautiful image of the gospel.

So who can answer why Good King Wenceslaus is a Christmas carol when it never mentions jesus and has no reference to the nativity story?

3 Favorite Firefox Browser Tweaks

2007-11-22T23:38:00.000-05:00

My internet browser of choice is Mozilla Firefox. Here are three new (to me) add-ons I like.

IE Tab. Sometimes I like to check out what my blog looks like on Internet Explorer. And sometimes other websites don't function properly in Firefox. This nifty little button lets me open a tab with an IE view w/o having to fire up the other browser.

Flashblock. Load pages much faster. Shuts down all those annoying flash ads. If the site you are viewing has flash features that you want to see, you just click and it plays. But what a relief to the eyeballs.

PDF Download. Sweet feature that lets you choose how you want PDFs to open while you're browsing. In a tab? A window? Straight to download? With an external viewer?

Homily for Seminary Wives Retreat

2007-11-16T22:09:00.000-05:00

Sem Wives Retreat
Evening Suffrages
November 16, 2007
Text: Jeremiah 31:1-34

v. 33 “I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Martin Luther used to have a saying: “Let God be God.” It sounds pretty obvious. Of course God is God. Who else would He be? Certainly it is true that God is the Great King Almighty whether we know or not, whether we like it or not. God does not require our permission to be the sovereign of the universe.

I think that we all basically understand that at an intellectual level. If someone were to stop you in the street taking a survey and ask you, “Who is the ruler of the universe?” you would probably say, “Well, God is the ruler of the universe.” And if they further asked you, “Who is this God?” you might respond with something like, “He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

But as is so often the case, knowing something in your head is not the same thing and knowing something in your heart. Sometimes the greatest distance for an idea to travel is the 18 inches between your mind and your heart.

Erma Bombeck once wrote a book with the title: If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? The reality is that life is not a bowl of cherries. Sometimes it is the pits. We live in a badly damaged creation, warped and corrupted by sin and the power of death. The original purity and goodness of humanity has been soiled with a stain no human effort can remove.

Bad things happen to good people. And good things happen to bad people. And we are left scratching our heads wondering why life always seems so unfair. And in those moments of crisis when the pillars of the earth seem to be crumbling around our ears, we try to take charge of our situations and regain some sense of order.

One of the most uncomfortable feelings anyone can have is the feeling of being out of control and people will almost do anything to maintain a sense of control, the feeling of being in charge of your life. You see, it is easy for people to say that they believe in God or that they believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. But when push comes to shove, when the going gets rough, when life is not a cheerful bowl of cherries, then we get the feeling that God may be the Lord, but He must be asleep at the wheel because He’s not doing such a terrific job. When God fails to live up to our expectations, we politely nudge Him aside, say thank you very much, and grab hold of the controls. How often do you say you believe that God is in charge but live as if He didn’t exist at all? How often do we say we trust in God, but then we continue to wring our hands in worry?

There is verse in Psalm 46 that says: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

And another similar passage nine psalms earlier which says: Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Do you find yourself filled with concern and worry because things are not coming together as you planned? Do you find yourself frequently questioning God asking “why me?” Be brutally honest with yourself right now, and ask yourself, truthfully, don’t you really believe that YOU could do a better job managing creation than the job God is doing today? You do and that’s why you complain. That’s why we grumble and murmur and gossip and nitpick. Because we basically think we are smarter than everyone else… including God. Let God be God.

The Heavenly Father who goes through the trouble of numbering the very hairs of your head will not let you fall into the clutches of the enemy. The merciful God who sent His eternally begotten Son into the world is never going to leave you, forget you, abuse you, neglect you, reject you or betray you. You are precious to Him. Those of you who have children, you love your children. But the love you feel for those dear babies who are so helpless and dependent is nothing compared to the love which God, your Father, has for you. And just as you would never do anything to harm your babies, God, your Father, will never harm you. Oh, sometimes circumstances get so mixed up that you might have to hurt your child in order to help her, but everything you do – even if the child does not understand your reasons – everything you do is for their benefit. And if you who are weak and sinful can love your children that completely, imagine the overwhelming powerful compassion the great King of Heaven, your Father and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has for you. For I am telling you that He spared no expense to save you. He spared not His only Son, the eternal Son. But instead sent Him with a mission to rescue us from ourselves, our bad choices, our foolish mistakes, our stubborn rebellions, not because we deserved it, but because He wanted to. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Homily for 23rd Sunday After Trinity (today)

2007-11-11T16:42:00.000-05:00

The is the sermon I preached today at Redeemer as our pastor was away.

Twenty-Third Sunday After Trinity
November 11, 2007
Text: Matthew 22:15-22

People say that the two topics you should never bring up in polite conversation are politics and religion because those are two topics about which most people have strong opinions. With another presidential election around the corner, Americans are becoming more and more passionate about the issues which are important to them.

Whether you are a Democan or a Republicrat, when you pull the lever on election day, you do so hoping that your guy or your gal will win the election and fix the problems of our great but ailing nation.

And quite understandably, during this time, people will wonder what relationship exists between what they believe in matters of religion and what positions they should take politically. We should make a distinction between church and state but we must also recognize that the concerns of the church and the concerns of the state often overlap. And that’s because religion is not just about what happens to you when you die but it’s about how we should live today.

Being a citizen of a nation is an important responsibility and has weighty implications. I have a friend who was born in a foreign country but has lived most of his life in the United States. According to our government, he is a full-fledged U.S. citizen. But according to the country of his birth, he is also a citizen of that nation. So which is it? Is he an American or a Swede? The U.S. government says that he is 100% American and nothing more. But the Swedish government recognizes both scenarios and says that he has DUAL citizenship. So my friend actually has two perfectly valid and legitimate passports. When he travels abroad, which he does frequently, he uses his U.S. passport, but he keep his Swedish passport up to date in case he ever wants to go somewhere like Cuba where U.S. citizens have difficulty. I sometimes kid my friend and ask, “What will you do if the United States ever goes to war against Sweden? Whose side will you be on?” While it seems unlikely that our United States will declare war with Sweden in our lifetimes, one can never be certain of such things. It is possible that my friend will have to decide where his true loyalties lie if the priorities of the two governments ever come into conflict with each other. His dual citizenship could cause a whole smorgasbord of problems.

As Christians, all of us have dual citizenship. We were born into this world as citizens of this present order of things. All living human beings share this citizenship and are our compatriots. But we who have been baptized into Jesus Christ were adopted into the family of God which makes also citizens of heaven. So like my friend, only on a much grander scale, all of us possess DUAL citizenship.

For there are two kingdoms in the universe or two realms. That’s what Jesus is teaching us when he says to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and render unto God the things which are God’s. There are two kingdoms: the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of heaven. But that is not to say that of the two kingdoms, one of them is good and the other one is evil. There are two kingdoms and both of them are good. That’s because both of them are established and governed by God.

There are two kingdoms. And they do not have identical purposes. They have different functions. Hopefully, they do not work against each other. That would not be pleasing to God. They have different purposes but their purposes complement one another for the ultimate purposes and the often hidden purposes of God.

God has ordained the Church and the State to accomplish his will, but they operate in quite different ways. God has ordained the Church to reconcile sinners to Himself by preaching the gospel and administering the sacraments. God has ordained the state to protect human beings from harm, to administer his wrath and justice against wrongdoers, and to generally provide for the temporal well-being of human beings.

