The Best Gift Is the One We Would Like Ourselves

Veterans Honor

Walmart put mulch on sale for $1 a bag, so I loaded the Ichaboat, with Sassy supervising. She enjoyed a drive-through at McDonalds, where the girls at the pay and at the food windows grinned at her. Yesterday she saw 10 friends, including several new ones. The kids waiting at the bus stop love to pet her.

Our helper is helping me kill a new section of lawn with cardboard boxes flattened, held in place by the new mulch. When we were done he discussed needing more mulch at his house, so I promised a bag dropped off later today.

I know his wife loves red roses, so I got a Walmart cup with water and cut a perfect double Veterans Honor rose for her. The first rose to bloom on the stem looked just like the photo above. The second one was a bud just opening and ready to complete the bloom (five sepals open). The sepals enclose the bud, and if only four are open, the bud will not bloom.

No question, that rose was a keeper. I gave lots of extra rainwater to that rose. The bush is growing along the driveway, so we get to see it close-up. But the best gift is the one we want for ourselves. And we still have a few dozen roses growing and blooming.

The KnockOuts have been heavily pruned during the summer, several times. One shrub is reaching toward seven feet tall. They bloom fast and the flowers wither fast, so frequent pruning is good, and severe pruning is best. Norma Boeckler has had the same robust growth from pruning her KnockOut bushes.

We are still in Japanese Beetle season, so I try to get blooms cut before they get destroyed by the pest with no enemies but man. I was able to get two vases for the chiro at once and could have delivered a third to the medical practice the next day. The roses are for sharing, so I prune the deadwood, discard the bad blooms, and choose the best for gifts.

The roses I praise may not perform the same way in other climates. One way to find out is to ask local gardeners which ones grow the best. But this is definitely true - the ones that get the extra rainwater will outperform the rest. Rain is God's liquid fertilizer, mild and effective, benefiting the plant and the ocean of life in the soil that was engineered to care for the plant.

Easy Does It - grows as strong and vigorously
as Mr. Lincoln.

The 25th Anniversary Edition of Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure Is Now in Production.

The revised manuscript and covers are now with the finishing editor, who gets the almost final product onto Create Space (Amazon) and Kindle.

There are always format issues, especially with the books from Lulu, because they were written in Word from another century.

This book is already 25 years old. I saw one used original printing for about $64, plus shipping. The used market is more volatile than cattle futures.

WELS published this and the book went into three printings. Christian News sold it, and so did the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Paul McCain reviewed Liberalism.

McCain reviewed Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure (favorably) for Christian News. He wrote on November 4, 1991: 

I apologize for the personal reflections in my review which apparently incurred even more wrath towards you from your administrators. That was not my intention. I was totally unaware of the pressure on you when I made the remark that the WELS would be wise not to "squander" your influence. In retrospect and with your letter I now feel it was a Providential remark. 

McCain also wrote on November 23, 1991: 

I am completely confused by the charge of slander some level at you for challenging certain theological positions. I suppose that it is possible to do this in an offensive manner, but I have read many of your articles and have always considered them to be objective. You never get "personal" or attack individuals on a personal level. Why have we so completely lost our stomach for polemics? 

At this point, McCain and his friend Herman Otten are quite grumpy with me. So are the various Lutherans sects, especially ELDONA. NPH did not publish Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, 

Nevertheless, the issue is doctrine, not being admired by the people who brought apostasy, ruination, and scandal to the Lutheran church.

All of the invective has been recycled many times over, with Heiser being the latest to call me "crazy" and mutter the word "slander." Hmm. Sounds like ELCA tactics! So I invite people to consult the Internet and various university libraries to verify whether I am right or wrong.  The editor at NPH invited me to list some books, so I have quite an extensive list at the back of Liberalism.

There Were Giants in the Earth - The Late Ulrich Leupold

 Ulrich Leupold earned his PhD in music at the age of 23,
at the University of Berlin. He was the head of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
and an international authority on hymns and organ music.

