Messages

16

Your Turn / Re: Nominees for Concordia Seminary President Announced

« on: May 16, 2020, 06:41:26 PM »

From Pastor Peppercorn's Facebook page:

"For the record, the reason the Concordia Seminary announcement is late is because of the stupid internet in Rocklin, California. So if you must blame someone, blame the avocado toast we have to wrap around all of our Ethernet cables..."

The announcement was supposed to be at 2 p.m. CDT., but was an hour late.

17

Your Turn / Re: Nominees for Concordia Seminary President Announced

« on: May 05, 2020, 02:21:48 PM »

Secondly, the Missouri District DP is on the board but doesn't get a vote.  No problem, John Wille is the elector anyway, who is also a DP from my childhood home district.  Thirdly, the chairman of the Board is Rev. Todd Peperkorn, who is known to me.  Fourthly, there is a Paul Edmon on the board.  The person who began this thread was a Harry Edmon.  Are Harry and Paul related?

In the interest of transparency - Paul Edmon is my oldest son.  He is on the staff (not faculty) at Harvard University and attends First Lutheran Church in Boston.  I am retired from the staff (not faculty) at the University of Washington and attend Messiah Lutheran Church in Seattle.

Paul takes his position seriously and does not share anything with me from executive sessions of the Board of Regents.  Anything I have posted on this site about the seminary and the process have been public information.

18

Your Turn / Re: Nominees for Concordia Seminary President Announced

« on: May 02, 2020, 04:39:50 PM »

The final slate for Seminary President was just announced - https://www.csl.edu/2020/05/slate-for-seminary-president-determined/

The following six individuals have been named to the final slate of candidates to be considered for election and call as the 11th president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis:

Dr. Joel C. Elowsky
Dr. Glenn K. Fluegge
Dr. Jeffrey J. Kloha
Dr. Jacob A. O. Preus III
Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr.
Dr. Douglas L. Rutt

These candidates were selected from the 44 nominees who gave permission for their names to stand in consideration for the call. The slate was established by the Seminary’s Board of Regents (voting individually), the LCMS district president elected to the Seminary’s Board of Regents (Dr. John Wille, LCMS South Wisconsin District), the president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (Dr. Matthew C. Harrison) and the chairman of the LCMS Board of Directors (Dr. Michael Kumm).

On Saturday, May 16, 2020, these electors will vote to select the candidate to receive the call. Per the LCMS Handbook, in this vote, electors Wille, Harrison and Kumm each will have one vote, and the remaining members of the Seminary’s Board of Regents will have one collective vote. A public announcement will be made that day following the election.

The new president will succeed President Dr. Dale A. Meyer, who will retire June 30. Meyer became the Seminary’s 10th president in 2005.

19

Your Turn / Re: Election 2020

« on: February 16, 2020, 02:47:50 PM »

https://babylonbee.com/news/new-political-bible-adds-r-or-d-after-each-characters-name

20

Your Turn / Concordia Portland is closing at the end of the academic year

« on: February 10, 2020, 01:32:58 PM »

From https://www.cu-portland.edu/closure:

February 10, 2020—Portland, Ore.—Concordia University - Portland’s Board of Regents has voted that the University will cease operations at the end of the Spring 2020 academic semester. The resolution was approved February 7, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. PST. The Board’s decision came after years of mounting financial challenges, and a challenging and changing educational landscape.

“After much prayer and consideration of all options to continue Concordia University - Portland’s 115-year legacy, the Board of Regents concluded that the university’s current and projected enrollment and finances make it impossible to  continue its educational mission,” said Interim President Dr. Thomas Ries. “We have come to the decision this is in the best interest of our students, faculty, staff and partners.”

April 25, 2020 will mark the last commencement ceremony at the Concordia University - Portland campus. May 2, 2020 will mark the commencement ceremony for the graduating class of Concordia University School of Law. The Board made this decision to prioritize the well-being of students, faculty, and staff and fulfill its fiduciary obligations. In the Board’s best judgment, a thoughtful and orderly closure process offers the best possible outcome for all affected parties.

Throughout this process, students, faculty and staff will remain the top priority. The University is in active discussions with our accrediting bodies to provide our students the opportunity to continue their educational journey under the guidance of new institutions that fit their needs and can help faculty and staff transition to the next phase of their professional lives.

The Northeast Portland campus has been a part of the Portland community for more than a hundred years. Upon closure, the University will return the Northeast property to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and one of the lenders, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund. It is expected they will seek a buyer for the 24-acre campus property.

As soon as more information is known, it will be shared.

21

Your Turn / Re: Presidents Of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

« on: October 03, 2019, 03:33:03 PM »

Dr. Dale Meyer is retiring as President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis as of June 30, 2020:

https://www.csl.edu/2019/10/meyer-to-retire-from-service-as-concordia-seminary-president

22

Your Turn / Re: Independence Day 2018

« on: June 29, 2018, 06:20:32 PM »

I can be as patriotic as the next person, but I am not in favor of ever having the flag in the sanctuary.  It sends the wrong message about our ultimate kingdom - the kingdom of Grace.  The only exception I could accept would be on a casket in a funeral when appropriate.

