Holi Saturday? CUW Employee Doubles Down

At Prabupadha's Palace of Gold, Moundsville, WV, 1991

Concordia University Wisconsin’s Facebook Page continues to honor the Hindu festival Holi - which fell in Christian Holy Week this year. One of their employees (at Ann Arbor), an Academic Support Specialist, has lashed back against criticism of CUW by scolding those of us who don’t approve. Her Facebook profile makes no mention of her religious beliefs, nor do I have any mutual online friends with her - which suggests that she probably isn’t a Lutheran. But she is belittling Lutheran laity and clergy who have expressed a theological objection to something that our university is doing. And during Holy Week.

I guess she knows better how Lutheran Christians should treat this matter than we do. This is one of those times when the name of our university system is ironic. Indeed, in terms of the vaunted goal of fostering “Lutheran Identity,” Discordia Wisconsin has a lot of "Lutheran Indentitying" to do.

In response to my pointing out that Hinduism is not a culture but a religion, and that there are indeed Indian Christians - including Lutherans - and that “there are a lot of ways to celebrate Indian culture without endorsing rituals to Hindu gods,” her reply was to educate me as follows:

Hinduism is a big part of the culture in India!  There's nothing wrong with learning other religion [sic] and cultures [sic] holidays and traditions!  It's surprising to me that others spend this much time being angry.  Bring love into the world not anger.  I'm not directing this at just you but everyone who is ridiculously upset in these comments.

Understanding, respecting, and observing with the people who celebrate different religious holidays than us [sic] is not the same as idol worship.

It is a good thing to be knowledgeable and accepting of different cultures (and yes religion is apart [sic] of culture.  I will not be commenting further but again would suggest looking at the love and acceptance you can bring into the world through God instead of the hatred and anger.

She concluded her correction of me and all the other "hateful" Lutherans with a heart emoji.

I'm not suggesting that every employee must be a Lutheran.  But to show such callous insensitivity to her Christian employers and supporters of the university suggests that there is either no training for non-Lutheran and non-Christian employees so that they know what we believe, teach, and confess, or HR is prioritizing woke idealism over a commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ and our confession of the faith.  Or maybe, and perhaps more likely, it's just not a priority.

This is classic wokeism: to scold us for expressing our opinions based on our faith - and then couch it in syrupy love-talk.  But we know what it is, and we know where it comes from.  

Instead of engaging further after accusing all of us of hatred and not properly confessing God, her response was to block me and remove "Academic Support Specialist at Concordia University Ann Arbor" from her bio.  I double-checked the screenshot to make sure that I'm not misstating things.

Again, I'm not suggesting that Concordia employees all be Lutherans, but it would be helpful if they respected our faith and did not attack us during Holy Week.  

On a personal level, and as a postscript, I would encourage everyone to find an authentic Indian restaurant, preferably with a buffet, and try everything.  Indian food is wonderful (and, of course, varies considerably depending on region).  And I personally find Indians to be delightful and fun to hang around with.  My best friend when I lived in New York (a Hindu) and his roommate (a Muslim)  - took me to a countless number of Indian restaurants in Manhattan.  I once had an Indian cab driver try to refuse to take my money because I spoke with him in a few words in Hindi (I said some things that made him laugh).  I was making authentic chai at home long before it became popular in America, and probably before my critic was born (the secret is that you have to start with the dark, black, tannin-rich Assamese tea that makes your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, none of that American sockwater).

One of my fondest memories (from thirty-three years ago) was driving in my tiny little ford Escort, crammed together with four of my Indian friends, leaving the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 4:00 am to drive to Moundsville, West Virginia, to visit a strange curiosity: an exotic gilded building - which was a Hare Krishna shrine.  One of my Hindu friends was not impressed with the Hare Krishna sect, as she believed that they were, what we would call today, LARPers - not real Hindus.  But we all had a great time on our roadtrip (see picture above, taken long before smartphones and selfies.  I'm easy to pick out.).

So, far from being ignorant of Indian culture and hateful toward Indian people, and in need to being scolded and educated - as my critic seems to surmise - I have great affection and respect for Indian culture.  It is a false accusation to accuse us of hatred, though that is currency among young people who want to discredit instead of constructively engage those who hold different beliefs than they.  They should apply their criticism and their woke bromides to themselves.

All of that said, and as St. Polycarp declared before his execution: "I am a Christian."  And the Lutheran confession within Christianity is what Concordia University Wisconsin is committed to.

CUW and its employees ought to respect Christians and the Christian faith.  It seems like so little to ask.  And though it is a bit early liturgically, I'm going to say it anyway: "Christ is risen!"

At the Assam Center, Edison, NJ, 1991, I'm on the left, and Prayag is on the right.  Good times!

Holi Week?

On Holy Tuesday, one of our Concordia Universities celebrated the Hindu festival Holi.  [The post has been removed without comment.]

It seems that “the origin of the festival is traced in Hindu mythology legends, one of which tells the story of a female demon, Holika, and her brother, King Hiranyakashipu.”

Holi has an entry at Wikipedia. It "celebrates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it commemorates the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu.

Here are the Wikipedia links to those commemorated by this festival:

Krishna (/ˈkrɪʃnə/; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, IAST: Kṛṣṇa [ˈkr̩ʂɳɐ]) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is widely revered among Hindu divinities. Krishna's birthday is celebrated every year by Hindus on Krishna Janmashtami according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar, which falls in late August or early September of the Gregorian calendar.

