A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Law
Part III, Article II. Of the Law 1] Here we hold that the Law was given by God, first, to restrain sin by…
Author: Dr. Paul Edmon
Dr. Paul Edmon is from Seattle, Washington and now resides in Boston, Massachusetts. He has his B.S. in Physics from the University of Washington in 2004 and Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Minnesota in 2010. He is professional staff at Harvard University and acts as liaison between Center for Astrophysics and Research Computing. A life long Lutheran, he is formerly a member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Seattle and University Lutheran Chapel in Minneapolis. He now attends First Lutheran Church (FLC) of Boston where he teaches Lutheran Essentials. He sings bass in the FLC choir and Canto Armonico. He was elected to the Concordia Seminary St. Louis Board of Regents in 2016. He is single and among his manifold interests are scotch, football, anime, board games, mythology, history, philosophy, and general nerdiness. The views expressed here are his own and do not represent Harvard University or Concordia Seminary.
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Sin
THE THIRD PART OF THE ARTICLES. Concerning the following articles we may [will be able to] treat with learned and reasonable men, or…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Papacy
Part II, Article IV: Of the Papacy. 1] That the Pope is not, according to divine law or according to the Word of…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Chapters and Cloisters
Part II, Article III: Of Chapters and Cloisters. 1] That chapters and cloisters [colleges of canons and communistic dwellings], which were formerly founded…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Mass
Part II, Article II: Of the Mass. 1] That the Mass in the Papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Chief Article
THE SECOND PART Treats of the Articles which Refer to the Office and Work of Jesus Christ, or Our Redemption. Part II, Article I:…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Awe-Inspiring Articles on Divine Majesty
THE FIRST PART Treats of the Sublime Articles Concerning the Divine Majesty, as: I. That Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three distinct persons…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Preface
Note: This is the third series of posts providing commentary on the Book of Concord adapted from my Lutheran Essentials Class Notes. I…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Conclusion
Conclusion. 1] These are the chief articles which seem to be in controversy. For although we might have spoken of more abuses,…
The Quest for the Holy Grail
The quest for the Holy Grail has captivated the human mind for millennia. From the Knights of the Round Table, to the Crusaders,…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Church Authority
Article XXVIII: Of Ecclesiastical Power. 1] There has been great controversy concerning the Power of Bishops, in which some have awkwardly confounded the…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Monastic Vows
Article XXVII: Of Monastic Vows. 1] What is taught on our part concerning Monastic Vows, will be better understood if it be remembered…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Distinction of Meats
Article XXVI: Of the Distinction of Meats. 1] It has been the general persuasion, not of the people alone, but also of those…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Abuses of Confession
Article XXV: Of Confession. 1] Confession in the churches is not abolished among us; for it is not usual to give the body…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: The Mass
Article XXIV: Of the Mass. 1] Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among 2] us,…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: The Marriage of Priests
Article XXIII: Of the Marriage of Priests. 1] There has been common complaint concerning the examples of priests who were not chaste. 2]…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Both Kinds in the Sacrament
Article XXII: Of Both Kinds in the Sacrament. 1] To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper,…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Worship of the Saints
Article XXI: Of the Worship of the Saints. 1] Of the Worship of Saints they teach that the memory of saints may be…
A Tribute to My Father
When I was in junior high I got my first dedicated computer that was connected to the Internet. Our family had had shared…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Good Works
Article XX: Of Good Works. 1] Our teachers are falsely accused of forbidding Good Works. 2] For their published writings on the Ten…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: The Cause of Sin
Article XIX: Of the Cause of Sin. Of the Cause of Sin they teach that, although God does create and preserve nature, yet…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Free Will
Article XVIII: Of Free Will. 1] Of Free Will they teach that man’s will has some liberty to choose civil righteousness, and to…
Magi
In the ancient world astrology, the precursor to astronomy and astrophysics, was a critically important science. Astrologers used the motions of the heavens…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Christ’s Return for Judgment
Article XVII: Of Christ’s Return to Judgment. 1] Also they teach that at the Consummation of the World Christ will appear for…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Civil Government
Article XVI: Of Civil Affairs. 1] Of Civil Affairs they teach that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God, and that 2]…