Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Learning The Liturgy With Mr. Miyagi: The Case For Liturgical Catechesis, Benjamin Leeper

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Using the narrative of The Karate Kid as a guide, I will demonstrate that Christian formation is a matter of recontextualizing liturgical practices in the daily life of the believer, so that she knows when, where, and how to use the precogni¬tive spiritual habits formed by Word and Sacrament in Christian worship. This understanding challenges prevalent liturgical theology, which tends to assume an automatic connection—or worse, no connection at all— between worship and daily life, by highlighting the necessity of locating for believers the telos of the church’s rites and ceremonies in discipleship. Finally, I will provide concrete examples of …

Ecclesiological Sovereignty: Toward An Understanding Of The Sovereignty Of The Pope In The Context Of Luther's Responses, Erik Lee Grayvold

Master's Theses

This thesis seeks to address the contention between the perceived sovereign power of the Papacy and the Protestant Reformers. It will first provide a historical survey of how the Pope came to understand himself through the history of the Church. It will then analyze responses from the Reformers regarding this topic, focusing mainly on confessional documents and responses to these documents from the Roman Catholic Church. It will conclude with a survey of Luther’s specific responses to the situation and how his response to Papal authority and sovereignty impacted this theological development. This survey will also acknowledge situations in which …

Theology Of The Laity: The Lutheran Way, Brian M. Mosemann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The distinction between the laity and clergy has been a contributing cause of disunity within the church because the clergy and laity are often pitted against one another with one or the other being elevated to the detriment of the other. This problem has plagued the church from the middle ages until the present day. Since the definition of the term “laity” is vacuous, the laity are generally defined relative to the clergy, specifically in reference to their authority and duties. This results in a negative definition when the laity are defined as the opposite of the clergy. The laity …

Light: Recovering An Ancient Perspective, Hayden Lukas

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

As John the Baptist bore witness to the Light of the World, so too must the Church today. But there are many ways to talk about light. How should we speak about light when bearing witness to Christ? On which understanding of light should we draw? Light can refer to daylight or the light in a room—the physical phenomenon we perceive through sight. But light can also refer to objects that produce light, such as a floor lamp; we “turn on the lights.” We are familiar with scientific descriptions of light, such as its speed or its wavelength. Light can …

From Vice To Virtue: Contours Of Idolatry And New Obedience, Michael Fieberkorn

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Fieberkorn, Michael T. “From Vice to Virtue: Contours of Idolatry and New Obedience.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2021. 290 pp. What are the specific contours of life lived in accordance with God’s will? That is the primary question this dissertation seeks to answer. Discerning the particular shape of Christian sanctification is difficult. Radical Lutheranism attempts to define sanctification simply as “love,” which lacks the specificity necessary to adjudicate between competing and mutually exclusive claims concerning Christian morality. Theologians attempting to address this insufficiency by incorporating virtue ethics within a Lutheran theological construct must clearly articulate the particularly Christian telos.

Reading …

Recapitulation And Christ’S Active Obedience A Lutheran Retrieval Of Irenaeus, Andrew Bloch

Master of Art Theology Thesis

That will conclude the discussion on theologians and their views of the active obedience of Christ. Next, we will look back to the Reformation. Georg Karg questions the imputation of Christ’s active obedience. Through a historical lens, there could be merit to what Karg argues. This will lead to the problem with which this thesis is concerned: Is the active obedience of Christ necessary? Some of the theologians discussed below suggest that the active obedience of Christ is something that can be discarded from the atonement with no major consequences (or even perhaps that removing it strengthens the theology of …

Touched By Grace? A Look At Grace In Bergman's Winter Light And Martin Luther's Writings, Kjartan Leer-Salvesen

Journal of Religion & Film

Ingmar Bergman holds a prominent place in the lineup of directors who have used cinema to investigate the meaning of life in a godless world. The so-called “Trilogy of God’s Silence” is often identified as the place where Bergman struggled most profoundly with core themes from the Christian faith. In Winter Light, he explores the topic of doubt, devastatingly, through a minister’s religious and existential crisis. This article, however, proposes that Martin Luther’s theology may provide resources for reappraising Bergman’s canonical film.

