Northwoods Seelsorger

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...