Colleagues, Only once in my life–almost 70 years now–did I experience a case of church discipline. I was hardly a major player in the event. But I was present–as an uncomprehending child–in the Sunday morning service 60 years ago when a member was formally excommunicated from Trinity Lutheran Church in Coal Valley, Illinois. Asking my dad what …
Coping with Chaos
Colleagues, Robin sent over this slice-of-life for me to send on to you today. It’s powerful. Peace & Joy! Ed Schroeder GOD SAID “Wild and waste” is the way the Bible I was reading translates “tohu va-vohu” in the Hebrew text of Genesis 1:2. “When the earth was wild and waste darkness over the face of Ocean, …
The Ownership Question- Whose We Are
Colleagues, Yesterday was the summer solstice. In the USA the saying goes: “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” That’s never been scientifically documented, and probably isn’t true. But that’s my excuse for sending out a sermon for this week’s ThTh. Robin has her plate extra full these days. “Summertime easy” is not true for her. I’ve been …
Missiology in the Orthodox Seminary in Albania
Dear Folks, After our trip to South Africa and the missiology conference in January, I joined an e-mail list called “family missiology”. This report about Christianity in Albania grabbed my attention and we got permission to include it as a THTH. Enjoy, Robin Missiology in the Orthodox Seminary in Albania After just over a week in Albania, …
Mission Theology Begins with a Sad Message
Today’s Thursday theologian is Agne Nordlander, my colleague a few years ago at the Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa. Agne’s a missionary from the Swedish Evangelical Mission [SEM], a Lutheran agency for mission both within Sweden and overseas. Founded in 1856, the SEM started mission work in Ethiopia 1866 and is one of founders of the …
The Order of Philippi – A Crossings Spin-off
Colleagues, It’s the Feast of Our Lord’s Ascension today. And that festival always revives this memory. When I was a seminarian half a century ago, our homiletics prof, Richard Caemmerer, gave us novices a straight and simple answer when someone asked: Why did Jesus go away? “So he might be equally close to all of us,” he …
Two Theology Classes in St. Louis
Colleagues, Lighter fare, this time. Well, maybe. This Thursday evening’s class session will be the final one for Robin and me in a 7-week course sponsored by the Lutheran School of Theology in St. Louis [LST in STL] for the Easter Term 2000. The course is titled: “Encountering the Last Enemy.” I put together the format which …
Dysfunctional Authority–in Families and in Churches
Colleagues, Today’s posting comes from the hand of Jeffrey Anderson. Jeff was a senior student at Concordia Seminary (St. Louis) during the first year I taught there in ’71-’72. We’ve stayed in touch over the years. He and wife Judith carry out their callings–do their Crossings–in the secular workplace. Jeff’s a computer system engineer and Judith teaches …
Christological Difficulties at IAMS 10 – Part II
Colleagues, Exactly two years ago this very week (it was May 13) Thursday Theology #1 went out into cyberspace. So today’s ThTh 100 is a bit special–if for no other reason than that we’ve been blessed to get this far–and also blessed with over 500 of you now on this listserve. ThTh 100 is special in another …
Street Ministry
Colleagues, Lutheran Urban Mission Society [LUMS] is a multiplex ecumenical venture in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The society’s congregation is the broken people in Vancouver, especially those in the city’s downtown “eastside.” Pastor Brian Heinrich (Seminex grad ’83) is called to be “street priest” in LUMS’ ministry. In November ’98 we visited Brian and saw LUMS “live.” …