Radha (Sanskrit: राधा, IAST: Rādhā), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. In scriptures, Radha is mentioned as the avatar of Lakshmi and also as the Mūlaprakriti, the Supreme goddess, who is the feminine counterpart and internal potency (hladini shakti) of Krishna. Radha accompanies Krishna in all his incarnations. Radha's birthday is celebrated every year on the occasion of Radhashtami.

Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/ VISH-noo; Sanskrit: विष्णु, lit. 'The Pervader', IAST: Viṣṇu, pronounced [ʋɪʂɳʊ]), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.

Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह, lit. 'man-lion', IAST: Narasiṃha), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is believed to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to kill Hiranyakashipu, to end religious persecution and calamity on earth, thereby restoring dharma. Narasimha is often depicted with three eyes, and is described in Vaishnavism to be the God of Destruction; he who destroys the entire universe at the time of the great dissolution (Mahapralaya). Hence, he is known as Kala (time) or Mahakala (great-time), or Parakala (beyond time) in his epithets. There exists a matha (monastery) dedicated to him by the name of Parakala Matha at Mysuru in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. Narasimha is also described as the God of Yoga, in the form of Yoga-Narasimha.

Hiranyakashipu (Sanskrit: हिरण्यकशिपु, IAST: Hiraṇyakaśipu), also known as Hiranyakashyap, was a daitya king of the asuras in the Puranas.

In Hindu mythology, Hiranyakashipu's younger brother, Hiranyaksha, was slain by the Varaha (wild boar) avatar of Vishnu. Angered by this, Hiranyakashipu decided to gain a boon of invulnerability by performing tapas to propitiate Brahma. After his subjugation of the three worlds, he was slain by the Narasimha (man-lion) avatar of Vishnu.

Holika (Sanskrit: होलिका, romanized: Hōlikā), also known as Simhika, is an asuri in Hinduism. She is the sister of the asura-kings Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha, and the paternal aunt of Prahlada.

The legend of Holika Dahan (Holika's burning) signifies the triumph of righteousness over sin. Holika is associated with the annual bonfire on the night before Holi, the festival of colours.

Concordia University Wisconsin is the university that suspended and banned CUW professor the Rev. Dr. Gregory Schulz for calling out the university's problem with wokeness.  As of today, Dr. Schulz has been suspended and prohibited from teaching any of his classes - though with full salary - for more than two years.

The best construction is that the university's International Center is ignorant of what Holi is all about.  And that is a terrible thing.  It shows that in spite of all the talk of "Lutheran Identity," we can see how important it really is in practice.  Sadly, this confusing celebration during Christian Holy Week vindicates Dr. Schulz.  And as we have seen some five Concordia universities fall in recent years - beginning with the most "woke" first, one can only pray that God will be merciful and spare this university (and our synod), and that those in charge of CUW will lead the university away from wokeness and cultural syncretism back to a clear Christian confession within our Lutheran tradition.

Commercial for Higher Things?

 From the National Youth Gathering, man.  Groovy and far out!

By contrast, here is a little soul-bleach: Higher Things 2022.

Gotta Love His Enthusiasm...

 From the National Youth Gathering...

Free Congregations Matter Paper Dolls!

Thanks, Congregations Madder®™! They sent me these full color paper dolls of these two guys “Dave” and “Tim” dressed up in their Thrivent®™ salesmen suits. “Coffee is for closers only!”

This sounds like a great Sunday School activity:

• Let’s see what they look like actually dressed up as pastors!
• Or maybe with great big bishops’ miters!
• Or rocking a wife-beater with an inked-up gun-show like Nadia Bolz Weber!
• Or maybe like hipster pastors with the beard, flannel shirt, and knit cap on the head!
• Let’s put one in a red bandana, and the other in blue, and have a rumble!
• How about we give them mustaches and banjos?
• Better yet, I need a Matt Harrison doll and we can do an 8th Commandment Punch and Judy show!

Thanks again, CM! Don’t close down that Pak n Ship account just yet (2430 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. “Suite” 412 😂 wink, wink), Naples, Florida 34109)!

Keep the fun coming!

The Economics of Death

One of my colleagues in the ministerium of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, the Rev. Graham Glover, wrote an anti-abortion piece in a blog called The Jagged Word.  Our church body opposes abortion and is active in the pro-life movement.

Interestingly, Pastor Glover looks at the issue not from the moral, cultural, or ethical aspect, but rather from the political viewpoint of "policies and laws."  He goes on to express ambivalence toward the political issue of Supreme Court justices, even a bit of skepticism, while also expressing the possibility that Supreme Court appointments might help.

The real answer, the author opines, is politics of a different stripe: "policies and laws that end, or at least seek to radically reduce, poverty."

His well-intentioned argument is that abortion is not at its root an ethical or philosophical issue, but rather one of economics, and that as such, it is actually rooted and grounded in poverty.  Poverty is the keystone.  If we can "end" it or "radically reduce" it, that would in fact "end" the "hundreds of thousands of abortions that occur every year in America."

Of course, poverty is not something that can be cured with enough research, the right policy prescription, technology, or even the milk of human kindness.  Poverty is caused by scarcity: demand exceeding supply, which, according to Christian anthropology, is a consequence and curse of the Fall.  Poverty will always be with us in this age, if we are to believe Jesus.  This is not to say that we should not seek out behaviors which bring relief to our fellow man.  Quite the opposite!  That is what charity and alms-giving are all about.  Though we cannot cure poverty in the abstract, though we cannot overcome the Fall by our own prowess, though we cannot scientifically make supply exceed demand - we can love our neighbor in need.