"It Was He Who Gave Some To Be": Toward An Understanding Of The Role Of The Female Prophet In The Lutheran Church, Ann Murphy

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Murphy, Ann I. "'It Was He Who Gave Some To Be': Toward an Understanding of the Role of the Female Prophet in the Lutheran Church." STM thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2014,131 pp.

This thesis addresses some of the ambiguities and inadequacies in Lutheran theological reflection regarding the prophetic office and attempts to integrate theological constructions pertaining to revelatory spiritual gifts, inspiration, the Ministry, and women's roles in the church so that they more consistently inform one another.

Luther On Idolatry: A Lutheran Response To Contemporary False Belief, Michael Lockwood

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Lockwood, Michael A. "Luther on Idolatry: A Lutheran Response to Contemporary False Belief." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2013. 303 pp.

The first step in solving any problem is to understand the problem. As Christians we know that Christ is the solution to the human plight. Yet what exactly is this plight? And why do so many people feel no need for the solution he provides? Luther's answer is that people feel no need for the true God until they are disenchanted with the false gods they have put in his place, which they think can provide all they need.

In …

Church And Clergy Revitalization Seen Through The Lens Of Luther's Theology Of The Cross, John David Roth

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Categorical Preaching, Steven D. Paulson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Theology Of Religious Change, David J. Zehnder

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Zehnder, David, J. “A Theology of Religious Change.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2011. 218 pp.

This essay sets up a dialogue between the sociology and psychology of religious change (conversion’s human side) and conversion (theologically defined) to prove that empirical research into change experience, ideology as an attracting force to religion, and social networks’ influence on conversion does not threaten theology’s assertions but can help to clarify theology’s tasks in communicating to various audiences. Science helps theology through a correlational model of interaction developed in the study. The correlational method first asks of science: Why do people change religiously? Once …

"Poor Maggot-Sack That I Am": The Human Body In The Theology Of Martin Luther, Charles Lloyd Cortright

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation represents research into the writings of Martin Luther [1483-1546] reflecting his understanding of the human body in his theology. Chapter one reviews the history of the body in the theology of the western Christian church, 300- 1500. Chapters two through five examine Luther's thinking about various <“>body topics,<”> such as the body as the good creation of God; sexuality and procreation; and the body in illness, death, and resurrection. Chapter six presents conclusions.

Luther's thinking is examined on the basis of consultation of the Weimarer Ausgabe and the <“>American Edition<”> of Luther's works. Special attention is given to …

"Putting On The Neighbor": The Ciceronian Impulse In Luther's Christian Approach To Practical Reason, Gary M. Simpson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Geschicte Und Historie: The Problem Of Faith And History, Brent A. R. Hege

Brent A. R. Hege

Faith at the Intersection of History and Experience is the first study in English of the theology of the German Lutheran theologian, Georg Wobbermin (1869–1943), who has been called a “captain of the liberal rearguard.” Widely read and discussed in his own lifetime, Wobbermin’s theology fell into obscurity as dialectical theology rose to prominence in the years following the First World War. Hege presents the major themes of Wobbermin’s theology, particularly his analysis of the relationship between faith and history and his development of a religio-psychological theological method that places faith at the intersection of history and experience. Wobbermin’s critiques …

Geschichte Und Historie: The Problem Of Faith And History, Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Faith at the Intersection of History and Experience is the first study in English of the theology of the German Lutheran theologian, Georg Wobbermin (1869–1943), who has been called a “captain of the liberal rearguard.” Widely read and discussed in his own lifetime, Wobbermin’s theology fell into obscurity as dialectical theology rose to prominence in the years following the First World War.

