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Australia Lutherans Debate Women’s Ordination

August 30, 2018 By Gene Veith

The Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) is debating the ordination of women to the pastoral office. Three times the proposal has been voted down, but it’s up again at the upcoming convention in October. I have here links to two documents that set forth the case for each side. Which one do you think makes the best case? The pro-women’s ordination position is given here: The Draft Doctrinal Statement (DDS) on A Theological Basis for the Ordination of Women and… Read more

The Two Natures of Christ in the Nicene Creed

August 29, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Our Pastor (and son-in-law), Rev. Ned Moerbe, preached a sermon that taught me some things I never realized about the Nicene Creed. In particular, how the Creed sets forth the two natures of Christ and discloses their significance. First, consider the Second Article of the Creed, divided into its three points, as the sermon describes: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all words, God of God, Light of Light,… Read more

Pope Francis Charged with Lifting Sanctions on Abuser

August 28, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Perhaps the highest ranking sexual abuser among Catholic clergy is Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, whose improper relationships with seminarians was reportedly well-known at the time and whose abuse of minors took place over decades. As a result of recent publicity, he was removed from office and ordered to spend the rest of his life in prayer. But now a well-respected Catholic insider, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who was apostolic nuncio–that is, ambassador from the Vatican–in Washington, D.C., while McCarrick was archbishop… Read more

Trump’s Problems

August 27, 2018 By Gene Veith

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President Trump’s latest legal problems have little to do with special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation of collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice. When Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations–in the course of paying off a porn star and a Playboy bunny with whom Trump had affairs–he said that he did so at Trump’s direction. And directing someone to commit a crime is said to be itself a crime, a matter of being a co-conspirator…. Read more

John McCain Has Died

August 27, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Senator John McCain–war hero, 2008 Republican presidential nominee who opposed Barack Obama, and conscience of the Senate–has died. From Elizabeth Chuck, Sen. John McCain, independent voice of the GOP establishment, dies at 81: John McCain, who shed a playboy image in his youth to become a fighter pilot, revered prisoner of war and both an independent voice in the Republican Party and its 2008 presidential nominee, died on Saturday, little more than a year after he was told he had… Read more

Lutheran Educational Resources, Reading Lists, & Free Stuff

August 24, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Summer vacation is over! Back to School! Good old golden rule days! For some families, Back to Home School! In honor of the new school year, I am posting some resources that you will find priceless, whether you are homeschooling, have kids in a Christian school, or a public school, or whether you working to educate yourself. My daughter, Deaconness Mary Moerbe, has assembled a treasury of great material at her blog Meet, Write, and Salutary. Here is what she says… Read more

Homosexuality & the Priest Sex Abuse Scandal

August 23, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Msgr. Charles Pope wrote in the National Catholic Register about “the most-avoided topic” in the scandal of sex abuse among priests: homosexuality in the priesthood. Of the victims of predatory priests, 81% were male. It seems that there is a gay subculture in the priesthood. And although it is true that not all priests who have same-sex attraction act on these feelings and live chastely according to their vows, and although it is true that not all homosexuals prey on… Read more

Why Do People Go to Church? And Why Don’t They?

August 22, 2018 By Gene Veith

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A Pew Research Study took on the question of Why Americans Go (and Don’t Go) to Religious Services. Some of the findings were obvious. The number one reason for going to church is to grow closer to God. But some of the findings were not what one might expect. For example, only 28% of those who don’t go to church don’t go because they are unbelievers. Most non-church goers have other reasons, some of which a church might be able… Read more

Abolishing Punishment

August 21, 2018 By Gene Veith

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As an example of how the ongoing, wide-ranging Catholic sex scandal and its cover-up are undermining the church’s moral authority, notice how the Pennsylvania revelations change how we hear the Vatican’s new prohibition of capital punishment. Oh, yes, we can’t help but think, you bishops don’t want to punish anybody. Indeed, the very concept of punishment has been fading from child-raising, education, ethics, and theology. Hardly any pastors, including from conservative church bodies, teach about eternal punishment anymore. Our sensibility… Read more

The Different Flavors of Socialism

August 20, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Socialism is back in vogue, especially among Democrats and young adults, a majority of whom prefer it to capitalism. A new Gallup poll found that 57% have a positive view about socialism, compared to just 47 % who have a positive view of capitalism. Among 18-29 year-olds, 51% are positive towards socialism, compared to 45% who are positive towards capitalism. Now progressives are considering which kind of socialism they want to implement once they take charge of the country. Some… Read more