Lutheranism
I was perusing the world of YouTube and stumbled across Concordia Publishing House’s channel. One of their videos was on confession:
I can remember when St. Paul’s reinstituted “scheduled” Private Confession. Yeah, we never really got rid of private confession, it just stayed in the Pastor’s study for when we had a crisis and needed to chit chat with our spiritual father.
Do remember that the Lutheran Church is a catholic (i.e. universal) church. So…what does this mean? We’ll, we are the only church that uses scripture and scripture alone as the norm of our faith. Other Christian denominations add various aspects – work, the pope, etc.
So, I was prusing the internet. Pastor Chryst wrote about it, Frank picked it up. I noticed that it is a comment from Professor Berger (and it appears it’s not his first!) I sure hope that our seminaries are getting more and more confessional and that he won’t be the next one out!
Seminarian Powell mentions on his blog how we, the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, a cult? Now, the “Catholic” Church perhaps, but us Lutherans – heck no! Here’s why…
As defined by Merriam-Webster, a cult is:
Nowadays the term ‘cult’ has a variety of meanings, as evidenced by this dictionary entry:
-
: formal religious veneration : worship
- Yeah, I guess this shoe fits us
- Yeah, I guess this shoe fits us
This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to one of my churches seminaries, Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the first time ever. It was to visit a few of our former vicars and a member who is going on vicarage. I mention them now:
- Pastor Elect Stuart N. Floyd, Redeemer Lutheran Church in Warsaw, Indiana, vicar 2004-2005
- Pastor Elect Peter A. Richert, Our Savior Lutheran Church in Mt. Pocono, Pennslyvania, vicar 2005-2006
- Vicar Elect Christopher R. Gillespie, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Saginaw, Michigan
- Vicar Elect William Orr, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lockport, Illinois 2007-2008
Well, it has been quite the busy week. I saw several of my friends receive their first calls. And I learned that one of my friends, Mark, had his first child. He’s going to Des Pere, so not to far away. That’s awesome
Let’s see – Ryan is going to Sugar Loaf which is near Dupo, so they say. Ryan also told me he can see the arch from the church. He’s just about the closest to the Seminary. Then again, he’ll be going for a more advanced degree. Something called a Ph.D I guess I have to get used to calling him Pastor for now, knowing that soon he’ll be one of them Doctors. His church looks like it is in a rural area.
Today is CSL’s call day. A glorious day. I sat in amazement as these men that I sat in Greek with, who I goofed around with between declensions, the men who were just students – are very soon to be behind the pulpits of their very own church. I sat and watched as each of my friends received their first call. The smiles, the excitement. God is ready to use them. They are ready to be used by God. They will enter their pulpits and (while I hope that their congregation would instantly fall in love with them – I must be realistic) experience both the love of Christ and the attacks of Satan. They will face challenges and they will catechise. They will win a few battles, and lose a few more. They will be worn down and answer the phone at 2 a.m. to do God’s work. But I know one thing, the Lutheran Church was blessed today. As I sat and watched each of these young men enter the ministry, I can recall the bountiful blessings that they bestowed upon me in my short time in the Lou. I smiled as I recalled the time we shared. These men, my dear friends, all posess the characteristics and qualifications that our brother and crusader in the faith, Paul penned just about 2000 short years ago. I rejoice each and every day, knowing that somewhere God’s Word and Sacraments are being taught and administered purely and for the edification of Him. And it is with this that I rejoice this evening as I pray for each and every one of my friends, for each of these Seminarians who God has chosen. These men are no longer just my friends, they are my Pastors, our Pastors, and, yes, God’s Pastors.