Report from Denmark

Last updated on: October 2, 2015 at 2:30 pm By Gene Veith

Hej. That’s a Danish word pronounced “hi.” It means “hi.” We’re really enjoying Denmark. Yesterday I gave two lectures sponsored by the conservative theological faculty at the University of Aarhus.

My topic went something like this: In our increasingly secularist postmodern times, the objective world has been drained of God and thus drained of meaning. This was due not only to the science of the Enlightenment, but also to theological movements that relocated Christianity from the realm of objective truth to “the heart.” As a result God (along with meaning) is thought of as an abstract or mystical concept or as an inner personal experience. The physical realm of ordinary life has little religious significance, either for unbelievers or for believers. This, however, comes at a cost. I then argued that Lutheran spirituality can help bring back the significance of the physical realm. I used as examples Lutheran Christology–the emphasis on God incarnate in the human being Jesus, who took the world’s evils and sufferings into Himself on the Cross; His manifestation in the water of Baptism and the bread and wine of Holy Communion; and God’s presence in ordinary human vocation. (more…)

Premium Content

The Pope’s sermon to America

Last updated on: September 24, 2015 at 5:03 pm By Gene Veith

0 Comments

Pope Francis addressed a joint session of Congress, taking the opportunity to preach against tenets of both liberalism and conservatism. Liberals were zinged by his remarks opposing abortion, redefining the family, and infringing upon religious liberty. Conservatives were zinged by his remarks on the necessity of supporting immigrants, measures to combat climate change, the elimination of the death penalty, tempering the excesses of capitalism, offering help for the poor, and (interestingly) opposing “fundamentalism.”

To his credit, the Pope twice mentioned “vocation” in a more or less Lutheran sense (as opposed to the medieval Catholic application of the term to church professions alone):

A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk.

“Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129).

Here is an annotated text of the speech (click the yellow highlights for the annotations). After the jump, a detailed account of what the Pope said and how Congressmen and Senators reacted. (more…)

Premium Content

Covetousness and idolatry

Last updated on: September 10, 2015 at 8:25 pm By Gene Veith

0 Comments

In our Bible class last Sunday, in which we are studying the hymns of Martin Franzmann, this Scriptural text came up:

“For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Ephesians 5:5).

The question arose, in what sense is someone who is covetous also an idolater? Think about that. After the jump, I’ll tell you the quite illuminating explanation given by my son-in-law, Rev. Ned Moerbe.

(more…)

Premium Content

Labor & Leisure

Last updated on: September 6, 2015 at 11:36 pm By Gene Veith

0 Comments

Labor Day heralds the end of summer vocations. Now the Fall begins and it’s back to work. For students and teachers like me, it has always meant getting serious again and going back to the classrooms for another school year.

This year, for me, the holiday is hitting me in a completely different way since I am retiring. All summer I have been madly busy finishing up my job, so Labor Day is heralding the beginning of my not laboring, at least in the same way I have all of my life. (more…)

Premium Content

Sanctified by marriage and children

Last updated on: August 26, 2015 at 10:21 pm By Gene Veith

0 Comments

Rev. Bruce Timm reflects on how his wife and children have made him a better person. That is, how they have contributed to his sanctification by acting as “law” in his life. His thoughts are about the vocations of marriage and parenthood, but they have wider implications for how the Law functions within vocation and how God uses our multiple callings to form us according to His will. (more…)

Premium Content

Unburden’d crawl toward death

Last updated on: August 19, 2015 at 8:18 pm By Gene Veith

0 Comments

’tis our fast intent

To shake all cares and business from our age,

Conferring them on younger strengths while we

Unburden’d crawl toward death.

(Shakespeare, King Lear, Act I. scene 1. lines 38-41)

Have any greater lines ever been written about retirement? OK, it didn’t work out very well for King Lear. I’m hoping that it will work out better for me. Like Lear, I have two daughters that I hope to spend more time with. I’m hoping they won’t turn me out into the storm, though I’ll be moving to a land of thunderstorms. Unlike Lear, I have a wife who is good company and a whole passel of grandchildren.

(more…)

Premium Content

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What principle is behind "let your light shine before men"?

Select your answer to see how you score.