Hege presents the major themes of Wobbermin’s theology, particularly his analysis of the relationship between faith and history and his development of a religio-psychological theological method that places faith at the intersection of history and experience. Wobbermin’s critiques …

Biblical Hermeneutics In The Early Missouri Synod, Charles Schaum

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

We now move to the specific situation of the Missouri Synod in the nineteenth century. They will not always use terms in the same manner as today's LCMS. The importance of the material lies in its being translated into English for the first time. The reader will gain a healthy respect for the strengths of "Old Missouri" and also an understanding of its weaknesses. Lutheranism is not an "easy" sort of theology, either with regard to innovation or repristination. Yet the capacity of the early Missouri Synod to remain "on message" in what was already a markedly pluralistic society in …

Luther's Two Kinds Of Righteousness And His Wartbug Postil, Makito Masaki

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

This study discusses how Luther exhorted people to live the Christian life. Luther understood the Christian life as a life of the saved sinner in himself and in his community. He understood that Christians live lives defined by two kinds of righteousness; that is, righteousness that God bestows, and righteousness that they produce. This study will be carried out by reviewing this basic understanding of what the Christian life is, and by examining Luther's preaching material, specifically a set of sermonic writings called The Wartburg Postil. The thesis of this survey is that in The Wartburg Postil, Luther used the …

Luther's Reformation Of Penance, Robin Korsch

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The history of the practice of penance from the early church to the dawn of the Reformation in the Western church is a rich story of continual change. The early church did not have a uniform doctrine and practice of penance and neither did the Western church even after Martin Luther's lifetime. The purpose of this paper is to study and explain the reasoning behind Luther's initial rejection of the Roman Catholic doctrine and practice of penance as found in various writings of Luther up until his 1520 work The Babylonian Captivity of the Church. It is the thesis of …

"Words Written In Golden Letters": A Lutheran Anthropological Reading Of The Ecumenical Creeds—"For Us" As The Constitutive Factor Of What It Means To Be Human, Guntis Kalme

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Kalme, Guntis "'Words Written in Gold Letters': A Lutheran Anthropological Reading of the Ecumenical Creeds — "For Us" as the Constitutive Factor of What It Means to be Human."Ph.D. Diss., St. Louis, MO: Concordia Seminary, 2005. 386 pp.

After briefly introducing several possibilities for understanding man, the author — touching upon the traditional compositional and the relational definitions of man — turns his attention tithe Creedal approach. Since Nicea, Christians have confessed that God in Christ acted "for us men and for our salvation." The author argues that the Nicene Creed actually centers around the “for us," which both permeates …

The Confessional Liturgical Revival Of Theodor Kliefoth And The Works Of Liturgical Revision Of The Preface In Nineteenth-Century Sweden: The Vitality Of The Lord's Supper As Confessed In "He Alone Is Worthy!", Naomichi Masaki

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Masaki, Naomichi. "The Confessional Liturgical Revival of Theodor Kliefoth and the Works of Liturgical Revision of the Preface in Nineteenth-Century Sweden: The Vitality of the Lord’s Supper as Confessed in "He Alone Is Worthy!" Ph.D. diss., St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia Seminary, 2005. 379 pp.

The vitality of the Divine Service of the Church of Sweden was enlivened during the second half of the nineteenth century. In this dissertation, the acclamation in the Preface of the Lord’s Supper, "He alone is worthy of thanks and praise!" which emerged through the works of the liturgical revision during that time, is taken as …

Eating, Drinking, Sending: Reflections On The Juxtaposition Of Law And Event In The Eucharist, Dirk G. Lange

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Christian Concept Of God And Japan-An Examination Of The Christian Concept Of God In Japanese Culture, Utilizing The Two Realms Theology Of The Lutheran Framework, Chikako Drawbaugh

