At the Just and Sinner conference, after my Glorification presentation (to be posted soon), I was asked about the practical payoff of the doctrine for preaching and the Christian life. Here’s a sermonic answer, because that’s what All Saints Day is all about. It is also a sermon on the first four Beatitudes, and a sermon that features the word “hard-ass.” If you decide to watch it, you don’t have to tell me which reason enticed you. Read more
My second lecture from the 2015 Just and Sinner Conference is now available. It is on the subject of the mystical union. Listen here: The mystical union. Keep looking for further lectures, as they will be added throughout the week! Read more
The opening lecture from the 2015 Just and Sinner Conference titled “The Ordo Salutis: Why it is Neglected Today, and why it Matters,” is now available on our Youtube channel. The Ordo Salutis- Jordan Cooper You can also watch Rev. Lewis Polzin’s opening homily on Romans 5. Romans 5- Lewis Polzin Read more
On today’s program, I played a lecture by Rev. Lewis Polzin on the doctrine of vocation given at the 2015 Just and Sinner Conference. Here is the program. Read more
Post by Nathan Rinne What does Halloween mean? It is “Hallowe’en”, which mean’s “All Hallows’ Eve”, or “All Saint’s Eve”. Analogous to Christmas Eve, it is the beginning of All Saints’ Day and starts at sundown on October 31st. The old English “hallowed” means holy, sanctified, “set apart” (as for service). Martin Luther’s 95 theses were meant for all Christians, or all “holy ones” – “saints”. He posted them in 1517 on “All Hallow’s Eve”, or “All Saint’s Eve”, at... Read more
On today’s program, I spent the entire hour giving a defense of infant baptism. I went through the outline I used at a recent Bible study for my congregation. This was purposefully at a lay level, so please send this one to your baptist friends! Here is the program Read more
Post by Nathan Rinne The following is a summary, from my pastor (Paul Strawn), of the article in German “’Das Word sie sollen lassen stahn…’ Die Auseinandersetzung Johann Gerhards und der lutherischen Orthodoxie mit Hermann Rahtmann und deren abendmahlstheologische und christologische Implikate.”, from Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche 95 (1998), 338-365. This is translated as: “’The Word they still shall let remain…’ The Debate of John Gerhard and Lutheran Orthodoxy with Hermann Rahtmann and Its Implications for the Theology of... Read more
Post by Nathan Rinne Calvin College Professor of Philosophy James K.A. Smith is a rising star in the world of evangelicalism – and justifiably so. He is a masterful teacher and clearly possess a brilliant mind, as this recent piece from the Gospel Coalition blog indicates. His book How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor is the 2015 winner of the Christianity Today Book Awards (see a piece from me on the book here). In a review of that... Read more
Why Does Lutheran Worship Look So Different? Part 1: Outlining Different Approaches to Worship There are a number of different approaches to worship in the church today Emotionalism: The purpose of worship is primarily to stir the emotions of the congregants. The service often starts with a lengthy time of praise and worship, followed by a sermon and prayer. The service emphasizes experience and feelings over doctrine and reverence. Moralism: The purpose of worship is to equip the congregation to... Read more
These comments come from Paul E. Kretzmann’s commentary on Ephesians 3:14-19. The commentaries can be found on KretzmannProject.org. “This idea is developed still further: That Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts. Not only the gifts and virtues of Christ, but the exalted Christ personally lives in the hearts of His believers, Gal. 2, 20. There is the most intimate, the most happy communion between Christ and the Christians, begun in conversion, but in need of daily growth and... Read more
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