Lutherans Gone Wild, a report from Uwe in Minneapolis

Uwe Siemon-Netto comments from the ELCA national assembly in Minneapolis...

To state it bluntly, there is nothing Lutheran about what has happened in Minneapolis. We have witnessed 19th century cultural Protestantism gone wild --the view held that Christ and the highest expressions of aspirations of culture are in agreement. But what are at any given time the highest expressions and aspirations of culture? Do they not come across as Zeitgeist, or spirit of time? And were not Nazism and Communism powerful murderous manifestations of a Zeitgeist? The genocidal “choice” ideology that has slaughtered more than 50 million unborn children in America since the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973 certainly falls into this category.

Aghast, faithful Lutherans wonder: “Lord where shall we Lutherans go?” Why is it that we Lutherans so often lose our way just at a time when no message is more needed then ours? Let it be known that there is a paradoxical tension between Christ and culture: The certainty of being forgiven sinners through Christ’s redeeming work on the cross frees us to engage the world with all its foibles but not to embrace them as the ELCA has just done.

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Howard Hendricks on OT books chronology

When I was in seminary, Howard Hendricks (aka "Prof") gave us a little card with the books of the OT chronologically arranged. The scanned copy I have was a bit blurry and I wanted to make something like this available for our church class in OT theology ("Story of Redemption"). A few minor edits and here it is...

clement quotes hebrews

Clement of Rome wrote to the church in Corinth around AD 90. This is perhaps the same Clement, companion of Paul, mentioned in Philippians 4:3. Many hold him to be the first bishop / pope in Rome, aka St. Clement I. Clement quotes from the letter to the Hebrews. Origin suggested that Clement was in fact the writer (as transcriber or amanuensis) of Hebrews. Perhaps this letter began as a "word of exhortation" given by Paul at the synagogue (Heb 13:22; cf Acts 13:15) which then became a circular letter for the churches. Other possible authors of Hebrews include Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos. The theology is Pauline, but the transcriber is obviously second-generation (Heb. 2:3-4). At any rate, this early church leader in Rome, is already quoting Hebrews in his letter in AD 90: CHAPTER 36 ALL BLESSINGS ARE GIVEN TO US THROUGH CHRIST This is the way, beloved, in which we find our Savior, even Jesus Christ, the High Priest of all our offerings, the defender and he

one-liners

Here are 25 of my favorite one-liners from comedian Steven Wright: 1) I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize. 2) Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back. 3) Half the people you know are below average. 4) 82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot. 5) A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. 6) All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand. 7) The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. 8) OK, so what's the speed of dark? 9) How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink? 10) If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. 11) Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm. 12) When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. 13) Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now. 14) I intend to live forever ... So far, so good. 15) If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? 16) Eagles may soar, but weasels don'

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