Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Some Concerns About Current Confessional Statements, Horst W. Jordan

Concordia Theological Monthly

Luther on occasion compared the world with a drunken peasant who when he was shoved into the saddle on the one side toppled out of it on the other so that it was impossible to help him, do what one would. The history of theology tempts one to use the same comparison. "What venturesome statements have men permitted themselves to make, statements that ultimately had to lead to disaster because the attempt was made to present a truth that was correct enough in itself but which was taught in a one-sided, undialectic form, with complete contempt and disapproval of its …

The Yahwist Looks At Abraham, Ralph W. Klein

Concordia Theological Monthly

While the Bible is recognized as God's Word for all rimes, each of its writings was originally addressed to specific people at specific times in history who faced immediate crises and/or opportunities. Obviously, the better we understand those original circumstances, the better we will understand precisely what was being said.

God's Word In His Mission, William J. Danker

Concordia Theological Monthly

Like it or not-and most of them don't-Christian lay people of all denominations find themselves drawn into a struggle splitting the worldwide Christian church into two opposing camps. How much of the Bible is to be understood literally, and how much of it is properly understood to be picture language? Is the Bible to be regarded entirely as a piece of human literature subject at all points to correction by modern research? Or is it exclusively a divine creation? Must it be presupposed that when man's historical, geographical, or scientific knowledge conflicts with this book, it is always 20th-century man …

Darkness At Noon: Mark's Passion Narrative, Robert H. Smith

Concordia Theological Monthly

The puzzle of Mark's Gospel is not how Jesus can be both human and divine, son of Mary, and Son of God. The mystery has to do rather with the cloud brooding over this Jesus as He proceeds to a lonely and forsaken death. Over all His days as over all His words and works, over His power and His weakness, over His speech and His silence, there falls the shadow of the cross. How can such a portrait be "the good news of Jesus Christ" (1:1)? How can this somber and sobering document be called a "gospel"?

Teaching The Faith: Models And Methods, Stephen A. Schmidt

Concordia Theological Monthly

Now our task is far more limited. I want to focus on the Christian classroom and specifically on the act of teaching the faith. I will develop my remarks in two parts. The first consideration will deal with past and present models used within the church to define the teaching act designed to teach faith. Secondly, I will attempt to underline crucial concerns toward a useful teaching method not only for the 1970s but for the future as well.

Rejoicing In Mercy: Unity In Diversity, John W. Constable

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has adopted an apt slogan to celebrate a century and a quarter of its existence: "Rejoicing in Mercy." The Lord has been good to our beloved Synod and has given us so much. A quarter of a century ago we celebrated "A Century of Grace;" a half-century ago we cried "Ebenezer" - "the Lord hath helped us hitherto."

Deliverance At The Sea: Diversity And Unity In A Biblical Theme, Arlis J. Ehlen

Concordia Theological Monthly

The present study will first examine the diversity to be observed in references to the Reed Sea event outside the Book of Exodus. The second section will then trace the fourfold witness underlying the most extensive account of the event, that found in Ex. 13-15. As in the case of the fourfold Gospel account in the New Testament, diverse testimonies are seen to reflect the same event, applying it to different needs and situations in the life of God's people. We must learn to avoid leveling the characteristic contours of these individual testimonies into a fiat and uninteresting plain of …

How The Gospel Works, Richard R. Caemmerer Sr.

Concordia Theological Monthly

In the long plan of God we can imagine one good issue emerging from this debate. That is that the meaning of the Gospel becomes clearer and its preaching to the church and the world more apt and timely.

Social And Religious Attitudes Among Lutheran Students, Kenneth L. Frerking

Concordia Theological Monthly

College students have probably been "'investigated"' more than any other single category of people. They have certainly been the subject of many articles and essays in recent years. However, much of what has been written has either been without empirical basis altogether, or else the empirical research has focused on only a small minority of the campus population. Leo Cherne, executive director of the Research Institute of America.