Ironically, he moved from Berlin, Germany to Berlin, Ontario. But the Ontario city changed its name in WWI when people refused to buy any product stamped "Made in Berlin." The name was changed to Kitchener, leading them unwisely to brag the town was "clean as a kitchen." We loved the people there. I worked in the largest Lutheran church in Canada and visited people by walking and riding the bus. In only one generation that congregation was radicalized - St. Peter, Kitchener.

Dr. Leupold was highly respected as the head of the tiny seminary. He and Otto W. Heick (a WELS favorite author) had more brains than most seminary faculties put together.

Dr. Leupold died from neurological degeneration the same year I began studies at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary - 1970.

• I knew him when he was teaching brilliantly and still playing the organ, 
• helped him as he grew weaker, 
• and visited him in the hospital before he died.

This linked article tells how much he endured in his too-brief life. I told him my brash plans at the hospital, and he moved his thumb rapidly in a handshake to show his approval. He could no longer speak, and we were all heart-broken.

 Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
in Waterloo, Ontario

People suspected Dr. Leupold of arranging jobs for people without telling them. My wife Chris got a neat library job just like that. She was worried, in his office, about getting work in Canada. Later, he grinned and said, "I toooold you not to worry."

He went through my transcript and skipped me out of all the introductory courses. That gave me time and opportunity to take the advanced courses and do independent study, including Hebrew classwork (not required and therefore not worthy of academic credit).

I graduated officially in 1972, receiving my diploma and stole in New Haven, Connecticut, where Martin was born in 1973. His mother and I both worked at the Yale Medical Center, where he and George W. Bush were born - but not the same year, of course.

 Yale School of Medicine is where Chris and I worked.
Martin and George W. Bush were born nearby.
In the Byzantine Empire, the fortunate were born to the purple.
In New Haven, they are born to the blue.

Publishing News - In Order of Appearance

I am working on The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine: Luther's Biblical Theology of the Word.

During the morning Sassy-walk I remembered something else for the list of characteristics of the Word - teaching faith in Jesus.

That booklet will be finished first, because there is work to be done in the Creation Garden, especially in taking and editing photos for the book. So Creation Gardening will follow The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine.

Several Lulu books are being republished:

1. Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure.
2. Jesus, Priceless Treasure.
3. Angel Joy.

Books and software are never completed on schedule, but some scheduling is good. "Goals are easy to establish. They are even easier to ignore."

Most of the Lulu books will be added to Amazon/Kindle.

I was especially pleased that Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant came in at the author's price of $6. Martin Chemnitz Press does not need to prop up salaries of $300,000 and $200,000 for the staff, so low prices for printed books make group study affordable for congregations. One Lutheran congregation has already planned to use CLP in their future adult classes.

The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine - Second Installment

Two Authorities – The Word of God or Man

For all Christians, there are two authorities, either the Word of God or man. Only one can be the ultimate authority and judge of the other. The historic position of the Christian Church has been that the Scriptures are the first and the final authority concerning doctrine and practice. No claim or effort by man can replace this authority. But, in spite of pious and grand words about the Bible, people clearly cling to man’s authority, place it first, and interpret the Word of God through human traditions, loyalty to institutions, and sentimental feelings.

Many a pastor will defend false teaching by saying, “Professor Keinaugen was my favorite teacher, and he said…” to silence all objections.

Laity with misplaced loyalty will claim, “The synod says…” as if this politically driven, vote mongering human institution were a new and better form of the papacy.