Pastor Glover, however, proposes that the road to the ending or the radical reduction of poverty lies in Socialism.  Interestingly, he begins his argument by an appeal that we "imagine."



Pastor Glover writes: "[I]magine a nation that insures every one of its citizens from conception to death."  Has socialized medicine resulted in fewer abortions in nations where it is the norm?  And how does it work for a fertilized egg to have health insurance, but at the same time, can be aborted?

The author invites us to "imagine a nation that guarantees a living wage to every one of its citizens."  He invites us to "imagine a nation that has more generous maternal leave policies and begins to have a serious conversation about paternal leave."  He alludes to the myth of "the gross income disparity between men and women."  He calls for "radically expanding foster and adoptive services and supporting them in ways far beyond what our budgets currently allot" meaning more government intervention in the economy.  Do all these things, and "maybe" says the author, "just maybe, more women will choose not to have an abortion."

Of course, the argument that Socialism alleviates poverty is monstrous.  What brings countries out of poverty are markets, not Marxism.  This is not opinion; it is empirically and historically demonstrable.




Moreover, even Europe's soft democratic-socialist countries already have these very policies and laws that the author asks us to "imagine", as if such Utopias were only a glimmer in the mind of Lennonesque dreamers.  Has abortion ended in these countries?  Has it been radically reduced?  Or have we seen a further degradation of the value of human life by an increase in related atrocities such as euthanasia and its related boon for tourism in countries that champion such policies?

What about the Soviet Union?  In its seven decades of socialized medicine from cradle to grave, its guaranteed living wage, its maternal leave policy, its unabashed advocacy for women's rights, as well as its famous government-run orphanages - did the USSR end or radically reduce abortion?

There are two fatal flaws in Pastor Glover's argumentation:

1) That Socialism is a way out of poverty, and
2) That abortion is primarily a matter of having more money as opposed to how one views human life.

A little perspective is also called for.  In the United States today, most of the people we consider poor have a place to live, clean potable drinking water, indoor plumbing, electricity, television, and telephones.  They typically have access to free health care through Medicaid, greatly reduced food bills through EBT and other welfare programs, breakfasts and lunches for their children enrolled in the nation's free public schools and free head start programs. People that we consider poor often have luxuries like cellphones, cable TV, sports tickets, pets, tattoos, video games, jewelry, cigarettes, air conditioning, automobiles, etc.  Moreover, they also often manage to find the money to get abortions.

I do agree that we should support policies and laws that push back against poverty (even though it is impossible to eradicate it in this fallen world).  I believe that the free market system, not Socialism, has demonstrably proven itself to be exponentially and consistently superior in that endeavor.  Socialism has not only given us more abortions - paid for by tax money - but has also given the world a hundred million corpses and a legacy of the concentration camp and the mass grave.

Pope St. John Paul II - a player in the downfall of the very Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that championed Pastor Glover's various policy prescriptions - put his finger on the problem.  At its root, the issue of abortion is not economic or political.  Politics follows the anthropological philosophy, of the culture.  Economics is about choice and human action based on one's subjective values.

The root issue which underlies the politics and economics of abortion, according to Pope John Paul, is the "culture of death."  And so it is.

Feminization of the Church

The following talk was given by the Rev. Dr. Steve Hein at the 2017 Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education's 17th annual conference in Cheyanne, Wyoming (#CCLEXVII).

Dr. Hein takes up the thorny topic of gender in the church.  But this isn't what you think.  This has nothing to do with "gender identity" and transgenderism.

Rather, he addresses the symptom of modern western churches largely being unrepresented by male parishioners, and the effects which flow from this disparity.  Dr. Hein traces this phenomenon historically - and surprisingly, it isn't rooted in the modern feminist movement, but dates back to the Middle Ages.  This is not only an intriguing topic in terms of history and theology, it is a pastoral issue as well - especially considering the role of fathers in the propagation of the faith to their children and the future of Christianity in the West.

Here are links to the audio:

• Part One 
• Part Two
• Part Three

Other audio and video from the many outstanding presentations can be found here.

A couple of books that Dr. Hein refers to in his presentation are:

• Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow, and 
• The Church Impotent by Leon Podles

A couple of works by Dr. Hein that you might find of interest:

"Fathers, Don't Let Them Die" (blog post)

The Christian Life: Cross or Glory? (book)

Thank you, Dr. Hein, for tackling this controversial and crucial issue to the life and faith of not only ourselves, but our descendants as they battle the world, the devil, and the sinful flesh.  I encourage everyone to listen to his presentation and think about what can be done in your own family and parish for the sake of the Gospel.

What father tells the oncologist of their cancer-stricken child that they will not make their next appointment because it conflicts with her soccer game?  And yet, recent statistics suggest that many of our children baptized as infants joined many a soccer league, but never made it to their confirmation as adolescents.

~ Rev. Dr. Steve Hein

Do lay people "have the power to forgive sins (the office of the keys)"?

I recently heard from a lady attending a convention for Lutheran women.  There was a pastor there who gave a presentation articulating that the laity "have the power to forgive sins (the office of the keys)."  She snapped a picture of the Powerpoint slide on the big screen that included this statement and sent it to me.

