What would be left of us if the evil spirits, which rule the Zeitgeist, would be disposed to draw us completely into the Strudel, and if He were not truthful who promised not to tempt us beyond what we can bear and to keep us steadfast until the end? Truly, it is due to the [...]
My good friend Ed Suelflow continues to translate very interesting documents pertaining to the early presidents of the LCMS. This letter gives an idea of how close President Heinrich C. Schwan was to his uncle, Friedrich Wyneken. Sihler was pastor at St. Paul, Ft. Wayne. By the way, Ed is now translating the biography by [...]
When the synod had gathered at Jerusalem, they immediately began to deal with the matter of doctrine. The doctrine of Christian freedom was a burning question. The debate was very lively. Not merely a few spoke, but many did so, including congregation members. Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James gave longer speeches. From God’s Word they [...]
To all preachers these words of the Savior have something very positive to say. We must not attempt to entertain men with all kinds of so-called sermons on social improvement. It brings no spiritual blessing to the hearts of sinners to hear discussions of political questions, of moral issues, of civic advancement, and, for that [...]
All this should firmly and constantly move our hearts to pay close attention to the powerful enemies of this unity, external as much as internal. For we have the devil against us, the world around us, and the flesh upon us. And the flesh is not only remiss in and unwilling to maintain such unity; [...]
…it is the Lord Jesus Himself who was prefigured in Jacob, a man of two marriages, that is, one who shares both in the law and in grace. He admired the virgin Rachel first; she was predetermined to marriage with him and he loved her with devoted affection [cf. Gen. 29:18,30]. But Lia, like the [...]
by DAVID JAY WEBBER The Lutherans of the sixteenth century consistently maintained that their cultus and confession were truly catholic: “…nothing has been received among us, in doctrine or in ceremonies, that is contrary to Scripture or to the church catholic”;1 “…No novelty has been introduced which did not exist in the church from ancient [...]
Propositions on Unevangelical Practice H. C. Schwan, President of the LCMS 1878-1899 Translated by Everette Meier 1. Evangelical practice consists not in this, that we teach and treat nothing except the evangelical message (the Gospel), but in this, that we treat everything in evangelical fashion. 2. This means that since we expect justification before God, [...]
Prolegomena & Authority a Epistemology Pietism fostered a shift in epistemology, that is, how we “know” things, especially, but not limited to, the area of religion. Its subjective epistemology served to justify freedom from ideology (civil or religious) and from external cultural restraints and gave primacy to the authority of the individual’s perceptions and intuitions, [...]
