Sunday, February 03, 2008
Genuine Lutheranism on YouTube...
Thanks to the Rev. William Weedon for finding this.
Note that this YouTube video was produced independent of any official church channels - which explains its lack of corporate buzzwords, gimmicks, and fads that the video presents as being contrary to genuine Lutheranism. Sadly, you will find a lot of nonsense in Lutheran churches. But if you're willing to look, you will also find the kind of faithful, reverent, and uplifting Evangelical Catholicism, biblically and historically grounded in the Gospel and the Sacraments, as shown in this video.
I don't belong to the Wittenberg Trail web-ring (nor do I know much about them), but I want to give them a thumbs up on their fine work here!
I joined the Wittenberg Trail for about a month, thinking it would be a great alternative to Luther Quest, CAT41 e-lists, Christian News, etc.
ReplyDeleteThen I saw that the ELCA, Society of Holy Trinity, Dave Benke, et al were showing up. Then McCain invited all of his Cyberbrethren subscribers. Membership increased by three hundred people in a couple of weeks!
Unfortunatly the website has way too many bells and whistles which made it unable to view via my poor dial-up internet connection, so I left.
I have been having fun with some of the discussions there, especially one on "Why choose the King James." There is a great variety of things going on, most for which I have neither the time nor inclination. But I do think it is worth having a presence there, and poking in to not only interesting discussions, but also just being open to the possibilities, the potential, for creativity one might find, I guess this video would be one example.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I too applaud the efforts of this video, but I do find it a bit unfortunate that it perpetuates certain habits which get to be a little annoying, such as the constant need to proof text, or the unqualified use of the word "evangelical" compared with the repeated qualification of the word "catholic."
There is also an avoidance of the word "Lutheran." I am not saying that the word "Lutheran" is absolutely necessaary, but I think its avoidance in this case has the potential to do two things, 1. cause actual confusion on the part of some, and 2. make some who notice its absence wonder why it is absent.
But I do applaud the effort, and, as I say, over all, I am in favor of the possibilities at the Wittenberg Trail itself. To Saxoniae: it is indeed open to Lutherans of any stripe, as well as those curious about Lutheanism. I think of it not as some sort of fellowship, but simply as a place where interesting things can happen. Hey, there are probably ELCA types I'd enjoy talking with on certain topics more than with the "good" Lutherans, who have treated me so well.
I thought I would simply report here that the creator of The Wittenberg Trail, an "Eric" of Indianapolis, and I and been in contact with each other regarding my concerns with the you tube video. I respect what went into his decision making in making that video, though I still would not say that I would have made the same decisions. He has not given permission to share that decision making process, but I suppose you could contact him and get it from him directly.
ReplyDelete