Or someone will say with a glare than warns others about any contradiction, “My mother taught me…”

Entire denominations will recite their formal declarations while working against them, for this is clearly the Age of Apostasy, forewarned in the Scriptures. Even the Pope is viewed as a traitor and false teacher by his own clergy, as they do with Pope Francis, the Jesuit often imagined to be a Franciscan by virtue of his chosen name.[i]

In contrast, the Word of God must be the final and ultimate authority over all Christian teaching and practice. Otherwise, the Christian Church would break into thousands of factions, which is the case today, whether this happens in one big tent or many pup-tents, some as small as 17 mini-congregations. The solution is not another round of mergers where Biblical doctrine is tainted by material concerns, but an increased study of the Word and unity derived by acknowledging and practicing the unified and unifying Truth of the Scriptures.

This authority of the Word is asserted but seldom experienced, because the complete teaching of the Bible about the Word is lacking, distorted, sidelined, or forgotten altogether. These characteristics are:

1.    Authority

2.    Power

3.    Inerrancy

4.    Clarity or perspicuity

5.    Efficacy

6.    Word/Spirit

The authority of the Word is lost when claims are made and yet no one knows how to wield this terrible weapon, due to a lack of good education. The Word is a weapon against error, though seldom used that way, and a defense of sound doctrine. I asked the late Robert Preus and the late John (Slick) Brenner why pastors trained almost exclusively in their denomination were so much against Lutheran doctrine. Both of them said, “I supposed they were not trained correctly.”

That can be seen in case after case, where those raised up to offices of leadership, whether as teachers or denominational leaders, are in a state of rapture about Pentecostalism, Romanism, or Church Growth pseudo-business practices. Better Pentecostals can be found in the Assemblies of God. More astute Romanists can be found in the Church of Rome. Which successful business leader would be in awe of Church Growth, which has hollowed out and ruined all the Lutherans sects in America?

---

[i] This logic would presume that I am the master of the Gregorian chants, or even a composer of them.

Add your name to this very short list, buy and read Galatians.

***

GJ - I will be posting installments of this booklet as written. Feel free to add suggestions and corrections by email.

First Installment

Poor Little David Becker - Logic Escapes Him. Christian News Going Out with a Whimper

David Becker is offended that I use Marquart and Otten quotes on the back of the last two editions of
Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant.

He failed to mention that Otten orders CLP regularly - and has - ever since the book was published.

Becker reminds me of WELS calling me a "false teacher" and selling two of my books. Below is their current catalog online.

Books  :  Religious Resources  :  Other Religions  :  Catholic Lutheran Protestant

   ShareThis

Catholic Lutheran Protestant

A Doctrinal Comparison of Three Christian

Author: Gregory Jackson

"The purpose of this book has been to provide a way for people to understand, study and discuss three distinctive Christian confessions." The book is divided into three sections: Part One, Areas of Agreement; Part Two, Areas of Partial Agreement; and Part Three, Complete Disagreement. Papercover. 299 pages.

Catalog Item Number: OL-154450

Price: $ 22.00

Quantity: 

Otten was offended by the graphic, with him posing as the Pope. I was offended that he promoted a vicious, lying book against Martin Luther for one of his Reformation issues.

Otten, who always demands answers when he emails LCMS officials, would not answer why he was selling that garbage. I emailed him several times. No answer. Finally, he responded to someone else, "I sell to both sides of the issue."

Likewise, he promoted and sold Marquart's essay against Church Growth - and published many of mine, which were free. But Otten gave David Valleskey a rave review for We Believe - Therefore We Speak, and sold it as a doctrinal book. The Valleskey book is a tangle of Universal Objective Justification and Church Growth methods.

Jackson to Otten - "Did you read the last half of the Valleskey book?"

Otten, "No."

Walther's qualifications as the Great Prophet of All Christendom are this:

• He graduated from a rationalistic university with a bachelor's degree.
• He participated in Pietistic groups and followed two Pietistic gurus.
• He became the enforcer for Bishop Martin Stephan, STD, his second Pietistic leader.
• He looked the other way when Stephan pursued young girls and made them his sex slaves, preferring his main one at the spa to his wife, who walked there to help him with his disease.
• He led the group that stole Stephan's gold, land, and books, and kidnapped the bishop at gunpoint, because the leader's syphilis became known among his female groupies.

