Supremes hear Hobby Lobby’s case today

Last updated on: March 24, 2014 at 3:25 pm By Gene Veith

Today the Supreme Court hears the case being brought by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties challenging the Obamacare mandate that pro-life business owners, as well as non-church religious institutions, must provide their employees health insurance that includes contraceptives and “morning after” pills.

After the jump, a remarkably cogent explanation of why pro-life Christians need to oppose the law’s provisions from Matthew Harrison, the president of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. (Note particularly what he says about the administration’s offer of compromise, that in cases of conscience insurance companies can just provide the “services” for free.) (more…)

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Why the family & the church are prior to the state

Last updated on: February 17, 2014 at 7:12 pm By Gene Veith

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In the context of a discussion of the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, Dr. Jack Kilcrease discusses Luther’s concept of the “Orders of Creation” (in each of which we have vocations). God established the family (the marriage of Adam & Eve) and the church (ordering His relationship with Adam & Eve) BEFORE the Fall. God established the state AFTER the Fall, as a response to human sin, which now needs to be restrained for society to be possible. Thus, the church and the family are more basic to human existence in God’s design than the state. When these orders get confused–as when the state takes the place of the church and the family–trouble ensues. (more…)

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Are Lutherans boring?

Last updated on: February 2, 2014 at 8:01 pm By Gene Veith

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Yet another definitive answer to the question, Why not Lutheranism?, has been written. This one is by Anthony Sacramone and you simply must read all of it. It is both humorous and profound. He says that Lutherans are essentially boring, both in a bad and a good way. He shows why Lutheranism doesn’t show up in pop culture–so therefore it doesn’t exist for many people, especially Millennials. He cites other things that come across as boring, including the fact that Lutheran churches can’t seem to get their liturgical act together.

But then he concludes with a rousing case for Lutheranism and how to get people to try it. I’ll give you a sample of that after the jump, but, please, read the whole thing, not just the happy ending.

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Luther and bowling?

Last updated on: January 30, 2014 at 1:59 pm By Gene Veith

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Martin Luther’s influence goes far beyond the theology of the Lutheran Church. His putting the Gospel and the Word of God at the center was the catalyst for all Protestantism. But even his theological opponents have accepted his ideas like worship in the vernacular, congregational singing, and vernacular translations of the Bible. Then there are his cultural contributions: universal education, standardizing the German language, vocation. But there are also things he is credited for that are questionable or uncertain, like inventing the Christmas tree. And there are things that that he is credited for that are just wrong, like writing “Away in the Manger” and being the source of German anti-semitism. Being a master of language, he is supremely quotable on all kinds of subjects. But he is also cited as the source of things that he never really said (such as the “Wise Turk” quote). I have recently learned that Luther is considered one of the inventors of bowling! (more…)

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At his post 29 years after the war

Last updated on: January 19, 2014 at 4:09 pm By Gene Veith

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The Japanese soldier who held out in a Philippine jungle for 29 years after the end of World War II died. Hiroo Onoda was 91. Read his story–including why he finally turned himself in– after the jump.

Would you say Lt. Onoda was an example of outrageous stubborness (a vice) or inspirational integrity (a virtue)? How does this relate to vocation? (more…)

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President modifies NSA surveillance program

Last updated on: January 19, 2014 at 4:08 pm By Gene Veith

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President Obama has given a speech in which he announced changes in the National Security Administration’s program of collecting and data-mining phone and internet records. Here are the changes, which seem pretty minor. After the jump, an analysis of where things stand. (more…)

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