Colleagues, For ThTh #250 I asked two of you regulars to do a show-and-tell on the quality of the Gospel in two pieces that recently went public in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Both pieces focused on the “evangel” (a.k.a. the Gospel) signalled in that first “E” of ELCA. I thought the Gospel was skimpy in …
The Reverend Dr. Robert W. Bertram International Lutheran Theologian, Interpreter of Seminex by Ed Schroeder
Robert Walter Bertram, Lutheran pastor and theology professor, active for over 50 years in many contexts domestic and overseas, died March 13, 2003 in Webster Groves, MO. Born on Easter Sunday March 27, 1921, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Bertram grew up in the world and ethos of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. With parents, Dr. Martin and Emma Dau …
Is it Still Worth Being a Lutheran?
Colleagues, At last summer’s Tenth Luther Research Congress in Copenhagen, one (and only one) member of the club was hyped for perfect attendance. He’d been at all ten congresses starting right after WWII. He’s George Forell, now octogenarian, with a life story perilous and bizarre, a story he is now putting together as a printed chronicle. It …
A Review of William Lazareth’s “Christians in Society: Luther, the Bible and Social Ethics”
Dear Folks, Here’s the review of a very useful book which I recommend to you, even with the caveats which I articulate below.Peace, Robin Morgan A Review of William Lazareth’s “Christians in Society: Luther, the Bible and Social Ethics” Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001 William Lazareth’s book, “Christians in Society: Luther, the Bible and Social Ethics,” offers the …
The Folk Religion of “God Bless America” – Revisited
Colleagues, Two weeks ago ThTh 244 examined FROGBA, The Folk Religion of God Bless America. A number of you responded. None so extensively, however, as Jeffrey Anderson, himself a recent post-er on these pages, viz., ThTh 240 of January 16.The FROGBA posting 244 came in three sections, as you may remember. Chapter 1 was FROGBA’s diagnosis of …
Lay Leadership at the Lord’s Supper
Colleagues, This week’s ThTh posting is a case study in Gospel-grounded theology where the rubber hits the road. Its author, Timothy Hoyer, is an ELCA pastor in the state of New York. He’s also a Seminex grad. The case he makes sounds compelling to me. What do you think?Peace & Joy! Ed Schroeder Bishop’s Decisions Regarding the …
The Folk Religion of “God Bless America” [FROGBA] – A Crossings-style Analysis
Colleagues, It was not exactly a quiet week-end just passed here in our household on the banks of the Mississippi. For Saturday I flew to Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, Illinois, to discuss “Theology of the Cross,” some of which discussion may show up in future ThTh postings.Sunday a.m. Marie and I concluded our Adult Forum …
Aarhus Revisited – Theology Where the Rubber Hits the Road. From: Robin Morgan
Colleagues, Fred Niedner and Dave Truemper [ThTh 241] did a great job of giving you an overview of the Aarhus conference (Jan. 15-19 in Denmark) as well as their theological critique of much that transpired while we were gathered. All I’d like to add are a couple of snapshots of our time together from my perspective and to …
The Theology of President Bush’s 2003 “State of the Union” Address
Colleagues, Ever since the first ThTh posting after Sept. 11, 2001, repentance, America’s need to repent, has been a frequent theme here. There was no hint of anything like that in the “State of the Union” address Americans heard Tuesday evening from their president. Worse still, was the implicit message that America “had no need for repentance” — …
Aarhus Conference by Fred Niedner and Dave Truemper
Last week (January 16-19) approximately 125 Lutheran theologians from around the world gathered in Denmark’s second city, Aarhus, for a conference, “The Future of Lutheran Theology: Charisms & Contexts.” Sponsored by the Theological Faculty of the University of Aarhus and the Editorial Board of Dialog, along with support from the Danish and German Lutheran churches, the conference sought …