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 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 National Council of Churches.
Board Chair Ann Boynton said CLU's regents were drawn to Nunes' pastoral reputation and "incredibly broad" experience — including tenures as president and CEO of the nonprofit Lutheran World Relief and president of Concordia College in New York until its closure in 2021.
The Bronxville, New York campus was one of four in the Lutheran Concordia College system to close in the space of eight years. Nunes told Inside Higher Ed at the time of the closure's announcement in January 2021 that the decision was preemptive, avoiding both a "precipitous close" or a "long, lingering threadbare existence."
ELCA seminaries once were plums. Now they are prunes turning into raisins. LSTC is now renting one floor of a Catholic building.
"In an era marked by a rapidly changing religious landscape, mainline seminaries are evolving to prepare future church leaders for new challenges and opportunities. In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Presidents of McCormick Theological Seminary, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), and the Catholic Theological Union are pioneering a transformative approach to theological education.
President James Nieman of LSTC, alongside his counterparts, has been featured on the show “Sanctuary,” where they discuss this innovative partnership and its implications for the future of theological education. This episode highlights the collaborative efforts of these three Chicago seminaries to adapt their curricula and programs to better serve their communities and fulfill God’s mission.
During the show, President Nieman emphasized the role of technological innovation in shaping the future of seminary education. He alluded to LSTC’s new initiative, Project Starling, as a key example of how the seminary is planning to leverage technology to enhance learning experiences and accessibility. Project Starling aims to integrate advanced technological tools and online learning platforms to support a more flexible and inclusive educational environment for theological students.
President Nieman’s insights on the evolving role of seminaries in today’s society provide a unique perspective on how these institutions are preparing the next generation of faith leaders. The conversation underscores the importance of unity and cooperation among diverse theological traditions to address common challenges and seize new opportunities (sic).To watch the full discussion, visit this link."
Who's sorry now? LSTC merged six seminaries - plus McCormick - but they were so broke they had to sell to the U. of Chicago and waddle over to the Catholic Theological Union, yet another merger of angel factories.
You have the right to keep silent about that mess. What you say - can and will - be held against you. You have the right to remain silent, so try to act innocent.
"When it comes to preserving and strengthening our constitutional rights in America, the stakes could not be higher in this presidential election. The Harris-Walz ticket, which brings together two of the most radical gun control extremists in public office, represents the biggest threat to law-abiding American gun owners in modern political history."
One of my college students argued that medical insurance was a "Constitutional Right!" I asked him where to find this gem. Members of his learning team said, "You idiot."
The best way to make a college room quiet is to ask the dates of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
An inalienable right means it cannot be taken away. The British always confiscated guns whenever the could. The colonists knew that they needed weapons for hunting and for self-defense.
KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
1. In this Gospel we see how God distinguishes Christians from heathen. For the Lord does not deliver these teachings to the heathen, for they could not receive them, but to his Christians. However, he does not consider those Christians, who only hear his Word, so as to learn it and be able to repeat it, as the nuns do the Psalter. In this way Satan also hears the Gospel and the Word of God, yea, he knows it far better than we do, and he could preach it as well as we, if he only wanted to; but the Gospel is a doctrine that should become a living power and be put into practice; it should strengthen and comfort the people, and make them courageous and aggressive.
2. Therefore they, who only thus hear the Gospel, so that they may know it and be able to speak about the wisdom of God, are not worthy to be classed among Christians; but they, who do as the Gospel teaches, are true Christians. However, very few of these are found; we see many hearers, but all are not doers of the Gospel. We wish now to examine more closely what kind of doctrine the Lord teaches in this Gospel. First, he begins with a plain, natural example, so that we all must confess it is true; experience also teaches the same to everybody. He says: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold to one, and despise the other.”
