Someone phoned about issues in Biblical studies, one of my favorite topics. I felt energized. Biblical studies fall into two categories - in my opinion.
Category One
One is the study of the content of the Scriptures, using our vast resources in Hebrew, Greek, ancient versions, grammar, concordances, and histories.
Lenski and Luther fall into this category. The Lutheran Reformers and the Book of Concord editors also operate from this perspective.
There are American Lutheran authors from the old days of the General Council who wrote commentaries on the Bible. I know less about these men. The ALC heritage includes other authors.
What these men had in common was a reverence for the Scriptures as the actual Word of God, the unified Truth of the Holy Spirit. Yale University had men like this too (Dahl, Wilson, Malherbe) but they are gone, replaced by those in the other category.
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| Luther? No, let's talk about us instead. |
Category Two
Modern Biblical studies are best described as creative writing seminars, as David Scaer said - and he should know. Opinions are declared without evidence, and arguments are based upon suppositions.
Universal Objective Justification is not just the dogma of ELCA-WELS-ELS-LCMS-CLC (sic). The mainline seminaries have the same hostility toward the Chief Article as the Lutheran synods.
How strange to read Herman Otten denouncing Karl Barth - or is it Charlotte Kirschbaum? - for his/her blasphemies when the same nonsense is promoted by Christian News! In fact, only the UOJ Barthians are allowed to publish in CN, with the sole except of Raymand Surburg.
Likewise, the misnamed Steadfast Lutherans blog is populated by ninnies who are so insecure in their UOJness that they must ban and banish all mention of Justification by Faith.
The effect of UOJ is to make all doctrine and practice, all worship adiaphora, matters of indifference. But oh, Age of Darkness, they are tougher than tree bark about their fetishes - like the common cup - a must!, bishops - a must!, venerating all the saints - a must!, hemi-demi-semi closed communion - a must!
Why did awful singers and worse musicians rush in to share their praise music from Maranatha Press? Because their secular, egocentric lyrics do not matter.
Why are the seminaries emptying? Because they have nothing to teach but the dead dogma of the denomination. No wonder the truly sensitive join Rome where that is done so much better.
Why are the congregations emptying? Because the ministers are poorly prepared by preening peacocks who pretend to teach Biblical studies.