Let me add that God did not establish civil government merely for the purpose of maintaining law and order but ALSO to perform works of mercy for the comfort, provision and assistance of human need. Moses writes very explicitly that it was God Himself who brought Joseph to become Pharaoh’s second-in-command for the express purpose of administering and distributing food during a widespread famine, a social service project which, as a matter of fact, saved Jacob’s other sons from dying of starvation, one of whom was named Judah who became the great-great-great-great grandfather of Jesus. So you could say that the governmental social program of distributing food run by Joseph, by God’s own design, served to insure that the savior would be born. God is even still, daily, working to preserve His creation through civil government.

The civil government is God’s instrument which he holds in His left hand to care for you and me. Thank God for civil government. Pray for our rulers because whether you like them or not, whether you voted for them or not, they are God’s agents established in their offices, not for selfish gain, but to serve you in His name. Like all human beings however, our rulers are flawed instruments, so we can’t blame God for their mis-steps. Even a virtuoso musician will sound bad if his instrument is out of tune. Even so, our rulers are God’s men and women, doing His work, even if they fail to recognize this themselves. And that is why St. Paul urges the believers at the church in Rome to obey Caesar, to pray for him, and to submit to earthly authorities as they would submit to God.

We do not ever have the right to rebel against our leaders or disrespect our leader or to disobey them with only one exception. And that exception is any time the civil government makes laws that interfere or contradict the Word of the Lord. For as the disciples said when they were being beaten for preaching Christ, “We must obey God rather than men.” At such times, we are obligated to disobey our earthly rulers even if it means our persecution or death. We must be ready to die for Christ just as He died for us if push ever comes to shove. Not only do individuals have a duty to obey God, but so do governments. And just because a thing is legal, that does not make it right. Nor does making something illegal necessarily make it wrong. Not only do individuals have a duty to obey God, but so do governments.

Over the centuries, there have been many different forms of government but all are of God. The Scriptures give us no prescription for what type of government we should employ. Americans tend to be a bit idolatrous on this point in that we tend to think that a democracy or a democratic republic is inherently Christian. If anything, one would deduce that the Bible favors having a monarchy because there is simply no other arrangement ever described in either the Old or the New Testament than that. I personally happen to believe that there are great advantages to our American way but that is debatable. The kingdoms of men come and go. Our way of life is not uniquely divine. And if the Lord does not return in between, the odds are that there will come a day when the nation of America will cease to exist. Thus our first love and loyalty is not to any particular earthly ruler or party or form of rule, but to the kingdom of heaven and the King who sits upon its sapphire throne.

There is no such thing as an illegal government for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Even though the Romans had invaded and conquered Israel, Jesus said to Pontius Pilate: "You would have no authority over Me if it had not been given to you from above." The Lord acknowledged not only that Pilate had legitimate authority over him, but he says that it had been given to him by God.

Some disciples of the Pharisees went along with a group of Herodians to ask Jesus a question. The Pharisees were highly religious men who strongly opposed the occupying government of Rome. The Herodians were the exact opposite. They were a party loyal to Herod, Rome’s puppet king in Galilee. Pharisees and Herodians had nothing in common, except apparently their opposition to Jesus.

The coin belongs to Caesar because it bears his image and carries his inscription. And we belong to God because we were created in His image and were inscribed with His promises at Holy Baptism. The Christian Church on earth is the instrument God wields in His right hand for it is the agency by which He calls all men to Himself. It is the agency by which His message of peace is made known. The church is God’s rule of grace and mercy whereby He declares sinners to be righteous on account of the blood of His Son. The church does not exist to make and administer laws, not to raise armies and levy taxes, but to conquer men’s hearts with words of hope and acts of compassion.

It can be difficult and confusing to live as citizens of two realms. But Jesus Christ is the link which bridges heaven and earth. He is Jacob’s ladder, the path to heaven. And He descended from the realm of the angels to subject himself to earthly rule, to suffering and deprivation and hardship and even death, not because of anything wrong which he had done, but to become the substitute for us. He became the sacrificial lamb, the scapegoat, the fall guy who paid the penalty of sin for us so that when our days on this earth are ended, we will enjoy being in the presence of the King of kings forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Facebook Is the Future

2007-11-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

If you haven't figured out the significance of the whole internet social networking phenomenon, here's an article from TIME mag that will help.

Why Facebook Is the Future - TIME

Pullman's "The Golden Compass"

2007-11-08T20:15:00.000-05:00

Many of you have seen the spectacular preview for the upcoming movie, The Golden Compass, which is based upon the novel by Philip Pullman of the same name.

The Golden Compass is the first volume of the well-known and rightfully controversial His Dark Materials Trilogy. I've read the books and expect the movies to be fabulously popular. The trouble is that Pullman is the reverse image of C.S. Lewis. While the author of The Chronicles of Narnia wrote in order to express Christian doctrine in the form of a gripping mythology, Pullman want to unravel Christian faith. If you've read the books, you know what I mean. The question, of course, is whether the films will delete the most egregiously anti-Christian elements in order to be marketable.

According to an article in Entertainment Weekly, religious groups are calling for a boycott. Writer Missy Schwartz cites the fact that The Da Vinci Code made over $200 million at the box office in the midst of a boycott as evidence that such things don't hurt Hollywood in the wallet, where it counts. The Last Temptation of Christ episode would seem to prove otherwise. Admittedly, that was twenty years ago.

One of my goals for 2007 was to re-read the Pullman trilogy and prepare some response material. Alas, I have not met that particular goal. Does anyone know of any substantial, book-length response to Pullman?

Pandora Radio

2007-11-05T07:03:00.001-05:00

Check out Pandora Radio. I'd tried it out once before but quickly forgot all about it.

It's commercial free internet radio where you get to customize the playlist.

Writing is Good Therapy

2007-11-04T08:34:00.000-05:00

I've long fantasized about being a writer of fiction. It's been a dream of mine that I always felt too intimidated to pursue and too embarrassed to talk about. I've tried to start the great American novel on a couple of different occasions. I have folders on my hard drive with sketches, notes, outlines, character studies and assorted chapters of a couple of fairly serious attempts. I just don't have the personal discipline or the passion or the drive to keep up with it. Until recently.

In the last six months or so, a new fire has been lit in my bones, the burning need to be creative. I still don't have anything anywhere near a finished product. But I do have a few really decent short stories in the hopper. And my magnum opus, a fantasy novel with five or six chapters written and another five or six conceptualized. The resident 12 year old boy has given me mediocre reviews. It was cool when he read an unfinished chapter and looked up at me and said, "Uh, what happens next?!"

Born Into Brothels

2007-10-31T16:51:00.000-04:00

Don't let the title of this amazing documentary film confuse you. This is not a movie about prostitution. It is a movie about real children. Amazing children.

Originally planning to reveal the plight of women in Calcutta, India, documentarian Zana Briski found herself unexpectedly charmed by the children of prostitutes who were literally Born into Brothels. And you will be charmed as well.

Briski felt moved to try to help some of these children any way she could. So she began to teach a number of them about photography. The film reveals its heart when she gives the children point-and-shoot cameras of their own. The images they capture are heartbreaking, both in beauty and in sorrow. And I defy you not to become enamored with the children themselves.

The movie made me feel a variety of emotions. Anger at myself for being a complainer when God has given me so much. Sadness that there is such poverty and despair in the world. Delight in the sweetness of these kids. I felt hope as I saw people rise out of selfishness to help others less blessed. And hope for the future of children who appear destined for misery. Finally it made me want to do something for others. I was changed a little bit by the experience of watching Born into Brothels and that is the definition of great art.

See this movie.

