by Gene Edward Veith A recent poll found that 80% of Americans believe the country…
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The Lutheran Witness — Interpreting the contemporary world from a Lutheran Christian perspective.
Vocation and Lawlessness
by Gene Edward Veith We Lutherans speak quite a bit about the second use of…
The Failure of the Idol of Science
In 1755, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Lisbon, Portugal, on All Saints’ Day, terrorizing the city of 250,000. Churches were full when the first tremor struck. Many perished in collapsing churches.
A wedding story
After a minute or so of this, Todd asked, “Pastor, what do you think was going on?” I said, “When it’s time, it’s time. Todd, it’s time.”
Give us a blessed end
We do not often think of a funeral as the best time for reflection on the Small Catechism. However, when I conducted my first funeral as a young pastor, I was struck by just how appropriate Luther’s explanation to the Seventh Petition of the Lord’s Prayer was for just such an occasion. I not only incorporated it into my first funeral sermon but also led the congregation in a recitation of it then and at every subsequent funeral service.
Christ’s Care in Coronavirus
Thoughts from the midst of the virus by Derek Lecakes Life has changed. We have…
When one can’t flee the plague
Christ’s death paid the price for your sins so that even though you “patiently await” physical death, you wait with the hope of the resurrection.
On listening to sermons: More suggestions
Listening to sermons on Sunday morning often requires wrestling with my sinful flesh to focus on what the pastor is preaching. It’s not easy; it takes work.
Through pinholes of light
As dark days become brighter, Epiphany delivers us the Jesus who Himself is the Light of the World.
Poor sinners, royal priests
What exactly is the “priesthood of all believers”? And what does it mean for us?
The reason for every season
Christmas and Advent are also about Christ’s coming in Word and Sacrament today, and about living in eager, joyful anticipation of His second coming.
A crèche “crisis” averted
Let us join the Holy Family and shepherds and angels in focusing our gaze on the babe in the crib, on the greatest Gift of God, born to bear all our sins and give us eternal life.
Breaking the back-sitting Lutheran
Who could think of Lutherans without thinking of a people possessed of an unflagging, unabating, almost obsessive desire to sit in the back of the church during worship?