Master of Art Theology Thesis

Therefore, it is essential to recognize that God, the author of the earth and heavens, has placed people in cultures with a variety of lifestyles and values. Even though circumstances may differ, our Christian identity remains unchanged because of faith in Christ. It is also crucial to appreciate culture as God's gift to human beings. At the same time, however, Christians need to recognize the idolatrous attitudes in their lives. Christians uniquely possess the character of living within and beyond cultures. This prompts us to consider what it means to live as a Christian while also belonging to a particular …

Luther And "Social Ethics", Terrance Adamson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

For Luther, it appears, that there is a distinction between an office of authority and the office holder. The office holder is the same as any other Christian with the same divine command to "love" in and through his call. Instruction and Christian admonition to the individual regarding faith and Christian duty does not, in itself, violate the distinction between Law and Gospel.

Original Sin In The Smalcald Articles With An Excursus On The Coat Of Skins As An Image Of Original, Albert Collver Iii

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In order to understand better how Luther understood original sin in the Smalcald Articles," this paper will compare SA with two other Luther writings, one contemporary with its composition and one from his earlier writings. Since Luther adopted the term "original sin," it will be useful to briefly examine the events that led to the coinage of the term by Augustine in addition to examining a few patristic sources in order to see how the idea of "original sin" was expressed formerly. Finally, Luther's confession of original sin in SA will be addressed to current issues such as the decay …

De Poenitentia Et Evangelio Coming Together And Coming Clear In Luther's Theology, Korey Maas

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

These three breakthroughs - the understanding of God's righteousness, law and gospel, and repentance - are not noted here arbitrarily. While the present examination is concerned primarily with tracing Luther's changing theology of repentance, we can not do so as if this doctrine existed in isolation, standing and falling on its own. Any understanding of repentance, Luther's not excepted, is intimately entwined with one's understanding of God's righteousness and the gospel- and most importantly, how these meet in one's conception of the person and work of Christ.

John 6 And The Lord's Supper, Jon Bischof

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis ventures to reopen an old argument on ground which has been a "no man's land" for Lutherans for nearly 500 years. There is a tradition within Lutheranism of interpreting John 6:51-59 as having no reference whatsoever to the Eucharist. This tradition within Lutheranism can rightly claim the support of Luther who said, "it [the sixth chapter of John] does not refer to the sacrament in a single syllable". Naturally, no confessional Lutheran wants to find himself in disagreement with Luther. We would always rather defend his views when they are maligned. But Luther corrected his own views many …

ΔιαθήΚη In The Lord's Supper And The Lord's Supper's Liturgy In Luther And The Lutheran Tradition, Chuck Ramsey

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper addresses this question, and in the process reflects on the use and understanding of the word διαθήκη in the writings of Dr. Martin Luther, in the Lutheran Confessions, and in Lutheran tradition.

"What Is A Christian To Do: A Study Of Christian Service From Pertinent Writings Of Dr. Martin Luther In Light Of Recent Developments In The Church", Daniel Quinn

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper will, from the Lutheran perspective, address the imbalance that occurs when the priesthood of all believers is exalted at the expense of the clergy, specifically when what God has given the laity to do is made to be the same as what God has given the clergy to do, i.e., the tasks of the office of the Ministry. Applying pertinent writings of Luther, this paper will attempt to exalt both the laity and the clergy by emphasizing the distinctiveness of what each has been given by God to do.

Luther's Teaching Of "Faith" In His Catechisms, Randy Asburry

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In this paper we will examine Luther's understanding of faith in the following ways. First, we will define "faith" by unpacking its meaning. We will ask, "Who believes and in what do they believe?" Second, we will look at Luther's language of faith in his Catechisms and catechetical writings. We will note how he changes his language of faith depending on which part of Christian teaching he is explaining. Third, we will examine Luther's grammar of faith-his use of grammatical subjects, verbs, and objects-in the Small Catechism. And finally, we will see how Luther combines the teachings of the Christian …