- The “So What” Factor
So what? is a question I’ve asked myself many times in the last months as I’ve tried to figure out how to minister from law/gospel theology in a context that doesn’t look anything like a traditional Lutheran congregation (a new city ministry, Faith Place, in the Fox Park neighborhood of St. Louis). Is it really ...
- Discipleship–Lutheran Style
Colleagues,
We’re but two weeks away from closure in our 3 months as ELCA Global Mission Volunteers with the Lutheran Church in Singapore. The calling card (everybody has to have one in Asia) they created for me says:”Theologian in Residence.” So I’ve preached 16 times (two more to go), held 8 weekly seminars with pastors (one ...
- Some spin-offs from Justification by Faith Alone
Colleagues,
We are in the last month of our three months working with the Lutheran Church in Singapore. For my last seminar session with pastors, I’ve been asked to show how the “Augsburg hermeneutic” works when addressing three topics–Biblical authority, church and ministry, and ethics. Anyone of those is already enough for more than one session, ...
- Justification by Faith Alone
Colleagues,
For this week’s ThTh some old-fashioned seminary classroom stuff–but newly confected for Singapore Lutherans. Ever since we arrived two months ago I’ve had a Monday morning seminar with the pastors of the Lutheran Church here on “Lutheran Distinctives.” This week the topic was “Justification by Faith Alone in the Augsburg Confession and the Apology to ...
- “God-Sized” Task to Tame Fallujah
Colleagues,
That was the headline in THE STRAITS TIMES, Singapore’s flagship newspaper, a few days ago: “GOD-SIZED” TASK TO TAME FALLUJAH. They were quoting a US Marine commander on site addressing Navy chaplains. “The Marines have been given a ‘God-sized challenge’ to bring security and stability to the Sunni Triangle.”If he only knew what he was ...
- Gibson’s “Passion” film, one more time
We saw Gibson’s film here in Singapore. Easter Monday. US$2 each for goldie oldies.
My take:
The second hero (possibly the first?) is Mary. That’s where Gibson’s old-style Catholicism jumped off the screen for me. She too is a suffering servant. Hers is bloodless in contrast to the oozing blood of her son. And if suffering is ...
- Another Look at Gibson’s Film “The Passion of the Christ”
Colleagues,
Crossings president Steve Kuhl offers another look at Gibson’s film. Steve’s a farm boy, like me, who got educated. In his case, first as an aeronautical engineer, which brought him to St. Louis 30 years ago to work for McDonnell Douglas. He was there when Seminex happened. Curious, he came over to see what it ...
- Mel Gibson’s Movie: THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
Colleagues,
Couple of weeks ago a ThTh reader in Fairbanks Alaska asked me (here on the equator in Singapore!) when I was going to do a review of Gibson’s Passion movie. He got specific:Several Questions;
What would the movie look like (or if it wouldn’t even be, why not?) if Mel had come to the Crossings Community ...
- John Damm’s Homily at John Tietjen’s Funeral
Colleagues,
For this festival day, the Annunciation of Our Lord, something special: John Damm’s sermon at John Tietjen’s funeral.Both John D. and John T. impacted me significantly in my very first year as a student at Concordia Seminary. I came to the Sem. with no “prep school connections” having done a B.A. at Valparaiso University instead. ...
- First signals from Singapore
Colleagues,
We’ve been in Singapore almost three weeks now. I’ve preached both of the last two Sundays. That’s likely to continue, since I’m being “farmed out” to each of the seven congregations that make up the Lutheran Church in Singapore for a two-week stint as “theologian-in-residence.” They’ve even printed a business card for me with that ...
