Steadfast Dying
Elector John of Saxony died on August 15, 1532. While he was the fifth of seven children born to Elisabeth of Bavaria and…
Tag: Martin Luther
God Makes Rulers Mad
“For God the Almighty has made our rulers mad; they actually think they can do–and order their subjects to do–whatever they please. And…
Jesus IS Our Friend
At his table one day Martin Luther said, “Christ is friendlier than we are. If I can be good to a friend, how…
Becoming Steadfast: Politics and the Lutheran Reformation (Part 2)
For part one of this series, click here. When Martin Luther departed Worms in May 1521 his earthly future seemed bleak. According to…
God’s Little Puppet Show
“Now the blind world, because it does not know God and his work, concludes that it is owing to its own cleverness, reason,…
Luther on Rulers and History
“A prince must also be very wise and not always try to impose his will, even if he has the right and the…
Martin Luther and the Enthusiasts-Part I
“Christ finds not only Caiaphas among his enemies, but also Judas among his friends.” (Martin Luther, LW 40:66) Martin Luther wrote this sentence…
Should Lutheran Pastors Chant the Words of Institution?
The English verb, ‘to chant’ derives from the Latin word, ‘cantare,’ which simply means to sing. Some form of singing or chanting existed…
Martin Luther, Augustine and the Languages
Originally posted on my blog at wp.cune.edu: “And, further, if I could bring it to pass among you, I should like to…
Quietly coming to a town near you…
This post is strictly for my confessional Lutheran brothers and sisters. I’ve spent some time researching and writing about a network called FiveTwo….
Distinguishing Between Doctrine and Life
“Doctrine and life must be distinguished. Life is bad among us, as it is among the papists, but we don’t fight about life…
Becoming a Christian by Listening
My pastor has been teaching on Paul’s epistle to the Galatians for the past several months in Bible study. As a good Lutheran…
A True and Bold Confession! Luther and Zwingli-Part III
Ulrich Zwingli and his colleagues responded to Luther’s treatise, That These Words of Christ, “This is My Body,” Etc., Still Stand Firm Against…
Martin Luther on Studying Theology and Reading Scripture
“Moreover, I want to point out to you a correct way of studying theology, for I have had practice in that. If you…
Martin Luther on the Multiplication of Laws
“In the papacy we foolish saints added one ordinance to the other. There were laws without number. These only terrified the consciences and…
Augustine, Luther, and the Sacraments
“Baptism is a very different thing from all other water, not by virtue of the natural substance but because here something nobler is…
Dare to Be Wise: The Early Reformation and Education
“When schools flourish, things go well and the church is secure. Let us make more doctors and masters. The youth is the church’s…
Steadfast Encouragement from Luther
Blessed Martin Luther’s First House Postil for The Fifth Sunday after Trinity (Luke 5:1-11) is one of the most pastoral sermons I’ve had…