The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow (Written by Thomas Dorsey, and sung by Marion Williams) Listen @YouTube Verse 1: Like a ship that’s tossed and driven, battered by an angry sea; when the storms of life are raging, and their fury falls on me. I wonder what I have done, that makes this race [...]

Tuesdays with Forde Via On Being a Theologian of the Cross p. 42 Thesis 7. The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of pious fear of God. The point here is that when we have no fear of the [...]

Mondays with Martin Via Luther’s Church Postil, taken from volume VII:119-132 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI). It was originally published in 1909 in English by The Luther Press (Minneapolis, MN), as Luther’s Epistle Sermons, vol. 2. The pagination from the Baker edition has been maintained for [...]

Franz Friday Vai Pieper’s Dogmatics vol. 1, p. 510 The activity of the evil angels against the Church is portrayed fully in Scripture. According to Matt. 16:18 “the gates of hell” are continually waging war against the Church, and it is Christ alone who preserves the Church against the onslaughts of the powers of hell. [...]

Weekends with Bach BWV 78 Jesu, der du meine Seele Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. Poet unknown. 1. Johann Rist, verse 1 of the hymn, 1641 (Fischer-Tümpel, II, #189);2. based freely on verse 2; 3. based on verses 3, 4, and 5; 4. based freely on verses 6 and 7; 5. based on verses 8-10; 6. [...]

Thursdays with Iwand Here Iwand recounts a story told to him by a German civil engineer who had witnessed a mass execution. Via Iwand, ‘Vortrage und Aufsatze’ (NW 2), p.363 It all happened in a big ditch. Some steps were dug into the limestone going down into the huge grave. Down the steps each of the [...]

Here is a hymn for today from Matthias Claudius, who died on this day (Jan 21) in 1815 (b. August 15 1740). The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. (Matthew 13:38) We plow the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land, But it is [...]

Minnesota Public Radio is working on a project looking at the ways in which a change and a divide in the ELCA is affecting individuals, churches, and communities beyond them. What does the ELCA’s stance on homosexual clergy mean to you and your community? What changes have you observed in your church and community since [...]

Statement issued for 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade January 20, 2010 Friday, January 22, marks the 37th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that altered how our nation had valued life for the previous 200 years. Abortion has caused nearly 51 million deaths since 1973, when medically assisted termination of a pregnancy was declared [...]

Wednesdays with Augustine Anti-Pelagian Writings, Chapter 24 [XIX.]—Infants Saved as Sinners. And let no one suppose that infants ought to be brought to baptism, on the ground that, as they are not sinners, so they are not righteous; how then do some remind us that the Lord commends this tender age as meritorious; saying, “Suffer [...]

Tuesdays with Forde Via On Being a Theologian of the Cross pp. 36-38 Thesis 5. The works of men are thus not mortal sins (we speak of works that are apparently good), as though they were crimes. Thesis 6. The works of God (we speak of those that he does through man) are thus not [...]

Here is the handout from Bob and Cathy Mattson for the Third Sunday in Epiphany. Third Sunday in Epiphany

Mondays with Martin Via Luther’s Galatians Commentary Chapter 1 Note the resourcefulness of the devil. Heretics do not advertise their errors. Murderers, adulterers, thieves disguise themselves. So the devil masquerades all his devices and activities. He puts on white to make himself look like an angel of light. He is astoundingly clever to sell his [...]

The following sermon was delivered by Jaynan Clark, president of the WordAlone Network, at the Lutheran CORE Convocation at Fishers, Indiana in September, 2009. (via WordAlone) I would like everyone to pretend that this is my white card… and it’s my point of personal privilege, as the appointed preacher of the day. Hi, I’m Jaynan, [...]

Weekends with Bach BWV 12 Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen Jubilate (Third Sunday after Easter). Salomo Franck.(1) 3. Act 14:22; 6. Johann Crüger’s chorale melody for “Jesu, meine Freude” by Johann Franck, 1650 (cf. BWV 227); 7. Samuel Rodigast, final verse of “Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,” 1674 (Fischer-Tümpel, IV, #467). 22 April 1714, Weimar; [...]

A letter from LC-MS president Gerald B. Kieschnick Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It is with a grateful heart that I write this update regarding support for Haiti earthquake response. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans announced today a 50-percent matching gift – $1 for every $2 its members contribute – to Lutheran disaster relief agencies [...]

Franz Friday Via F. Pieper, “Our Position in Doctrine and Practice Lecture – delivered before the 1893 Synod of Delegates of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states.” “That discipline in doctrine must remain standing in the first place is self-explanatory, for the right doctrine is the foundation for everything, or, to speak with [...]

Here is the handout from Bob and Cathy Mattson for the Second Sunday in Epiphany. 10 Epiphany 2nd Sunday After

Thursdays with Iwand Via Hans Iwand, “Wie studiere ich Philosophie” (How to study philosophy?) in Um den rechten Glauben, p. 173-182 Theology and philosophy must be in constant dialogue for ‘theology is the confident companion of the human being in his quest for the meaning of the last things, encouraging him not to delude himself [...]

Theologian, musician, and philosopher Albert Schweitzer was born on this day (Jan 14) in 1875. Here is Schweitzer playing JS Bach’s Adagio BWV 564. And here are a few quotations.

Wednesdays with Augustine Via Retractions Volume 1 Chapter 42.—From the First Epistle of John. Moreover, from John’s Epistle I meet with the following words, which seem indispensable to the solution of this question: “But if,” says he, “we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and [...]

Tuesdays with Forde An essay on “The Viability of Luther Today” Via Word & World 7/1 (1987) 22-31. Forde Viability of Luther

A treatise by Johann Gerhard “On the Duties of Ministers of the Church,” translated by Richard Dinda, with a preface by Matthew Harrison. Via Theological Commonplaces Locus 23, Chapter 6, Section 2, and LCMS World Relief & Human Care. Duties of Ministers

Mondays with Martin Via Luther’s Church Postil of 1525, taken from volume II:55-69 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI). It was originally published in 1906 in english by Lutherans in All Lands Press (Minneapolis, MN), as The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther, vol. 11. The [...]

A new report from the Barna Group asks the question, “How has the downturn affected churches and congregations?” Like many other sectors, pastors and church executives admit that churches are feeling the results of the economic pinch, though for most congregations ihas not been severe so far. Overall, 57% of pastors said the economy has [...]

Here is a hymn for today (Jan 11) from Joshua Wegelin, who was born in Augsburg on this day in 1604 (d. September 14 1640). On Christ’s ascension I now build The hope of my ascension; This hope alone has always stilled All doubt and apprehension; For where the head is, there as well I [...]