Fascinating…
[Up-Front HT to CAT41's Table Talk list!]
It’s fascinating that a Methodist congregation would tout the programming of the LCMS’s KFUO radio station more than most every LCMS congregation, but it seems to be true. It’s also the case that this UMC congregation is prominently featured on the KFUO homepage. Fascinating, but troubling.
As was asked on CAT41’s Table Talk — “Are we more Methodist or are they more Lutheran?”
I’d like to think that it’s more that quality content is carrying the day, and that folks are responding to that. For, that is a far more palatable consideration than is the idea that they are responding positively because they are hearing what their itching ears want to hear.
There is, however, one piece of information that sorta tips the scales for me: They don’t include Issues, Etc. on their list of ‘touted’ programs. This, to me, seems quite indicative. :dizzy:
Issues, Etc. is a fabulous chunk of talk radio goodness. Rev. Todd Wilken does a tremendous job of (I just love this tagline of Issues, Etc.! :mrgreen:) “Defending the faith … teaching the truth!” In my opinion, Issues, Etc. is the crown jewel of the LCMS’s broadcasting services (and, yes, I’m including the Lutheran Hour in that assessment! :eek:).
Now, I’d hate to think that I’m giving in to any sectarian/separatist inclinations that are lurking within, but I do find this mutual admiration society a bit troubling. When it comes right down to it, there are some deal-breaking differences between what we believe, teach, & confess, and what they believe, teach, & confess. I have no doubt whatsoever that there are some good Lutherans in the Methodist church (because, as I know you remember, Lutheran = Christian & Christian = Lutheran — it’s what our Confessions state & what we believe…), even if they don’t know it (and even if they’d be horrified by the label… :wink:) yet.
In the end, it’s sad that I don’t have the full confidence in all of the programming that KFUO puts out, that I have in Issues, Etc. But don’t. I’ve heard some of it, and it strikes me as way too Methobapticostal in its theological stance. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case with much of what’s coming out of the Purple Palace these days — why, you could say that it’s Ablaze! with such shoddy theology. :dizzy:
Work calls (that pesky vocation!), so I’m not going to flesh this out any more before I post it. If there are any questions, just let me know & we’ll discuss it in the comments thread.
-ghp
Logical Fallacies Friday
Rev. Bill Cwirla has, in the latest posting to his Blogosphere, done something that I very much appreciate — He’s written something that is intellectually useful AND incredibly funny, at the same time.
In Round and Round We Go, Rev. Cwirla does us the intellectually beneficial service of explaining the fallacy called “petitio principii” or “begging the question.” This fallacy is laid out, explained, and debunked in a clear, cogent, witty, and easy-to-understand fashion. As part of the explanation (and this is the hugely funny part), He links to a blog entry entitled “Kissing Hank’s Ass” as an illustration of the circular nature of “petitio principii” — I’m leaving out the direct link to the story so that you’ll visit Rev. Cwirla’s blog (’cause everyone likes to get traffic! :mrgreen:). But you need to go there, and to click on the link to read about Hank.
Kudos to Rev. Cwirla!
-ghp
On Change in the Church
I’ve just finished reading The Fire and the Staff by Rev. Klemet Preus. It’s an outstanding examination of the relationship between doctrine and practice. Rev. Preus lays things out in a very cogent, witty, and easy to read way, both in assessing where Lutheranism has fallen away from orthodoxy, and in showing how that orthodoxy can be reclaimed by coming “back to the ways that have characterized Lutheranism and much of Christendom for centuries.”
It’s a great book — Get it. Read it. Now. 
Of particular note, at least for the purposes of this posting, is the focus of Chapter 12 - The Fire Stoked: Change in the Church - i.e., change. The meat of this chapter is encapsulated in the five fundamental principles of change in the church, as outlined by Luther in his Invocavit Sermons of March 9-16, 1522. These sermons were given by Luther upon his return to Wittenberg from his post-Diet of Worms safekeeping at the Wartburg Castle. This return to Wittenberg was necessitated by the radical, and almost anarchical, change set off and encouraged by Carlstadt. The city council of Wittenberg beseechingly invited Luther back to speak to this wave of change, which Luther accepted despite the misgivings of Duke Frederick of Saxony, Luther’s elector and protector.
In these eight sermons, Luther gives us a bold blueprint for approaching churchly change from a Gospel, theology-of-the-cross, -based perspective. He did not fan the flames of radical, anti-Romanist change. Rather, he laid out these five fundamental principals:
- Change must be required by the Gospel.
- The Word, not force, should effect change.
- If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
- Don’t let yourself get pushed around.
- Always yield to the weak.
Now, I’m not going to go into an in-depth discussion of these fundamentals, at least in this posting. I hope to do so over the coming days, but I’ve got to be honest and admit that I might not get to it as quickly as I might like…
These five fundamentals, however, are quite deserving of great consideration. I must admit that, even after reading Rev. Preus’s wonderful explanations, I have have had trouble with these principles, especially #2 & #4. And I probably will continue to have trouble in the future. I’m impatient, and more than a little too confident in my own abilities.
Rev. Preus, however, has done me a great service in that his book has helped me understand where some of my weaknesses lie, and what I need to ask God to help me out with. It’s nothing the Bible doesn’t tell me, mind you, but I can be a bit thick sometimes. In any event, it certainly helps to have a framework upon which to base Scriptural studies.
There’s a lot more I’d like to say about all of this, but I think I’ll cut it short for now, and leave the rest for future posts…
-ghp
How to Explain Hard Things
Recently, both Bunnie (at her blog) and Josh (at Here We Stand) have dealt with the general question of how Christians can/should/must engage non-believers (and, I would add, fellow believers) regarding difficult topics. Explaining the exclusivist nature of true Christianity by clearly stating what we know to be true AND by clearly stating why & where other beliefs are in error, is a difficult thing. So also is delivering a Law-laden message to someone, particularly someone we love, so that it can be followed up with the healing balm of the Gospel.
I don’t have any answers, or pithily snarky statements, to offer here. I struggle with this myself. To speak of things that are antithetical to our fallen nature is difficult to do, and is almost unimaginably difficult to do winsomely and out of true love. Nope, I offer up these links for your thoughtful & prayerful consideration. If you have anything to help ease this burdensome (but ultimately rewarding & joyous) task, please share it here.
-ghp
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