3. Now he, who tries to serve two masters, will do it in a way that cannot be called serving at all; for it will certainly be as the Lord here says. One can indeed compel a servant to do a certain work against his will and he may grieve while doing it; but no one can compel him to do it cheerfully, and mean it from the bottom of his heart. He of course does the work as long as his master is present, but when he is absent, he hurries away from his task, and does nothing well. Hence the Lord desires our service to be done out of love and cheerfully, and where it is not done thus, it is no service to him: for even people are not pleased when one does anything for them unwillingly. This is natural, and we experience daily that it is so.
Now, if it be the case among human beings that no one can serve two masters, how much more is it true in the service of God, that our service cannot be divided; but it must be done unto God alone, willingly and from the heart; therefore the Lord adds: “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
4. God cannot allow us to have another Lord besides himself. He is a jealous God, as he says, and cannot suffer us to serve him and his enemy. Only mine, he says, or not at all. Behold now how beautifully Christ here introduces the example: “No man,” he says, “can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” As if to say: as it is here in man’s relations to his fellows, so it is also before God.
The Confession of Sins The Absolution The Introit p. 16
Introit
Behold, O God, our Shield, and look upon the face of Thine anointed:
for a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand.
Psalm. How amiable are Thy tabernacles,
O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth,
yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord.
The Gloria Patri The Kyrie p. 17 The Gloria in Excelsis The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy Church with Thy perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of man without Thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by Thy help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle and Gradual
Gradual
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord:
and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High.
V. To show forth Thy loving-kindness in the morning:
and Thy faithfulness every night. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
V. Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion:
and unto Thee shall the vow be performed. Hallelujah!
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord! Praise be to Thee, O Christ! The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Preface p. 24 The Sanctus p. 26 The Lord's Prayer p. 27 The Words of Institution The Agnus Dei p. 28 The Nunc Dimittis p. 29 The Benediction p. 31 The Hymn #198He's Risen
Announcements and In Our Prayers
Enzo Meyer is in his fourth year at Grand Canyon University campus in Phoenix.
Diagnosis and treatment - Lori Howell, Sarah Buck, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Kermit Way,
KJV Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy blessed word and Thy holy baptism hast mercifully cleansed all who believe from the fearful leprosy of sin, and daily dost grant us Thy gracious help in all our need: We beseech Thee so to enlighten our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may never forget these Thy blessings, but ever live in Thy fear, and, trusting fully in Thy grace, with thankful hearts continually praise and glorify Thee; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Thankful
KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
"They treat me like a leper!" - is how this expression is used today. People today are more afraid of being shunned - which is basically a sacrament in America. Some call it the cold shoulder, etc. I was going to mention a rock group favorably when we were having a meal with friends. One young lady said, "Don't criticize my favorite group!" She also made threatening gestures.
I have experienced this among Lutherans who talk about the Book of Concord and the Augsburg Confession but reject the Chief Article of Christianity, Justification by Faith. They shun me, which I consider a compliment, given their apostasy.
These ten lepers were shunned and attacked because of their disease. They were frail and sickly, so they banned together in shouting out to Jesus. A crowd was around Jesus because of His miracles. We know there were many miracles. If the apostles did not have the Holy Spirit as their editor, the New Testament would still be in the editing stage today. Thus the New Testament is foundational - sermons about the Old Testament.
The lepers stayed back, because their voices were weak and the crowd avoided them. Crowds continue to be dangerous today as everyone presses toward a goal, an entrance, or escape.
13 και αυτοι ηραν φωνην λεγοντες ιησου επιστατα ελεησον ημας
13 And they lifted up their voices [cheered in unison], and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
The lepers had faith in Jesus Christ. Miracles supported His sermons, which were quite different from the Scribes and Pharisees, who wanted to be pure by the Old Testament Law (minus all the Messianic Promises). Some - like Nicodemus - were encouraged to see Jesus (but by night, one cannot be too careful). The miracles are one way the apostates creep into our brains and dislodge the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, miracle worker, preacher of faith in the Holy Trinity, arrested-beaten-tortured on the cross, rising from the grave, speaking to hundreds to confirm His divinity, ascending to Heaven to manage His Kingdom.
