Northwoods Seelsorger

Today is my day.  Coffee has been part of my life as long as I can remember.  We even grind our own beans to get the freshest taste possible. How much do I consume each day?  You measure that?  Come on! As it is National Coffee Day it occurred to me that it should have its own 'patron saint.'  Giving it the most shallow reflection possible, I thought how about James and John, the "sons of thunder"? Works for me.  Any better ideas out there?  We only have today....

If you follow the ALPB's "Your Turn" discussion board , you may have seen my name in several posts over the last week or two.  After following various discussions over the years I finally decided to dive in and actively participate.  What prompted my involvement was the postings from Dr. Matthew Becker.  Dr. Becker's writings on ALPB, his own blog , and on the Daystar Jounal have been documented and reviewed on this blog many times.  Until recently I had only commented on his public writings, but had never actually engaged him in active discussion.  The time seemed overdue to take that next step.  The discussions on the topic "Valparaiso University and the LCMS" are now closed.  Pastor Speckhard, the site monitor, realized that it had more than run its course.  I agree.  However, while it lasted it did prove to be a lively, at times contentious, but very revealing discussion.  It often surprised me how open Dr. Becker was about his vie...

Like Pastor Peters I am now old enough to ponder that question as well: How did we get to this point?  The good pastor reflects on the changes he has observed in the Missouri Synod over the decades and wonders out loud why we need the diversity we now have.  I pass it on for your review: "How did we get to his point?" at Pastoral Meanderings.

Earlier this year a reader recommended a book by Dr. Scott Hahn entitled The Lamb's Supper (Doubleday, 1999).  In light of my upcoming research and the fact that my papers were finished, I finally secured a copy by inter-library loan and read it.  Dr. Hahn's book attempts to offer a fresh approach to the Mass by returning to the last book of Holy Scripture for insights.  He does admit that while seeming to be somewhat novel, his book actually borrows from the ancient fathers and thus rediscovers the past as much as provides new understandings.  The first portion of the book offers a primer on the Mass, obviously anticipating readers who may be less knowledgeable about the liturgical forms.  He writes as a Catholic convert and thus seems conscious of others like himself who may be looking for encouragement to change.  He also writes for Catholics in need of rediscovering the old forms and learning again a meaning they may never have been taught.  To th...

In light of an ongoing discussion over on the ALPB site , I would like to recommend a fine article on the use of the Old Testament by Dr. Daniel Gard of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne.  It is entitled "The Church's Scripture and Functional Marcionism."   (CTQ, 74: 2010, pages 209-224). The concluding paragraphs are worth noting here in summary: The core and center of the Scriptures is the person of Jesus. All that the Old Testament conveys points us to him. The Old Testament is more than a series of specific prophecies that find their fulfillment in the person of Jesus, with everything else simply "filler." All of the Old Testament, just as the New, is focused on him. He is "Israel reduced to one." The offices of Christ-Prophet, Priest and King-are understandable only in light of the Old Testament offices. Conversely, the Old Testament offices are understandable only in light of the incarnation. Everything that took place before the incarna...

Well, another milestone was reached early this morning.  At around 1:18 a.m. the last of my graduate papers was sent out to my professor.  I am now A.B.T. - "All but thesis."  What a relief!  The papers didn't sound too interesting to my high school aged son, but I enjoyed them.  They both revolved around the theme of my upcoming thesis.  For my course in History and Practice of the Church Year with Dr. Pfatteicher I wrote a paper entitled "The Apocalypse in the Revised Common Lectionary: An Analysis of Its Use in the Church Year."  The second paper, written for History of the English Hymnal with Dr. Herman, was "Allusions to the Apocalypse in Selected Hymns in English."  I am gaining a new appreciation for the book of Revelation and its relationship to the worship of the church.  One of the books recommended by a past comment on this blog, The Lamb's Supper by Scott Hahn, is one of my next projects to read. I plan to spend the next few mont...