Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Natural Knowledge Of God, Ralph A. Bohlmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

This study grows out of a request for guidance from the Commission on Fraternal Organizations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Over the years this commission has been meeting with leaders of a number of fraternal organizations in an effort both to explain our synod's position on lodgery as well as to encourage the removal of objectionable features from lodge rituals. These groups have shown readiness to make many of the ritualistic changes suggested by our commission. In one area, however, these groups refuse to yield. They insist that requiring belief in the existence of a Supreme Being of their members …

Communism And Religion In Russia And China, Walter W. Oetting

Concordia Theological Monthly

Scores of impressive books are appearing on the nature of Communism in Russia and China, on the history of Russia as background to what happened in 1917, reprints of Russian and Communist classics, and on the struggle between Christianity and Communism. A single reviewer could not hope even to list, much less review, this literature. The task that this reviewer has set for himself is to examine the "pick of the pack," especially those that have come across his desk for one reason or another. He writes this article with the intention of directing the attention of his colleagues in …

Christianity And Communism -An Ideological Comparison, Ralph L. Moellering

Concordia Theological Monthly

In his book Communism and Christ, Charles W. Lowry contends that we are living in a new religious age. As evidence he points to the post-World War II popular religious revival, to what he calls "a new priesthood" set up by psychiatry, to the influence of existential thought in philosophy and theology (consider Paul Tillich), and to the "collective neurosis" brought on by the crisis and anxieties of our hydrogen-missile age. "The final and conclusive proof that we have entered into a new religious era Lowry perceived in the expansion and menace of the "new universal salvation religion - Communism."

August Hermann Francke, 1663-1963, Philip J. Schoeder

Concordia Theological Monthly

Why remember August Hermann Francke on the 300th anniversary of his natal year?

Certainly association and identification with Pietists and Pietism should not disqualify him for a niche in the hall of remembered saints. Though some still speak with caution and even opprobriously about Pietists and Pietism, the climate has changed especially with reference to the earlier Pietists. Much of the suspicion, detraction, and obloquy which became attached to the name and fame of Pietism stems from falsely attributing many excrescences and aberrations of later Pietism to the early founders of the movement.

Martin Luther And The Idea Of Monasticism, Heinz Bluhm

Concordia Theological Monthly

Monasticism was still a major issue in the first half of the 16th century in Europe. It played a definite role in the life of many men and women. Among the famous, Desiderius Erasmus and Ulrich von Hutten left the monastery easily, even eagerly; Martin Luther on the other hand only after immense inner difficulties. Inevitable as the final break was for Luther, it caused him great anguish of soul both before and after. Hence it is hardly surprising that throughout his numerous writings there are frequent references to what was surely one of the most stirring experiences in his …

The Psychological Disciplines In Theological Education, Paul W. Pruyser

Concordia Theological Monthly

Much has been written during the last decade about the relevance of certain aspects of psychology and psychiatry to the professional role and work of ministers. When one surveys the massive literature which has been produced in this area of concern one is impressed at first by great topical variety. which ranges from theological critiques of psychological concepts and theories to pastoral counseling; from the psychological screening of candidates for the ministry to how pastors might deal with grief; from life situation preaching to techniques of supervision in clinical pastoral training courses.

The Triangle Of Tension: An Editorial, Herbert T. Mayer

Concordia Theological Monthly

"Tentatio, oratio, meditatio faciunt theologum,'' said Luther as he summarized his philosophy of theological education. In effect, we reaffirm these words in this issue, which we dedicate to Dr. Theo. Hoyer.

Die Wittenbergisch Nachtigal (1523), By Hans Sachs, Phil. J. Schroeder (Translator)

Concordia Theological Monthly

Die Wittenbergisch nachtigal (1523), by Hans Sachs

The Function Of Historical Theology In The Theological Training Program, Walter W. Oetting

Concordia Theological Monthly

What is the function of historical theology? Since many of you students are not sold on the value of studying history, to say the least, we need to know at the very outset why it is important for theological students to study the history of the church.

