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ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Thursday, November 30, 2023
I Was Saying about Efficacy in the Bible -
When Will Lutherans Use the Biblical Term?
Reformation Seminary - Efficacy of the Word Basics
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson PhD
Efficacy of the Word Basics - Vimeo Link
Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz would certainly answer the question from Nils A. Dahl: "What do know for certain about Jesus?" Dahl's doctoral students at Yale had many responses, so he answered -
"The text! The text! The one thing we know for certain is the text!"
The Reformation taught the Scriptures as the only source of doctrine. Luther was especially keen on teaching Jesus Christ the Son of God throughout the Bible.
Efficacy is a word-group in the Greek New Testament - and also a medical term today. "I wonder about the efficacy of vinegar," the doctor said.
But efficacy is also found throughout the Bible because the Holy Spirit is always at work in the Word of God. The Scriptures have an impact on us, whether enlightening us - or hardening us when we oppose the Bible.
Some Passages
KJV Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. [The Father commands, the Son executes the command, the Spirit communicates it to us.]
KJV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
KJV Genesis 15:4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. [The Word of the Lord is the Son who teaches Abraham Justification by Faith.]
Other examples -
Holy Baptism and Holy Communion
The Feeding of the Multitudes
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Advent 1 - "What you think of Him you will have; what you expect of Him you will find; and as you believe so shall it be to you. He will still remain what He is, the King of life, of grace, and of salvation, whether He is believed on or not."
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Complete sermon -> Luther's Sermons - Matthew 21:1-9.
First Sunday in Advent. Christ Enters Jerusalem: or Faith; Good Works; and the Spiritual Meaning of This Gospel
18. See, such great things are contained in these seemingly unimportant words: “Behold, thy king.” Such boundless gifts are brought by this poor and despised king. All this reason does not understand, nor nature comprehend, but faith alone does. Therefore he is called thy king; thine, who art vexed and harassed by sin, Satan, death and hell, the flesh and the world, so that thou mayest be governed and directed in the grace, in the spirit, in life, in heaven, in God.
With this word, therefore, he demands faith in order that you may be certain that he is such a king to you, has such a kingdom, and has come and is proclaimed for this purpose. If you do not believe this of him, you will never acquire such faith by any work of yours. What you think of him you will have; what you expect of him you will find; and as you believe so shall it be to you. He will still remain what he is, the King of life, of grace, and of salvation, whether he is believed on or not.
19. Fifthly: He “cometh.” Without doubt you do not come to him and bring him to you; he is too high and too far from you. With all your effort, work and labor you cannot come to him, lest you boast as though you had received him by your own merit and worthiness. No, dear friend, all merit and worthiness is out of the question, and there is nothing but demerit and unworthiness on your side, nothing but grace and mercy on his. The poor and the rich here come together, as Proverbs 22:2 says.
20. By this are condemned all those infamous doctrines of free will, which come from the pope, universities and monasteries. For all their teaching consists in that we are to begin and lay the first stone. We should by the power of free will first seek God, come to him, run after him and acquire his grace. Beware, beware of this poison! It is nothing but the doctrine of devils, by which all the world is betrayed. Before you can cry to God and seek him God must come to you and must have found you, as Paul says, Romans 10:14-15: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent?” God must lay the first stone and begin with you, if you are to seek him and pray to him. He is present when you begin to seek.
If he were not you could not accomplish anything but mere sin, and the greater the sin, the greater and holier the work you will attempt, and you will become a hardened hypocrite.
21. You ask, how shall we begin to be godly and what shall we do that God may begin his work in us? Answer: Do you not understand, it is not for you to work or to begin to be godly, as little as it is to further and complete it. Everything that you begin is in and remains sin, though it shines ever so brightly; you cannot do anything but sin, do what you will.
Hence, the teaching of all the schools and monasteries is misleading, when they teach man to begin to pray and do good works, to found something, to give, to sing, to become spiritual and thereby to seek God’s grace.
22. You say, however: Then I must sin from necessity, if by my free will I work and live without God? and I could not avoid sin, no matter what I would do? Answer: Truly, it is so, that you must remain in sin, do what you will, and that everything is sin you do alone out of your own free will.
For if out of your own free will you might avoid sin and do that which pleases God, what need would you have of Christ? He would be a fool to shed his blood for your sin, if you yourself were so free and able to do aught that is not sin. From this you learn how the universities and monasteries with their teachings of free will and good works, do nothing else but darken the truth of God so that we know not what Christ is, what we are and what our condition is. They lead the whole world with them into the abyss of hell, and it is indeed time that we eradicate from the earth all chapters and monasteries.
23. Learn then from this Gospel what takes place when God begins to make us godly, and what the first step is in becoming godly. There is no other beginning than that your king comes to you and begins to work in you. It is done in this way: The Gospel must be the first, this must be preached and heard. In it you hear and learn how all your works count for nothing before God and that everything is sinful that you work and do.
Your king must first be in you and rule you. Behold, here is the beginning of your salvation; you relinquish your works and despair of yourself, because you hear and see that all you do is sin and amounts to nothing, as the Gospel tells you, and you receive your king in faith, cling to him, implore his grace and find consolation in his mercy alone.
But when you hear and accept this it is not your power, but God’s grace, that renders the Gospel fruitful in you, so that you believe that you and your works are nothing. For you see how few there are who accept it, so that Christ weeps over Jerusalem and, as now the Papists are doing, not only refuse it, but condemn such doctrine, for they will not have all their works to be sin, they desire to lay the first stone and rage and fume against the Gospel.
24. Again, it is not by virtue of your power or your merit that the Gospel is preached and your king comes. God must send him out of pure grace.
Hence, not greater wrath of God exists than where he does not send the Gospel; there is only sin, error and darkness, there man may do what he will. Again, there is no greater grace, than where he sends his Gospel, for there must be grace and mercy in its train, even if not all, perhaps only a few, receive it. Thus the pope’s government is the most terrible wrath of God, so that Peter calls them the children of execration, for they teach no Gospel, but mere human doctrine of their own works as we, alas, see in all the chapters, monasteries and schools.
25. This is what is meant by “Thy king cometh.” You do not seek him, but he seeks you. You do not find him, he finds you. For the preachers come from him, not from you; their sermons come from him, not from you; your faith comes from him, not from you; everything that faith works in you comes from him, not from you; and where he does not come, you remain outside; and where there is no Gospel there is no God, but only sin and damnation, free will may do, suffer, work and live as it may and can.
Therefore you should not ask, where to begin to be godly; there is no beginning, except where the king enters and is proclaimed.