This is God's Word - Jesus the Master orders them - Go show yourself to the priests. This is a command, not debatable suggestion. The command to go to the priest was logical for everyone at that time. The priests would intone the right things and try to heal them of their dreaded disease. But on the way to the priests, they were all cleansed (John 15, also cathing, Catherine). They knew this clearly enough, because they could teach one another on the way to the Temple - You are cleansed! You are healthy! You are a different person now!
They were cleansed, purified by the Word of Jesus Christ. This is a verse that we should dwell on. It is used in John 15 to describe making the Vine healthy and productive. Cleansing a grape vine or a rose means 1) removing the dead wood, 2) making the plant bear more fruit.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
One of the ten not only saw his healing, but also turned back, glorified God with a loud voice and gave thanks. I count many things happening - the miracle revealed, turning back to proclaim his healing to Christ and the crowd, loudly glorifying God, falling on his face in thankfulness, and glorifying God. Through him Jesus was stirring up faith in Him amid the crowd.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
This is a rhetorical question. Jesus knew what was happening and asked this statement to emphasize the difference between one with faith and praise, the nine simply enjoying their status. The healing glorified God - the Samaritan returned to thank God for the miracle, the hated outsider, the Samaritan.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Go thy way means - show yourself to the priests so more people know about faith and miracles.
Faith in God produces miracles - that has been mocked by those who only agree with what they un-learned in college and seminary. That mockery has been essential since the dawn of the 20th century, the smoldering frauds starting with attacks on the New Testament texts.
But even now, Christianity has a waterfall of extra Biblical translations - but the KJV outranks them all by individuals. As they say in publishing religious books today, "Even a poorly selling book will reach 3,000 people."
Fuller Seminary genius-ly promoted a hybrid brand: a wee bit of Christianity and a barge full of business slogans. The fools who paid for this nonsense (Church Growth) are senior leaders in their sinking ships, a regular Titanic, pretty on the outside, fatal on the inside.
25. In like manner, that he had just gone into this village, why did he need to do this? Who asked him to do so? Who paid him anything for it? Is it not true that he came before any merit was possible, any prayer could be said; and offers his love and kindness freely and gratuitously, and seeks nothing of his own in it but only serves others thereby, so that he might draw all hearts unto himself to believe in him? Behold, such virtue has love, that it does only good and lives for the benefit of others, seeks nothing with selfish motives, does all freely and gratuitously, and surprises everyone. Such life and work you must observe and direct your life accordingly, if you would be a Christian, and banish all such works and power from your view that are not of this nature, even if they be so great as to remove mountains, like the Apostle says, 1 Corinthians 13:2.
26. Note in the second place how Christ does good without harm to others, yea, by preventing harm to others. For there are some who do good in a way that is harmful to others, as the proverb runs, they offer our lady a penny and steal her horse. So they who give alms from ill-gotten goods, as God says in Isaiah 61:8: “For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery for burnt offering.” Of this nature are nearly all monasteries and cloisters that devour the sweat and blood of the people, and then pay God with masses, vigils, rosaries, or monasteries and holidays, and at times they also give an alto. This is to love with the goods of others, and to serve God in prosperous days and in the fullness of wealth with an all sufficiency. This disgraceful well-doing is indeed a far reaching plague. But here Christ does no one harm, but prevents injury rather, and directs the lepers to the priests, so that they may be deprived of none of their rights.
27. Thus he bestows his kind deeds upon the lepers, as though he went into this village for this purpose; he looks upon them graciously and willingly, and gladly helps them. Besides he thereby also prevents any disadvantage to the priests, although he is under no obligation to them. For as he cleansed the lepers in a supernatural manner without the priests doing anything, he was indeed not obliged to direct them to them, and could say:
Inasmuch as you have not performed your office toward these according to the law, therefore you should also not have the emoluments of the office, which is just and right. But love does not look on what is right nor does it contend, it is present only to do good, and so it does even more than it is obliged to do, and goes beyond what is right.
