Northwoods Seelsorger

Rev. Dr. Scott Murray Rev. Dr. Richard Stuckwish Rev. Dr. Burnell Eckardt Rev. Dr. Frank Senn As I thought about the many well-credentialed pastors in my denomination I often wondered if many  of them had aspirations of positions in academia.  Undoubted some do. Possibly many tried and could not secure a place for any number of reasons. Yet there are many who would be great assets to the universities and seminaries, yet who choose to remain in the parish.  I am certainly not aware of all who possess advanced degrees and doctorates on the clergy roster, but the ones I know of seem content to be pastors.  Dr. Stuckwisch, who I noted in the last post is one.  Another is Dr. Burnell Eckardt, or Dr. Karl Fabrizius.  All three of these men, by the way, are associated with the worship journal Gottesdienst .  Still, there are others out there who have taken the time and energy to earn these terminal degrees, men from a variety of backgrounds an...

Images of what you imagine and pictures of the reality of what is often clash.  So it is with graduate work.  Begun in the summer of 2010, I well imagined that the coursework would be completed and the thesis finished at least by the beginning of this coming year.  Well, the coursework was completed by the end of the summer of 2011, and then came that long arduous task of the thesis.  Unfortunately I completed my M.Div without a thesis.  I say "unfortunate" because it left me without any real sense of what is involved in such a project.  Nashotah House has truly been a wonderful place to study and retreat, but from the time I began the program to now several transitions have taken place at this campus.  The dean resigned after a decade's service.  The one in charge of the STM program changed.  And during this time it seemed as if a lot of adjustments and changes were being implemented.  It was indeed a time of transition for Nashotah, o...

After the synodical elections back in 2009, Jesus First , which is the political action group of the middle to left of Synod, went dormant in 2010.  Nothing more was posted.  In its wake a new organization arose called OnWord , with a decidedly more 'missional' emphasis.  However, after a burst of posts little was added.  Now both sites are out of view.  OnWord claims that the site is "currently undergoing a complete revision."  When bringing up the Jesus First site you encounter the message: "The website you are trying to reach is temporarily unavailable."  The address indicates that it is a "suspended page."  So, like the charismatics of a previous time (RIM - "Renewal in Missouri"), is this political machine going to now disappear as well?  Or is OnWord its next incarnation and it will effectively replace the former site?  Stay tuned....

A new issue of the online Daystar Journal is now available.  Nothing new had been published since the Spring, so I was interested to see what was written. Three articles are offered with a common theme detected from at least two of them.  Once more a call arises for more open discussion and study of previously controversial and contentious issues, not least among them being the ordination of women.  In the past I have been resistive to seeing the Synod treat WO as an 'open topic.'  In many ways I still am.  The Daystar folks would undoubtedly label my reaction as one of fear: fear of change.  Perhaps.  Or might we substitute the word cautious for fear?  I take my cue from the beginning of Holy Scripture, remembering the devil's ancient method contained in the seemingly simple question: "Did God actually say...?"  Questioning, of course, is part of the learning process.  However, in our culture today the idea that there are any absolutes...

Occasionally I'll break down and buy a new book for my professional library, usually at conferences.  However, it's fun to find good books more cheaply in other places.  It may seem an odd venue to find theological/biblical works, but one of my favorite 'haunts' is Good Will. For our community, at least, it's the best source of good used books. Recently I added another pile to my collection, picking up several more reference works and other religious books.  All of the books were half-off, so it was all the better. Finds this time around included The Catechism of the Council of Trent , a reprint by Tan publishers in 1982, but in seemingly new condition.  I also picked up the Biographical Dictionary of Christian Theologians , edited by Patrick W. Carey and Joseph T. Lienhard.(Hendrickson, 2000, 2002).  Both of these are paperbacks and cost me $2.50 a piece.  I took a chance on another book, authored by the Catholic author Aiden Nicholas in 2005 and published...