23

Your Turn / Re: Independence Day 2018

« on: June 29, 2018, 06:13:39 PM »

For those with the interest and time to do so, you might wish to look up and read the whole of both the US and Canadian national anthems.  Additional verses which are almost unknown to most citizens of both countries contain some very interesting statements about "God and country".

The third verse of the US national anthem is interesting to say the least:

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

For hubris you can't beat line 5 in the last stanza:

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

24

Your Turn / Re: Is God Now a "Ze"?

« on: May 09, 2018, 10:08:58 AM »

There is only one true God.   The Jews have rejected Him, and thus therir "god" is something other than the one true God who lead them out of Egypt.   John 8:12-59.

Going by the proof-text being used, it's not the implication their "god" is something other than the one true God - it's the Devil.
You're effectively saying the Jews are Devil worshipers. 

That may be a theological truth for some, but I don't think the text works for this particular discussion.

I think it is clear from the Scriptures that everyone who does not have faith in the one true God basically has the devil as their "god" whether they know it or not.

It is clear that Jesus claims that they should know Him from the Old Testament, John 6:39-47, 8:56.   By rejecting Jesus as God they reject the God they claim to worship.  Therefore they worship a false god.

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Your Turn / Re: Is God Now a "Ze"?

« on: May 08, 2018, 06:59:59 PM »

My pastor told us last night  about a meeting he had with the Rabbi down the street from our church.  She said, "So you are the Lutheran Pastor up the street?   At least we worship the same God".   Our Pastor said, "No, we don't worship the same God since you do not believe Jesus is God".   Her reply, "You really believe that Jesus is God?"

I am thankful I have a Pastor that is brave enough to speak the truth.

Hmm . . . wouldn't it be more accurate, in talking with a Jew, to acknowledge that we worship the same God, even though the Jewish understanding of that God (as Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is incomplete? To say "we don't worship the same God" seems to push the differences a bit too far.

They do not worship the Trinity.  Ask them.  But you do worship the Trinity.  Different Gods.  Is Jesus God?  You say so and worship Him.  They say no and do not.  Different Gods.  Not "incomplete" understanding but DIFFERENT understanding, different Gods.

How can there be different Gods if there is only one God. Either there was nothing that led Israel out of slavery and gave them the law; or it has to be the one, true God that Christians also worship, but through the understanding of the Trinity.

There is only one true God.   The Jews have rejected Him, and thus therir "god" is something other than the one true God who lead them out of Egypt.   John 8:12-59.

26

Your Turn / Re: Is God Now a "Ze"?

« on: May 07, 2018, 04:00:39 PM »

My pastor told us last night  about a meeting he had with the Rabbi down the street from our church.  She said, "So you are the Lutheran Pastor up the street?   At least we worship the same God".   Our Pastor said, "No, we don't worship the same God since you do not believe Jesus is God".   Her reply, "You really believe that Jesus is God?"

I am thankful I have a Pastor that is brave enough to speak the truth.

P.S.  He shared this event during class when we were studying the 1st commandment.

27

Your Turn / Re: Is God Now a "Ze"?

« on: May 07, 2018, 03:42:37 PM »

My pastor told us last night  about a meeting he had with the Rabbi down the street from our church.  She said, "So you are the Lutheran Pastor up the street?   At least we worship the same God".   Our Pastor said, "No, we don't worship the same God since you do not believe Jesus is God".   Her reply, "You really believe that Jesus is God?"

I am thankful I have a Pastor that is brave enough to speak the truth.

28

Your Turn / Re: Naked and Unashamed Summary Statement

« on: March 23, 2018, 05:13:51 PM »

The ELCA did not start with a commitment to follow Scripture wherever it leads. 

True. We start with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and follow it wherever it leads. We are all sinners. We are all offered forgiveness and new life by God's grace through Jesus Christ.

That said, resistance and backlash eventually will come. 

Yes, and that resistance and backlash always takes the form of legalism: putting conditions on God's grace through Jesus Christ.

Is it correct, then, that you see the Gospel as disconcerting from the Scripture and superior to it?

Brian appears to be following what has been known as the ELCA modification of the Lutheran formal and material principles from:

Formal Principle – Scripture alone
Material Principle – Justification by grace through faith in Christ alone.

to:

Formal Principle – the Gospel
Material Principle – love

Don't forget "Q".

29

Your Turn / Re: God Knows What He Is Doing

« on: March 22, 2018, 12:57:03 PM »

Also see Job 38:1-42:6.

30

Your Turn / Re: New Lutheran Seminary Names President

« on: March 13, 2018, 01:33:07 PM »

I am willing to bet you could take the same logic that comes up with "Q", compare two stories on the same topic from the New York Times and the Washington Post, and claim that they both originally come from a "unknown" previous document called "X".

And if we found a document "Y" that looked a whole lot like what we believe is in "X" that would add support to the theory that there was an "X".


If not from "X", what would your explanation be for articles in the Times and the Post containing exactly the same quotes. What would have been the source for those quotes? (Oh, and neither of the writers could have been eye-witnesses or ear-hearers of the quotes they use.)

But in my case there is no document "Y", each reporter did their own story independently.   But since you so enjoy your mythological document "Q" I am sure my example will fall on deaf ears.