Therefore St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:1, that among Christians there should be no lawsuits at court, because love does not seek or demand its rights, nor cares anything for them, but is bent only on doing good.
Although he says at another place, 1 Corinthians 13:1: “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.” Thus are truly the learned of our day, who teach much about rights, which is only unchristian and opposed to love. I do not speak of those who are forced to contend for their rights; for as right is preferred by some unchristian people, they must be present and defend the right so that nothing worse occurs. It is not Christian, to hang or to crush under the wheel; but in order to restrain murderers, such things must also be done. It is not Christian to eat and drink, nevertheless man is compelled to do both. These are all necessary works, which do not concern the inner nature of Christianity. Therefore a person should not be satisfied in doing them, as though the doing of them made a Christian. The work in the married state is not distinctively Christian, yet it is necessary to avoid evil. Other examples might be given.
28. Thirdly, Christ shows love is still greater, in that he exercises it where it is lost and receives ingratitude from the majority; ten lepers were cleansed and only one thanks him, on the nine his love is lost. If he would have made use of justice here instead of love, as men are accustomed to do and nature teaches, he would have made them all lepers again. But he lets them go and enjoy his love and kind deed, although they return to him enmity instead of thanks. Nor did he prevent the priests from enjoying their own, but gave them their honor and rights, although without any need and obligation to do so. And the priests thank Christ by alienating from him the lepers, so that they believed Christ did not cleanse them, but their offering and obedience to the law did it. And thus they destroy the faith in the lepers, and cause Christ to be despised and hated by them, as though he had taken to himself an office that did not belong to him.
29. That the priests had examined these lepers one may readily believe, and this the text also suggests. Therefore they must have trumpeted into these lepers many wicked words against Christ, and highly praised the works and offerings of the law, so that they might root out of them their great and noble faith, and establish themselves in place of Christ in their heart. And the lepers accepted this, and regarded Christ as the priests told them, so that they became his enemies, and ascribed their purification to God as obtained by virtue of their offerings and merit, and not by Christ and his pure grace. And while they were thus released from bodily leprosy, they thereby fell into spiritual leprosy, which is a thousand times worse. But Christ permits both parties to go and enjoy his goodness, is silent about his rights, receives hatred and displeasure for praise and thanks; that we may hereby learn how we often pray, and that it were better for us if our prayers were not answered. It would have been better for these lepers if they had remained unclean than that by their bodily cleansing they should become diseased with a more dangerous spiritual leprosy.
30. Now study this example and incite your life that you may do your good works not only without harm to others, but also to their advantage, and not only to friends and the good, but consider that the greater portion will be lost, and that you will receive ingratitude and hatred as your reward. Then you will walk the right road in the footprints of Christ your Lord. Until you have accomplished this, you should not regard yourself a true, perfect Christian, it matters not whether you wear ten hairy shirts and fast every day, or celebrate mass every day, and pray the psalter, make pilgrimages, and establish churches or yearly festivals. For Christ wishes to have such works done, if they are done in the right spirit. Behold, this is truly a Christian life.
23. See, this is what James means when he says, 2:26: “Faith apart from works is dead.” For as the body without the soul is dead, so is faith without works. Not that faith is in man and does not work, which is impossible. For faith is a living, active thing. But in order that men may not deceive themselves and think they have faith when they have not, they are to examine their works, whether they also love their neighbors and do good to them. If they do this, it is a sign that they have the true faith. If they do not do this, they only have the sound of faith, and it is with them as the one who sees himself in the glass and when he leaves it and sees himself no more, but sees other things, forgets the face in the glass, as James says in his first chapter, verses 23-24. [This passage in James deceivers and blind masters have spun out so far, that they have demolished faith and established only works, as though righteousness and salvation did not rest on faith, but on our works. To this great darkness they afterwards added still more, and taught only good works which are no benefit to your neighbor, as fasting, repeating many prayers, observing festival days; not to eat meat, butter, eggs and milk; to build churches, cloisters, chapels, altars; to institute masses, vigils, hours; to wear gray, white and black clothes; to be spiritual; and innumerable things of the same kind, from which no man has any benefit or enjoyment; all which God condemns, and that justly. But St. James means that a Christian life is nothing but faith and love. Love is only being kind and useful to all men, to friends and enemies. And where faith is right, it also certainly loves, and does to another in love as Christ did to him in faith.
