tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.comments2010-04-12T14:56:38.177-05:00Adjicio ChristiSteve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04207324200988395119noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-52186093083460583202010-04-12T14:56:38.177-05:002010-04-12T14:56:38.177-05:00Are you ever going to blog again?Are you ever going to blog again?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-18333330288949217892009-08-11T15:53:12.660-05:002009-08-11T15:53:12.660-05:00What do you when your faith is at a low tide?
Res...<i>What do you when your faith is at a low tide?</i><br /><br />Resume blogging? :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-83990427834483623032009-06-10T09:35:32.687-05:002009-06-10T09:35:32.687-05:00Bach is just an amateur compared to Mozart. LOL. J...Bach is just an amateur compared to Mozart. LOL. Just kidding. Bach's fugues are very good. I have them all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-46502266247445842892009-05-19T12:50:00.000-05:002009-05-19T12:50:00.000-05:00I forgot to add, that the author nails my point ex...I forgot to add, that the author nails my point exactly in the last two paragraphs. Brown isn't just writing fiction - he's propagating dishonesty and lies under the guise of entertainment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-80235595300444296022009-05-19T12:39:00.000-05:002009-05-19T12:39:00.000-05:00I think the key word in your post is the word "OR"...I think the key word in your post is the word "OR" in the title line. <br /><br />One has to choose between either Brown's Jesus "who’s a thoroughly modern sort of messiah — sexy, worldly, and Goddess-worshiping, with a wife and kids, a house in the Galilean suburbs, and no delusions about his own divinity," (all of which sound utterly ridiculous) OR the historical Jesus of the New Testament: the unmarried, itinerant preacher who was crucified by Pontius Pilate, who rose again the third day, and who is the Son of God.<br /><br />In short, the Brownian "theology" exhibited in the third through fifth paragraphs from the bottom is nothing less than heresy. While I am not easily offended by this sort of thing, I can understand how others may take offense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-30566067413080368152009-01-09T13:53:00.000-06:002009-01-09T13:53:00.000-06:00Wow. And you say you're not a theologian. :-)Wow. And you say you're not a theologian. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-83212224152969894912009-01-05T22:24:00.000-06:002009-01-05T22:24:00.000-06:00Oh by the way I forgot to add - somewhat off topic...Oh by the way I forgot to add - somewhat off topic - that tonight we went to the service of the Great Blessing of the Waters... one of the priests celebrating with us was from Iowa City - he was a former LCMS member who went back and spent a lot of time studying the history of the early church. His investigations and subsequent study of the writings of the early fathers played a major role in his decision to embrace the Orthodox faith.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-61448586510580904402009-01-05T22:19:00.000-06:002009-01-05T22:19:00.000-06:00I agree with your last comment.I might also add th...I agree with your last comment.<BR/><BR/>I might also add that there are lot of things about the manner in which God chose to become man precisely because of the unique mission of Christ. You're right, Christ could not have come as a king because His kingdom is not of this world.<BR/><BR/>I sometimes think about what would have happened if Christ had chosen to dwell with men today in the modern age instead of 2,000 years ago. Jesus the Babe in the manger in an age of the world wide web and tabloid journalism. How would He have been received? How would He have effected our Salvation? Would we have believed in Him?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-69345163446569566882009-01-01T12:51:00.000-06:002009-01-01T12:51:00.000-06:00As one who has been poor (not destitute but certai...As one who has been poor (not destitute but certainly poor) I know there is nothing noble about poverty. Nor was there anything in my post that glorifies poverty. I am, however, glorifying the one who: <BR/><BR/>"..though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" 2 Cor 8:9<BR/><BR/>The point of my posting was that the divine had every opportunity to be any human being he wanted and *yet* choose to be poor. Why? I think to fully and truly be the unique savior of the world. One that could relate to our sinfulness even though he was sinless and yet still love us. One that through his experience as a human would be "God with us". One that would lead us to righteousness through his abundant grace. One would would free us from our sins.