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Encouragement for Pastor's Wives

2007-10-13T09:56:00.000-04:00

But What about Me?
Help and Hope for Women Whose Husbands are Considering the Pastoral Ministry
By Julie Stiegemeyer

“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. …So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife…” (Gen. 12:1-5).

These verses have always had special meaning for me because they were the basis of the first sermon that I heard in the seminary chapel at the opening service of my husband’s first year at the seminary. I’ve often wondered what Sarai was thinking and how she was coping with this sudden and life-changing journey. Was she crying as she left her mother? Did she see it as an adventure?

The thing I like about Sarah is how honest she was. She was far from perfect; she—along with Abraham—laughed in the face of God’s promise for a son in their old age (Gen. 17:17 and 18:12). But God, in His mercy, blessed her with His gifts, including a son they never dreamed they would have. Hebrews says: “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised” (Hebrews 11:11). It was God who gave Sarah this faith, who helped her through all of the changes in her life. Over the years, I’ve heard and read a lot about being a pastor’s wife. The common perception is that a pastor’s wife lives in a “fishbowl”—meaning that everyone is always watching her. I’ve had strangers come up to me and feel sorry for me because my husband is a pastor. “Don’t you ever wish you were married to a plumber?” one person asked me.

However, in the first ten years of my husband’s ministry, I can honestly say that I have loved being a pastor’s wife. That doesn’t mean we don’t have problems or that we’re immune from sickness, frustration, and arguments. It simply means that I love my husband and am committed to him no matter what his vocation in life may be.

It is true that a pastor has many challenges and burdens to carry. He visits new babies in the hospital; he also visits teens who have attempted suicide. A pastor teaches the confirmands, and has to deal with their parents who almost never come to church. A pastor works for hours on a sermon, but then watches members of the congregation sleep through the message. These are burdens that your husband as a pastor will have to bear, and sometimes those burdens spill over to his personal life. But there are many more joys than frustrations. He has the joy of sincere gratitude from a member who needed to hear what he had to say. He also watches the children he baptized grow into young believers who share the love of God with their neighbors. He is honored at an anniversary lunch, showered with gifts, and bragged about by his congregation. A pastor’s duties are many and varied, and through each task, he ministers to sinners who come to hear about God’s forgiveness and love for them in Christ Jesus. And these blessings also spill over to the family.

As a pastor’s wife—just as in every other situation in life—we have a choice. We can choose to celebrate the joys in life, or we can focus only on the burdens. As a pastor’s wife I heard recently said: “Your husband is a servant of the King. What other joy in life could there be?” And then I think that Sarah—and I—have it pretty good.

Chapel Sermon

2007-10-12T11:21:00.001-04:00

Kramer Chapel
October 8, 2007
Text: Mark 11:12-14, 20-24

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Why did Jesus kill that tree? Steven Wells, the author of The Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, labels this story an absurdity and says, “Jesus kills a fig tree for not bearing figs, even though it was out of season. He did this to show the world just how much "God hates figs.” And then in the next few verses, he adds, Jesus goes on to have his famous "Temple tantrum."

Steve Wells is having a bit of fun but in truth, God does not hate figs. In fact, the evidence suggests that God is fond of them. It’s fruitless trees He cannot stand.

Throughout the Scriptures, trees or vines represent the people of God. A fruitful tree is a sign of blessing. A barren tree is a sign of curse. It is the nature of a fruit tree to bear fruit. And if it does not bear fruit, something is wrong, it needs to be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

In this morning’s lesson, Mark reports that the fig tree was full of leaves, but that it had no fruit. The point is that while there is the appearance of health, the reality is that there is nothing sweet on the branches. The same was true of Israel at the time of Christ. They had the appearance of holiness, but it was a mirage. Therefore, when Jesus cursed the fig tree, he was describing Israel’s spiritual condition. And killing the tree was His way of prefiguring the destruction to come when the Romans would destroy Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Some people question why Jesus thought there might have been figs on the tree since, as Mark explicitly states, it was not the season for figs. There was a famous rationalist philosopher named Bertrand Russell who died in 1970. He wrote a book called Why I’m Not a Christian. He mentions this particular passage about the cursing of the fig tree and he says that a truly divine figure would have known there were no figs on the tree and would not have had to investigate the matter.

Jesus is not an idiot. Like anyone else living in that place and time, He knew when particular fruit trees could be expected to bear fruit. But the details of horticulture aside, maybe Jesus had other reasons for expecting the fig tree to be full of fruit. Keep in mind that He approaches the tree just moments after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, hailed by all the people as the son of David.

The Jewish encyclopedia says the fig tree represents the coming of the messiah. Given the fact that the King of kings has entered the Holy City to take up his throne, why wouldn’t the fig tree’s branches be teeming figs.

Now, you are probably going to think I’m a geek for doing what I’m about to do, but that is just a risk I’m going to have to take. I love fairy tales. And British author, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote his Lord of the Rings trilogy intending it to be a sort of fairy tale for adults. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the stories, I’m going to ask you to bear with me. There was once a great city in Middle Earth called Gondor. And this great civilization had once been ruled by a line of mighty and impressive kings. Unfortunately, there had not been a king in Gondor for many generations. Now there stood in the midst of the city, a beautiful white tree. And this tree, the white tree of Gondor, represented the glory of the kingdom. It was the symbol upon their flag. But this ancient tree has stood lifeless and dry and barren where it once bore its beautiful blossoms and fruit. It had been barren during the whole period of time when there was no king in Gondor.

The third of the three books is entitled The Return of the King. And in the story, there was a terrible battle where the forces of wrong were pitted against the forces of right. And then at the end, after the rebellious angels and their armies are defeated, the great warrior Aragorn is revealed to be the rightful son of Gondor and heir to the throne. There is a wedding, a banquet and a coronation. And here is one of those astonishing instances when the film version improves upon the book. For when the king is back in Gondor, the magic white tree is once more in full bloom.

Jesus cursed the fig tree and it withered, but isn’t it also true that the tree has cursed itself? So Jesus was really saying, in effect, “Fine. Have it your way. You won’t bear fruit, be fruitless forever.” Or as the Lord is quoted in the Book of Revelation to say: He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still (Rev. 22:11).”

You and I are found in that tree. We are the barren trees. Our lives are not fruitful. We do not bear the sweetness of God. We might have the appearance of godliness, yes, but we have nothing to offer Him but our sins and failures and lies. But I am here to tell you that: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree (Gal. 3:13)." You’ve been died for. I look forward to the day of the king’s return. For on that day there will be a wedding, a banquet, a coronation and you will bloom like a supernova. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Value of Shock Value

2007-10-06T07:45:00.000-04:00

Can horror films serve a useful purpose? Jeffrey Overstreet thinks so. And I agree. Oh most horror films are probably, at best, merely entertainments for adrenaline junkies. Rather, most of them are harmful gore-fests that desensitize the viewer to human suffering and feed a broken sadistic appetite to see people cut apart, mangled and eaten.

But there are a few movies within the horror genre which exceed these limits and make a truly beneficial impact on the viewer. Of all genres, Horror is the most difficult to define. That's because it is really the only genre that refers to an emotion instead of a setting or scenario. So there can be horror dramas, horror comedies, horror westerns, horror space operas, horror romances, horror fantasies, etc. Any story that horrifies you is a horror story.

Is it always bad to be scared? Or is fear a useful and even good thing, from time to time? If experiencing artwork reminds you of the curse of death we all share, or if it makes you understand that the devil is real and hell exists, or if it stirs you up from moral relativism to acknowledge the fact that some things are evil and some are good, then that artwork has helped you in a spiritual sense.

