This Side of the Pulpit » Theology
Impracticality of God
More great writing and wisdom from Pr. Peters Hardly anything you see or we do on Sunday morning is practical. Not the vestments or the liturgy, not the organ or the choir, not the paraments and painting or the wooden pews and kneelers. But that is the point. It was practicality that got us in trouble in the first place. We sought a short cut to achieving our dreams of glory and it came with a price tag of death, disorder, and disappointment. We don’t need a better life now as much as we need a life that is stronger than death, mercy to forgive our sins, and hope to carry us through a life too filled with suffering, disappointment, and pain. Christian faith does not guarantee a path void of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
The Horror! The Horror!
At the Oklahoma District LCMS Convention last week I was privileged to be an assisting minister at the opening worship service. I read the Old Testament reading and assisted with communion distribution. We had three “stations” and used the “drive-by” style for the sake of time, numbers and logistics. Not my favorite way to give the gift of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, but that’s the way it was done. I held the cup containing the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Angry Faces
I hadn’t run for six years or more, and even back then it was short-lived. It really had been more than ten years since I’d logged any appreciable miles. I’d moved to other exercise and enjoyed it and didn’t look back until two weeks ago. My cholesterol was high again, my weight was not budging and Marjorie wanted to shed some pounds too. We decided to run together, using the Couch-to-5K program. All was good the first two runs. On my third run my knees felt like fire. Surely it was just normal joint pain from new movement, so I ignored it, finished the run and showered. But the next morning my knees were still killing me. And the next. And the next. Eventually I self-diagnose and MCL injury, based on … Read entire article »
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Kneeling as Christians (or Genuflecting)
“When menaced by the power of evil, as (Christians) kneel, they are upright before the world, while as sons and daughters, they kneel before the Father. Before God’s glory we Christians kneel and acknowledge his divinity; by that posture we also express our confidence that he will prevail… (Pope Benedict XVI) H/T http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/sspx-in-heretics-out#ixzz1sOgtMPl4 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Easters Here, There and Everywhere
Easter Sunday was hard. Seeing all the faces of those I’ve known, the widows whose husbands I’ve buried, the hands held out that I had confirmed over the years, knowing why she doesn’t kneel but he does–seeing this and knowing it is my last Easter here. But at the same time already moving ahead, thinking of my new congregation kneeling, communing with them already together with the angels and the archangels, with Peter and John and Mary and all the company of heaven. Haven’t had one like that in years–stressful and sad and expectant and disappointing. Yes, disappointed that I will not be here again for this Feast but disappointed I’m not yet there either. It was a limbo on Easter Sunday. But it’s also saying goodbye. It’s the reason I am dreading … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Good Friday Meditation
It is finished. That’s the way the stomach rumbles That’s the way the bee bumbles That’s the way the needle pricks That’s the way the glue sticks That’s the way the potato mashes That’s the way the pan flashes That’s the way the market crashes That’s the way the whip lashes That’s the way the teeth gnashes That’s the way the gravy stains That’s the way the moon wanes –William Burroughs That’s the way it all goes, not with lightning and flashes, not with gasps and groans, with the simple. It is finished. God is a God of order. Jesus dies like a German with a stiff upper lip? It is finished. And it was. And it is. Finished. Fertig. Genug. Alles in ordnung. Jesus wrapped up the whole diabolical drama and puts it away, buried in His body. But it signified everything. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Addendum on This Week of Weeks
Think about the blogosphere, the Facebooks and internets and such the past few days. People are complaining about the “new logo” of the Synod. There’s a story about a pedophile pastor in the LCMS and what or who knew about it before his most recent arrest. There’s more scandal and biting and bad news than normal. It’s all part of it. The demons use whatever they can to take our eyes off our Christ and Lord hanging from the Tree which brings life. If you are caught up in these stories, just back off. Maybe next week. Maybe then engage. But for now pray, and if you have no strength for that, laugh and smile and work and eat. That is God pleasing too. … Read entire article »
Holy Week is Every Week
Ah, Holy Week. When you’re in or around a church Holy Week works its magic on you. No, it’s not in peaceful divine rays of blessing on your shoulders. Its magic is not in beatific visions of heaven. The magic of Holy Week is that it makes us cranky and stressed and sinful. Yet it is still Holy. Part of Holy Week for us in the church is simply stress. We have many extra worship services, more music, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Rubrics: Maximal and Minimal
I’ve gone on a rubric kick the last week as I contemplated (now preparing for) ministry at Grace Lutheran Church. They are higher church than Redeemer, and so I have some studying and homework to do. For instance, at Grace the Pastors genuflect during the confession, at the Words of Institution etc.. They use a lavabo and incense as well. All things I do not use here. What’s funny about this is that the Lutheran blogosphere is in a tizzy about rubrics and ceremony even as I am doing this homework and study. They are debating how much and how far and “is it necessary” and all. What I want to do is learn. We don’t have a good published official ceremony and only the mere suggestion of rubrics in our hymnal … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
The Rome or Geneva Post by Pastor Peters
Pastor Peters hit another one out of the park a few days ago. Here’s a choice paragraph: For every parish or Pastor who might be accused of mimicking Rome on Sunday morning, there are fifty who openly borrow from Willow Creek or Saddleback or which ever place or program is in vogue this week. The damage that this does is not limited only to the particular parish that trades in the sturdy Lutheranism for a flashy modern incarnation of a not so Christian Christianity. It ripples throughout our church body stealing our unity, raising conflict between brothers in the ministry and parishes that claim the same confession. It presents a muddled and muddied view of Lutheranism to the world — one that wears so many masks it does not even know … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
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