26. Sixthly, he cometh “unto thee.” Thee, thee, what does this mean? Is it not enough that he is your king? If he is yours how can he say, he comes to you? All this is stated by the prophet to present Christ in an endearing way and invite to faith. It is not enough that Christ saves us from the rule and tyranny of sin, death and hell, and becomes our king, but he offers himself to us for our possession, that whatever he is and has may be ours, as St.
Paul writes, Romans 8:32: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?”
27. Hence the daughter of Zion has twofold gifts from Christ. The first is faith and the Holy Spirit in the heart, by which she becomes pure and free from sin. The other is Christ himself, that she may glory in the blessings given by Christ, as though everything Christ is and has were her own, and that she may rely upon Christ as upon her own heritage. Of this St. Paul speaks, Romans 8:34: “Christ maketh intercession for us.” If he maketh intercession for us he will receive us and we will receive him as our Lord.
And 1 Corinthians 1:30: “Christ was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” Of the twofold gifts Isaiah speaks in Isaiah 40:1-2: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.”
Behold, this means that he comes to you, for your welfare, as your own; in that he is your king, you receive grace from him into your heart, so that he delivers you from sin and death, and thus becomes your king and you his subject. In coming to you he becomes your own, so that you partake of his treasures, as a bride, by the jewelry the bridegroom puts on her, becomes partner of his possessions. Oh, this is a joyful, comforting form of speech!
Who would despair and be afraid of death and hell, if he believes in these words and wins Christ as his own?
28. Seventhly: “Meek.” This word is to be especially noticed, and it comforts the sin-burdened conscience. Sin naturally makes a timid conscience, which fears God and flees, as Adam did in Paradise, and cannot endure the coming of God, the knowing and feeling that God is an enemy of sin and severely punishes it. Hence it flees and is afraid, when God is only mentioned, and is concerned lest he go at it tooth and nail. In order that such delusion and timidity may not pursue us he gives us the comforting promise that this king comes meekly.
As if he would say: Do not flee and despair for he does not come now as he came to Adam, to Cain, at the flood, at Babel, to Sodom and Gomorrah, nor as he came to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai; he comes not in wrath, does not wish to reckon with you and demand his debt. All wrath is laid aside, nothing but tenderness and kindness remain. He will now deal with you so that your heart will have pleasure, love and confidence in him, that henceforth you will much more abide with him and find refuge in him than you feared him and fled from him before. Behold, he is nothing but meekness to you, he is a different man, he acts as if he were sorry ever to have made you afraid and caused you to flee from his punishment and wrath. He desires to reassure and comfort you and bring you to himself by love and kindness.
This means to speak consolingly to a sin-burdened conscience, this means to preach Christ rightly and to proclaim his Gospel. How is it possible that such a form of speech should not make a heart glad and drive away all fear of sin, death and hell, and establish a free, secure and good conscience that will henceforth gladly do all and more than is commanded.
29. The Evangelist, however, altered the words of the prophet slightly. The prophet says in Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” The Evangelist expresses the invitation to joy and exultation briefly in these words: “Tell the daughter of Zion.” Further on he leaves out the words: “just and having salvation.” Again the prophet says, “he is lowly,” the Evangelist, “he is meek.” The prophet says: “upon the colt, the foal of an ass,” he mentions the last word in the plural number; the Evangelist says: “upon the colt, the foal of an ass that is used for daily and burden-bearing labor.” How shall we harmonize these accounts?
30. First, we must keep in mind that the Evangelists do not quote the prophets word by word, it is enough for them to have the same meaning and to show the fulfillment, directing us to the Scriptures so that we ourselves may read, what they omit, and see for ourselves that nothing was written which is not richly fulfilled. It is natural, also, that he who has the substance and the fulfillment, does not care so much for the words. Thus we often find that the Evangelists quote the prophets somewhat changed, yet it is done without detriment to the understanding and intent of the original.
31. To invite the daughter of Zion and the daughter of Jerusalem to joy and gladness the prophet abundantly gives us to understand that the coming of this king is most comforting to every sin-burdened conscience, since he removes all fear and trembling, so that men do not flee from him and look upon him as a severe judge, who will press them with the law, as Moses did, so that they could not have a joyful confidence in God, as the knowledge and realization of sin naturally come from the law. But he would arouse them with this first word to expect from him all grace and goodness. For what other reason should he invite them to rejoice and command them even to shout and be exceeding glad! He tells this command of God to all who are in sorrow and fear of God. He also shows that it is God’s will and full intent, and demands that they entertain joyful confidence in him against the natural fear and alarm. And this is the natural voice of the Gospel which the prophet here begins to preach, as Christ speaks likewise in the Gospel and the apostles always admonish to rejoice in Christ, as we shall hear further on.
It is also full of meaning that he comes from the Mount of Olives. We shall notice that this grace on account of its greatness might be called a mountain of grace, a grace which is not only a drop or handful, but grace abundant and heaped up like a mountain.
With this word, therefore, he demands faith in order that you may be certain that he is such a king to you, has such a kingdom, and has come and is proclaimed for this purpose. If you do not believe this of him, you will never acquire such faith by any work of yours. What you think of him you will have; what you expect of him you will find; and as you believe so shall it be to you. He will still remain what he is, the King of life, of grace, and of salvation, whether he is believed on or not.
19. Fifthly: He “cometh.” Without doubt you do not come to him and bring him to you; he is too high and too far from you. With all your effort, work and labor you cannot come to him, lest you boast as though you had received him by your own merit and worthiness. No, dear friend, all merit and worthiness is out of the question, and there is nothing but demerit and unworthiness on your side, nothing but grace and mercy on his. The poor and the rich here come together, as Proverbs 22:2 says.
20. By this are condemned all those infamous doctrines of free will, which come from the pope, universities and monasteries. For all their teaching consists in that we are to begin and lay the first stone. We should by the power of free will first seek God, come to him, run after him and acquire his grace. Beware, beware of this poison! It is nothing but the doctrine of devils, by which all the world is betrayed. Before you can cry to God and seek him God must come to you and must have found you, as Paul says, Romans 10:14-15: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent?” God must lay the first stone and begin with you, if you are to seek him and pray to him. He is present when you begin to seek.
If he were not you could not accomplish anything but mere sin, and the greater the sin, the greater and holier the work you will attempt, and you will become a hardened hypocrite.
