Robert W. Bertram [Address, Munich, Germany, July, 1977.] Question: When is the church a “confessional movement”? Answer: whenever it has to challenge secular authority, especially its own, in order to liberate its one unique authority, the Gospel and sacraments, which for the church is authority “enough”. Seven Propositions I. Why the question? Two reasons: one churchly, the other …
Seminex Exile—Love It. Don’t Leave It
Edward H. Schroeder [Printed in Strivings (Seminex student journal) Vol. 1:2 (April, 1977).] “Exile”: the NT term for such as us Many of us in Seminex have had to learn that the exilic tradition is a New Testament tradition, albeit a rather thin one. So it is not surprising that we continue to have trouble with it. The …
A Letter in Response to a Call to Teach at Seminex
Robert W. Bertram [Printed in “The Lutheran Independent” Issue #4, September, 1977, edited by Frank J. Leonard.] ABSTRACT The call to teach at Seminex from Seminex’s board and the AELC represents a third time the Caller, the Spirit, has called. Despite New Orleans (Convention) efforts to retract the call to speak the Word of God without fear or …
“Ethical Implications of Military Leadership”
Robert W. Bertram [Annex C. Outline for Lecture at MCA Seminars in USAREUR 14.-18. February 1977] Second Project: “Ethics and Values Seminars” ABSTRACT In a democratic society, the military is (1) not very democratic but, (2) ought to be as democratic as morally possible. Ethically, democracies which account for “rights” and “responsibilities” implied in the law of retribution …
Responsible Theological Education
Edward H. Schroeder [Printed in In Touch, Vol. 2:6. (Feb., 1977).] “…that Thy Word, as becometh it, may not be bound, but have free course and…” That line from the collect (“for the church”) is a motto for responsible theological education. Of course, theological education is a churchly task. Were there no community of Christ-believers, what we …
Luke’s Gospel Through a Systematician’s Lens
Edward H Schroeder [Printed in Currents in Theology and Mission, Vol. 3:6 (December, 1976). Reprinted with permission.] The opening page of a Seminex reader in Systematic theology reads as follows: What is most “systematic” about systematic theology is not merely that it arranges its material—say, the biblical data—in this or that orderly way (that much is true …
Churching the Movement
Dr. Robert Bertram [Address at the ELIM Assembly, Rosemont, Illinois, August 19, 1976.] The practical upshot of what I have to say — and I know from experience that you do expect your theologians to be practical — can best be summarized by quoting from a letter I received a few days ago from one of you, a …
Whose Church Is It? – Receiving Women Pastors
Edward H. Schroeder [1976 ELIM Assembly (Abbreviated Text) August 19, 1976.] “And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for equipping the saints to do their work of ministry which is building up the body of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-12) That was last Sunday’s word of God in …
Still Needed: A Confessional Movement
Robert W. Bertram [Printed in “Viewpoint,” Missouri in Perspective (August 2, 1976), 4.] Will our new AELC be just another, separate denomination? Notice, it makes no provision for ALC and LCA Lutherans as members, let alone as leaders. Why not? The usual excuse is, They don’t need a new denomination, so why should we meddle? Granted, if …
‘A Statement’ A Mis-Statement
Edward H. Schroeder and Stephen Hitchcock [A Discussion Paper from Evangelical Lutherans in Mission. 1976] Synodical president. Dr. Jacob Preus, seldom mentions any longer the doctrinal issues in the controversy rocking the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Yet his “A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles” — first offered in March 1972 – continues to add fuel to the …