And the only way to reach some people is to shock them. Flannery O'Connor said that for the hard of hearing you must occasionally shout. For the morally deaf and blind, a bit of excess in our expression is necessary. Wasn't Jesus going for shock value when he told people they had to chop off their hands and gouge out their eyeballs to avoid going to hell?? That's a pretty creepy image if you ask me.

Overstreet, in his book, Through a Screen Darkly, recalls an anti-smoking billboard he used to pass regularly that showed a photograph of a gross blackened lung filled with cancer. He found it repulsive. Was that an effective way to dissuade people from smoking? I bet it was.

Laughing at Ourselves: Through a Screen Darkly 2

2007-10-04T12:27:00.000-04:00

As part of my preparation for a youth retreat I'm speaking at this weekend in Marshall, Michigan, I've been studying a new book by Jeffrey Overstreet called Through a Screen Darkly. I've long been a reader of his blog.

Yesterday, I read his comments on a film I actually have not seen. It's called Saved! I don't want to remark on the particulars of this film since, as I said, I have not seen it. I have only read and heard about it. The reason I have not seen it is not because I necessarily object to it. I just haven't seen it yet.

If I may, the movie is basically a spoof of the Evangelical Christian subculture as exhibited at a Christian high school. I went to a small Lutheran High School myself and spent a great deal of my teen years going to Youth For Christ camps and events. So I think I probably have a grip on the premise. Being Lutheran, I wasn't ever fully steeped in all the subcultural moves the film probably highlights, but I've been around them plenty.

If you guessed that Saved! elicited a firestorm of protest from Christians, you are dead on. So, once again, I remind you that since I have not seen this particular movie, I won't add to the specific controversy. I have a feeling that I would NOT share the same righteous anger of many of my brothers and sisters about this movie, but I don't know that for sure.

Really, I want to respond to some of the insightful observations that Overstreet makes in this part of his book. He highlights the fact that many Christians consider every poke of fun at the church as a direct attack on God. If I read him correctly, he cautions Christians from being hyper-sensitive to legitimate criticisms offered in the form of satire. It is a healthy thing to know how to laugh at one's own foibles and failings. It shows humility. The wise man, after all, delights when someone corrects him.

Overstreet observes that comedy serves a useful role in society. Even silly screwball farces like
Zoolander or Anchorman serve a purpose beyond mere entertainment by putting light on man's various pretensions in an entertaining way. I am reminded of the classic Saturday Night Live sketch during the presidential debates between Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000. Both candidates were skewered by the show and it was hilarious, not because they were trying to be disrespectful, but because their exaggerated performance was rooted in truth. And it's a testimony to their talent that so many who watched the program recognized its truthfulness, including the advisors to both Gore and Bush.

Let's face it. Christians really are pretty ridiculous at times. I will applaud artists and performers who skillfully pop our balloons from time to time.

I would, however, like to add a couple of cautions. Overstreet recognizes the difference between making fun of Christians and making fun of Christ. While one is acceptable and even welcome, the other is not. Certainly not every protest from the Christians is a result of their being thin-skinned. They may not register their objections in a seemly fashion, but mocking God is a real offense. The Creator does not appreciate having His name abused.

Further, mock the hypocrisies of the Christians. But don't mock the doctrines or beliefs of the Christians. This is a fine line to distinguish at times because so much of what it mock-able in us are the eccentric extremes or deviations we make to the historic creeds of God's people. A bit of fun poking at the ways we express ourselves is at times fitting, but the underlying truths are sacred realities that impart life. Such things deserve a foundation of fear and trembling.

Satire can serve a beneficial function, but it can also be taken too far. I realize that this is subjective. What is "too far" to you, may be appropriately strong to me, but mean-spiritedness does little to advance understanding. It is in this respect, that I find fault with much of what Hollywood produces. While there are notable exceptions, it is generally true that Christians are negatively portrayed in the entertainment media. Are all Christians hypocritical all the time? Are all clergy pedophiles, greedy, insane or dimwitted? And why be one-sided? I don't see many shows or films that ridicule secularism.

I can accept fair critiques that demonstrate the goofs of the Church. But without balance, such comedy strengthens stereotypes. And stereotyping undermines understanding. It effectively kills the thought process.

Reviving Private Confession

2007-10-03T10:26:00.001-04:00

There's a neat article in the Wall Street Journal about the renewed emphasis on Confession in both Roman Catholic and non-Roman circles. Here it is.

Sometimes when you talk about going to private confession, otherwise conservative Lutherans look at you like you've grown a second nose on your face. It's like they've never heard of such a thing in the Lutheran church, except perhaps in the context of criticizing the Church of Rome.

To a large extent, this confusion arises because of a mistaken view of what private confession is for. It's not a time for God, your pastor, or the church to condemn you. Quite the opposite. It's a time and a means to be set free from condemnation.

The fact is that this is something Martin Luther addresses in the Small Catechism. He says:

"...we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself...."

One of our seminary professors, Rev. John Pless, has this reminder in an excellent article on the topic. Note the very clear instruction from Martin Luther:

Our practice of confession/absolution must grow out of Evangelical-Lutheran theology. "It is taught among us that private absolution should be retained and not allowed to fall into disuse" says Article XI of the Augsburg Confession. Martin Luther was no less adamant in the Large Catechism: "If you are a Christian, you should be glad to run more than a hundred miles for confession, not under compulsion but rather coming and compelling us to offer it...Therefore, when I urge you to go to confession, I am simply urging you to be a Christian" (LC: "A Brief Exhortation to Confession, 30,32, Tappert).

Prof. Pless's excellent article entitled Your Pastor is Not Your Therapist is located here.

Through a Screen Darkly 1

2007-10-02T09:27:00.000-04:00

Even though I started to read Jeffrey Overstreet's Through a Screen Darkly this summer, I had to set it aside for a while. But now I'm enjoying it full speed once again. Right now, I'm about half way through it. I've read a lot of books on movies and religion, but this one stands out so far for it's philosophy of art. This is important stuff.

For various reasons, "conservative" Protestants tend to view all the arts with suspicion. Film is certainly no exception. But what role do the arts play in human life? How is the creative nature of God reflected in man's efforts to create (or "sub-create" as Tolkien would differentiate)? Can we learn anything from art? Does it help us or improve us in any way? Or maybe we should step backwards and ask whether movies qualify as art. What is the difference between entertainment and artwork?

Furthermore, I've also appreciated Overstreet's response to those Christians who criticize - or even condemn - him for recommending or commenting positively on particular films, even for viewing them. I am often asked to speak about movies and Christianity with church youth and I always cover the big three objections to movies from parents: nudity, violence, and profanity. I'll post about that at another time.

Breaking Barriers with Elvis

2007-09-03T14:39:00.001-04:00

A couple of years ago, Bono wrote a riveting short analysis of Elvis Presley for Rolling Stone magazine. Here's a link. I just re-read it myself.

One of Bono's observations reminds me of a book I read about a year ago called:
All Shook Up: How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America (Pivotal Moments in American History)

One of the interesting things about American Rock-n-Roll is the effect it had on race relations.

Bono observes: I recently met with Coretta Scott King, John Lewis and some of the other leaders of the American civil-rights movement, and they reminded me of the cultural apartheid rock & roll was up against. I think the hill they climbed would have been much steeper were it not for the racial inroads black music was making on white pop culture. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival were all introduced to the blues through Elvis. He was already doing what the civil-rights movement was demanding: breaking down barriers. You don’t think of Elvis as political, but that is politics: changing the way people see the world.

