I never discussed using Christian Worship, knowing how the Liberal Book of Weirdness promised so much and delivered so little. Recently I had to listen to "This Is the Feast" and could not get over the monotony of the song. I have been using The Lutheran Hymnal since 1987.
Pope Paul the Unlearned has discovered the one-year (historic) lectionary lately. I have used that non-stop since 1987. The Gospels and Epistles match the Lenker set of Luther's sermons. Those with the newer set of Luther's sermons have the house sermons included, so even more material is available.
Now that the entire Lutheran enterprise is using the Roman Catholic three-year cycle, some are admitting that it may not be a good idea.
I was stuck with the NIV in WELS, because it was universal in all their publications. However, LI kept reminding me of the poor quality of the NIV, which he heard about in classes at Northwestern College (RIP). Someone got me started on the KJV on the computer at Trinity in Bridgeton, about 1992, and I have used it since.
Here is a good solution for the Lutheran sects, mini-sects, and micro-mini sects:
- Study the origin of the Tyndale-King James Version of the Bible and Luther's direction connection with it.
- Adopt the KJV franchise as the main Bible for all purposes.
- If the flesh is weak, pick one modern KJV for general use.
In a Bible study or catechism class, various translation philosophies simply add to confusion. Does the typical pastor really know how the ESV, NIV, and Beck differ in their approach? He or she could call it the Babel Class.
They do not clarify anything. The modern KJVs use the original (1800s version) as their model, so they are all quite similar. Some people are allergic to thee and thou. I cannot change that. But those slight changes make little difference in a group when all have the same original model as their basis. The boneheads in charge of these decisions should be driven out of town and pelted with dog manure, as our Confessions state. They have two glaring faults:
1. They have no grasp of the English language, only synod politics.
2. They do not comprehend Biblical, Lutheran doctrine.