Having heard Dr. Steinke at a recent meeting of church officials, I was intrigued to read more of his work.  His knowledge and perspectives caught my attention and he seemed worth the time for more study.  A Door Set Open: Grounding Change in Mission and Hope (The Alban Institute, 2010) is a relatively short book (141 pages) and easy to read, but offers some engaging ideas.  Dr. Steinke is a well-known congregational systems consultant and has worked with many conflicted organizations (churches and denominations).  Although he leans heavily upon the psychological work of his mentor Edwin Friedman , he also engages the biblical text for additional insight.  As a Lutheran he predictably quotes Luther at selective intervals, but appears to prefer non-Lutheran theologians for their perspective, especially the work of N.T.Wright .  Contrary to my expectations, he did not go down the predictable path of more church growth rhetoric, and was even critical of som...

Over the years we have been told that visual images are the most effective way to communicate in church.  Admittedly, during my time at the seminary (1983-1987) this was not the message, although I'm sure that it was already being practiced, to one degree or another, at the parish level.  With the advent of Powerpoint and big screens, the presence of visual images during worship and sermons has increased several fold.  Personally, I have not been sold on this, but did not have any real research to support my views. A recent article at the Steadfast Lutherans site offers that support.  Two studies are referenced, one a D.Min project and the other an Ed.D dissertation.  The first studied the effectiveness of projected images during the sermon, the other (included in the comments section) studied the effectiveness of children's sermons.  I would highly recommend the article for your own review: "Why We Should Rethink the Use of 'Visual PowerPoints' in Sermon...

In a recent journal article by Dr. Paul J. Grime from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, the professor notes that the great musical master Johann Sebastian Bach "never had the benefit of a university education" (CTQ, January/April 2012, 4-5).  This sent me searching elsewhere for more information on Bach's formal education.  At the Bach Cantatas Website I further learned that his "formal education ended at what we would consider High-School level."  Now I note all this not in any way to disparage the great composer.  My point here concerns a personal issue with the value and necessity of advanced degrees with regard to the mastery of skills and knowledge in a given field.  Last year I posted an article entitled "Theologians Without Doctorates."  In it I noted some great minds that never achieved the terminal degree for which so many strive, and yet their achievements outweigh those with far higher credentials.  Again, I do not wish to dispar...

This is probably the longest absence I have taken from this blog.  By now I can't imagine too many people, if any, are keeping track of what it written here.  For what it's worth, though, I thought I'd post a personal update, if for no other reason than to maintain a kind of 'electronic journal' of sorts.  My son gifted me with an actual leather-bound journal at Father's Day, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to record my thoughts in this throw back to another time.  I finally officially enrolled for my thesis hours at Nashotah.  The money was available, and with good-natured coaxing from my wife I used the funds as they had been intended, resisting the temptation to apply them to other needs.  At any rate, enrolling for my thesis also benefits both of my children as they now have me listed as "parent in college."  I think that our parental contribution amount was reduced by about $200 or so.  Oh, well, everything counts, as they say.  I...

This morning I had the honor of providing the opening and closing prayers for the Memorial Day ceremonies at our local courthouse.  The veterans have asked me to do this now for the third year.  The guest speaker for this event was our state representative Tom Tiffany .  Below is a copy of the prayers I offered. Invocation Almighty God, we gather this day in your holy name, thankful for the freedoms you have protected and preserved through the sacrifice of those who fought and died in our stead.   Make us ever mindful of the high cost in human life required to resist the forces of evil that seek to bring pain and destruction upon the innocent and helpless.   In mercy bring comfort to those who grieve this loss because of the deaths of family and friends; comfort them through the promise of your abiding presence and the assurance of eternal life in your risen Son.    Bless now our gathering in this place, that in honoring our fallen heroes we wo...

The Seelsorger would like to remember in gratitude the many brave men and women who have served this nation in the various branches of its armed forces.  God has graciously used their sacrifices to keep our nation safe and secure from its enemies, so above all our thanks ascend heavenward to the Heavenly Father who has provided such protection. In particular two veterans are remembered here, one being my father, SSG  George S. Engebretson (Ret) , who served this nation for 20 years from the 40's through the early 60's.  His service encompassed two wars, World War II and the Korean; and SMSgt Robert E. McBride (Ret) , my father-in-law, who served this nation for 20 years from the 50's until the early 70's in the U.S. Air Force, encompassing the Vietnam War era.  Both of these men were highly decorated veterans who were immensely proud of their service and of their country.   They have since passed away and their legacy is left to those who remain. Requiescat ...