A Juvenile Culture

2007-08-23T14:00:00.000-04:00

Kudos to John Leo for a balanced editorial in the Wall Street Journal. He tackles the thesis of a new book which asserts that today's adults are basically still adolescents who never grew up . . . and that's a bad thing.

At first, I thought I was going to agree with the book and that his essay was a puff piece. But, I think he makes a fair argument that this may not be your grandfather's America - and that's not all bad.

Moose Flatulence Bad for Environment

2007-08-22T12:43:00.000-04:00

First this very important story out of Norway about the crisis of moose farts. Meanwhile, when was the last time you read an article about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur?

Seminary President Comments on ELCA's Approach to Homosexuality

2007-08-14T15:39:00.000-04:00

Comment on ELCA’s Action by Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, President
Concordia Theological Seminary

Sacred Scripture is the living voice of Jesus. Here the Risen and Ascended Lord speaks to us through His prophets and apostles. His voice is pure, holy, and healing. He names those evils that consume human lives. He offers Himself as the atoning sacrifice that brings forgiveness and new life.

It is, therefore, simply tragic that the majority at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Saturday, August 11, 2007, has refused to discipline those willfully engaged in that which Sacred Scripture identifies as “intrinsically sinful”, namely, homosexual behavior. Such a step is a radical departure from two thousand years of Christian teaching across churches and denominations. A physician can only assist a patient by naming the disease. By denying its existence the physician harms the patient.

Concordia Theological Seminary prepares pastors faithful to Jesus’ living voice in Sacred Scriptures. Pastors who will name the evils and sins that destroy human beings and then present the healing, forgiving, life-giving words of the great, good physician Jesus.

We are grateful for the clear witness of President Gerald B. Kieschnick and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in support of Sacred Scripture. It is a privilege to prepare pastors for such a church even as we pray that all may return to, and hear, the pure voice of Jesus and be healed by His presence.

Vacation Reading

2007-08-07T14:03:00.001-04:00

Here we demonstrate the inherent narcissism of blogging, the assumption that anyone "out there" would be interested in my little ol' life and interests.

These are the books I brought with me for vacation to the mountains.

Your Movie Sucks by Roger Ebert (finished). A compilation of the famed movie critic's most scathing reviews. I don't always agree with Ebert's evaluation, but I always find him interesting. His knowledge of film history is vast. Quite to my surprise, he doesn't hesitate to point out the hypocrisies of those who infuse their films with political correctness.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind. My hat is off to John E. Woods for his hypnotic translation. Here is a story about obsession (the psychological state, not the fragrance). Parallels Tolkien's Ring of Power, which obviously parallels the state of original sin. I'm only about 60 pages into it and though beautifully written, I'm actually coming to the opinion that the recent film adaptation may have had more theological complexity and subtlety. But that would have to be credited to the wonderfully expressive face of the chief actor.

Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas by Chuck Klosterman. This guy is a great read for those intrigued by all aspects of pop culture. The first hundred or so pages have been mostly music criticism, specifically Heavy Metal. Not my chief area of interest, to be sure, but Klosterman is entertaining. I think the rest of the essays branch away from just music, but so far I'd rather be re-reading his Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto, a book I read while relaxing on a three day train ride across Siberia last summer.

Through a Screen Darkly by Jeffrey Overstreet. I've been enjoying Jeffrey's blog on popular culture for several years so I'm looking forward to his first book on religion and movies. His book is subtitled: Looking Closer at Beauty, Truth, and Evil in the Movies.

Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI. Up to now, the only thing I've read by this pope are homilies and the occasional statement in the press. I am looking forward to this juicy biblical Christology. His opening pages on the values and limitations of the higher critical method of biblical research, particularly how this has impacted the search for the historical Jesus, seem well reasoned and balanced.

Sophie's Choice by William Styron. Loved the film. Bought the novel on the strong recommendation of a friend.

Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation by John Ehle. Trying to get in touch with my roots.

Preaching to Future Preachers

2007-08-02T11:20:00.000-04:00

Here is my seminary chapel homily from this morning:

Kramer Chapel Homily
August 2, 2007
Text: Acts 26: 1-23

St. Paul was called before kings and governors to explain himself and defend his apostolic ministry. In so doing, he gives us a very nice summary of what a minister in God’s church is to be about.

He says that God sent him: “To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. So that they may receive the forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

God-willing, many of you will one day receive a divine call to serve as a pastor to a congregation. In many respects, that is the most gratifying work you will ever do. Not a day passes when I don’t miss some aspect of my parish ministry in Pittsburgh.

You will have your ups and downs, hopefully more ups than downs. The devil, the world and your flesh will try to confuse you. You will come to the point where you enjoy it when people pat you on the back and say, “that sure was a nice sermon pastor,” or “that sure was an interesting bible class pastor.” You will begin to crave their compliments. You will be tempted to insert stories and jokes into your sermons – not because they serve as useful illustrations – but because you know the people will like them. You will seek the approval of men. You will do this because you are sinful and you love it when all people speak well of you.

Over the course of time, you will read books and go to conferences promising to enlighten you with techniques and methods for growing the church, improving stewardship and reaching the lost. The latest ecclesiastical fads will tempt you with promises of success.

You will return to your congregation refreshed and excited and enthusiastic to try out the new things you’ve learned. But for most of you, most of time, there will be very little noticeable long-term effect. Nothing will ever seem to change. Your words will still appear to fall on deaf ears, hence the temptation to liven things up with more cute stories under the pretense that they are useful illustrations.

Very little that is written and said today in the contemporary church scene, very little that is written and said to supposedly help pastors do a better job has anything to do with religion. A lot of it is really, when you boil it down, just management and leadership techniques or applied sociology, psychology or some other social science.

But don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of useful stuff to be learned from the business world and the social sciences. You might gain the ability to use your time more wisely or communicate more effectively and that would be good. But somewhere in the midst of the programs and the movements and the trends, the gospel itself is often obscured or forgotten.

We do what we do because lives depend on it. Faith comes by hearing and how shall they hear without a preacher? We do what we do because people receive the forgiveness of their sins via preaching and sacraments. We do what we do because lives depend on it.

There were times when Jesus was well-liked and popular with the crowds. And there were times when he was not. In is a common sinful reaction to shoot the messenger when the message is unwelcome. I have experienced this and you probably have too.

Did you ever quit a church because the pastor rubbed you the wrong way? Most likely, you sinned for doing so. Pastors are fallible and sinful but their job is to rub you the wrong way. In fact, I am doing my level best up here in the pulpit this morning to offend you. I have to make an effort of this because – as I have often been told – I am a nice person. I’m a nice person and I want you to like me. I don’t like conflict.

But the preacher is not called to be nice. And by nice, I mean someone who is considered harmless or palatable to all people on every occasion. These kind of nice people are palatable, but they are seldom noticeable.

The preacher must never be harmless. God is not harmless. God Word is dangerous. It will hurt you and it will even kill you. It had better. Your preaching had better hurt people from time to time and it had better kill people every time.

This is not an excuse to be a jerk to your people. Don’t leave here saying Stiegemeyer told us to be abrasive jerks. Maybe you are a nice person, harmless. But it’s just as likely that you are already an abrasive jerk. Most likely, you are a little bit of both. You are a sinner, after all. And so am I. Most of you need to sand off your rough edges before you will be fit to serve in the pastoral office. And for all of you, self mortification will be a life-long enterprise.

But if you are not willing to offend people by hammering them with God’s law, then you are in the wrong place today. If you are not willing to lose your friends, to be lonely, to be rejected, to possibly even alienate members of your own family, for the sake of Christ, you should not be a student at this seminary.