Otten continues to repeat the Missouri Synod myths that have deceived so many, clinging to the dogmas of Walther rather than the Biblical teaching of Martin Luther.

Luther Days Anonymous Tip

Natalie Pratt on her Facebook page, now erased.
There is a lot of erasing in her life, like her blogs.

Anonymous:

I wonder what would happen to Luther Days/Natalie if her involvement with WELS Documented and Shattered Pulpit blogs came to light.....

 What would Paul Kuske say?

---

***

GJ - Natalie erased her Shattered Pulpit and WELS Documented blogs. They had very high ratings because she bought services that phonied up the stats.

Some parts of those blogs are still copied in this one. Various people wonder how much can be believed from Natalie Pratt, including her "near death experiences" with cancer.

Funny how she met with SP Mark Schroeder and suddenly had  the Biggest Lutheran Festival in North America, an official link from WELS.net - still there - and funding from the synod.

Schroeder's leadership has resulted in a surplus of weirdness, including the Ministry of the Odd Couple, who will be there at Luther Days to sell their books and listen to your secrets. Don't worry, Scott only talks about them on Facebook.

Beginning - The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine: Luther's Biblical Doctrine of the Word

 

 One more theory -
https://oroblanco.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/could-the-lost-dutchman-black-maverick-and-doc-thorn-mines-be-one-in-the-same/

The Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine:

Luther’s Biblical Doctrine of the Word

Gregory L. Jackson, PhD

Martin Chemnitz Press

Text copyright, Gregory L. Jackson, 2016

Art copyright, Norma A. Boeckler, 2016

Introduction

When I taught in Southeast Phoenix, I often drove toward the Superstition Mountains, which seemed especially beautiful and mysterious as the sun was setting behind me. Local papers and national TV remind everyone of the fabled Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine, located in the Superstitions, near Apache Junction, so rich in gold that some dreamers have spent decades looking for it.

The Dutchman, a nickname often used for Germans, is Dr. Jacob Waltz. He had a map and directions to a goldmine with the richest ore he had ever seen. In one published story, a sample of the ore proved that it was indeed the purest gold ever found.

This legend, based on fact and enlarged by many fanciful tales and deadly searches, reminds me of another German goldmine, almost entirely lost, almost a myth today.

When Lutherans celebrate the 500^th Anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, they will be selling beer bottle openers that play “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” and other trinkets, supposedly in honor of Martin Luther. The gadgets demean a man so lost to history that Robert Wilken -  once a Lutheran doctoral advisor at Notre Dame – declared, “There is a new Luther for every generation.” Wilken is now a Roman Catholic layman and is a Distinguished Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

.

My research in the Scriptures and comparative dogmatics have uncovered the most basic concept of Biblical teaching, which Luther highlighted and the Reformed rejected. Although the papal theologians used the Scriptures to debate the Lutherans at first, they soon turned to denouncing the Word of God as unclear, incomplete, and in need of the ultimate judge and exegete – the Pope.

Decades ago, Lutherans taught this Biblical doctrine of the Word and normally used those expressions in discussing the Christian Faith, worship, doctrine, and practice. But the map to Luther’s goldmine has apparently been lost, so leaders veer into Pentecostal, Evangelical, business, occult, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic gulches, washes, and flash floods.

Cardboard Bonanza - Roses Make Everyone Happy

We were allowed to dumpster dive for cardboard at a fast food place. I lowered Chris in carefully. Just kidding.

Our helper jumped in, literally, and we loaded the Icha-boat with thick cardboard. He was worried about filling up the car. I said, "You can walk home. The cardboard is more important."

He reacted strongly and then laughed.

We have so much that we could finish all of our front yard areas and continue in the Wild Garden. We are also using our supply of rain-soaked newspapers to fill in the gaps.

Veterans Honor

Once free mulch becomes an agenda item in the garden, more and more will appear within reach.

