Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Body Of Christ, Richard R. Caemmerer

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Apology of the Augsburg Confession warns against two distortions in the meaning of the church. The one is that the church be viewed as an outward organization in which believers and hypocrites are mingled. In the days of the Reformation this distortion implied that the church was a political organization to which men adhered through the carrying out of rites and obligations. In our own time it may take the form of stress on extending and financing the church's business to the point of devaluating its other concerns. The other distortion is that the church is regarded as a …

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 …

Religion In America And The Church's Use Of Mass Media, Carl Schalk

Concordia Theological Monthly

There is little doubt that the church today faces a unique opportunity as well as a unique responsibility in communicating the message of God in Christ to man today.

The greatest need is for the churches to listen to what God says to them and through them. Yet the churches have equal responsibility to determine the best ways in which they can pass on to those who do not hear and who do not listen, what they know and believe about their Lord and Savior.

America, Listen And Live! A Special Lutheran Hour Address, Oswald C. Hoffmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

It is not my purpose to comment on the political results of Mr. Khruschchev's visit to the United States. I am a firm adherent of the doctrine of two realms, limiting the spheres of church and state. It is a Biblical truth, as well as a fact of human history, that God rules in both realms, although He does so in different ways.

The Role Of The Church In The Political Order, Carl S. Meyer

Concordia Theological Monthly

"The bearing of changing Christologies and ecclesiologies on the historic relations between church and state with a view to ascertaining the viability of the present doctrine of strict separation," has been defined by George H. Williams of Harvard University as one of the vital areas in which studies and explorations will be made in the field of church history.

The Functions Of The State, Carl S. Meyer

Concordia Theological Monthly

Neither transportation for little Lutheran moppets to their parish school, nor the supplying of free textbooks to Roman Catholic elementary school children, nor the teaching in public schools by nuns garbed in the distinctive dress of their order, is really basic among the current issues in church-state relations. They may be, or they may become, vital because of basic principles involved and because of the wider ramifications of the single problem. The fundamental issues need clarification before particular problems are discussed.

The Doctrine Of The Call Into The Holy Ministry, William F. Arndt

Concordia Theological Monthly

In discussing the doctrine of the call, as we all know, we are not traveling on an uncharted sea, but the subject has been discussed in innumerable books, brochures, essays, lectures, and articles. A person would think that since so many navigators have been at work, surely the proper ocean lanes leading to the desired ports have been discovered. Sad to say, there is no unanimity here. Affirmations are hotly pursued by denials.

The Proper Distinction Between Law And Gospel And The Terminology Visible And Invisible Church, F. E. Mayer

Concordia Theological Monthly

Ecclesiastical, or dogmatical, terminology has proved to be a convenient tool to convey Scriptural truths succinctly and precisely and to reject erroneous views. However, ecclesiastical terminology may also become a barrier to a common understanding and may actually be the cause that two partners in a conversation talk past each other. The usus loquendi also in ecclesiastical terminology is never constant. The terminology adopted in the Chalcedonian Creed is a case in point. The English theologian unfamiliar with Greek thought patterns may encounter some difficulty in understanding the terms after they have been transferred from Greek to Latin, thence to …

Human Relations According To Ephesians, Martin H. Scharlemann

Concordia Theological Monthly

About ten years ago a high school girl from the South took first place in a radio contest with her answer to the question, "How should Hitler be punished for his crimes against humanity?" She won a prize for the answer: "He ought to be made to wear a black face and to live in a community where racial discrimination is practiced." This girl had observed, if not experienced, the horrors of prejudice, of man's most cruel inhumanity to man. It is something of a tragic commentary on human affairs that the worst punishment this student could imagine had to …

Three Aspects Of The Way Of Christ And The Church, Martin H. Franzmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

In 1 Cor. 1:9 St. Paul characterizes the members of the Church as those who have been called by God into fellowship (communion) with His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. This fellowship is a total participation in the whole Christ, a participation which takes a peculiarly vivid and experiential form in Holy Communion (1 Cor.10:16 ff.).

God's Triumphant Captive Christ's Aroma For God. (2 Cor. 2:12-17.), Victor Bartling

Concordia Theological Monthly

The teacher to whom we offer this eucharisterion has lived and labored among us as "God's triumphant captive" and "Christ's aroma for God." In discussing the Scripture passage giving us this view of the ministerial office we hope to do so in a bit of the practical manner which has always characterized the Scripture interpretation of our colleague.

Before we take up the passage, it will be useful for us to look at the wider as well as the narrower context.

The Meaning Of Augustinte's "De Civitate Dei" For Our Day, Carl S. Meyer

Concordia Theological Monthly

An examination of Augustine's De Civitate Dei and its meaning for our day, therefore, needs no apology. During the Middle Ages, indeed, the treatise by St. Augustine had far greater meaning than it has now, for the world of today has been secularized by forces which the fourth and fifth as well as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries did not know. But even for us many of the principles supported by Augustine must enter into our Weltanachauung if we are to appraise the forces and movements around us aright. The twentieth century cannot shrug its shoulders and say, ''Why be …

Address At The Opening Of The School-Year In Concordia Seminary, St.Louis, Mo., L. Fuerbringer

Concordia Theological Monthly

''I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth." These words of the 121st Psalm come to my mind as I am about to speak the first word at the beginning of our new scholastic year, the 102d year in the history of our institution. I know of no better watchword for our students and for our instructors in these very serious and distressing times in the world, which affect also our Church and may affect our institution to a lesser or greater degree. …

Suggested Thoughts On The Question: Can We Escape Both Traditionalism And Liberalism, O. A. Geiseman

Concordia Theological Monthly

History reveals that the visible Church of God has periodically tended to decline and degenerate. Think how true that is of the period from Adam to Noah; Noah to Abraham; Abraham to Moses; Moses to Elijah; Elijah to the Captivity; Ezra to Christ; Apostolic Age to the Reformation; Reformation to our own day.

Kirche, Staat, Obrigkeit, Volk, Rasse, Familie - Und Gottes Wort, T. H. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

Kirche, Staat, Obrigkeit, Volk, Rasse, Familie - und Gottes Wort (Church, state, government, people, race, family - and God's Word)