In the church, as in the world, the people who control the money often have the most influence. But not over you. Whether it is practical or not, whether it is cost-effective or not, in season and out of season, you speak the message of Jesus Christ. You open the eyes of the blind. You bring people out of darkness into the light. You snatch people from the power of Satan to God.

And you will find that many people, even many every-Sunday-church people, prefer the darkness to the light. They don’t think of it this way, but they prefer to be under the power of Satan than under the power of God. And that’s because Satan markets himself as your best and truest friend. Satan never asks you to do anything that you don’t want to do. He never places unreasonable demands on you or tells you to do things that are hard. He only wants you to be comfortable and happy. “Hey Jesus, you’re hungry. Turn these stones to bread. I’m just looking out for you.” Satan will tell you things you want to hear. He will make you laugh. He will make you happy. He will promise you the world. And unlike God with his impossible demands, Satan will accept you just the way you are…. Or so goes the illusion.

Be like St. Paul, who in turn, was like the Lord Jesus. Go out there and hurt people. Bend them; break them; pommel them with the hammer of God’s Law. But only after beating yourself to a pulp beforehand. You must hurt them in order to heal them. You must kill them in order for the power of God to move through your ministry to raise them back to life again.

I am here to tell you that not one of us deserves to be called a pastor in God’s church. And I will go even one step further. Not one of us is fit to be called a child of God.

But I am also here to say that you have been died for. God is reconciled to sinners by the blood of Jesus. And that is true of me, of you and every man, woman and child you will ever be privileged to meet. Don’t try to impress people with your skills. Don’t try to win them over with your fabulous personalities. Tell them that they have been liberated from the bondage which keeps them from being truly human. Tell them that they have been emancipated from their sins. Tell them that they will rise from the dead by the power of Christ.

We do what we do – not for the glory and the money and the chicks. We do what we do because lives depend on it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Devil is Your Friend

2007-08-01T00:08:00.000-04:00

300 came out on DVD today, the new film based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller. It's a pretty riveting action film inspired by the ancient battle between 300 Spartans and about 80 zillion Persians.

As much as I enjoy the film with it's stylish action sequences, a better rendition of the story is the novel by Steven Pressfield: Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae.

Nonetheless, one of the things that amazes me with the film is the striking portrayal of bad king Xerxes. Has there ever been a more Satanic character in two dimensions?

Just like Ol' Scratch himself, Xerxes sets himself forward as your greatest friend. He just wants you to be happy, to experience the pleasures forbidden by your cruel vindictive god. To Leonides, you can be king; you can rule the world; you can have terrific wealth. Only bow down to me.

My Higher Things homily 2007

2007-07-27T17:18:00.000-04:00

Higher Things 2007
Text: Matthew 28:1-8 (Eastertide theme)

Your sins tangle you in the web of death. You think you can get away with it, but you cannot. You think no one will know, but God sees everything. You have convinced yourself that it’s not that big a deal to look at pornography. You think it’s OK to mock the weirdoes at school. You love buying clothes at the mall more than you love receiving the Eucharist at church.

Sin is like tar. Once you get a spot on your hands, there is nothing you can do to wipe it off. In fact, the more you try to wipe it off, the more you’re going to just spread it around all over yourself. You cannot justify yourselves before God. All of your acts of piety, your good deeds and your sweetness are not enough to make you right with God. And the more you attempt to please God and hide your sin, the dirtier and filthier you will become.

Sin is like manure on a baloney sandwich. It doesn’t matter if you just have a little teensy piece of dog manure on the bread. The whole thing is ruined. You can’t eat that thing because the whole thing is contaminated.

So often we try to appease our consciences by comparing ourselves to other human beings. Well, my sins are small compared to that guy! The problem is that when judging you, God does not compare you to that guy. He compares you to His Son. And by that standard, we all fall short.

When it come right down to it, you’re a mess. And so am I. But it’s worse that we tend to want to believe. Like the knight in The Quest for the Holy Grail, we are spouting a fountain of blood and try to make light of it saying, “It’s only a flesh wound.”

Your problem is not that you are sick It’s not that you are weak. It’s not that you are out-of-harmony with the universe. It’s not that there’s a tiny speck of manure on your sandwich. The problem is that you are contaminated. The problem is that all of us are out favor with God on account of our sinfulness. All of us are spiritually dead without Jesus Christ.

A really big problem calls for a really big solution. People that fail to understand the seriousness of their sin also fail to realize the seriousness of God’s love. Our savior is not small. He is not weak. He is not trivial. He is not one hour of your week. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is the beginner and finisher of our salvation.

The most important thing in life is not your shoes, your hair, your grades, your pimples, your sex appeal or the plastic golden trophies on your shelf. The most important thing is that you, sinner, have been baptized into Jesus Christ. And in that baptism, God Almighty bestowed on you all the blessing and benefits of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On the cross, the Father heaped all of the manure of your sin, all of your secrets and all of your hidden faults and piled on the head or His Son, so that on the cross, God looked at Jesus and said, “You disgust me. You repulse me. You nauseate me. I hate you.” And the sky went dark and the earth shook and the curtain in the Temple tore from top to bottom. And the only truly good man who ever lived bowed his head and died.

Probably all of you have been to the funeral of someone you knew, at least once or twice. In most modern cemeteries, people put big heavy granite or marble headstones on top of the graves. They are called headstones. Did you ever wonder why they do that?

We think of these probably as just a way for us to mark the spot or a way to remember the deceased. Some historians think, however, that the practice of placing heavy marble or granite stones over the head of the dead person dates back to pagan origins when people were afraid of ghosts. They thought that placing a big rock at the head of the grave would pin the spirit of the dead person in his grave so he would follow them home and haunt them.

But I am here to tell you today that no one on heaven or earth, no angels or demons, no man or woman, no authority, power or dominion will be able to keep you pinned in your graves at the Day of Lord’s return. There will come a day, sooner or maybe later, but it will come when our dear Lord Jesus Christ will reappear in glory surrounded by angels and He will speak your name. And at that moment, if you are in the grave at the time, your body will be restored to life and you will rise again. Not green and maggot ridden like a Hollywood zombie with bits of flesh hanging down in quivering strips. But fully restored and more than that. You will be glorified.

So, to hell with the devil and his accusations!! He has no claim on you. You have been baptized into Jesus Christ. The very life of God is pulsating in your veins and corpuscles transforming you into the magnificent creature God the Creator intend you to be.

I have no particular wish to die, but I look forward to the day of my resurrection, the day when my baptism will be fulfilled. But until that hour, fix your hopes on Jesus Christ. Don’t let the devil fool you into thinking you are worthless. Because of all that Jesus has accomplished, you are precious in God’s sight. He will not treat you as your sins deserve. Left to yourself, your life is like manure on a baloney sandwich, contaminated through and through. But in Jesus Christ, you are pure gold – no, more than that, you are the sons of God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Unapologetically Apologetic

2007-07-22T23:09:00.000-04:00

In certain circles (namely, the circles in which I circulate) the theological discipline of apologetics often gets a bad rap. Some belittle the whole apologetic enterprise saying, "you can't argue someone into faith." Thus many confessional Lutherans ignore apologetics and the field is over-run by modern Evangelicals (Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, etc.) We Lutherans have some hearty influence in the field, however, namely John Warwick Montgomery and Paul Maier, but these are few and far between.

If apologetics is the enterprise of forming systematic arguments to defend one's beliefs, then confessional Lutherans do this all the time - only they do to it towards fellow Lutherans and other Christians. Polemics has a noble and oft-abused history in the Christian family.