21. You ask, how shall we begin to be godly and what shall we do that God may begin his work in us? Answer: Do you not understand, it is not for you to work or to begin to be godly, as little as it is to further and complete it. Everything that you begin is in and remains sin, though it shines ever so brightly; you cannot do anything but sin, do what you will.
Hence, the teaching of all the schools and monasteries is misleading, when they teach man to begin to pray and do good works, to found something, to give, to sing, to become spiritual and thereby to seek God’s grace.
22. You say, however: Then I must sin from necessity, if by my free will I work and live without God? and I could not avoid sin, no matter what I would do? Answer: Truly, it is so, that you must remain in sin, do what you will, and that everything is sin you do alone out of your own free will.
For if out of your own free will you might avoid sin and do that which pleases God, what need would you have of Christ? He would be a fool to shed his blood for your sin, if you yourself were so free and able to do aught that is not sin. From this you learn how the universities and monasteries with their teachings of free will and good works, do nothing else but darken the truth of God so that we know not what Christ is, what we are and what our condition is. They lead the whole world with them into the abyss of hell, and it is indeed time that we eradicate from the earth all chapters and monasteries.
23. Learn then from this Gospel what takes place when God begins to make us godly, and what the first step is in becoming godly. There is no other beginning than that your king comes to you and begins to work in you. It is done in this way: The Gospel must be the first, this must be preached and heard. In it you hear and learn how all your works count for nothing before God and that everything is sinful that you work and do.
Your king must first be in you and rule you. Behold, here is the beginning of your salvation; you relinquish your works and despair of yourself, because you hear and see that all you do is sin and amounts to nothing, as the Gospel tells you, and you receive your king in faith, cling to him, implore his grace and find consolation in his mercy alone.
But when you hear and accept this it is not your power, but God’s grace, that renders the Gospel fruitful in you, so that you believe that you and your works are nothing. For you see how few there are who accept it, so that Christ weeps over Jerusalem and, as now the Papists are doing, not only refuse it, but condemn such doctrine, for they will not have all their works to be sin, they desire to lay the first stone and rage and fume against the Gospel.
24. Again, it is not by virtue of your power or your merit that the Gospel is preached and your king comes. God must send him out of pure grace.
Hence, not greater wrath of God exists than where he does not send the Gospel; there is only sin, error and darkness, there man may do what he will. Again, there is no greater grace, than where he sends his Gospel, for there must be grace and mercy in its train, even if not all, perhaps only a few, receive it. Thus the pope’s government is the most terrible wrath of God, so that Peter calls them the children of execration, for they teach no Gospel, but mere human doctrine of their own works as we, alas, see in all the chapters, monasteries and schools.
25. This is what is meant by “Thy king cometh.” You do not seek him, but he seeks you. You do not find him, he finds you. For the preachers come from him, not from you; their sermons come from him, not from you; your faith comes from him, not from you; everything that faith works in you comes from him, not from you; and where he does not come, you remain outside; and where there is no Gospel there is no God, but only sin and damnation, free will may do, suffer, work and live as it may and can.
Therefore you should not ask, where to begin to be godly; there is no beginning, except where the king enters and is proclaimed.
26. Sixthly, he cometh “unto thee.” Thee, thee, what does this mean? Is it not enough that he is your king? If he is yours how can he say, he comes to you? All this is stated by the prophet to present Christ in an endearing way and invite to faith. It is not enough that Christ saves us from the rule and tyranny of sin, death and hell, and becomes our king, but he offers himself to us for our possession, that whatever he is and has may be ours, as St.
Paul writes, Romans 8:32: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?”
27. Hence the daughter of Zion has twofold gifts from Christ. The first is faith and the Holy Spirit in the heart, by which she becomes pure and free from sin. The other is Christ himself, that she may glory in the blessings given by Christ, as though everything Christ is and has were her own, and that she may rely upon Christ as upon her own heritage. Of this St. Paul speaks, Romans 8:34: “Christ maketh intercession for us.” If he maketh intercession for us he will receive us and we will receive him as our Lord.
And 1 Corinthians 1:30: “Christ was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” Of the twofold gifts Isaiah speaks in Isaiah 40:1-2: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.”
Behold, this means that he comes to you, for your welfare, as your own; in that he is your king, you receive grace from him into your heart, so that he delivers you from sin and death, and thus becomes your king and you his subject. In coming to you he becomes your own, so that you partake of his treasures, as a bride, by the jewelry the bridegroom puts on her, becomes partner of his possessions. Oh, this is a joyful, comforting form of speech!
Who would despair and be afraid of death and hell, if he believes in these words and wins Christ as his own?
28. Seventhly: “Meek.” This word is to be especially noticed, and it comforts the sin-burdened conscience. Sin naturally makes a timid conscience, which fears God and flees, as Adam did in Paradise, and cannot endure the coming of God, the knowing and feeling that God is an enemy of sin and severely punishes it. Hence it flees and is afraid, when God is only mentioned, and is concerned lest he go at it tooth and nail. In order that such delusion and timidity may not pursue us he gives us the comforting promise that this king comes meekly.
As if he would say: Do not flee and despair for he does not come now as he came to Adam, to Cain, at the flood, at Babel, to Sodom and Gomorrah, nor as he came to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai; he comes not in wrath, does not wish to reckon with you and demand his debt. All wrath is laid aside, nothing but tenderness and kindness remain. He will now deal with you so that your heart will have pleasure, love and confidence in him, that henceforth you will much more abide with him and find refuge in him than you feared him and fled from him before. Behold, he is nothing but meekness to you, he is a different man, he acts as if he were sorry ever to have made you afraid and caused you to flee from his punishment and wrath. He desires to reassure and comfort you and bring you to himself by love and kindness.
This means to speak consolingly to a sin-burdened conscience, this means to preach Christ rightly and to proclaim his Gospel. How is it possible that such a form of speech should not make a heart glad and drive away all fear of sin, death and hell, and establish a free, secure and good conscience that will henceforth gladly do all and more than is commanded.
29. The Evangelist, however, altered the words of the prophet slightly. The prophet says in Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” The Evangelist expresses the invitation to joy and exultation briefly in these words: “Tell the daughter of Zion.” Further on he leaves out the words: “just and having salvation.” Again the prophet says, “he is lowly,” the Evangelist, “he is meek.” The prophet says: “upon the colt, the foal of an ass,” he mentions the last word in the plural number; the Evangelist says: “upon the colt, the foal of an ass that is used for daily and burden-bearing labor.” How shall we harmonize these accounts?
