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To The Glory Of God Evaluating Origen’S Exposition Of The Scripture In His Leviticus Homilies, Andrew Johnson

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Johnson, Andrew M. “To the Glory of God: Evaluating Origen’s Exposition of the Scripture in His Leviticus Homilies”. Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2022. 237 pp.

Origen has been called “Adamantine,” an impossibly hard metal. Many have found his work to be strong and powerful and equal in its density. Origen’s preaching is almost impenetrable to the Evangelical preacher. This dissertation seeks to offer an entry for modern evangelical preachers to engage with the historic practice of figural exposition in Origen’s Leviticus homilies. The dissertation investigates the interpretative, homiletical and rhetorical histories which intersect in Origen’s homilies. It unpacks Origen’s use …

Making The Case For Preachers Who Read, Ethan Stoppenhagen

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

I once heard a story about a new pastor in the early 1990s who was settling into his first call in Pembroke, Ontario. A man walked into his study and silently began perusing the shelves. The pastor noticed him, but carried on with his business. The stranger spent several minutes pulling books off the shelves, flipping pages, nodding and murmuring, and setting some books apart by laying them on their spines. Occasionally he’d hold up a book with a quizzical look on his face. “Required for class,” the pastor shrugged, and the man would scoff and shove it back on …

The Gospel For The Whole Person: Attending To Sin And Grace Throughout The Human Experience, Charles Ridley

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Preaching is the means by which the Holy Spirit speaks to God’s people through the preacher who stands in the stead of Jesus, the Lord of the Church. Through a sermon that is faithful to God’s revealed will and written Word, the Spirit convicts the world concerning sin and proclaims the gospel of forgiveness, life, and salvation which is found in Christ alone. The basic task placed before us in preaching is not only to be faithful to scripture, but also to make a coherent and compelling presentation of the gospel. Most of those reading this will be familiar with …

Metaphorical Imagery In Colossians: The Narrative Of Christian Living, Paul Muther

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Muther, Paul D. “Metaphorical Imagery in Colossians: The Narratives of Christian Living.” STM thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2019. 114 pp.

Although many recent theologians employ conceptual metaphor theory to the Bible’s imagery surrounding the Gospel, few apply the same theory to the metaphors of Christian living. Although many theologians develop models to demonstrate the overall picture of Christian living, few tease out the implications of individual metaphors throughout a given work.

By applying conceptual metaphor theory and Justin Rossow’s narrative analysis tool of the actantial model to the text of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, this STM thesis examines three metaphors …

Rethinking Law And Gospel In The Way We Do Preaching, Benjamin Berteau

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

This paper evaluates the impact of C. F. W. Walther’s Law and Gospel and Richard Caemmerer’s goal, malady, means approach to homiletics, also discussing the potential trap of law-gospel reductionism. A suggested pathway forward is a reemphasis on a creedal approach to Lutheran theology and preaching as well as a renewal of rhetoric as foundational to ultimately restoring a positive view of the third use or function of the law in Lutheran preaching. Having done so, the reader may certainly apply this positive view of the law as it relates to preaching on other topics related to the Christian Life …

In Search Of Best Devotional Practices In Relation To The Practice Of Preaching, Jason Wagner

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

In Search of Best Devotional Practices in Relation to the Practice of Preaching. Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2018. pp.

Preachers are tasked with faithfully carrying the Word of God to their people on a weekly basis, yet preachers often struggle to be spiritually fed for their own sake as well as for the sake of their congregations. This project seeks to investigate the connection between personal prayer and devotional reading and proclamation. In seeking best devotional practices among pastors, this study reveals a number of benefits to the man who is tasked with regularly proclaiming the …

Expository Preaching At The Dawn Of The Reformation: An Evaluation Of Martin Luther As Preacher In Light Of Modern Expository Theory, Randall Rozelle

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This thesis examines Martin Luther as an expository preacher. Contemporary authors such as Ewald Plass, Peter Brooks, Fred Meuser, Sydney Greidanus, James MacKinnon, John MacArthur, and Hughes Oliphant Old describe Luther as an expository preacher, yet none of them clarifies how or in what way they reach that conclusion. To that end, chapter 1 introduces Luther as a preacher and the need for this study.

Chapter 2 defines modern expository theory and presents a four-fold method for creating faithful, expository sermons.

Chapter 3 tracks Luther’s change in hermeneutic from a medieval, allegorical approach to a Christ-centered, historical-grammatical method. Luther’s postils …

The Culture Of Life And Life’S Resources: A Study Of The Effects Of Intentional Whole Life Stewardship Education On The Stewardship Culture Of St. John Lutheran Church Of Plymouth, Wisconsin, Nathan Meador

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Meador, Nathan M. “The Culture of Life and Life’s Resources: A Study of the Effects of Intentional Whole Life Stewardship Education on the Stewardship Culture of St. John Lutheran Church of Plymouth, Wisconsin.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2017. 248 pp.