Now, the office or power of the keys is explained in the Book of Concord in the Smalcald Articles, 3:7:1-3:


1] The keys are an office and power given by Christ to the Church for binding and loosing sin, not only the gross and well-known sins, but also the subtle, hidden, which are known only to God, as it is written in Ps. 19:13: Who can understand his errors? And in Rom. 7:25 St. Paul himself complains that with the flesh he serves the law of sin. 2] For it is not in our power, but belongs to God alone, to judge which, how great, and how many the sins are, as it is written in Ps. 143:2: Enter not into judgment with Thy servant; for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. 3] And Paul says, 1 Cor. 4:4: For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified. 


So far, so good.  The keys are given "by Christ to the Church."  But does this mean that every individual member of the Body of Christ, pastor and layman alike, has the authority to make use of the power of the keys in his vocation?

Augsburg Confession 28:5-9 also addresses the keys, what this office entails, as well as who is authorized to use them:

5] But this is their [our teachers'] opinion, that the power of the Keys, or the power of the bishops, according to the Gospel, is a power or commandment of God, to preach the Gospel, to remit and retain sins, and to administer Sacraments. 6] For with this commandment Christ sends forth His Apostles, John 20:21 sqq.: As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained. 7] Mark 16:15: Go preach the Gospel to every creature.  8] This power is exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments, according to their calling either to many or to individuals. For thereby are granted, not bodily, but eternal things, as eternal righteousness, the Holy Ghost, eternal life. 9] These things cannot come but by the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, as Paul says, Rom. 1:16: The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.

Of course, the life of all Christians is a life of giving and receiving forgiveness.  But this personal forgiveness is something entirely different than the sacramental office of the keys ("the power of the bishops") as explained in our Symbolical writings.

Unless someone can explain how the statement that the laity "have the power to forgive sins (the office of the keys)" can be reconciled with AC 28, it seems to me that one cannot believe what this pastor is presenting and be authentically Lutheran.

The Best Lent/Easter Devotional Reading

It's almost that time again. Here is a link to my pre-review of Thy Kingdom Come:Lent and Easter Sermons by David H. Petersen.

You can order a copy here from Emmanuel Press, or here at Amazon.

I can't recommend this magnificent proclamation of the Lamb of God, sacrificed and risen, enough!

Adam on the History Channel?

Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio's Fighting For the Faith has exposed a History Channel misrepresentation (yes, I know, dear reader, you are shocked!) regarding the Hebrew word אָדָם ("Adam") and its translation and interpretation in the creation account of the Book of Genesis.

The History Channel's premise is that the Christian Church, out of either deliberate misrepresentation or out of knuckle-dragging ignorance, has led its followers astray concerning the word "Adam."  And, of course, there are the Usual Suspects, the same TV celebrity scholars who are trotted out every time TV producers need to drum up ratings, such as Elaine Pagels and Bart Ehrman.

Anyway, Rosebrough demonstrates the power of TV propaganda, as countless people undoubtedly watched this program, convinced that the History Channel has integrity and genuine balanced scholarship, and now believe the ridiculous claim of the program.  These are the same people who will now smugly dismiss their Christian neighbors as idiots, while their own interaction with the text is a few TV shows rather than any serious study.

Of course, scholars can (and do!) disagree.  But the fact that the History Channel had to engage in blatant disinformation that can be debunked in a 30 minute presentation is evidence that they are not interested in educating anyone.  They are pushing an agenda, and even twisting the words of a scholar who disagrees with them to give the illusion of agreement.

This is yet another reason why we must not cave into cultural and financial pressure to end-run the seminaries and place men into the Office of the Holy Ministry based on nine internet classes.  We need pastors who are well-trained, who can engage in apologetics, who have studied Greek and Hebrew, who have been through painstaking pastoral formation in classroom and chapel, and who have been thoroughly instructed academically in not only the biblical languages, but in church history as well.

The old Alternate Route program at Concordia Theological Seminary - Fort Wayne used to allow men to be certified for ministry without an M.Div. degree, without taking a single course in Hebrew, and without studying the history of the early church.  I know the program has been revamped, but the continued existence of shortcuts to the altar, font, and pulpit are (or ought to be) cause for concern.

To paraphrase some old public service announcement, if you don't train your pastors in biblical languages and church history, someone else will, like the History Channel.  Well-trained pastors are not a luxury item.  Our congregations deserve to have men shepherding them who can see through this nonsense.

Thank you to Chris Rosebrough for his fine work in exposing the flaw in the History Channel's scholarship as well as their obvious agenda to dishonestly approach the sacred text of two billion people.

SMPosia?

The Concordia Theological Seminary Symposia series is a week-long celebration featuring lectures broken down into the symposium on Exegetical Theology (scripture) and on the Lutheran Confessions (the Book of Concord).  It is also a grand reunion of sorts, a wonderful get-together of classmates and pastors and professors and theological speakers that happens every year in January at the Fort Wayne seminary campus.

I just got the flyer for the 2014 symposia, and as usual, the line-up looks very interesting and intellectually stimulating.  Many of my colleagues are planning to be there.  There will also be additional meetings (apart from Symposia) by the editors of Gottesdienst and the Board of Directors of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society (SLMS).

This year is the 29th annual Exegetical Symposium with the theme being "Where Does God Dwell? - A Real Presence Hermeneutics" and also the 37th annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions: "Lutheran Distinctives in an Age of Religious Change."

But here's the problem: it's expensive.  Very expensive.  Really expensive!

For my wife and I to attend (we often attend lectures and conferences, theological and others, together), the basic cost would be $270.  The banquet is $40/person, bringing the total to $350.  Breakfast is $6/person (very reasonable!) per day which will bring the total up to $410.  There is a Monday preaching workshop for $40 - which I would assume I would be attending alone as I am the preacher.  So we're up to about $450 - not counting lodging or travel.  Lodging is about $100/day, bringing us up to about $950.