30. First, we must keep in mind that the Evangelists do not quote the prophets word by word, it is enough for them to have the same meaning and to show the fulfillment, directing us to the Scriptures so that we ourselves may read, what they omit, and see for ourselves that nothing was written which is not richly fulfilled. It is natural, also, that he who has the substance and the fulfillment, does not care so much for the words. Thus we often find that the Evangelists quote the prophets somewhat changed, yet it is done without detriment to the understanding and intent of the original.
31. To invite the daughter of Zion and the daughter of Jerusalem to joy and gladness the prophet abundantly gives us to understand that the coming of this king is most comforting to every sin-burdened conscience, since he removes all fear and trembling, so that men do not flee from him and look upon him as a severe judge, who will press them with the law, as Moses did, so that they could not have a joyful confidence in God, as the knowledge and realization of sin naturally come from the law. But he would arouse them with this first word to expect from him all grace and goodness. For what other reason should he invite them to rejoice and command them even to shout and be exceeding glad! He tells this command of God to all who are in sorrow and fear of God. He also shows that it is God’s will and full intent, and demands that they entertain joyful confidence in him against the natural fear and alarm. And this is the natural voice of the Gospel which the prophet here begins to preach, as Christ speaks likewise in the Gospel and the apostles always admonish to rejoice in Christ, as we shall hear further on.
It is also full of meaning that he comes from the Mount of Olives. We shall notice that this grace on account of its greatness might be called a mountain of grace, a grace which is not only a drop or handful, but grace abundant and heaped up like a mountain.
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Reformation Seminary Lectures Will Be the Priority
Yes, I will continue to post the Daily Luther Sermon Quote, which will appear in the same place, always Luther and usually daily. I need Luther's spiritual wisdom too more than the rest of you.
The Reformation Seminary Lectures will be on the front page of Ichabod but also on the blog designated only for the lectures. I am changing the name for the page (not the actual link) so it is more obvious. The original address is https://gregoryljackson.blogspot.com
With a little bit of coaxing the Lectures page will show up on Internet searches. The Lectures will show up on the Ultimate Blog List on the left column of Ichabod. The latest lecture will be on the top of the Lectures blog.
New Hymn Graphic by Norma Boeckler - Behold the Lamb of God
"Behold the Lamb of God!"
by Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894
1. Behold the Lamb of God!
0 Thou for sinners slain,
Let it not be in vain
That Thou hast died!
Thee for my Savior let me take,
My only refuge let me make
Thy pierced side.
2. Behold the Lamb of God!
Into the sacred flood
Of Thy most precious blood
My soul I cast.
Wash me and make me pure and clean,
Uphold me through life's changeful scene,
Till all be past.
3. Behold the Lamb of God!
All hail, incarnate Word!
Thou everlasting Lord,
Purge out our leaven;
Clothe us with godliness and good,
Feed us with Thy celestial food,
Manna from heaven.
4. Behold the Lamb of God!
Worthy is He alone
To sit upon the throne
Of God above,
One with the Ancient of all days,
One with the Paraclete in praise,
All Light, all Love!
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #165
Text: John 1:29
Author: Matthew Bridges, 1848, ab., alt.
Tc Tune: "Ecce Agnus"
1st Published in: _Neues GesangbuchTown: Dresden, 1, 1593, ad.
by Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894
Tune - "Ecce Agnus"
1. Behold the Lamb of God!
0 Thou for sinners slain,
Let it not be in vain
That Thou hast died!
Thee for my Savior let me take,
My only refuge let me make
Thy pierced side.
2. Behold the Lamb of God!
Into the sacred flood
Of Thy most precious blood
My soul I cast.
Wash me and make me pure and clean,
Uphold me through life's changeful scene,
Till all be past.
3. Behold the Lamb of God!
All hail, incarnate Word!
Thou everlasting Lord,
Purge out our leaven;
Clothe us with godliness and good,
Feed us with Thy celestial food,
Manna from heaven.
4. Behold the Lamb of God!
Worthy is He alone
To sit upon the throne
Of God above,
One with the Ancient of all days,
One with the Paraclete in praise,
All Light, all Love!
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #165
Text: John 1:29
Author: Matthew Bridges, 1848, ab., alt.
Tc Tune: "Ecce Agnus"
1st Published in: _Neues GesangbuchTown: Dresden, 1, 1593, ad.
Reformation Seminary - Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz - The Founders
This Vimeo Link is the introduction to Reformation Seminary.
Martin Luther lived 1483 to 1546. He wrote the equivalent of 100 encyclopedia volumes and translated the New Testament from Greek to German, the rest of the Bible with a team of scholars, establishing the German language through the translation.
Philip Melanchthon lived 1497 to 1560. He is known for leading the Augsburg Confession, the Apology (Defense of the Augsburg Confession), and many other works.
Both lived 63 years.
Martin Chemnitz studied under Luther and Melanchthon.
He lived from 1522 to 1586.
Chemnitz was the senior editor of the Book of Concord and wrote - among many other things - Examination of the Council of Trent.
The Reformation Does Not Include Zwingli, Calvin,
Anabaptists, and Rome
Zwingli rejected the efficacy of the Word and the Means of Grace, rejecting Luther's Biblical doctrine.
Calvin followed Zwingli in time and in rationalistic doctrine.
Roman Catholicism continued the errors of the Middle Ages, making the Bishop of Rome the Pope.
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| Zwingli - 1484 - 1531 |
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| Calvin, 1509 - 1564 |
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| Pope John 23 was the last pope to wear the tiara, which signifies the papal rule over the entire world. |
The Little Colleges Are Falling Like Ten-Pins
An academic colleague (name withheld) was applying for a teaching job in science. One Christian school was cited and in the process of being considered. The entire department was dropped before it even got started, and I said, "Great! Do not count on a small college. Look for state jobs." That happened for this person and led to tenure, which is almost meaningless for small schools.
The Boomer era peaked a long time ago, so no one should be shocked by the closing or selling of colleges with spiraling costs upward and enrollment figures downward. Gone is the fantasy that simply going to college and getting a high-priced, loan-encumbered degree will promise prosperity.
The Lutherans - ELCA included - are closing or merging programs with haste, smoke, and mirrors. ELCA seminaries are easy to find but have devious statistics. Lots of seminaries claim distant students, so someone taking a single course is listed. In the golden days, someone was either a full-time student or not. The facilities remain while the cost of maintenance soars. No thought is given anywhere about spending on tuition reduction rather than polishing the marble in their beloved mausoleum.
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| This is the graphic posted on the first page for United Lutheran Seminary, ELCA. |
Federal student loans are just too juicy for the schools to ignore - instant cash for the managers, lifelong debt for the eventual graduates and for the numerous dropouts.