There is a screaming need for intelligent Lutheran Christians to apply themselves anew to the enterprise of apologetics towards non-Christians. We need to overcome our allergy to human reason and construct cogent arguments to defend our teachings against objections. Yes, Luther once called reason a whore because he was reacting against the excesses of Scholastic medieval writers. But he also acknowledged that reason can serve theology when enlightened by the Spirit (cf. Table Talk).

You can't argue someone into the Faith, to be sure. There is a distinction between apologetics and proclamation. For many, the one must precede the other. I agree that it is dangerous sin to make reason a master over divine revelation. But what about the many areas of conversation that are located just outside the perimeter of divine revelation? And that support the claims of the Church?

Most faithful pastors do the apologetics I'm talking about nearly every day. That is, if they engage in conversations with unbelievers about God or matters of the spirit.

Dial M for Metaphysics

2007-07-17T09:32:00.000-04:00

In 1948, Alfred Hitchcock directed the unusual thriller Rope starring Jimmy Steward and Farley Granger.

I say "unusual" because it is not typical for Hollywood to include drawn out philosophical reflections in its productions.

Entirely played out in two rooms of a single apartment, the opening scene shows two men at the final moments of strangling a third man to death.

Brandon and Philip are the two spoiled urbane collegians who are playing a game, performing an experiment, and, I suppose, attempting to realize their destiny.

Jimmy Stewart plays a former professor, still much admired by the boys for his unorthodox views.

Essentially, the drama revolves around Brandon's and Philip's avant garde ethical viewpoint. Patterned after the famous case of Leopold and Loeb, the two young men set out to commit the "perfect" murder just because they could. But they could not. And did not. They were caught.

I don't quite know enough about Friedrich Nietzsche to be the judge, but the film's two protagonists - especially Brandon - purport to embody the German philosopher's idea of the ubermensch.

To be plain, Nietzsche believed that traditional Christian morality was generally demeaning to man. Since "God is dead", (as he would say), why should men bridle their instincts, denying themselves terrific pleasure and reward to assuage a fictional deity?

For Nietzsche, might makes right. The one who has the power to enforce his will upon others is the best one. He spoke of the "superman" who would not grovel or cater to the heavenlies but who would assert himself.

Brandon certainly understood himself as the ubermensch. In his mind, murdering a cohort whom he considered an inferior was justified. Sort of a variation on Darwin's natural selection.

Ideas do have consequence.

cf. Rope: Nietzsche and the Art of Murder; Hitchcock and Philosophy (Popular Culture and Philosophy)

Listen. Love. Do Something Good.

2007-07-15T23:47:00.000-04:00

Erin Bode is a young woman who looks like Michelle Pfeiffer and sings like Nora Jones. She has also recently partnered with the Lutheran Church (MS) World Relief to assist poor girls in South Africa. Go here to see what I mean. You will like it. And purchase the CD. Do it because the music is terrific. Do it because the proceeds assist these young people in such need.

What Did the Pope Say?

2007-07-14T19:32:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot of press recently about a statement from the Bishop of Rome about how people are saved. First of all, I think it's important to note that Benedict XVI has said nothing new here. I continue to be amazed, frankly, that there are so many people who are surprised when the pope teaches Roman Catholic doctrine. Oh, and I just learned that the Dalai Lama thinks like a Buddhist too!

Regardless of what you've heard, the pope did not say that all non-Catholics are going to hell. What he said, as I understand it, is that Lutherans and Protestants are not the church, properly understood.

I disagree, of course. Who is the Church? Where is it to be found? Lutherans believe that the Church is the assembly of all believers among whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel. (Augsburg Confession Article VII).

I agree with the pope that there is only one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. Our Lord did not establish multiple entities to represent Him, nor are there multiple paths to enlightenment. There is only one true church.

I will go further. Outside of the church, it is not possible to be saved. I don't accept the notion of "anonymous Christians" which some Roman theologians have posited. That is the idea that people of non-Christian belief systems might be saved by Christ even if they don't know his name or confess Him as Lord.

So to be saved, one must be in the Church of Jesus Christ. I simply do not equate the Church of Jesus Christ with any single existing institutional denomination.

A major part of the problem is the pope's misunderstanding of apostolic succession. The Apostle's Creed refers to the church as apostolic. That is to say that it is built upon the foundation of the apostles (and prophets) with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. But in what sense is the church apostolic? Is the important thing that one can demonstrate a physical laying on of hands from one to the next for eons? Rather, isn't it the man who teaches the doctrine of the apostles who is their rightful successor whether he is in the physical lineage or not?

Consider what Jesus says in John 8 about who are the true sons of Abraham. In opposition to the pharisees, Jesus said that the sons of Abraham are those who hold the faith of Abraham, not simply those biologically descended from his loins.

God in the Ghost Movie

2007-07-12T08:21:00.000-04:00

I went with a couple of chums last night to a late showing of 1408, the current film based on a story by Stephen King. It starred John Cusack, one of my all-time favorite actors.

I really appreciate a well-written ghost story. This one was better than average but not stellar. A good ghost story always begs these two questions:

- Is there life beyond death?
- Is there a God and does He love or hate us?

I liked 1408 not only because it was a moderately scary flick, but because it did grapple with those two questions pretty effectively. Of course, most ghost stories fall very short of giving complete and correct answers but in an aggressively atheistic and materialistic cultural context, the questions themselves may represent progress.

The Family of a Serial Killer

2007-07-11T07:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I finished reading A Father's Story by the father of serial murderer Jeffrey Dahmer, Lionel Dahmer. I found it enlightening. Parents look at their children and hope for the best for their future. To what extent, if any, should responsibility (blame?) fall to the parents for the crimes of the children? One of the things that I found most interesting in Mr. Dahmer's book is the degree to which it was an examination of himself. The apple never falls too far from the tree. Not to say that Mr. Lionel Dahmer ever committed the particular atrocities of his son. But the author reveals that his own quirks, failings, weaknesses and flaws are present in seed form in his son. As he put it (I may not have the quote exact), he put his hand on the handle of the door to the room which Jeffrey entered.

Was Jeffrey genetically predisposed to become a murderer? From his father's account, I'd say most likely. But that's not such a stretch really. I think everyone is capable, under certain circumstances, to commit murder. Are our genes our destiny? I'm not saying that. Yet just as some people are naturally more sensitive, others "naturally" lack empathy.

What Jeffrey did, however, goes well beyond merely killing human beings. Perhaps his perversions defy explanation. One of the rationalizations that I find objectionable is when people label such people "monsters." Jeffrey Dahmer was no monster. He was a man. A man who felt, willed, loved, and performed monstrous things. Is there a qualitative difference between Jeffrey Dahmer and you? Certainly a difference in degree, but in quality? Have you never hated another or wished someone dead? Have you never treated people like they are your possessions? Have you never - in pain or anger or sorrow - tortured the innocents? By your words? Your actions or inactions? Ah. Maybe we have all grasped the handle to the door of the room Jeffrey entered.

Now I'm reading a brilliant text by Mikal Gilmore, brother of killer Gary Gilmore, called Shot in the Heart. Mikal is a writer by profession and what a skillfully woven narrative he offers! Whereas Mr. Dahmer focused upon the genetic conveyance of evil (if you will), Mikal Gilmore seems to be looking at the entrenched patterns of violence in family systems. He looks much further into his family tree to see how close the apples fall. And this is a guy with a bizarre and terrible tale to tell.

My Pop Media Diet

2007-07-09T08:53:00.000-04:00

I can never just read one book at a time. Lately I've been reading:

From my interest in movies:

Yesterday, after the church council picnic, I finished The Three Stooges: An Illustrated History, From Amalgamated Morons to American Icons. Loved it. Next I'll take up my biography of Laurel and Hardy.