For those of us not near Fort Wayne, there is the consideration of transportation.  If we were to drive the 944 miles each way (1,888 miles) at 30 miles per gallon (means buying 62.9 gallons of gas, which would add roughly $200 in gas - bringing the total up to about $1,150.  This doesn't count other expenses involved in travel.

There is an alternative that I considered: stream the lectures on the 'Net.  This doesn't allow for face to face visits and all the blessings of time spent with old friends, with comrades, teachers, and brothers in arms, but at least I would get to see and hear the interesting papers from this year's conference.

But in order to do that, CTS is charging a fee of $75.

Yes, $75 is better than a grand-plus.  But $75 is a lot of money in this day and age when iTunes University is free, when many lectures are posted to YouTube at no charge, when even the Tom Woods Liberty Classroom runs $100 for unlimited online use for an entire year.

$75 is a lot of money for four days of streamed lectures.

So, I'm proposing a SMPosia experience instead.

SMP is the low-cost alternative route to the Office of the Holy Ministry being offered by both of our seminaries.  It stands for Specific Ministry Pastor.  Instead of the traditional route in which a man physically moves (in many cases with his family) to the seminary for two years, then moves again to an unknown destination for a year of vicarage, followed by a move back to the seminary at the end of vicarge followed by a final year of onsite seminary study, to move one more time for his call, and instead of earning a rigorous Master of Divinity degree (with all the associated student debt), the SMP program places a man into a two-year vicarage immediately.  He is onsite at his home congregation - no moving.  He can remain in his secular job if he has one, as can his wife.  During this two-year vicarage, he must complete just eight online courses, after which he is ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry without having to move even once, and without having to attend the seminary in person.  He is expected to do more coursework over the next few years.

But it goes without saying that SMP is a much easier and cheaper alternative.  If was initially sold as a way to attract more minorities and poor men into the ministry, but we're actually seeing rich mega-congregations being able to run men through the hoops quickly to get them into the Holy Office while bypassing the theological rigors of seminary training.  While my point is not to argue against this practice, I'm not a fan.  We certainly would not want our medical students to go directly into internship and take 8 courses online before being declared a full-fledged surgeon.  Nor would we want airline pilots or attorneys to be trained in this way.  In this day and age of the pastor glut and the shortfall of calls - especially calls that permit a man to make the district guideline salary - this shortcut program is not only unnecessary, but it also negatively affects pastors who are on CRM status, that is, able and qualified to serve but lacking a call.

But the SMP approach is certainly cheaper.

I'd actually like to see a SMPosia by having some guys with iPhones record the lectures and post them to YouTube.  It's free to upload, easy to access, and free to watch online.  There is no reason to charge $75 to stream the talks live when they can be posted basically right after they are delivered for free.  If we can offer a low-cost alternative for seminary education and ordination into the Office, why not this kind of option for a few symposia lectures?

So, what do you say, guys?  Any chance for a SMPosia?

Fred Hates Good Music

HT: Trent Demarest

If you are unable to read the 2005 missive from Westboro Baptist "Church" - here is a link to a pdf.

One of the greatest honors that I've ever had was to be selected to sing in the CTS Fort Wayne Seminary Kantorei.  I was in the choir for two years and participated in four tours.

Here are a few posters I made up featuring my classmates in the Kantorei.  And here are some tour pics.  Here are some audio files on YouTube.  And if you would like to buy some fine Kantorei music, you can find them here.  Some of them are available at Amazon.

So, the folks at Westboro Demonic don't like us.  Boo hoo.

The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod is one of the few large American church bodies that defends traditional marriage.  But I guess that since we do so by a sober submission to the Scriptures and out of love for all people everywhere for whom Christ died - we're not on Fred Phelps's ghey-hatin' list.

Well, thanks be to God!

The flyer is a scream, though!  I wonder if they picketed the church.  This is the first that I have heard of this.

There is the old Shakespeare line "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."  For Fred Phelps and his cult members to be so obsessed with "teh ghey" can only make one wonder.  I believe the word of the day is "latent."

Maybe Fred is just more comfy-cozy with this guy.

Tenth Anniversary as a Deacon!

Today is my tenth anniversary as a deacon.

I was consecrated as a deacon when I was installed as a vicar at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, South Carolina by the Rev. Carl Voges on Auguest 3, 2003.  (Incidentally, the current pastor is a classmate of mine, a faithful shepherd and a dear friend, the Rev. Christopher Burger).

Consecrating vicars to the diaconal order is not the standard practice in the LCMS, but I think we should make some reforms and have both deacons transitioning to pastoral ministry (perhaps as vicars) as well as "permanent" deacons  - for several reasons.

First, it could solve the sticky problem of having vicars preaching - which is reserved for ordained ministers according to our confessional symbols.  We currently "get around" this by resorting to the legal fiction that the vicar is not actually preaching, but rather he is "reading" the sermon that has been vetted by his (ordained) supervisor.  I've never really been too satisfied by this sleight-of-hand.  If we were to ordain men into deaconal ministry, and restrict them from consecrating the elements of the Lord's Supper (as is done in many of the LCMS's partner church bodies), we would not have to play three-card-monte with Article XIV.