<BR/><BR/>The fact that it wasn't a king like any rational person would expect of the God of the universe I think speaks volumes about how ardently God loves us and how truly miraculous is the birth of Christ.Steve Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04207324200988395119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-5822416113094995212008-12-31T23:31:00.000-06:002008-12-31T23:31:00.000-06:00Of all humanity, the poor are more aware of suffer...<I>Of all humanity, the poor are more aware of suffering and consequently more apt to suffer in this world then the wealthy. Now, I don't mean to say that those not poor don't feel pain or loss or don't suffer for a time.</I><BR/><BR/>I see where you're going. But I'm not for the "glorification" of the poor, or the idea that somehow the poor are intrinsically better than the rich, or better than anyone else for that matter. While the poor *seem* to suffer more than those who have means, if you ever look at the history of people who have won the lottery (what better way to get rich?) most of them ended up suffering terribly.<BR/><BR/>It's not inherently virtuous to be poor, and it's not an inherent vice to be rich. While it is true that it is "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God," most people omit the second part of Christ's statement: "With God all things are possible."<BR/><BR/>I'm not trying to rain on your parade - I think you have a very nice write-up here. I'm just a little uncomfortable with a theology that "glorifies," if you will, the poor. Yes, it sucks to be poor, and I certainly wouldn't want to be dirt-poor (I'm not rich by any means, of course), but poverty is not a moral good in and of itself.<BR/><BR/>I guess my point is that what matters is not that Christ was born materially rich or poor, but that He came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. If I am poor it is only because I have sinned; if I am rich it only is because Christ reigns victorious over sin, death, and the Devil.<BR/><BR/>Nice icon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-42923085442010292022008-11-25T11:56:00.000-06:002008-11-25T11:56:00.000-06:00I'm tired of one-trick-pony Christianity; as if ab...<I>I'm tired of one-trick-pony Christianity; as if abortion and homosexuality are the end-all-be-all issues.</I><BR/><BR/>Of course you're right about this. There is much more to the Christian Faith than one's political positions on abortion and homosexuality. In fact, one's political positions are really a part of one's faith as far as I am concerned. One's political positions might be a by-product of faith, but certainly - theologically speaking - not a part of that faith.<BR/><BR/>This idea that "when a Catholic does not share a candidate's stand in favor of abortion . . . but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons" is far too technical for anyone not wearing a cardinal's hat to grasp. I reject it, not because His Holiness is wrong, but because it's simply not relevant. I'm trying to picture Christ on His Judgment seat condemning someone for "remote material cooperation." That mental picture seems a bit of an overreach to me.<BR/><BR/>One side argues that Roe v. Wade needs to be overturned, and folks like Kmiec argue that a better way is "alternative social and cultural support for expectant mothers (adequate prenatal and postnatal care; funded maternity leave; a caring adoption procedure). This kind of assistance especially into the lives of poor women has been shown to have significant impact in the reduction of abortion."<BR/><BR/>While this may be true, setting aside the question of who's going to pay for these programs, why not combine both approaches? Along with efforts to get Roe v. Wade overturned, people who are so inclined should also argue for these additional programs if in fact they actually reduce abortions.<BR/><BR/>The problem is much deeper than these things, however. The problem of excessive abortions is rooted in a materialistic and secular culture that views human life as disposable, where marriage is mocked and ridiculed, where the role of fathers is minimized, where chastity before marriage is considered "prudish" and "uncool", and I could go on. The real root of the abortion problem is the moral sickness of society and our culture. Overturning Roe v. Wade won't address this, but neither will more programs for expectant mothers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-53512454217513539332008-11-24T10:46:00.000-06:002008-11-24T10:46:00.000-06:00Thomas,That abortion is a tragety is not in questi...Thomas,<BR/><BR/>That abortion is a tragety is not in question. That abortion is, at the very least, killing the potentiality of human life (or potentiality of personhood) is -- at least for me -- also not in question. That partial birth abortion is gruesome is also not in question. What *is* in question is *how* we go about reducing abortion so that the only abortions that are performed are to save the life of the mother. <BR/><BR/>My point was that Neuhaus and the rest of the anti-abortion group are so fixated on abortion, seemingly to the exclusion of everything else, that the work of *solving* the problem is lost. Moreover, the tone that Neuhaus takes at best unhelpful and at worst myoptic. Neuhaus' cynical feelings of Obama are misplaces and prejorative since Obama hasn't done anything as president yet. I think Neuhaus ought to hold his criticism until there is something to criticize.