The LCMS has been selling off its colleges wherever they can. HotChalk did not save one school, but the liabilities and lawsuits remain.
WELS and the Little Sect on the Prairie should have prepared for this, but no, they had the eternal gusher of Marvin Schwan money -
- Library at Wisconsin Lutheran College, $50k annual tuition, room, board, booze
- Bethany Lutheran College and Copper Top Chapel
- Martin Luther College for Women Ministers.
- Two seminaries shrinking like raisins.
In short, the failing ELS and WELS have three liberal arts colleges within a short driving distance, from Milwaukee to Mankato, a five-hour drive, not unlike the S.S. Minnow, and not including the CLC (sic) summer camp in Eau Claire.
In ancient days, higher education depended on the professors, not the buildings. A beautiful gym does not teach students - and sadly - there are bigger, better gyms all over.
The biggest weakness is leadership. The ones pulling the strings are not capable, scholarly, or frugal. They grab for the short-term so the next generation can accelerate the closings.
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Advent 1 - "He who believes in Christ must find riches in poverty, honor in dishonor, joy in sorrow, life in death, and hold fast to them in that faith which clings to the Word and expects such things."
Complete sermon -> Luther's Sermons - Matthew 21:1-9.
First Sunday in Advent. Christ Enters Jerusalem: or Faith; Good Works; and the Spiritual Meaning of This Gospel
12. This faith is condemned by apostate and rebellious Christians, the pope, bishops, priests, monks, and the universities. They call it arrogance to desire to be like the saints. Thereby they fulfill the prophecy of Peter in 2 Peter 2:2, where he says of these false teachers: “By reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of.” For this reason, when they hear faith praised, they think love and good works are prohibited. In their great blindness they do not know what faith, love and good works are. If you would be a Christian you must permit these words to be spoken to you and hold fast to them and believe without a doubt that you will experience what they say. You must not consider it arrogance that in this you are like the saints, but rather a necessary humility and despair not of God’s grace but of your own worthiness. Under penalty of the loss of salvation, does God ask for boldness toward his proffered grace. If you do not desire to become holy like the saints, where will you abide? That would be arrogance if you desired to be saved by your own merit and works, as the Papists teach. They call that arrogance which is faith, and that faith which is arrogance; poor, miserable, deluded people!
13. If you believe in Christ and in his advent, it is the highest praise and thanks to God to be holy. If you recognize, love, and magnify his grace and work in you, and cast aside and condemn self and the works of self, then you are a Christian. We say: “I believe in the holy Christian church, the communion of saints.” Do you desire to be a part of the holy Christian church and communion of saints, you must also be holy as she is, yet not of yourself but through Christ alone in whom all are holy.
14. Thirdly he says: “Behold.” With this word he rouses us at once from sleep and unbelief as though he had something great, strange, or remarkable to offer, something we have long wished for and now would receive with joy. Such waking up is necessary for the reason that everything that concerns faith us against reason and nature; for example, how can nature and reason comprehend that such an one should be king of Jerusalem who enters in such poverty and humility as to ride upon a borrowed ass? How does such an advent become a great king? But faith is of the nature that it does not judge nor reason by what it sees or feels but by what it hears. It depends upon the Word alone and not on vision or sight. For this reason Christ was received as a king only by the followers of the word of the prophet, by the believers in Christ, by those who judged and received his kingdom not by sight but by the spirit — these are the true daughters of Zion. For it is not possible for those not to be offended in Christ who walk by sight and feeling and do not adhere firmly to the Word.
15. Let us receive first and hold fast this picture in which the nature of faith is placed before us. For as the appearance and object of faith as here presented is contrary to nature and reason, so the same ineffectual and unreasonable appearance is to be found in all articles and instances of faith.
It would be no faith if it appeared and acted as faith acts and as the words indicate. It is faith because it does not appear and deport itself as faith and as the words declare.
If Christ had entered in splendor like a king of earth, the appearance and the words would have been according to nature and reason and would have seemed to the eye according to the words, but then there would have been no room for faith. He who believes in Christ must find riches in poverty, honor in dishonor, joy in sorrow, life in death, and hold fast to them in that faith which clings to the Word and expects such things.
16. Fourthly: “Thy king.” Here he distinguishes this king from all other kings. It is thy king, he says, who was promised to you, whose own you are, who alone shall direct you, yet in the spirit and not in the body. It is he for whom you have yearned from the beginning, whom the fathers have desired to see, who will deliver you from all that has hitherto burdened, troubled, and held you captive.
Oh, this is a comforting word to a believing heart, for without Christ, man is subjected to many raging tyrants who are not kings but murderers, at whose hands he suffers great misery and fear. These are the devil, the flesh, the world, sin, also the law and eternal death, by all of which the troubled conscience is burdened, is under bondage, and lives in anguish. For where there is sin there is no clear conscience; where there is no clear conscience, there is a life of uncertainty and an unquenchable fear of death and hell in the presence of which no real joy can exist in the heart, as Leviticus 26:36 says: “The sound of a driven leaf shall chase them.”
17. Where the heart receives the king with a firm faith, it is secure and does not fear sin, death, hell, nor any other evil; for he well knows and in no wise doubts that this king is the Lord of life and death, of sin and grace, of hell and heaven, and that all things are in his hand. For this reason he became our king and came down to us that he might deliver us from these tyrants and rule over us himself alone. Therefore he who is under this king cannot be harmed either by sin, death, hell, Satan, man or any other creature. As his king lives without sin and is blessed, so must he be kept forever without sin and death in living blessedness.
13. If you believe in Christ and in his advent, it is the highest praise and thanks to God to be holy. If you recognize, love, and magnify his grace and work in you, and cast aside and condemn self and the works of self, then you are a Christian. We say: “I believe in the holy Christian church, the communion of saints.” Do you desire to be a part of the holy Christian church and communion of saints, you must also be holy as she is, yet not of yourself but through Christ alone in whom all are holy.
14. Thirdly he says: “Behold.” With this word he rouses us at once from sleep and unbelief as though he had something great, strange, or remarkable to offer, something we have long wished for and now would receive with joy. Such waking up is necessary for the reason that everything that concerns faith us against reason and nature; for example, how can nature and reason comprehend that such an one should be king of Jerusalem who enters in such poverty and humility as to ride upon a borrowed ass? How does such an advent become a great king? But faith is of the nature that it does not judge nor reason by what it sees or feels but by what it hears. It depends upon the Word alone and not on vision or sight. For this reason Christ was received as a king only by the followers of the word of the prophet, by the believers in Christ, by those who judged and received his kingdom not by sight but by the spirit — these are the true daughters of Zion. For it is not possible for those not to be offended in Christ who walk by sight and feeling and do not adhere firmly to the Word.