Second, to be a pastor is to be a deacon - especially when we consider the meaning of diakonia.  In the LCMS, we typically think of diakonia as "women's ministry" as we have a recognized synodical diaconate made up of women, whose work is officially to perform works of mercy.  There is no scriptural basis to deny the diaconate and its works of mercy to male practitioners and thus define diakonia in exclusively feminine terms.  I think consecrating vicars as deacons would help solidify diakonia as part and parcel of the pastoral ministry and not something forbidden (by implication) to men by synodical custom.  In fact, mercy is a huge part of what it means to be a pastor - as it should be.  While not all deacons are pastors, all pastors should consider themselves deacons.  We should liturgically recognize this during the course of a man's training for pastoral ministry by a consecration and recognition by diaconal vestments.

Third, there are men who may not have a pastoral vocation, but who are blessed vocationally with the gifts and opportunity to assist the pastor liturgically and in his work.  Our current commonly-used nomenclature "elders" comes close to this role, but the term is confusing.  Biblically speaking, "elder" (presbuteros, presbyter) is an ordained man, a pastor.  However, the vast majority of our "elders" are laymen, whose duties and vesture at the altar vary from congregation to congregation.  This confusion (originating in terminology borrowed from the Reformed churches) has manifested itself liturgically in some LCMS congregations where boards of elders "lay hands" on men who are being ordained into the pastoral ministry.  The Pastoral Care Companion actually has to have a footnote in the rite for "Visiting the Sick and Distressed" on page 34, in which the pastor reads James 5:14-16.  The text speaks of "elders of the church" praying and anointing the sick person with oil.  The footnote reads: "The Greek word for "elders," presbyteroi, in the reading from James refers to pastors and not lay elders."

In fact, some lay elders in the LCMS (who have never been consecrated as deacons) actually wear albs and deacon's stoles when assisting at the altar.  Moreover, some deaconesses likewise vest in alb and stole and assist the pastor at the altar.  I believe this latter practice presents confusion as to what the role of the deaconess is - not to mention the role of men and women in general. Ironically, we may have members of LCMS congregations that have only seen the deacon's stole worn by women.

Fourth, many of our partner church bodies, such as the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church, require men to serve as deacons (in the case of SELC, it is typically five years) before being ordained to the priesthood.  This is a very traditional structure, and allows a lot of time and observation - as well as actual parochial service - before turning a man loose to serve as a parish pastor.  There is a lot of wisdom in this kind of maturation process.

Of course, this is one of those issues that people really get worked up over (I don't really know why!); one LCMS pastor angrily denied that there were any LCMS deacons (said to me while I was serving as one). Consequently, the discussion typically just gets kicked like the proverbial can down the road in the interest of peace and harmony.

At any rate, I was consecrated a deacon ten years ago (while my hair was still brown), and I still consider myself a deacon (with my well-earned locks of gray).

While I was a seminarian, I attended the diaconal ordination of a friend in the ACC (Anglican Catholic Church).  The preacher spoke to the ordinand and reminded him that even if he were later ordained to the priesthood (which he was), even if he were to become a bishop, even if he were to become the archbishop - he would always remain a deacon.  It is not something you lose when you become a pastor.  His words stuck with me, especially since I was formally consecrated as a deacon later on myself.  And to me, this is a humbling reminder that a deacon is a servant, a minister, one who is dedicated to a life of mercy.  And that is certainly part of the pastoral vocation.

I am grateful to Pastor Voges and to the people of Holy Trinity for the year I served them as what one of my classmates called in a tongue-in-cheek way a "male deaconess."

"I Have Issues" - Again!

I had the privilege to be on Issues, Etc. this afternoon.  You can hear the interview here.  The topic was "Christian Dignity" and was in response to this piece called "Dignity Matters!" that I published at Gottesdienst Online yesterday.

The Rev. Todd Wilken is the host of the program, and Mr. Jeff Schwarz is the producer.  They are quite a team, and they make the program run like clockwork, putting guests at ease, and making live broadcasting interesting and fun.  They are unabashedly Lutheran, and yet they have a huge variety of guests on the program, addressing theological matters from the perspective of confessional, biblical, liturgical Lutheranism.  Issues, Etc. is something unique, a gem of not only worldwide outreach, but also of informative programming for the thinking Christian.

This was my sixth time at bat with IE - and I have enjoyed every interview.  Check out IE's On-Demand Archives for past programs.  I guarantee you will find something interesting!  

Catching up...

Dear FH readers:

Blogs are not what they once were, and I allowed FH to pretty much lapse.

My recent trip to Fort Wayne was really overwhelming as to how many of my friends and colleagues (old and new) are FH readers.  I have been limiting my writing (for the most part) to Gottesdienst Online and to my facebook timeline (the latter of which is locked down considerably for the sake of my family's security).

I am working on getting caught up with my sermons, and am posting them in reverse order.  I also have some articles floating around in my head that I have been planning on writing, but have not done so.  My only impediment is time.  To me, writing is a form of relaxation - which takes time - something that nearly every parish pastor is short of.  Nevertheless, writing is both relaxation to me (which is important and can be grabbed  a few minutes at a time), and is good mental exercise.

So I'm going to try to post more often.  All of my FH posts do automatically post to my fb page - except older sermons which I post here by the date that I preached them.  Facebook has a time limit.

I have a lot of wonderful pictures from my trip back to the Fort, and it was a pleasure and an honor to spend valuable time learning from, and with, many of you - especially my colleagues at Wittenberg Academy and many of my former professors at Concordia Theological Seminary.

Peace in Christ!

On Flags in the Sanctuary

The question recently came up in my congregation about the lack of a U.S. flag in the sanctuary of the church.  I did not remove it; my predecessor actually did it years ago, before I was called to my current congregation.