<BR/><BR/>Also, I'm tired of one-trick-pony Christianity; as if abortion and homosexuality are the end-all-be-all issues. Below is a link to Doug Kmiec (conservative catholic) about the abortion issue which is a better worded then what I can do:<BR/><BR/>http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2389Steve Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04207324200988395119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-86218704182386801162008-11-22T23:26:00.000-06:002008-11-22T23:26:00.000-06:00What galls me so is that "pro-life" folks aren't s...<I>What galls me so is that "pro-life" folks aren't so much pro-life as pro-prenatal-life.</I><BR/><BR/>If the mother is intent on aborting (i.e. killing) the child there is nothing the child can do, neither is there any legal punishment against the mother. After birth, however, killing the child becomes murder in the eyes of the law; the child has legal protections it did not have previously.<BR/><BR/>The goal of the pro-life movement is to extend the legal protections of the born child to the <I>unborn</I> child.<BR/><BR/>Whatever your position on abortion or your view of the pro-life movement, I hope we can agree that <I>partial-birth</I> abortion ought to be outlawed. Any physician who engages in this <A HREF="http://www.nrlc.org/ABORTION/pba/diagram.html" REL="nofollow">gruesome and barbaric practice</A> should be brought up on charges of first-degree murder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-59079008008132672832008-11-19T12:09:00.000-06:002008-11-19T12:09:00.000-06:00to think we are the center of everything (self-cen...<I>to think we are the center of everything (self-centered, self referential); that this condition is our *default setting*</I><BR/><BR/>I would not say that this is inherently sinful in and of itself. For example, if an infant weren't self-centered it wouldn't live very long. It's a childish view which, as you note, most peopl eventually outgrow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-76371693884128965802008-06-27T11:19:00.000-05:002008-06-27T11:19:00.000-05:00I'm with you sister. I'm totally baffled. I'm temp...I'm with you sister. I'm totally baffled. I'm tempted to toot our liturgical horn but that would be superscillious and smug and that is most definately *not* what the ELCA needs more of. I'll just say that we ought to be exemplars to others in the ELCA and show them that it is indeed possible to attract believers to worship using the traditional liturgy.Steve Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04207324200988395119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-70835150018788117732008-06-26T15:01:00.000-05:002008-06-26T15:01:00.000-05:00That church baffles me, too. Why is it that so man...That church baffles me, too. Why is it that so many people think <I>that</I> is really "church?" In a denomination that is shrinking, why is <I>that</I> church gaining in membership? What do people think they're getting out of it that it has such a draw?<BR/><BR/>Worship should be the focal point of a congregation. It should prepare us, fortify us, and send us out into the world to do God's work. What kind of work could such inadequate "worship" possibly prepare those people to do?-https://www.blogger.com/profile/13344969659597211812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-52821479265305965072008-06-12T20:59:00.000-05:002008-06-12T20:59:00.000-05:00I read the linked article. Yes, Mr. Diaz is absolu...I read the linked article. Yes, Mr. Diaz is absolutely right-on. That is absolutely Christ-like, and not everyone would do that. Good for him and God be praised that there are people like this in the world. That singular act of compassion may turn this kid's life around.<BR/><BR/>But let us suppose that Mr. Diaz saw this kid robbing someone <I>else</I>. Would Mr. Diaz have attempted to forcibly stop the robber? Not everyone would do this, either. <BR/><BR/>My point is that forcibly stopping evil done to others is just as morally praiseworthy as not resisting that same evil done to oneself, even if the evildoer is injured or - in extreme cases - even killed as a result.