Justification And Anthropology, Wenzel Lohff

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author suggests that contemporary difficulties with respect to understanding the article of justification arise in large measure from the fact that justification has been separated from its anthropological rootage. At the same time, Dr. Lohff argues that the doctrine of justification offers great help to modern man, who often feels trapped in his very humanness. Furthermore, justification, when proclaimed properly, makes Christian unity possible. He describes justification briefly as the right and unequivocal determination of a human practice: to always live anew the life of faith in the Gospel.

Process Of Preparation - Genesis 22:1-14: From Text To Proclamation, Andrew M. Weyermann

Concordia Theological Monthly

This article is a paper also prepared for the symposium on "Abraham and Archaeology." On Sunday, February 27, 1972, the author preached a sermon on Gen. 22:1-14, the account of the sacrifice of Isaac. Later the author discussed his preparation for the preaching task with the conference.

The Old Testament As Scripture Of The Church, Brevard S. Childs

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author argues that the historical-critical approach to the Scripture leads to unedifying results when the practitioner fails to treat Scripture as the Book of the church, containing the record of God's unique revelation. He argues that the history of the canon has been neglected and that canonical history gives the key to understanding the nature of Scripture as the Book of the church. He concentrates on the canonical shape of the Pentateuch. Although Dr. Childs endorses the major results of the historical-critical approach to the Old Testament, he argues that the historical-critical method is neither the perfect nor the …

The Christianizing Of Abraham: The Interpretation Of Abraham In Early Christianity, Robert L. Wilken

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author traces through various interpretations of the significance of the story of Abraham in the early church in support of his thesis that each generation interprets the Scripture from the perspective of its own historical circumstance.

“The Log In Your Own Eye.", Paul G. Bretscher

Concordia Theological Monthly

It is painful for me to write what I am about to write-about the log in the eye of my own church. I am not blind to some of the specks or even logs which concern many of my brothers. Every confusion and diffusion and diminution of the Gospel deeply disturbs me. But our first concern has to be the log in the eye of those among us who assume they are qualified to do eye surgery on their brothers. The Lord's judgment has a strange way of beginning at Jerusalem.

The Just Shall Live By Faith, Otto W. Heick

Concordia Theological Monthly

When did Luther reach the reformation insight into the doctrine of Justification? The author reviews the literature on the question, and brings to the attention of American readers the work of Uuras Saarnivaara, which has received little scholarly attention since its publication.

Luther On Christ And The Old Testament, James S. Preus

Concordia Theological Monthly

Careful reading of this article will contribute to getting the hermeneutical debate in our Synod beyond the present impasse that has been created by a non-Lutheran posing of the alternatives by so many who are involved in the debate.

The Eschatological And The Political In Moltmann's Theology, Kenneth Heintz

Concordia Theological Monthly

In this article he analyzes Moltmann's increasing interest in "political theology while at the same time he explores the connection between his political and eschatological thought.

The Other Understanding Of The Inspiration Texts, Traugott H. Rehwaldt

Concordia Theological Monthly

In this article the author evaluates the notes of Franz Pieper on the inspiration of Scripture, presents a summary of Herman Sasse's view on inspiration, and then offers certain counsel concerning the proper understanding of the inspiration of the Scriptures.

Doctrinal Emphases In The Missouri Synod, Erwin L. Lueker

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has had the same doctrinal basis for 125 years. It is remarkable that within that period of time the loyalty of no group in Synod to that basis as given in the constitution could be seriously challenged. This, however, does not mean that there were no variations in emphases. This study is a brief synopsis of such variations. It is not concerned with difference, uniformity, contradiction, or inconsistency in doctrine (although some of these factors may be present) but with coordinating stresses. Examination of consistent adherence to basic insights is also beyond the scope of this …

Beyond The One Hundred And Twenty-Fifth Anniversary, Oliver R. Harms

Concordia Theological Monthly

These comments form a sequel to an earlier editorial which was entitled "Why Missouri?" The issue remains the same. The future of Missouri, even as its reason for existence, depends on Missouri's readiness to be the church of the Gospel.

