The Crossings Blog

Thursday Theology -full listing Crossings Film Series
  • THE PROMISE OF LUTHERAN ETHICS — Back to the Decalogue?
    Colleagues, ThTh 26 continues some comments on the contents of: THE PROMISE OF LUTHERAN ETHICS, Karen L. Bloomquist & John R. Stumme, eds. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. 1998. vii, 247, paper. . Three weeks ago (ThTh 23) I noted how frequently the essays in this volume claim the Ten Commandments as foundational for Lutheran ethics. For authors claiming to ...
  • Justification by Faith Alone — Doctrine or Hermeneutic?
    Colleagues, Last week’s ThTh 24 essay prompted this inquiry from Scott Jurgens, Seminex alum (’80), currently pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Odessa, Washington USA. By the time I finished responding to Scott’s items, it occurred to me that I had also produced ThTh 25. So here it is for this week’s offering. If nothing else ...
  • THE PROMISE OF LUTHERAN ETHICS — Forgiveness, Faith, Freedom
    Colleagues, Today’s essay continues the book review begun last week as ThTh #23. THE PROMISE OF LUTHERAN ETHICS, Karen L. Bloomquist & John R. Stumme, eds. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. 1998. vii, 247, paper. The three Bible readings appointed in the lectionary for Reformation Day (Oct. 31) are Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, and John 8:31-36. No surprise, there is a key ...
  • THE PROMISE OF LUTHERAN ETHICS, Karen L. Bloomquist & John R. Stumme
    There could be more promise in “The Promise of Lutheran Ethics.” By that I mean the Biblical term “promise,” the term chosen by the Lutheran reformers to pinpoint what the reformation was all about. Melanchthon put it simply in his Loci, the first “systematic theology” to come out of Wittenberg: “Evangelium est promissio. The gospel ...
  • Responses to “What Lutherans really believe.”
    Colleagues, ThTh 22 brings you responses to last week’s edition, the report on Lutheran Brotherhood’s survey of what US Lutherans say they really believe. Despite the tumult–yea, in the very face of it–Peace & Joy!  Ed Schroeder From Robin Morgan, St. Louis MO. Robin, ELCA pastor, Crossings Website Manager, is my teammate in ThTh production. Hi, I need to ...
  • Theology of the Cross
    Colleagues, On the last day of this month, the Eve of the big celebration All Saints Day on Nov. 1, Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day. The day recalls Luther’s “going public”–482 years ago–with his 95 Theses critiquing congregational practice of the sacrament of penance in the medieval church. If Luther’s action actually constituted the opening shot of ...
  • Two for Eternity
    Colleagues,  This week in the church year brought us St. Michael and All Angels. So today’s ThTh offering has some links with that festive day. It is a pair of meditations, “Two for Eternity.” The first one’s from Robin Morgan, the second one from me.  Peace & Joy!   Ed #1 I love eternity A symphony of dreams Whispered madly in sleep Shadowed by ...
  • LOSING OUR VIRTUE. WHY THE CHURCH MUST RECOVER ITS MORAL VISION
    In 1973 therapy guru Karl Menninger made headlines in the U.S. needling his fellow practitioners in psychiatry with a book titled: WHATEVER BECAME OF SIN? Already then “sin” was gone from psychiatric vocabulary and fast slipping away in US common culture as well. Now 25 years later David Wells poses the same question to his ...
  • Moving our Congregations from Maintenance to Mission
    Colleagues, Last week Thursday, Sept. 10, Robert Bertram made the following presentation to the St. Louis area “Lutheran Professional Church Worker Conference.” I thought you’d like to see it. If you’ve been reading earlier ThTh items, you’ll know Bob from the stuff I’ve sent out about Crossings and about Seminex. Should you wish to review some ...
  • The Historic Episcopate Question?
    On August 8 John Rosenberg, regular receiver of ThTh, wrote me the following: Say, are you planning on doing anything in Thursday Theology about the “historic episcopate” question? Perhaps you’ve written about this and I missed it. At any rate, I need some enlightenment on what YOU think is at stake in that discussion. What brought ...