15. Let us receive first and hold fast this picture in which the nature of faith is placed before us. For as the appearance and object of faith as here presented is contrary to nature and reason, so the same ineffectual and unreasonable appearance is to be found in all articles and instances of faith.
It would be no faith if it appeared and acted as faith acts and as the words indicate. It is faith because it does not appear and deport itself as faith and as the words declare.
If Christ had entered in splendor like a king of earth, the appearance and the words would have been according to nature and reason and would have seemed to the eye according to the words, but then there would have been no room for faith. He who believes in Christ must find riches in poverty, honor in dishonor, joy in sorrow, life in death, and hold fast to them in that faith which clings to the Word and expects such things.
16. Fourthly: “Thy king.” Here he distinguishes this king from all other kings. It is thy king, he says, who was promised to you, whose own you are, who alone shall direct you, yet in the spirit and not in the body. It is he for whom you have yearned from the beginning, whom the fathers have desired to see, who will deliver you from all that has hitherto burdened, troubled, and held you captive.
Oh, this is a comforting word to a believing heart, for without Christ, man is subjected to many raging tyrants who are not kings but murderers, at whose hands he suffers great misery and fear. These are the devil, the flesh, the world, sin, also the law and eternal death, by all of which the troubled conscience is burdened, is under bondage, and lives in anguish. For where there is sin there is no clear conscience; where there is no clear conscience, there is a life of uncertainty and an unquenchable fear of death and hell in the presence of which no real joy can exist in the heart, as Leviticus 26:36 says: “The sound of a driven leaf shall chase them.”
17. Where the heart receives the king with a firm faith, it is secure and does not fear sin, death, hell, nor any other evil; for he well knows and in no wise doubts that this king is the Lord of life and death, of sin and grace, of hell and heaven, and that all things are in his hand. For this reason he became our king and came down to us that he might deliver us from these tyrants and rule over us himself alone. Therefore he who is under this king cannot be harmed either by sin, death, hell, Satan, man or any other creature. As his king lives without sin and is blessed, so must he be kept forever without sin and death in living blessedness.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Let Me Repeat Luther's Statement in This Graphic
I was reading Luther's commentary on Romans and used the quotation I published in the graphic above. Patsy Leppien was finishing What's Going On Among the Lutherans? She asked me for help in research, which made an ELS pastor furious. In fact, the most obnoxious responses about her work in revealing apostasy came from the so-called Lutheran pastors. Their attacks were vicious and frequent, not LCA/ALC but LCMS-WELS-ELS! We discussed that experience because I found Luther's statement above so encouraging.
I lobbied for What's Going Wrong Among the Lutherans? because it was more fitting, perhaps too much on the mark. Later, a pastor told me how destructive the book was, and he considered himself conservative. The book was not polemical but fair and accurate in proving the LCA/ALC doctrines were false and anti-Biblical.
Although the LCMS-ELS-WELS corporate managers have prided themselves on being "conservative," serving as the right hand of Luther himself, they have adopted and promoted:
- The worst ever Bible paraphrase - the NIV, made even worse with the new NIV.
- Negligence of the works of Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz.
- Pentecostal-Babtist entertainment "worship" services.
- A four-lane highway trampled bare to Fuller Seminary, Trinity Divinity, and other squirming, wiggling piles of festering maggots.
- Pop songs rather than hymns.
- Abandoning male leadership in rejecting 1 Timothy 2:12.
- Lying down with dawgs (ELCA) and getting up with fleas.
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Advent 1 - "This is one of the verses in which the Gospel is promised of which Paul writes in Romans 1:2; for the Gospel is a sermon from Christ, as he is here placed before us, calling for faith in him."
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| "Patient continuance is so altogether necessary that no work can be good in which patient continuance is lacking." KJV Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: |
Complete sermon -> Luther's Sermons - Matthew 21:1-9.
First Sunday in Advent. Christ Enters Jerusalem: or Faith; Good Works; and the Spiritual Meaning of This Gospel
7. First he says: “Tell ye” the daughter of Zion. This is said to the ministry and a new sermon is given them to preach, namely, nothing but what the words following indicate, a right knowledge of Christ. Whoever preaches anything else is a wolf and deceiver. This is one of the verses in which the Gospel is promised of which Paul writes in Romans 1:2; for the Gospel is a sermon from Christ, as he is here placed before us, calling for faith in him.
8. I have often said that there are two kinds of faith. First, a faith in which you indeed believe that Christ is such a man as he is described and proclaimed here and in all the Gospels, but do not believe that he is such a man for you, and are in doubt whether you have any part in him and think:
Yes, he is such a man to others, to Peter, Paul, and the blessed saints; but who knows that he is such to me and that I may expect the same from him and may confide in it, as these saints did?
9. Behold, this faith is nothing, it does not receive Christ nor enjoy him, neither can it feel any love and affection for him or from him. It is a faith about Christ and not in or of Christ, a faith which the devils also have as well as evil men. For who is it that does not believe that Christ is a gracious king to the saints? This vain and wicked faith is now taught by the pernicious synagogues of Satan. The universities (Paris and her sister schools), together with the monasteries and all Papists, say that this faith is sufficient to make Christians. In this way they virtually deny Christian faith, make heathen and Turks out of Christians, as St. Peter in 2 Peter 2:1 had foretold: “There shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them.”
10. In the second place he particularly mentions, “The daughter of Zion.” In these words he refers to the other, the true faith. For if he commands that the following words concerning Christ be proclaimed, there must be some one to hear, to receive, and to treasure them in firm faith. He does not say: Tell of the daughter of Zion, as if some one were to believe that she has Christ; but to her you are to say that she is to believe it of herself, and not in any wise doubt that it will be fulfilled as the words declare. That alone can be called Christian faith, which believes without wavering that Christ is the Savior not only to Peter and to the saints but also to you.
Your salvation does not depend on the fact that you believe Christ to be the Savior of the godly, but that he is a Savior to you and has become your own.
11. Such a faith will work in you love for Christ and joy in him, and good works will naturally follow. If they do not, faith is surely not present; for where faith is, there the Holy Ghost is and must work love and good works.