The date on the inside reads "1970," so my recent purchase of this used copy at my local Good Will store was partly out of nostalgia, and partly out of respect to its author, Dr. Frederick W. Danker.  Earlier in February I posted a brief article on Danker in honor of his recent passing, so this find seemed rather fortuitous. Dr. Danker's legacy still remains, if even in the most unlikely places.  The title is a bit deceptive as far as the average lay reader is concerned.  Chapter headings concern the Nestle Text, the Hebrew Old Testament, the History of the Septuagint, and a wealth of information on grammars, lexicons, Bible dictionaries, various versions of the English Bible, Judaica, Archeology and the Dead Sea Scrolls.  A revised and expanded version of the book is available through Amazon.com .  It appears that this last revision was done in 2003, complete with a CD-ROM (the last revision being 10 years before in 1993), something Dr. Danker could not have...

A couple of articles I recommend for your review that were posted on Lutheran sites but written by non-Lutherans: "24 Hours -Plain as Day" by Dr. Jud Davis of Tyndale College.  He specifically addresses a topic being discussed currently on the ALPB site regarding whether the days of creation were 24 hour days or not.  This article is posted on the Christian News site, but came originally, as far as I can see, from the Answers in Genesis site. Dr. Davis is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church of Amercia. " Osteen: 'God Wants to Supersize Your Joy' - So what's wrong with that?" This is posted on the Steadfast Lutherans site.

Tomorrow brings one of those almost forgotten festivals of the church - at least among Lutherans.  A few still hold a midweek service with a small, but dedicated crowd.  A few others transfer it over to the nearest Sunday.  However, the Ascension of our Lord represents a significant event in the Easter season and one worthy of observing, whether on its own appointed day or the nearest Sunday. That said, a challenge still remains. At our circuit pastor's meeting yesterday a retired pastor admitted the difficulty of getting a handle on a clear theme for this festival.  Christmas and Easter, he admitted, were easier to find topics on which to preach.  Now we are familiar with the Creed's declaration that our Lord "ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty" (Apostles' Creed).  Perhaps this lies behind Dr. Pfatteicher's observation that "The Ascension is part of an enthronement festival.  The coronation of Christ the King ...

The Seelsorger has been busy as of late, and admittedly has not been posting on a regular basis.  Spring always seems to bring a number of concerts and recitals, and with two children in the arts we have a few to attend.  Add to this my wife serves as an accompanist for a couple of high school choral groups as well as the community choir.  My son is going to graduate from high school next month and spends the remainder of his free time working at a local grocery store, now that the school musical has ended (which consumed a lot of days this Spring for all of us).  They performed "Beauty and the Beast," a musical based on the Disney production of the same name, and he was privileged to have one of the leading roles - the Beast.  We joked at the time that it was cheap therapy.  He could vent all that rage and anger in a safe environment at no cost to us - except all the flowers and tickets we bought.  He is going to attend the same university as his si...

While searching for a review of works by Dr. Bart D. Ehrman , an acknowledged agnostic and seeming enemy of Christian truth, I ran across a comment I simply had to save and share here.  It has to do with the value of atheism.  I'll let the commenter, John Murphy, speak for himself: It is certainly true that Mr. Ehrman is inimical to historical Christianity, and through his books is trying to destroy confidence in the Scriptures (good luck at that Bart). What I find...curious about guys like him and this web page is their eagerness to draw others along with them. To what end, I wonder. Why are you so worked up about what you obviously believe is a myth? Why waste so much energy? Especially when your own alternative is so bleak. We live, we die, we rot. Wow, now there's a worldview that should catch on quickly. It reminds me of the penguins in the movie Madagascar. They spend the whole movie in an intense, excited attempt to stow away on a ship for Antarctic...

After 30 years with the same corporate logo and color 'palate' the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has decided to completely change its color.  Out with the familiar burgundy and in with royal blue.  Some thought it was an April Fool's Day joke , but it's now beginning to sink in that the change may be for real.  It makes little sense to me, no more than trying to change the name of the denomination itself (See my Feb. 24 post "Re-Branding a Religion - Is It a Good Thing to Do?" ).  But then I wasn't part of the 'focus groups' that designed the change.  Since the cross doesn't decorate anything obvious at my church we have nothing to change.  But for those who designed their church signs and everything else with the logo..... If you want the official explanation for the change, go to the LCMS Brand and Logo Center .