The Nevius Methods, Wi Jo Kang

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Nevius Methods derive their name from the Rev. Dr. John L Nevius, a Presbyterian missionary to China. Nevius first arrived in Ningpo, China, as he wrote: "'My first home in China was in the city of Ningpo, in the province of Che-Kiang, which place we reached in the spring of 1854." Later (in 1861) Nevius moved to Shantung province, and he became a prominent missionary there. The Rev. Dr. Charles A. Clark called Nevius a prophet of new mission methods. Nevius' views on missions and mission methods first appeared in a series of articles published in the Chinese Recorder …

Calvin's Doctrine Of Justification, Thomas Coates

Concordia Theological Monthly

Justification by faith was the great central doctrine of the Reformation, a doctrine which formed the foundation of the entire theological system of Luther and was bequeathed by him to the succeeding generations of Christendom as the great heritage of the Reformation. This doctrine, of course, did not originate with the reformers, but was restored by them to its rightful position as the pivot around which the entire Christian religion revolves - the doctrine which, in a preeminent sense, marks the great cleavage between Christianity and all heathen religions. The unique and distinctive character of Christianity, in contrast with all …

The Christ-Figure In Contemporary Literature, Donald L. Deffner

Concordia Theological Monthly

The terms "Christ-figure," or "Christ-image," or "Christ-symbol" with respect to literature are commonly understood to designate a motif, or, more specifically, a person whereby something analogous to our blessed Lord's personality and work is played our.

The Secret Of God's Plan, Harry G. Coiner

Concordia Theological Monthly

A restive search is going on today, and almost everyone is engaged in it. The search is for meaning in life, for significance, for purpose. Captured by a meaningless job and caged inside four walls with a TV set for companionship, modern man feels trapped. We need not extend the picture except to suggest that a disintegrating anguish takes possession of people when suddenly they realize that life is empty and sterile, completely lacking in meaning for them. One single devastating question keeps begging for an answer: Why live? The author of Ecclesiastes struggled with this question long ago and …

The Fourth Gospel Yesterday And Today, John W. Montgomery

Concordia Theological Monthly

In this paper a comparative study will be made of the work of four Johannine interpreters who are widely separated both in time and in theological approach: Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560), Luther’s irenic associate, rightly designated the "preceptor of Germany"; Aegidius Hunnius (1550-1603), an uncompromising representative of early Lutheran confessional orthodoxy; Father Marie-Joseph Lagrange (1855-1938), one of the greatest Roman Catholic Biblical scholars of the twentieth century; and Charles Kingsley Barrett, an English Methodist, who since 1958 has served as professor of divinity at Durham University, and who is the author of a highly reputed commentary on the Greek text of …

Polygamy And The Church, Willard Burce

Concordia Theological Monthly

Polygamy is a common practice among the Enga uibcs of Wabag, New Guinea. A survey a few years ago showed that nearly 30 percent of Enga marriages were polygamous.

The Teaching Of The New Testament Concerning The Church, Bruce M. Metzger

Concordia Theological Monthly

Today the word "church" has a wide of meanings. These include: (1) the totality of Christian believers as the Church universal; (2) a local congregation, whether gathered at one place for worship or not; (3) a building used for public worship; (4) a denomination; and (5) the clerical profession. Of these five common meanings. only the first two appear in the New Testament; the others are of later development. For example, though today we speak of "the church which is located on such-and-such a street," the earliest known reference to a church building dates from the second century. During the …

Payrus Bodmer Xv (P75) And Text Of Codex Vaticanus, John Theodore Mueller

Concordia Theological Monthly

Under this heading Prof. C. L Porter of Christian Theological Seminary in the Journal of Biblical Literature (December 1962) very interestingly and convincingly compares P75, a newly discovered manuscript, with the well-known Codex Vaticanus, commonly designated Codex B.

The New Year And All Things, Martin H. Franzmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." ( Col. 1:17)

"It was the worst of times; it was the best of times." It always is. Any fairly clever theologian or fairly clever historian can always make out a pretty good case for both. It is rather difficult today, but for us in America at least most of our troubles are in the future.