The Kill Bill Diary: The Making of a Tarantino Classic as Seen Through the Eyes of a Screen Legend by David Carradine

One of my interests has long been True Crime. So in that vein, here's what I've finished recently:

Forensic Science of CSI by Katherine Ramsland

The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation by Katherine Ramsland

Inside the Minds of Serial Killers: Why They Kill by Katherine Ramsland

A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer, the father of Jeffrey Dahmer. I just started this yesterday.

I frequently also have at least one management/leadership type book I'm nibbling on. A great one has been:

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't

And something a bit more spiritually nourishing:

Philemon: A theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture (Concordia Commentary) by Dr. John Nordling, one of our crackerjack New Testament gurus.

Christ Academy - High School

2007-07-01T00:04:00.000-04:00

Friends, the past two weeks have seen the 9th annual successful Christ Academy for high school men considering the pastoral ministry. It's been a crazy busy two weeks.

Cameron Diaz: Mao Disciple

2007-06-23T12:47:00.000-04:00

Why would actress Cameron Diaz want a handbag emblazoned with Maoist slogans? This is fashion? And then to insensitively wear it while touring Peru, a land where Maoist ideologues murdered tens of thousands. Why not just wear a "Go Hitler!" sweatshirt in Jerusalem or a "Pol Pot Is My Homeboy" baseball cap in Cambodia? Even if Diaz was truly clueless, her handlers should have caught this.... No, wearing a Mao Zedong handbag is just evil.

Apologetics Site

2007-06-21T22:05:00.000-04:00

A man named Scott Diekmann contacted me today to inform me of his group's website called Sound Witness. I haven't had the chance to look at their material yet, so please don't assume I agree with every jot and tittle. However, just from my quick glance, it looks to me like these guys have something helpful to offer. I encourage you to take a look at their material. I'm particularly interesting in the article on the emerging church movement.

Noonan on Sopranos

2007-06-15T13:45:00.001-04:00

I've enjoyed Peggy Noonan's political writing for a long time. Here is her analysis of The Sopranos.

The Sopranos Finale: a Bang or a Whimper

2007-06-13T17:36:00.000-04:00

Like many Americans watching television on Sunday night at around 10 p.m., I yelled, "What?! What happened?!" At first, I thought my TV fritzed out on me. But a split second later it hit me and then waves of disappointment washed over me.

There is an internet debate over whether David Chase is brilliant or took the coward's way out. I think Chase is a brilliant coward. I can't blame him, but I will never forgive him. What a lousy stunt!? But still, it makes perfect sense.

Like many others, I am sad to say goodbye to America's most likable sociopath. For a series that was known both for its subtlety and its coarseness, perhaps the best end is no ending at all. The very last sound were these words to a Journey power ballad: "Don't stop." And then it stopped. All too abruptly.

Did it stop or didn't it? We'll never know. There were indications that something was about to happen. And then nothing did. But isn't that how life is? Are all the plot strings in your life tightly knotted at the end?

The episode made the point that life is like sitting in a rocking chair. It's a lot of work, but you don't go anywhere. After all the gore, bodily and emotional, we're right where we started. Tony goes right back to episode 1, season 1 with A.J.'s therapist. And just as the first season ended with a family meal, so the finale. Like men lost in the woods, we tend to go in circles. Has any progress been made?

The Sopranos gave us insight into the meaning of life. No, really. I mean that. When the other FBI agent told Agent Harris about Phil Leotardo's demise, Harris smacked the table with glee saying, "We're gonna win this thing." We're disgusted that he responded to the murder of a human being as if his favorite team just scored in a close championship match. Life is no game. But which fan of the show did not have the exact same reaction internally? Just like Harris caught himself, we have to ask, "why do I like this stuff?" What does that say about me?

The biggest question on everyone's mind was who will get whacked in the end? Will Tony finally get his due? The foreshadowing intentionally misled us. Bobby in the boat with Tony opined that you never see it coming when the bullet with your name on it comes knocking. Maybe, he said, it just all goes black. So isn't the conclusion obvious to you now? Chase didn't whack Tony. Whether he knows it or not, he whacked us.

Academic Freedom Nonsense

2007-06-12T16:36:00.000-04:00

David Klinghoffer clarifies the Iowa State University flap over denying tenure to highly accomplished astronomer, Guillermo Gonzalez, because he harbors unpopular views in this Daily Standard article. It seems that every outrageous theory is defensible in today's academia as long as you don't ever imply a supreme intelligence behind the origin of the planet.

Controversial Sopranos Ending

2007-06-11T08:23:00.001-04:00

Anyone care to opine about the... uh... unexpected ending to television's most talked about series? Join the blog-versation. Leave your comments. I'll chime in later. Spoilers allowed.

Cleansing with Blood

2007-06-06T19:49:00.000-04:00

The Scriptures teach: "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22)." I couldn't help but notice the significance of blood in the temple ritual of the Mayans in the movie Apocalypto. One telling scene has a warrior returning with captives to be sacrificed at the temple. The priest stops him before he sets foot on the most holy place. And the warrior, understanding the problem, cuts his hand with a knife and sprinkles his blood upon the stones before taking a step. I can't say whether the Gibson film accurately represents the theology of ancient Mayan religion, but I am fascinated that so many pagan belief systems understand the principle of cleansing with blood.

Cool Picture

2007-06-06T14:25:00.000-04:00

Very cool interactive picture here.

Jacob's Confirmation

2007-06-02T19:47:00.001-04:00

Our little buddy was confirmed at Redeemer a couple of weeks ago. I was grateful that Pastor Petersen allowed me to participate as we blessed those little rascals.

The rite of Confirmation is kind of a slippery thing in Lutheran practice. We don't recognize it as a divinely instituted thing but a human tradition that has merit.

Lutherans are not uniform in how we practice confirmation or even in its purpose. Many American Lutherans treat confirmation as a pre-requisite for receiving the Holy Communion. The most common age for confirmation is after 8th grade. Others do early communion and still confirm at age 13 or 14.

The rite itself is not the main thing either. The heart of it is the time spent (often 2 years) in instruction. Many churches still use Martin Luther's Small Catechism as the basic text other than Holy Scripture. The rite is a blessing but is most significant in that it leads to their first communion (the highest blessing).

I like the way our congregation does it. As both a pastor and a parent, I strongly prefer earlier communion. I cannot justify making our young people wait until they are 14 years old before allowing them to receive the benefits of Christ's Supper.

I agree with the notion that a person should receive basic instruction in the Christian faith before being admitted to the altar. But waiting until a child is a teenager, arguably the most difficult period of their young lives and the time when they are most likely to rebel and question their faith, before giving them the Body and Blood of Christ seems strange.

Would You Buy a Used Horse From These Guys?

2007-05-31T22:46:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow (June 1), seminarian Jason Braaten will become the Reverend Jason Braaten. Jason is the latest addition to our Seminary Admission staff.

We had a bit of a surprise luncheon for him in the office. Thanks to all who helped.

He'll try to tell you that the pink feather boa is mine, but don't you believe it.

The second picture is of our Admission Officers. Going left to right, there is me, Jason, Martin Luther, Phil Zielinski, Tom Zimmerman and John Dreyer (the eligible bachelor among us). Not pictured are the ladies. Why didn't we get a shot of them? Pat Painter, Marsha Zimmerman and Cheri Shoemaker. Also not pictured are the three student workers: Brian German, Tony Oliphant, and Tim Storck.