Thus everyone should beware lest he has in his heart a dream and fancy instead of faith, and thus deceives himself. This he will not learn anywhere as well as in doing the works of love. As Christ also gives the same sign and says: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. Therefore St. James means to say:
Beware, if your life is not in the service of others, and you live for yourself, and care nothing for your neighbor, then your faith is certainly nothing; for it does not do what Christ has done for him. Yea, he does not believe that Christ has done good to him, or he would not omit to do good to his neighbor.
This St. Paul also requires, 1 Corinthians 13:2: “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” This explains the whole matter, not that faith is insufficient to make us pious, but that a Christian life must embrace and never separate these two, faith and love.
But the presumptuous undertake to separate them, they want only to believe and not to love, they despise their neighbor, and yet pretend to have Christ. This is false and must fail.
Thus we say, too, that faith is everything and it saves us, that a man needs no more for his salvation. Yet he is on this account not idle, but labors much, all however for the benefit of his neighbor, and not for himself; for he does not need it, he has enough in Christ. If, however, he does not do this, he is certainly not right. And this his work is his love. But the blind guides want to teach that works are necessary, that the worker needs them for his salvation. This is the chief perversion, the error of all errors, for by this they destroy both faith and love, the entire Christian nature and example. They take the work from the neighbor, and give it to the person himself doing it, as though he needed it. Here faith cannot live, for he knows that his work is not necessary and helpful for himself, but only for his neighbor. Thus they are opposed to each other; faith casts the works from itself on the neighbor through love; but the blind teachers tear them from the neighbor, and apply them to their own persons, and thus choke and dampen both love and faith, and cause man only to love himself and to seek only his own salvation and trust in his own works. From this evil must follow dull consciences and much self-chosen work, building churches, much praying, the saints’ fasting and the like, which are beneficial to no one, and all misery and misfortune must follow, as is at present evident in the cloisters, monasteries and high schools.]
24. Now let us observe the works of the love of Christ in this example of the ten lepers. But what is in Christ besides pure love? Everyone can easily find out for himself. First, why is it necessary for him to travel between Samaria and Galilee? Or who paid him anything for doing this? Or who requested him to do so? Is it not manifest, that he does all this freely, willingly, without receiving anything for it, and comes of himself uninvited, that no one can say that he deserved such a visitation or acquired it by prayer. Thus we see here that he does nothing whatever for himself or for his own sake, but all for the sake of others, unrequested and altogether freely, out of mere grace and love.
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Andy Stanley’s disdain for the Holy Scriptures is a well-established fact, and it is nothing new that he has been vocal in his condemnation of the inerrancy and authority of the Word of God.
Andy Stanley says “theological diversity” is his church’s strength because it models what the Kingdom of God looks like—because nothing says “unity in Christ” like a theological free-for-all where everyone gets to pick their own contradictory “truth,” right?
Apparently, the Kingdom of Andy Stanley’s god is a place where doctrines and biblical teaching is just a buffet line, and you can skip the parts you don’t like, all in the name of diversity. Who cares if you believe in the Trinity? Who cares if Jesus is divine or not? Who cares about any of that stuff?
Who knew that centuries of church fathers, martyrs, and councils were just wasting their time trying to nail down what Scripture actually teaches? According to Stanley, the real path to spiritual maturity is to embrace every contradictory idea under the sun and call it unity.
Maybe next he’ll tell us that confusion is the new clarity and chaos is the new order—because, why not?
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