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-71836250475472114042008-06-12T19:39:00.000-05:002008-06-12T19:39:00.000-05:00Where does Christ say that we should not resist ev...Where does Christ say that we should not resist evil done to <I>others</I>? See <A HREF="http://victorycross.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/was-jesus-a-pacifist/" REL="nofollow">here</A>.<BR/><BR/>I am far more concerned about how we are supposed to react as Christians when evil is done to others, than when it is done to us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-38653898931015834402008-03-29T08:59:00.000-05:002008-03-29T08:59:00.000-05:00You said, "Some days are good, some not so good."S...You said, "Some days are good, some not so good."<BR/><BR/>Setting aside the minor variations in the mechanics of the Liturgy (how good the choir is on that particular day, how well the priest and deacon coordinate the service) and the actual content of the message/sermon, wouldn't the Liturgy be pretty much the same every Sunday?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-8484501352616807422007-12-27T08:47:00.000-06:002007-12-27T08:47:00.000-06:00Steve, I've meant to tell you that I love the icon...Steve, I've meant to tell you that I love the icon you've posted for Advent. It is one of my very favorite icons featuring the Theotokos because I think it shows so much. It's good of you to put it up there. <BR/><BR/>DwightDwight P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15849665963994688905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-7205958454927906422007-12-07T10:35:00.000-06:002007-12-07T10:35:00.000-06:00If you're reading this book, you will soon underst...If you're reading this book, you will soon understand that I have little original to say on theological matters. This book -- very nearly verbatim (certainly for Jenson's sections, it is verbatim) -- my Confessions class at Gettysburg Seminary. And it continues to be probably THE crucial book for forming my way of thinking about Lutheranism. I am now discovering that blessed Arthur Carl Piepkorn, the big gun of glory days of the Missouri Synod, may have held similar perspectives. (I must check that out more.) But that would be a sign of the noble company we alternative thinkers within Lutheranism keep.<BR/><BR/>Stay at this.<BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/>DwightDwight P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15849665963994688905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-63758320694375772562007-12-06T18:20:00.000-06:002007-12-06T18:20:00.000-06:00This is very nearly an Orthodox position. I'm not ...This is very nearly an Orthodox position. <BR/>I'm not quite sure about the Orthodox understanding of the totality of the last comment; however, the spirit seems certainly in line with my understanding of the Orthodox concept of the church.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04986762360977768177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-17012466817943854242007-11-19T17:44:00.000-06:002007-11-19T17:44:00.000-06:00By the way - I see little relevance to Matthew She...By the way - I see little relevance to Matthew Shepherd here. Matthew's tragic death had nothing to do at all with obedience to Christ. It only had to do with hate.Chahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05671159425647448277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-34385285481133967372007-11-19T17:20:00.000-06:002007-11-19T17:20:00.000-06:00Bonhoeffer was obedient to the call of Christ, and...Bonhoeffer was obedient to the call of Christ, and worried less about the laws of the country he was living in.<BR/><BR/>There is a difference - a big difference.<BR/><BR/>Christ's obedience remains the model for all Christians - whether we like it or not.Chahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05671159425647448277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5652157454518772269.post-18703136935482862462007-11-17T12:31:00.000-06:002007-11-17T12:31:00.000-06:00I have to agree with steve m:"if it's love they ha...I have to agree with steve m:<BR/>"if it's love they have a funny way of showing it" and anonymous, who wrote, "why not ask a gay catholic if they don't feel rejected, despised, betrayed distained and even hated by the catholic church..." It puzzles me me that often those who are the most noisy and vociferous about this issue have never experienced it first-hand. If you have things to say about gay people, please...talk to gay people!<BR/><BR/>C -<BR/>As far as Christian obedience goes, people said similar things during the time of slavery.<BR/><BR/>Interesting that you quote Bonhoeffer, who engaged in some pretty radical disobedience for the sake of the Gospel.<BR/><BR/>When he said "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die" I don't think he was thinking of Matthew Shepard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com