By Chaplain Mike The Advent and Christmas season is traditionally a time for participating in good works and giving to those around us. For your contemplation today, here is a passage from one of Martin Luther’s Advent sermons on the subject. I find his words wonderfully down-to-earth and clear. In summary, Luther teaches: To God, [...]
The Linchpin
10 Nov by
By Chaplain Mike I feel badly that I wasn’t able to follow yesterday’s discussion on our friend Garrett League’s post closely. Fascinating! I especially appreciate that we had some folks who joined us who are strongly convinced of and committed to scientific reasoning, even going so far as to claim that religion cannot give us [...]
Examine Yourself?
7 Nov by
By Chaplain Mike A man named Andrew contributed a short story on theopenend.com about hypochondria. In it, he wrote: Today I have lymphoma. Yesterday was bowel cancer. I curiously palpate my underarms, searching for that slippery lump, stealthily hiding from my grasp. I check again, and again. I then move up to my neck, again [...]
I Don’t Get It (again)
5 Nov by
By Chaplain Mike I have to admit it—I don’t get Pentecostalism. Though I have been exposed to charismatic and pentecostal brothers and sisters since the earliest days after my conversion, their approach to the faith and their practices have never, ever rung true to me. Theologically, I am not a cessationist. I don’t think the [...]
Preparing to Honor the Saints
5 Nov by
By Chaplain Mike In some traditions, All Saints’ Day was celebrated on Nov. 1, while others will honor the saints this coming Sunday, the first in November. All Saints’ may be compared to American national holidays like Veterans Day or Memorial Day. On it we remember and honor the lives, faithfulness, deeds, teachings, and martyrdoms [...]
Reformation Sunday
31 Oct by
By Chaplain Mike The Festival of the Reformation Reformation Day is a liturgical festival celebrated by Lutheran and Reformed churches on the final Sunday in October. It commemorates Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on Oct 31, 1517. This act, calling for debate on issues of corruption [...]
Another Look: The Advance Team Is Spreading the Word!
22 Oct by
By Chaplain Mike Alert friend of IM Eric N. sent me a note saying that he had seen a bus stop ad for the Rapture. Apparently, Jesus has sent his advance team out to spread the word. Back in March, we reported the convoluted prognostications of Harold Camping, who is behind this ad campaign. Since [...]
Brueggemann on the Genre of Gen 1-11
20 Oct by
Here is another thought-provoking quote, giving the reader of Genesis 1-11 something to consider when approaching the text. This comes from Walter Brueggemann’s fine commentary on Genesis in the Interpretation series (Genesis: Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching). Comment needs to be made on the matter of creation, world-beginnings and attempts to correlate [...]
It Don’t Mean a Thing without that Historical Ring?
20 Oct by
By Chaplain Mike In addition to issues of interpretation with regard to Genesis 1 and the portrayal of creation it gives, (which have been covered in detail here in previous posts—check the archives), Young Earth Creationists insist that only their literal view of the Adam and Eve story in Genesis 2-3 is consistent with an [...]
