If someone labeled me a luddite, I would be hard-pressed to combat their assertion. I am an exegete so I prefer scrolls rather than screens; I value parchment more than processor speed. Yet my words confess my delight in technology. Scrolls and parchment are technological innovations of a former age. Screens and microprocessors are technological innovations of our age. A cursory reading of church history reveals the imprint of technology. The first-century spread of the Gospel occurred in part due to the technological marvel of Roman roads. The sixteenth-century spread of the Reformation occur ..read more

Imagine that as a nine-year-old boy, your grandparents place you into the care of a “coyote.” They pay him a substantial sum of money to guide you from your village in El Salvador to your parents, who are living over three thousand miles away in the United States. You find yourself embarking on a journey filled with uncertainty and fear as you leave behind the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of your grandparents’ home and your tiny village, which was the only place you ever knew. The coyote soon abandons you—you are solito—on your own—and only nine years old! Your only recourse is to march ..read more

Welcome to Lectionary Kick-start! Jessica Bordeleau hosts a lively conversation with homiletic professors Dr. David Schmitt and Dr. Peter Nafzger about the upcoming lectionary texts. The texts for the tenth Sunday after Pentecost, July 28, are from Genesis 9:8–17, Psalm 136:1–9, Ephesians 3:14–21, and Mark 6:45–56. Tune in to spark your thoughts for Sunday! Each Monday a new episode will be available here, at CSL Scholar, and across all major podcast platforms. Join us to spark your thoughts for Sunday! The post The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Concordia Theology ..read more

Tangible: Theology Learned and Lived explores the ways in which theology permeates all aspects of life. Through conversations with the faculty of Concordia Seminary, we will challenge you to deepen your theology and live out your faith in Christ. Jessica Bordeleau talks with a variety of guests on a variety of topics. There is something different in every episode, but all point to the intersection of faith and daily life. It’s tangible: theology learned and lived. Grief comes during times of transition, even when the change is a good one. Deaconess Dorothy Glenn and Rev. Micah Glenn share thei ..read more

Welcome to Lectionary Kick-start! Jessica Bordeleau hosts a lively conversation with homiletic professors Dr. David Schmitt and Dr. Peter Nafzger about the upcoming lectionary texts. The texts for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost, July 21, are from Jeremiah 23:1–6, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:11–22, and Mark 6:30–44. Tune in to spark your thoughts for Sunday! Each Monday a new episode will be available here, at CSL Scholar, and across all major podcast platforms. Join us to spark your thoughts for Sunday! The post The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Concordia Theology ..read more

Welcome to Lectionary Kick-start! Jessica Bordeleau hosts a lively conversation with homiletic professors Dr. David Schmitt and Dr. Peter Nafzger about the upcoming lectionary texts. The texts for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost, July 14, are from Amos 7:7–15, Psalm 85:(1–7), 8–13, Ephesians 1:3–14, and Mark 6:14–29. Tune in to spark your thoughts for Sunday! Each Monday a new episode will be available here, at CSL Scholar, and across all major podcast platforms. Join us to spark your thoughts for Sunday! The post The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Concordia Theology ..read more

Tangible: Theology Learned and Lived explores the ways in which theology permeates all aspects of life. Through conversations with the faculty of Concordia Seminary, we will challenge you to deepen your theology and live out your faith in Christ. Jessica Bordeleau talks with a variety of guests on a variety of topics. There is something different in every episode, but all point to the intersection of faith and daily life. It’s tangible: theology learned and lived. In part two of this series, Dr. Joel Biermann and Dr. Joel Okamoto discuss the role of the church vs. the role of individual Christ ..read more

Sic et Non Josh Hawley, a US Senator for Missouri, has written an article for the February issue of First Things. The title is “Our Christian Nation.” While that topic is broad and complex, I, as a Lutheran, will interact specifically with the issues that Hawley raises. Senator Hawley describes our country’s history as based on a common moral order that was strongly influenced by Christianity and the Bible. He fears “the demise of Christianity as America’s cultural and moral anchor” and calls for Christians to reclaim that heritage. He critiques some of the current conditions, such as the domi ..read more

Welcome to Lectionary Kick-start! Jessica Bordeleau hosts a lively conversation with homiletic professors Dr. David Schmitt and Dr. Peter Nafzger about the upcoming lectionary texts. The texts for the seventh Sunday after Pentecost, July 7, are from Ezekiel 2:1–5, Psalm 123, 2 Corinthians 12:1–10, and Mark 6:1–13. Each Monday a new episode will be available here, at CSL Scholar, and across all major podcast platforms. Join us to spark your thoughts for Sunday! The post The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Concordia Theology ..read more

Welcome to Lectionary Kick-start! Jessica Bordeleau hosts a lively conversation with homiletic professors Dr. David Schmitt and Dr. Peter Nafzger about the upcoming lectionary texts. The texts for the sixth Sunday after Pentecost, June 30, are from Lamentations 3:22–33, Psalm 30, 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 13–15, and Mark 5:21–43. Each Monday a new episode will be available here, at CSL Scholar, and across all major podcast platforms. Join us to spark your thoughts for Sunday! The post The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Concordia Theology ..read more