Organic mulch is anything that has lived - within reason. Our favorites are wood products - shredded wood mulch, newspapers, packing paper, and cardboard. We also use pine needles to add some acid to the Blueberries - and that can help roses too. Leaves are abundant in our yards and all the others, so we save all of ours on top of the gardens and grab bags from others - light, pleasant to smell, - and ideal for beneficial insects, earthworms, and improving the soil.

Purple Splash

Our helper's yard:

1. He has two roses from our collection. Purple Splash. They are pruned and mulched.
2. He transplanted a pesky maple from our yard, mulched it, and now it is 10 feet tall.
3. His neighbor gave him mint, and that is growing in abundance, as I warned.

Our almost next-door neighbor has Veterans Honor from our garden, and a good friend has a group of VH in memory of her late husband.

Roses inspire happiness. After our big rain, with a wait of a few days, the roses are in another bloom cycle, aided and abetted by extra rainwater from our barrels. I don't mind hauling water like a peasant when roses bloom as a result.

 California Dreamin

Patience, Water, and Mulch. Trumpet Vine Blooms

Many plants take longer to become established than we imagine. The famous one is Asparagus, because the roots build up energy for delicious spears several years before they are harvested. Between the delay - common to all perennials - and the Purgatorial labors assigned to simply planting a crown of roots, most people are scared to death of heart attacks while digging and qualifying for Social Security before getting a few spears.

Birds plant them in the wild by perching on fences. Readers may guess the rest of the planting operation.

"I'm just here for a drink, really."

The old asparagus planting guides had the poor gardeners digging and moving soil like they were creating another Panama Canal. I opened up holes in the earthwormed and mulched soil, dropped them in, and left them alone.

Year 1 - Plant asparagus crowns, let them fern out.
Year 2 - Let them fern out.
Year 3 - Harvest when spears come up that are as thick as a man's thumb.



Roses, Clethra, Beautyberry, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Gooseberry, and many more became established last year and now are thriving - and when stoloniferous - spreading like rumors. Like grass, many plants spread through underground stolons, making gardeners say "My Blackberries are spreading like wild and cornering the house!" and soon - "Do you need any Blackberry starts? Bueller, Bueller, anyone? anyone?"

Norma Boeckler's Hummingbird.

Trumpet Vine is another slow mover. Three sticks arrived in the mail last year. I soaked them in rainwater for 24 hours, and they showed signs of life. They were planted thus -

• The first on the sunny side of the Maple Tree, where roses were watered.
• The second on the shady side of a backyard tree, mostly neglected.
• The third next to Mrs. Wright's fence, where it would get more sun, plus water from the Jackson Aerial Aqueduct - soaker hose on top of the fence.

Little growth was showing in the first year, and I wondered if the most neglected vine would survive.

The fence vine did a little better, and the Maple Rose Garden vine definitely spread and climbed the tree a bit.

The second year of growth is almost done. The first two are doing well and do even better as they become more stoloniferous and established next year.

The fence Trumpet Vine is already the mother of all vines, above the fence, spreading along the chain link network, and - what's that? - blooming. I leaned over the fence and saw my first Trumpet Vine flower, thanklessly blooming on the other side, facing away from its guardian and protector  - me. Nevertheless, I was delighted.

Why bother with Trumpet Vine? They are the ideal Hummingbird flower. Instead of repeated purchases of Hummingbird food, I grow it for the future. They also like Bee Balm, a mint that can grow in clumps or spread like...mint.

Most feeders for Hummingbirds are shaped and colored to look like Trumpet Vine flowers.

That Long Delay Before Flowering and Fruiting

Most will say, "The long term plants take so long because the roots have to become established," a vague sort of statement that makes anyone nod seriously.