Stewardship is a concept that can bring confusion and consternation for those who teach it and learn it. Pastor Nathan Meador undertook a study of the effect of intentional whole life stewardship education on the adult Bible class at St. John Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Using an initial questionnaire to assess the baseline culture of …

All Saints’ Day • 1 John 3:1–3 • November 1, 2015, Francis Rossow

Concordia Journal

Well, the Christian life, in some respects at least, resembles a multiple-phase rocket: the first phase is from conception to birth; the second phase is from birth to death; and the third phase is from death into eternity.

Reformation Sunday • Romans 3:19–28 • October 25, 2015, Robert Rosin

Concordia Journal

The gospel flies in the face of logic, which is why Luther (in his 1517 “Disputation against Scholastic Theology”) said Aristotle is to theology as darkness is to light.

Proper 23 • Hebrews 3:12–19 • October 11, 2015, Joel Okamoto

Concordia Journal

The promise is eschatological, a promise of life with God and all his people in the new creation, enjoying the life of the age to come.

Proper 23 • Hebrews 3:12–19, Joel Biermann

Concordia Journal

Sin becomes altogether too common and familiar and so “safe.” The writer to the Hebrews screams the contrary alert: Sin kills.

Proper 22 • Hebrews 2:1–13 (14–18), Charles Arand

Concordia Journal

Not only did God honor us with the role of being responsible over creation, he now honors us by becoming a human creature so that in him, that right dominion would be restored.

Proper 21 • James 5:(1–12) 13–20, Tony Cook

Concordia Journal

Regardless of which section of the pericope one selects, all three share the following themes: we are to live out our identity in Christ even in the face of suffering, we are to assist our brothers and sisters in staying true to the faith.

Proper 20 • James 3:13–4:10, Jeffrey Kloha

Concordia Journal

James 3 and 4 stand among the harshest condemnations found in the NT.

Proper 19 • James 3:1–12, William Schumacher

Concordia Journal

Christians are absolutely forbidden to speak evil of other people—even if what they say is technically “true.”

Proper 18 • James 2:1–10, 14–18, Joel Fritsche

Concordia Journal

For faith alone can justify; Works serve our neighbor and supply The proof that faith is living.

Proper 17 • Ephesians 6:10–20, Jason Broge

Concordia Journal

The armor these soldiers are wearing is not gained by their own merit, but spiritual gifts they are blessed with.

Proper 16 • Ephesians 5:22–33, William Wrede

Concordia Journal

The bulk of this passage has as its focus the role of husbands and how they are to love.

Proper 15 • Ephesians 5:6–21, Joel Fritsche

Concordia Journal

The Christian Life, A Wake up Call.

Proper 14 • Ephesians 4:17–5:2, James Voelz

Concordia Journal

This pericope is typical of the latter portion of Paul’s letters, that is, it deals with everyday matters of the Christian life

Proper 13 • Ephesians 4:1–16 • August 2, 2015, Richard Marrs

Concordia Journal

Just as your hands and your knees are gifts to you, gifts from God, so are the people around you gifts from God.

Proper 12 • Ephesians 3:14–21 • July 26, 2015, Benjamin Haupt

Concordia Journal

Paul is praying that the Ephesian Christians will be able to see the blueprints, so to speak, for the new church construction project, that is the building project of the church of God, the body of Christ.

1proper 11 • Ephesians 3:14–21 • July 26, 2015, Jeff Gibbs

Concordia Journal

The good news is that the Gentile believers now fully belong as household members (3:19) to the God of Israel, the Father of Jesus (Eph 1:3).

Proper 10 • Ephesians 1:3–16 • July 12, 2015, Timothy Dost

Concordia Journal

It is through the durability of these promises applied to us that we find both the faithfulness and strength to love our neighbors, marking us as those distinctive people God has chosen from the beginning.

Proper 9 • 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 • July 5, 2015 Exegetical Notes, Andrew Bartelt

Concordia Journal

Beyond conflict resolution lies a whole new way of defining reality, not by might or by power, or even by spiritual gifts or by healings, or by how God answered my prayer my way, but by the cross and resurrection.

Proper 8 • 2 Corinthians 8:1–9; 13–15 • June 28, 2015, Glenn Nielsen

Concordia Journal

In the sermon, besides the gospel motivation, appeals are made to the positive examples of other believers, and the call is to excel in generosity.

Proper 7 • 2 Corinthians 6:1–13 • June 21, 2015 Servants Of God As A Study In Contrasts, Joel Elowsky

Concordia Journal

The one who was himself a study in contrasts, contradictions, and paradoxes asks no less of his servants and gives no less than his Spirit to make it happen.

Proper 6 • 2 Corinthians 5:1–10 (11–17) • June 14, 2015, Daniel Eggold

Concordia Journal

This God-given, Spirit-driven longing to have our perishable bodies replaced by something permanent is evidence that full communion with the Father is possible through Jesus Christ who died for all.

Proper 5 • 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 • June 7, 2015, Michael Redeker

Concordia Journal

Today’s epistle focuses on the Spirit as he works in the life of the believer to keep the Christian in the faith by giving a new set of glasses through which to live out life in dual realities.