Saturday, June 26, 2010

Now We Can Return To Mildness


This is my annual picture of Melanchthon, because I am obliged to call myself a confessional Lutheran.


I am glad that anniversary is over. The Augsburg Confession has some merit. It starts out with some clear concise statements.

Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for 2] Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. 3] This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.

The best part is later, when many topics are discussed that are no longer relevant to us. That loses the vast majority of readers, so they forget about the Confessions and figure everything else is just as opaque, like reading the prospectus of a government bond issue.

I fear for that day when trouble-makers get them reading The Large Catechism or the Smalcald Articles. Both titles are bad marketing ideas. People do not want to study something much bigger than the Small Catechism, which they barely remember. And Smalcald? Find that on a map - or in a history book.

I really thought the Formula of Concord was a recipe for communion wine. Someone asked me about the Formula, and I said, "I'd like to try that some day." That got a puzzled look.

People who study the Formula annoy me. They knock me off my talking points, rather unfairly. Often I can look angry and say, "You are being harsh." That makes some of them settle down.

I can see that some opponents read my posts. They are probably looking forward to the next big Lutheran anniversary, such as 2017 and 2030. Not to worry, my friends. And do not gloat, my enemies. Lutherans always go mild for the big anniversaries. That is when Lutherans decide to cooperate with the Reformed instead of being so legalistic.

My hope is that we can make up with the Holy Father as well, offer our apologies, and stop Christian-bashing with terms like Antichrist and Whore of Babylon. I hope my circuit will invite a priest or archbishop to help create more understanding.



1 comment:

  1. Tim, due to the lack of spelling errors in your post I am certain you're not in the WELS. Poor spelling, incoherent sentences and reliance on rational concepts are also the vice of Roman Catholic Missourians so you must not be of that denomination. I also saw that you're following Ichabod, Finkelstein and the Intrepid Lutherans blogs. I'm thinking ELCA or CLC.

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