That solemn declaration neglects the complex facts of establishment, all established by the Creating Word and engineered to perfection:

• The soil needs to be left alone to allow the creatures to do their work.
• Roots grow and root hairs add to the miles  of plant exposure to the soil. Yes, yes, we all know that.
• The fungi establish the feeding system between the vine roots and sources of food and moisture. The vine offers carbon in exchange for needed nutrition.
• Bacteria and other microbes form a food foundation for the higher level animals, like earthworms.
• Earthworms tunnel and improve the soil, opening up channels for water to penetrate the soil in greater depth.
• Pests attract pest eaters - beneficial creatures - so that level of food/feeder is begun.
• The early growth of the vine - or any plant - creates a better soil environment for all other living things.

 Someone created this excellent summary of Calvinism and Roman Catholicism.
Calvinists deny the Sacraments are efficacious.
Roman Catholics neglect the Scriptures.

The Gospel takes time to be established too. Many have the start of faith but do not feed this beginning with more study of the Word and Means of Grace worship. Mega-churches are collapsing because they began on the shifting sand of entertainment fads and saw that wash away and undermine their lucrative business.

My neighbor wanted more tomatoes so she used chemical fertilizer. She said, "I have lots of  vines but no tomatoes." I said, "With nitrogen you get all green and no fruit."

The rah-rah rock churches were all about the green, the loot, and bore no fruit to perfection.

Another Book - Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure - To Be Re-Published Soon

I wrote a series of articles about how the mainline churches became apostate. After all, Yale University once taught the reality of Adam and Eve, the apostolic authority of the Gospel of John.

I aimed the essays at Christian News, but Pastor Otten suggested they be sent to Northwestern Publishing House (WELS). NPH accepted the manuscript for publication, but asked this - "You have the cause, but what is the cure?"

Shortly after that, I gave a paper on the Means of Grace and the differences with the Church Growth Movement. Wally Oelhafen, Fred Adrian (WELS District Mission Board) and Roger Kovaciny went nuts with rage. All three were WELS pastors at the time. Kovaciny went ELS to work in the Ukraine with Jar Jar Webber. Adrian left the ministry for a time and was welcomed back by DP John Seifert, another alleged conservative.

While Kovo was throwing my paper in the air and cursing, and the DMB roaring, I thought, "This is the cure chapter." And thus the book was finished, more or less. NPH took forever to finish the publishing, for reasons never disclosed to me. The moment the book came out, it sold like crazy, and WELS did everything possible to get rid of me.

The Church Growth faction in WELS, even more dominant now, kicked out the editor who backed my work. The bosses pushed their SHUN! buttons and lots of pastors stopped speaking to me, unless they wanted to vent their ignorance.

NPH accepted then refused to publish Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant. They made up for that lapse by promoting CLP in direct mailings and selling boxes of it that they bought via Christian News.

One of my friends in insurance said that Liberalism taught him about mainline Christianity and that I showed him what the Christian Faith meant.

The book is even more relevant today, because it tracks the origins and end game of apostasy - falling away from the Faith. That is the point of this blog, to show people what is happening and provide the cure - the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace.

I want people to read the apostate books, whether I have vetted them or not, because faithful Christian believers need to practice doctrinal discernment - rather than have selected works spoon-fed to them - the rest banned "to prevent harm."

Since this is a smaller book, the author's price should be even lower than Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, so this book would also make a good adult class textbook.

Liberalism is in the finishing stages for Amazon and Kindle e-books. The  budget is:

$100 - proofing.
$100 - finishing editor.
$100 - free promotional copies.
$300 - TOTAL.

 Norma Boeckler designed the new covers
and provided illustrations for the interior.

Consider Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant - To Celebrate the Reformation. Ideal for Adult and Confirmation Classes, And for Lutheran-Roman Catholic Marriages

Available from Amazon here, and also as a Kindle e-book here.
To get the printed copy at the author's cost, email me
at greg.jackson.edlp@gmail.com

When I was leaving the LCA, I attended
lectures by Kurt Marquart and Robert Preus.
My wife and son were also on the campus at that time.