The Eucharist In The Life Of The Church, John S. Damm

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author proposes seven theses for doing the Eucharist in order to establish the rhythm of the church's life in the world. The paper was read in substantially its present form at the October 1970 meeting of the Institute for Liturgical Studies meeting at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn.

The One Eucharist For The One World, Arthur Carl Piepkorn

Concordia Theological Monthly

After describing the private character of the Eucharist, Dr. Piepkorn defends its public character with four observations. (1) The humanity of Jesus Christ is present and this unites Him and the worshiper with all humanity. (2) The Christ who is present is the Creator of all things. (3) Christ and His Father have compassion for the whole world and employ many worldly means to bring life to people. (4) The Eucharist is designed to prepare us for service to the world.

Műntzer's Translation And Liturgical Use Of Scripture, Joyce Irwin

Concordia Theological Monthly

If one were to adhere to the popular myth about Thomas Müntzer, one might expect few or only negative results of a study devoted to Müntzer's use of Scripture. The legend begun by Müntzer's enemies and perpetuated over the centuries is that Müntzer had little use for Scripture and relied mainly on dreams and personal inspiration for his source of divine revelation. This view receives its most extreme formulation among general historians or scholars in tangential fields who rely on secondary literature. For instance, the Germanist Paul Beckmann says: "With Müntzer the revolutionary attitude gets out of bounds because it …

Is God Trying To Tell Us Something?, Wayne Saffen

Concordia Theological Monthly

As the 1970s began, the western region of the National Campus Ministry Association held a convocation at the University of California's Santa Cruz campus to consider "Life Planning." The present article is a revision of this author's discussion paper for that conference. Its theme really deals with the crisis in ministry as such. As usual, campus ministry turns out to be one of the sensitive outposts catching some of the first signals of changes coming to affect church and ministry in the world. It is shared here with a wider readership in a firm commitment to and belief in confraternity …

Adolf Stőcker: A Christian Socialist Advocate Of The "Free Folk Church.", Ronald L. Massanari

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author discusses the importance of Adolf Stoecker’s understanding of the Gospel in sociopolitical terms as it affected the "free folk church" movement in 19th-century Germany.

Readers will note but perhaps not agree with Stőcker's design for the church's social ministry. Students of 19th-century Germany will remember with distaste Stőcker's and-Semitism.

A Consideration Of The Meaning Of Prayer In The Life Of Martin Luther, Deanna Marie Carr

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author considers the meaning of prayer for Luther’s religious life and shows how during the 16th-century Reformation Luther "renewed" the wholesome traditions that had surrounded prayer in the prior history of the Christian church.

The Theology Of Acts, Robert H. Smith

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author argues that Luke-Acts must be read as a single work in two volumes, whose author is a brilliant theologian. Acts 28:17-31 provides a window through which the reader can begin to penetrate and to ponder the theological message of Luke-Acts.

Mission: Life, John S. Damm

Concordia Theological Monthly

It has become almost a truism to say that we are currently living in a time of crisis. The word "crisis" is now rather easily applied to a wide range of social, economic, political, educational, environmental, and technological phenomena that make up much of the context of contemporary life. This pervasive sense of crisis certainly has not left untouched the realm of Christian education.

The Christian Mission, A Look Into The Future, R. Pierce Beaver

Concordia Theological Monthly

The author argues on the basis of a lifetime of experience that the mission of the church demands a return to the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to a reaffirmation of the principle of voluntarism, as distinct from bureaucratic mission strategy.

The Primitive Baptists Of North America, Arthur Carl Piepkorn

Concordia Theological Monthly

By the beginning of the 1820s a strict "particularism" had been reigning without a serious challenge among the Baptists of the American South for nearly two generations. In the course of the next 15 years their associations and churches felt the full divisive force of the Baptist version of the "new measures" issue - mission societies, tract societies, Sunday schools, religious fairs and festivals to raise funds for the church's work, temperance societies, and theological seminaries.