And I support his decision to do so.

Of course, this was not a popular decision at the time.  But pastors are not called to be popular.  And for people who simply want what they want, and who stop up their ears to any explanation, they will simply choose to be angry.  They may even pass along veiled (or not so veiled) accusations of evil motives.  And yet even though I did not always agree with my predecessor in liturgical matters, I know he had no evil intention in making this decision - a decision that had the unanimous concurrence of the Board of Elders.

Everything in the church is about Jesus.  Everything in the sanctuary points us to Jesus.  Art is a powerful communicator of Christ and the Gospel - from the candles (representing the Light of Christ, the Light of the World), to the linen-shrouded altar (representing the empty tomb), to the baptismal font (often eight-sided pointing us to the eight people saved through water in the ark), to the stained glass windows depicting events in the life of our Lord and of the church, to statues and paintings, even to the plants and flowers (reminding us of Eden and of "the Lord and giver of life," everything in the church points us to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and ultimately to the restored communion with the Triune God won for us by the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The pastor's vestments, the symbols sewn on them and on the paraments, the colors used in the course of the year, the advent candles, the art depicted on banners, all point us to Jesus.  Crosses and chi-rhos, alphas and omegas, images of nails and crowns of thorns, even the dignified precious metals used in the communion vessels communicate the holiness of the sacramental reality of the Lord's presence.

Some might argue that Christmas trees and poinsettias and lilies that adorn our chancels are exceptions to this rule, but not so.  The Christmas tree is a tree - symbolic of both the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, as well as the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil from which comes all death and misery.  The Christmas tree symbolizes both the manger (the rough-hewn cradle of the Christ child) and the cross (the tree upon which the cursed Man is hanged).  Poinsettias and lilies are both plants that are at the height of their beauty during the holy seasons of Christmas and Easter.  There is nothing more natural and Christ-centered than to bring the beauty of life at the fullness of its vitality into the place where eternal life is given by grace!

The lily, in particular, is sometimes manifested (especially in my region) as a fleur-de-lis.  It is a symbol of Louisiana's French heritage because it is a religious symbol of a people steeped in the Christian faith.  The lily is often symbolic of Easter and the resurrection, also the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the Holy Trinity.  It is a symbol of the football team called the Saints because it was first a symbol of Christian sainthood, that is, holiness.

Similarly, the pelican appears on the state flag of Louisiana, not only because these creatures are native to our state, but also because the pelican is a venerable symbol of Christ, based on the medieval fable of the mother pelican giving her life to feed her brood with her own blood (see also LSB 640, stanza 3).  The symbol of our region is so because the people of our region have an ancient Christian heritage.

The Fleur-de-lis and pelicans have been used in Christian symbolism and art for centuries.  There is a rich and deep christology and Trinitarian confession made with these symbols.

So where do national flags come into all of this?

In the vast majority of churches around the world, you will not find a national flag.  Visitors to the U.S. are sometimes shocked to visit churches and find flags adorning the sanctuary.  It sends a mixed signal about what Lutherans refer to as "the two kingdoms" - that is, the Church (the right hand) and the State (the left hand).  In some European state churches, there is a mixing of the two to the point where in England, the head of the Church is the Queen, and where until recently, in Sweden, pastors were paid out of compulsory taxes.

Some brutal regimes forced flags into the churches, such as Nazi Germany, which compelled churches to display the desecrated cross of National Socialism - which was essentially a competing religion of state-worship.  Sadly, many clergy fell for this false religion and its symbols.

Modern Roman Catholic churches do display the coat of arms of the pope - which so happens to be the national flag of the Vatican.  This probably explains why Roman Catholic churches in the United States do often display U.S. flags - as it is a breach of U.S. etiquette (according to the flag code) to display a foreign ensign without a U.S. flag.  Here in New Orleans, the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter - a historic landmark and tourist attraction - actually displays dozens of historic flags that flew over New Orleans - including the official governmental flag of the Confederate States of America.  And even though I enjoy history and have an affection for the Stars and Bars and other symbols of my heritage, I believe none of these flags have a place in a Christian sanctuary.  The Cathedral has an impressive history, but its most important historical connection is to the body and blood of Christ that are physically present on the holy altar - all other history pales in comparison to Him whose incarnation is why we number our years Anno Domini.

The practice of displaying the U.S. flag in Lutheran churches is a recent phenomenon - and it began because during the World War I era (and again during the Second world war) mainstream Americans were harassing ethnic Germans, and the German Lutherans felt compelled to abandon their German language and heritage and to try very hard to show their American patriotism - partially out of fear of being terrorized - as the U.S. was at war against Germany twice in the last century.

The LCMS website addresses this history as well as the overall issue of whether or not having a U.S. flag in the sanctuary is appropriate:

Rev. Prof. William Schmelder, seasoned parish pastor, historian and professor emeritus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has responded to a query from the Commission on Worship regarding this matter:

“To the best of my knowledge, the U.S. flag began appearing in our churches in response to two things: the desire to express an unquestioned loyalty as U.S. citizens (a reaction to WWI sentiment) and the growing sacralization of the flag in U.S. culture. In the history of my home congregation (Immanuel, Bristol, CT), the story of the responses to both WWI and WWII is given in some detail. However, the picture of the church after the renovation in 1948 does not show a flag. There was a flag on the grounds between the church and the school, and it was raised and lowered with considerable ceremony when school was in session. I think that is one response evident in many congregations: we could show our loyalty in many ways without placing the flag in the church; other congregations seem to have brought it into the building itself, with great debate about the proper location (nave, chancel, narthex, etc.).