12. This faith is condemned by apostate and rebellious Christians, the pope, bishops, priests, monks, and the universities. They call it arrogance to desire to be like the saints. Thereby they fulfill the prophecy of Peter in 2 Peter 2:2, where he says of these false teachers: “By reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of.” For this reason, when they hear faith praised, they think love and good works are prohibited. In their great blindness they do not know what faith, love and good works are. If you would be a Christian you must permit these words to be spoken to you and hold fast to them and believe without a doubt that you will experience what they say. You must not consider it arrogance that in this you are like the saints, but rather a necessary humility and despair not of God’s grace but of your own worthiness. Under penalty of the loss of salvation, does God ask for boldness toward his proffered grace. If you do not desire to become holy like the saints, where will you abide? That would be arrogance if you desired to be saved by your own merit and works, as the Papists teach. They call that arrogance which is faith, and that faith which is arrogance; poor, miserable, deluded people!
8. I have often said that there are two kinds of faith. First, a faith in which you indeed believe that Christ is such a man as he is described and proclaimed here and in all the Gospels, but do not believe that he is such a man for you, and are in doubt whether you have any part in him and think:
Yes, he is such a man to others, to Peter, Paul, and the blessed saints; but who knows that he is such to me and that I may expect the same from him and may confide in it, as these saints did?
9. Behold, this faith is nothing, it does not receive Christ nor enjoy him, neither can it feel any love and affection for him or from him. It is a faith about Christ and not in or of Christ, a faith which the devils also have as well as evil men. For who is it that does not believe that Christ is a gracious king to the saints? This vain and wicked faith is now taught by the pernicious synagogues of Satan. The universities (Paris and her sister schools), together with the monasteries and all Papists, say that this faith is sufficient to make Christians. In this way they virtually deny Christian faith, make heathen and Turks out of Christians, as St. Peter in 2 Peter 2:1 had foretold: “There shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them.”
10. In the second place he particularly mentions, “The daughter of Zion.” In these words he refers to the other, the true faith. For if he commands that the following words concerning Christ be proclaimed, there must be some one to hear, to receive, and to treasure them in firm faith. He does not say: Tell of the daughter of Zion, as if some one were to believe that she has Christ; but to her you are to say that she is to believe it of herself, and not in any wise doubt that it will be fulfilled as the words declare. That alone can be called Christian faith, which believes without wavering that Christ is the Savior not only to Peter and to the saints but also to you.
Your salvation does not depend on the fact that you believe Christ to be the Savior of the godly, but that he is a Savior to you and has become your own.
11. Such a faith will work in you love for Christ and joy in him, and good works will naturally follow. If they do not, faith is surely not present; for where faith is, there the Holy Ghost is and must work love and good works.
12. This faith is condemned by apostate and rebellious Christians, the pope, bishops, priests, monks, and the universities. They call it arrogance to desire to be like the saints. Thereby they fulfill the prophecy of Peter in 2 Peter 2:2, where he says of these false teachers: “By reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of.” For this reason, when they hear faith praised, they think love and good works are prohibited. In their great blindness they do not know what faith, love and good works are. If you would be a Christian you must permit these words to be spoken to you and hold fast to them and believe without a doubt that you will experience what they say. You must not consider it arrogance that in this you are like the saints, but rather a necessary humility and despair not of God’s grace but of your own worthiness. Under penalty of the loss of salvation, does God ask for boldness toward his proffered grace. If you do not desire to become holy like the saints, where will you abide? That would be arrogance if you desired to be saved by your own merit and works, as the Papists teach. They call that arrogance which is faith, and that faith which is arrogance; poor, miserable, deluded people!
Monday, November 27, 2023
Bethany Lutheran College (ELS) Shrinking Its Education Coverage - Fast.
God Is Repaying the ELS-LCMS-WELS for Their Sins
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| Nobody writes about all the money from Marvin Schwan, so he could attach his name to the copper top chapel and other buildings for the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie. Also - Wisconsin Lutheran College, and other brick and mortar efforts were to absolve Marvin for the way he abandoned his wife - and the tragic result for her. Hush hush. Do not talk about it, so they lay their holy blame on someone else. I have written many times about the greedy management boards lusting for buildings with no regard for the decline in enrollments. WELS is no different from the ELS. The millionaire donor wants to marry the lady he was living with? No problem! A fake pastor the same? No problem! The LCMS is also no different. Marvin laid his anointing and anointed hands on the Schwan Timothy and Titus Chapel at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis - to the tune of $1 million. But lo! He also bought a campus for them, which the seminary bought from him! The Free Press MANKATO — The Glen A. Taylor Foundation has donated an undisclosed “substantial” amount to Bethany Lutheran College to help fund the ongoing construction of the Bethany Activity and Wellness Center, according to the college. The 84,000 square-foot multipurpose facility remains the biggest construction project in Bethany history and will provide recreational space for students and the Bethany Vikings athletic program. The center at the private college also will offer the Greater Mankato community an open-to-the-public quality fitness and recreational space, indoor and outdoor. Youth sports teams and community groups in the Mankato area will be available to rent the space for use as well, stated a news release. The $16.7 million center is expected to open early 2023. Bethany Student and Faculty Statements |
I am very disappointed in Bethany Lutheran College (ELS), Mankato, for removing their history and philosophy departments in favor of sports. I cannot imagine a more un-Luther-an thing to do, beyond removing theology and the Biblical languages. And if we think this will not affect Missouri, let’s remember this college was the alma mater of the Preus brothers (Jacob and Robert).
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It is with a very heavy heart that I announce the Bethany administration will eliminate my coaching position starting in the 2024-2025 school year. I did not agree with this decision.
There will no longer be a Speech and Debate Team coach. They hope the team will carry on as a student-run program. No details on how that will work were provided. I will be moving into the classroom full-time.
To my team, sorrow is too light a word for what I feel. I love you all.
To the Bethany Speech and Debate Team alumni, I thank you for making the last 22 years wonderful. Every year was a different collection of personalities that harmonized together to form a team bond I have always admired. There was never a dull moment. Well...maybe while waiting for awards to start. Thank you!
To my fellow coaches and colleagues, thank you for your support of the Bethany team and the tournaments we hosted. I have always argued that Speech and Debate is the most educational activity on a college campus. You have made that possible for thousands of students. Keep fighting the good fight. Feel free to add me to your judging pool!
Please remember the power of the spoken word! Please continue to shine this beacon of knowledge and understanding, even as that beacon goes out at Bethany.
I have been truly blessed to be a part of such an amazing activity for so long!