I began rewriting Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant some time ago, mostly to improve the style and remove typos. The format and content are the same, except Norma Boeckler has added more of her artwork to the book. She designed the beautiful cover.

This is the third edition. One advantage of using Amazon is the lowered cost of the books, compared to Lulu (where people had to wait for discounts). The author's cost is only $6, which I charge when people want multiple copies sent to them to use as gifts or for church study. Since I am under the pan-Lutheran ban for being a Lutheran, I do not expect great sales, which depend on publishing house distribution and promotion. Instead, it is part of our congregation's evangelism and doctrinal study efforts.

The low author's cost makes it easy to send books to various libraries and individuals. The initials after my name stand for Every Day Low Prices, which I borrowed from Walmart.

The retail cost is much higher because Amazon keeps a chunk of it - only $5 is included for profit.

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant has been used all over Lutherdom - for study, for adult classes, and for confirmation. Christian News (LCMS) and Northwestern Publishing House (WELS) have both promoted the book. Professor John Brug suggested it to his students.

Another reason for re-publishing the book is the Kindle edition. If people want to search a book and quote it with the citation, e-books are great. I use them all the time for gardening. Kindle books are portable for all devices.

I wrote the book to explain differences and agreements among Catholics, Lutherans, and Protestants. I used the vast resources of a Vatican owned seminary in Columbus, Ohio to verify Roman Catholic doctrine. My database of quotations was useful in documenting what denominations taught - in their words.

Our family has always sought out opportunities to learn from others, so this book is a bridge between the old days of Seminex and Vatican II in the old days and our current doctrinal situation.

Some figures I have known, met, heard speak, or studied under include:
Dr. Jack Preus +
Dr. Robert Preus +
Pastor Klemet Preus +
Dr. David Scaer +
Dr. Ralph Bohmann +
Pastor Herman Otten
Professor Kurt Marquart +
Professor David Scaer
LCA President Robert Marshall +
LCA President James Crumley +
ELCA President Herb Chilstrom
Cardinal Mindszenty +
Paul Y. Cho - now David Cho
Billy Graham
D. James Kennedy +
Rick Warren
Roland Bainton +
Paul L. Holmer +
Stanley Hauerwas
Nils Dahl +
Frank Fiorenza
Elisabeth Schussler-Fiorenza
John Howard Yoder +
Otto Heick +
Professor Friedrich

The + marks those who have passed into the next life, most of those on the list.

 Norma Boeckler was kind enough to provide more of her artwork
and new covers for the book.

Concordia Publishing House Markets the Reformation to Alcoholics

Reformation 500 Musical Bottle Opener

Be the first to review this product.

---

This musical bottle opener is sure to delight as it plays a rousing organ clip of A Mighty Fortress.

The countdown is on to the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on October 31, 2017! Our collection of gifts will help you proudly pronounce the Lutheran confession of faith in your own, unique way!

View all Reformation 500 items here. 

Dear WELS Answer Person,

The LCMS has a cool beer bottle opener that plays "A Mighty Fortress," which will really impress my friends at our barroom Bible study.

My problem is - Can a WELS member buy something from an LCMS business? I know we work together all the time with those really great lady pastors of ELCA, but this seems to cross the boundaries of church fellowship. I couldn't sleep after ordering 5 of these, thinking about what my DP might say or do.

Sincerely,

WELS of Pure Doctrine

WELS-Answerbot:

If only all our members were as keen about doctrinal fine points as you are. 

I escalated this to an actual person, and she said, "Although we are now open friends with the LCMS, we cannot cross the line of celebrating the Reformation with them. Some have denied Objective Justification. It's best you spend your money at Luther Days, which was organized by people with addiction problems for those with addiction problems. Frankly, we need a few more to become the "Largest Distinctly Lutheran Conference in North America."

Bishop Katie - Have a Successful Day!

"Let ush pray."