“Non-Americans are often astounded to see a national symbol in the church (perhaps they have memories of the Nazi flag being touched to the altars of German churches).

“The so-called Christian flag is another matter entirely. It has no tradition of the church behind it. In fact, it violates much of what anyone knows of ecclesiastical heraldry. It seems to be the design of one man, who both drew it and profits from it. He or his heirs still get a royalty on every one sold. People seem to think that you need something to balance the U.S. flag on the other side, so you have a Christian flag.”

Obviously, the inclusion of the American and Christian flags is widespread in the LCMS. As Professor Schmelder mentioned, this probably developed out of the desire of congregations of prominently German-American heritage not to appear German during and after the world wars. Likewise, many veterans of those wars returned with great patriotic zeal, which probably manifested itself in the desire to display “Old Glory” in the sanctuary.

Today, however, it may be time to reconsider this short-lived tradition among us (Lutherans never did this prior to WWI, and then only in America). One may observe that many congregations today, when considering a sanctuary renovation or even building a new sanctuary, will opt to display the flag in a location other than the chancel or nave. Many will place a flag outside of the building proper, or perhaps in the narthex. In such ways, as Professor Schmelder noted, we can demonstrate our patriotism, but not blur the distinction between the kingdom of Christ with the kingdom of the world/government. Our Lord’s words, of course, come to bear on this issue ultimately: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and render unto God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:22). Both are good and right … in their respective places and times.

Flags are popular in some cultures, and the United States is one of them.  Flags evoke strong feelings and loyalty to hearth and home.  Soccer fans will often wave flags during matches to show affection for their home countries as they are represented on the field.  The same is certainly true in the Olympics.  Flags are displayed on houses and in various community displays out of love of country.

Flags are so common in the United States that they are beloved and comforting symbols.  They appear at sports events, in military or Boy Scout ceremonies, and sometimes even in ways that it could be argued might not be entirely appropriate - such as on decals on cars and on belt buckles.  Some people want the flag in the church because they like it.  But that fact alone is not justification to include it.  I once had a lively debate with a motorcycle-church pastor who argued that it is appropriate to adorn church walls with exhaust pipes and gas tanks.  How these things point us toward Jesus, I don't know.  There is a difference between a Hard Rock Cafe or a Cracker Barrel (both of which have interesting things hanging on the wall) and a Christian church sanctuary - in which the art exists to point us to Christ.

But there is another context and use of flags: a show of jurisdiction.

For example, a Kentucky State court will display the flag of the Commonwealth as a confession of sorts, that this court is convened under Kentucky (not Ohio and not Indiana) law.  A 1988 movie called Judgment in Berlin is an adaptation of the 1984 non-fiction book of the same name written by a U.S. federal judge named  Herbert J. Stern.  Stern presided over an unusual case in 1978, held on German soil, but because of the way post-war Germany had been divided up by the allies, this trial was held under the auspices of U.S. law.  Juries had been abolished by Germany in 1924, and yet this trial, held in Germany, had to have a jury and be conducted under American law and juridical procedure.  The U.S. flag in the courtroom was not a symbol of patriotism or nostalgic feelings of home - it indicated a legal jurisdiction.

Similarly, ships on the high seas are flagged and are under the jurisdictions of the flags they fly.  

Another example of the jurisdictional use of national flags involves embassies.  The Saudi Embassy, for example, is located in Washington, DC.  But it does not fly the U.S. flag.  Embassies are outposts of the countries they serve, and the Saudi Embassy in Washington is actually "Saudi soil" (not sand in Washington!).  U.S. law does not apply there.  The Saudi flag is indicative of sovereignty and jurisdiction.

In a sense, the church (whose space we sometimes call the "nave" - that is, the "ship") is like a ship or an embassy that flies under its own flag.  Churches, though located in the U.S. or Canada or Russia or Ethiopia - are actually missions or consulates or embassies of heaven.  The sovereign of the Church is not the king or the queen or the president - but the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, He who said, "My kingdom is not of this world," He who rebuffed Satan's temptations to give Him all of the kingdoms of the world.

And in the west, there is a long tradition of ecclesiastical law (canon law) being applied to the church instead of civil law.  The controversy between King Henry II and Archbishop Thomas Becket began as a dispute over who had legal jurisdiction over priests: the king or the bishop.

Even in funerals of soldiers, the draping on the casket inside the sanctuary is not the national flag, but rather the white baptismal pall.  The flag is placed onto the casket only after the body leaves the church and the casket is being prepared to be placed into the grave.  There is a liturgical break between the rites of the church and the rites of the military.  

Finally, it is important to understand that the Church is universal and transcends nation and tribe.  The Lord reveals His Church to be from "every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages."  The Church is not contiguous with any national jurisdiction.  And Lutheran Christians can traverse the planet and can feel right at home in the Divine Service in the presence of their brothers and sisters in Christ (in the very presence of Christ) even if the language of the Mass is unknown to the worshiper.  There is no American Church, German Church, Russian Church, Kenyan Church, or Icelandic Church.  There is only one holy catholic and apostolic Church, a "holy nation" that knows no boundaries, but spans the globe and transcends time itself, even unto eternity.

Nations will rise and fall - and they have.  Kingdoms will come and go - and they have.  Flags will be raised and lowered - and they have.  But God's kingdom "shall stand forever!"