--Jon Loging
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Laura Henry
History, philosophy, social studies, Latin, interdisciplinary studies, theater major and minor, speech have all been cut and debate has been reduced to a student led extracurricular, the choir tours have been reduced in scope as well. That is what I have gathered through my conversations with other alumni.
We are all waiting for an official statement or explanation/justification from the board of regents. 🤷♀️
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15 hours ago
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Well said, please consider sending this to the regents and administrators of Bethany Lutheran College
Katie Skogen
19 hours ago
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The Bethany discussion that has exploded this week concerns more than the theatre, history, philosophy, etc. departments. It *is* about those, but it is also so much deeper.
Why do we palpably feel such great passion and lament in the words of those involved with the Bethany theatre, history, and speech programs over the cuts recently made? I suspect it is because these students were allowed to grapple with works by some of the greatest thinkers and writers of all time. When a person plumbs the depths of truth, beauty, and goodness found within such works, the impact is soul deep. The key that unlocked this impact, however, is that these students were not just handed a great work and then left alone to wonder, "What does this mean to me?" No, a professor, unashamedly anchored in Scripture, carefully and enthusiastically led students through every work. From the professors' decades-long impact, it is clear that their anchoring in Scripture was not just something they left at church after service on Sunday, something that had little to do with their 'real' life. Life in Christ was all of life, not something merely sprinkled in alongside the language of the world. Through that Christian lens, armed with Scripture and beautiful art, they taught students how to better love what is worth loving and to better hate what is worth hating. It is nearly impossible to shake off the formation such an education gives. Hence, such heartfelt grief and lamentation.
As far as I know, there is no formal communication on what was decided or why. I appreciate those working to make difficult decisions, however, the decisions made are not in line with the written mission of Bethany. It is not possible to be a liberal arts college without scholarship in history and philosophy. These types of decisions do not appear out of thin air, so they must be part of a trajectory away from the liberal arts that began long before last week. Is it too late to change this trajectory? It would take such a great amount of unified effort and ingenuity and bravery. Perhaps the few who have given themselves to such individual effort and ingenuity and bravery have been sidelined and this time with the wind completely knocked out of them, or, perhaps, this is unsurprising to them, and, seeing the earnest solidarity of so many this week, they once again feel some wind in their sails. I don’t know, and I don’t know how to find out. Thank you to those who have seen this trajectory since the beginning and have fought it respectfully and eloquently.
Are those of us who are joining the conversation so late reaching for something that is already gone? Or is there some possible way to do the intense dialectical conversing and dissecting and reworking that would be inevitable to knock the college off its current path? Could we ever find where the trajectory changed course and begin at that common ground? The 2006-2007 Bethany Lutheran Faculty Handbook stated, “We consider a liberal arts education *fundamental* in achieving the college’s basic mission, namely, to enable students to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by means of the Gospel [emphasis added].” [1] Wow, the liberal arts as fundamental to growing in the knowledge of Jesus! Without unified agreement that a serious focus on history, philosophy, rhetoric, and the arts are worth our utmost effort to preserve, this quote is true for Bethany no longer. What would it take to get that back?
At the dedication of the S.C. Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center in 1990, President George Orvick emphasized the connection of the liberal arts to Christian education by quoting Ylvisaker, “Side by side with the general, the specific, and the Christian training goes the cultural, the indefinable something which adds richness, beauty, mellowness, and refinement. The source and wellspring of all true refinement is Christian faith, and no one is truly refined who does not own this faith. Christian education is therefore not true to itself if it does not include in its training some way to provide a mode of expression for this culture and appreciation of it in others.” [2] No matter the future, we know that leaders of Bethany once believed these things, we know there are some who love our dear Bethany who believe them still, and we can rejoice that God would ever use our institution to assist in the proclamation of the Truth of Jesus Christ.
O Jesus, Thou who often wended
Thy way of yore to Bethany
And there Thy mission-work attended
For dead and living lovingly,
Come help us make our Bethany
A humble place, O Lord, for Thee! [3]
[1] Bethany Lutheran College Faculty, “The Liberal Arts: Our Common Understanding (2002),” in Telling the Next Generation: The Evangelical Lutheran Synod's Vision for Christian Education, 1918-2011 and Beyond, eds. Ryan C. MacPherson, Paul G. Madson, and Peter M. Madson (Mankato: Evangelical Lutheran Synod Historical Society, 2011), 313-314.
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Jake Yenish
3 days ago
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It saddens me to hear that Bethany Lutheran College has decided to cut the theatre major and minor. On a professional level I spent 17 years at Bethany as a student and eventually an adjunct faculty member. I discovered my calling and career as an educator and theatre practitioner. In my time with there I helped produce approximately 70 shows.
On a personal level I had the opportunity to learn from the best human being I know, Peter Bloedel. Pete taught us in the classroom about plays and performing. On stage he taught us about excellence. And in all things Pete taught us about what it means to be a Christian in the Arts.
I want desperately for Bethany to reconsider this decision. To realize that the arts go far beyond the cost of the faculty and production budget. To understand that the arts are a reflection of the greatness of a society and that part of being made in the image of God is to reflect his nature as a creator.
It is a short sighted decision to undo the work of generations of Bethany students who have participated in theatre and the generations of Bethany community that have benefitted from said same productions.
If this decision stands the world will be a lesser place for it. And Bethany will be a lesser light shining in the darkness.
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[2] George M. Orvick, “Sermon for Dedication of the S. C. Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center (1990),” in Telling the Next Generation: The Evangelical Lutheran Synod's Vision for Christian Education, 1918-2011 and Beyond, eds. Ryan C. MacPherson, Paul G. Madson, and Peter M. Madson (Mankato: Evangelical Lutheran Synod Historical Society, 2011), 421.
[3] Ingebrigt J. BlÃ¥kkan, “Bethany (1928),” in Telling the Next Generation: The Evangelical Lutheran Synod's Vision for Christian Education, 1918-2011 and Beyond, eds. Ryan C. MacPherson, Paul G. Madson, and Peter M. Madson (Mankato: Evangelical Lutheran Synod Historical Society, 2011), 163.
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I recently discovered that Bethany Lutheran College is dropping their History and Theater majors. After dropping professors and other important majors in 2018 while I still attended I am shocked that this would happen again. Art, theater, and history are vital to the lifeline of a college. They are what makes a liberal arts education what it is. Without it, the rich education of the students at Bethany will be severely degraded. Makes you question what steps Bethany will take in the future to better the college. This is honestly such disappointing news and I encourage people to speak up and reach out.
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| Marvin Schwan was the patron saint of the LCMS-WELS-ELS. |
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