Blogia
—Prof. John T. Pless The practice of licensing laymen to preach and administer the sacraments by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at its convention in Wichita in 1989 is widely recognized as theologically problematic. Attempts to address the so-called “Wichita Amendment” to the Augsburg Confession, as the late Richard John Neuhaus called it, have been diverse [...]
—Prof. John T. Pless Jesus says that his disciples are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13–14). Salt preserves, but, rubbed into an open wound, it irritates even as it purifies and heals. The light of the world is not concealed under a basket (Matthew 5:15) but enlightens so [...]
—Ryan J. Ogrodowicz In seminary my theological thinking resembled a refined box of perfect corners and refined edges. Every question had an answer; every situation had an applicable Bible passage. The ministry would be easy, I mused. By dynamic preaching coupled with a sharp understanding of doctrine, people will come in droves, filling the coffers [...]
—by Gifford Grobien Feminism has pushed the idea that women are equal to men. According to this logic, the education of girls should be the same as for boys. In contemporary America, this means education for both boys and girls is pragmatic and instrumental: considering my skill set, what will get me the most prestigious [...]
Theology is Eminently Practical: Essays in Honor of John T. Pless. Edited by Jacob Corzine and Bryan Wolfmueller. Fort Wayne, Indiana: Lutheran Legacy Press, 2012. Paper; 272 pages. These fourteen essays by Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS) alumni pay tribute to the thirtieth anniversary of the ordination of their teacher, John Pless, who is well known [...]
–Prof. John T. Pless In a very instructive essay of 1965, “The Ecumenical Challenge of the Second Vatican Council,” Hermann Sasse wisely observes: “We have been too much influenced by a certain type of sectarian Christianity which for a long time flourished in America. The sect cannot wait; it must have everything at once, for [...]
The recent storm of controversy over Rev. Robert Morris’ apology for participation in the Newtown, CT worship service reveals several common misunderstandings. If reporters had looked more closely into the events, the letter from Rev. Robert Morris and the letter from Pres. Matthew Harrison both make it very clear that no “censure” or “reprimand” was [...]
Prof. Pless preached this sermon at the LCMS Life Conference on January 23, 2013. Text: Job 30:16–24 This evening’s text from the Book of Job puts us with Job in the midst of the ruins, teaching us how to lament—that is, how to cry out to God. In a day when worship is judged effective [...]
–By Ryan Ogrodowicz Rome’s enforcement of priestly celibacy stems from a specific interpretation of the levitical priesthood. The Confutation, the Papal document countering the Augsburg Confession, references the Old Testament priest as “foreshadowing” Rome’s sanction against priestly marriage. The logic is, since priests were commanded to cover “shameful flesh” (Exod 28:42), then priests of [...]
—By Michael Schuermann iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Nexus, MacBook Pro, Surface, Windows 8, Accordance, Logos 5, printers, SSDs, Apple TV, Roku, flat-panel TVs, Blu-Ray, and 3D. Consumerism has gone high tech, and neither laity or clergy are immune. There’s a good chance that something above is on your wishlist this Christmas, and for many pastors some [...]
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