theology

Unity Through the Blessed Virgin Mary

By Graham Glover –

Authority? Nope.

Justification? Not yet.

Ecclesiology? Yeah, right.

Sanctification. Not even close.

After 500 years of fierce division, those Christians separated from the Bishop of Rome remain ever committed to their unique reformations and peculiar revolutions. The issues that separate the many Christian communions are vast, with little hope of unity in sight. While I think the most divisive issue is that of authority, that is, a disagreement about who or what decides what is orthodox Christian doctrine, the fact remains that there are multiple issues on which Roman Catholics and non-Roman Catholics are unable to find common ground.

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The Ugly Romance of Trains

By Paul Koch –

When I was eleven or twelve years old, my dad took me on a road trip from our home in Southern California to the State’s capital, Sacramento. Along the way, we camped, fished, and spent some necessary time as father and son, without my mom and or bothers. The highlight of the trip was the great train museum in Sacramento. I still remember the sense of awe and beauty that settled upon me as I gazed upon those monolithic creations of human ingenuity and spirit. In the museum, I could walk under and over some of the great engines that helped shape and drive the westward expansion of our country. I could even climb inside a few of them. 

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The Haymaker’s Top Five Humbug Hymns

By Bob Hiller –

Here’s a little piece I wrote a few years back hoping to start some fun Christmas conversation. I hope you enjoy it! I know my mom wasn’t a huge fan…

This is the most wonderful time of the year for my ears. I am becoming quite a Christmas-music snob in my age. I liked Christmas music before it was cool (Can a hipster listen to Christmas music?). This is especially true when it comes to Christmas hymns. Advent and Christmas hymns are some of the most beautiful, haunting, and theologically rigorous hymns we sing all year. But the opposite seems to be the case as well: this is the time of year when some of our weakest, most heterodox, and downright strange hymns get loads of undeserved attention. It is rather frustrating that these hymns tend to be quite popular! But as with that abysmal “Do They Know Its Christmas?” by Band Aid (ugh…), no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get away from these hymns. Like the Grinch, I want to descend into WhoVille, bag these songs up, and remove them from the musical catalogue.  But you will very likely sing them in your church this season, despite their dangerous teachings. After all, orthodoxy is no match for nostalgia. 

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Spiritual Masturbation and Masculinity

By Paul Koch –

In my experience, women fight differently than men. As a father of five, one boy and four girls, I have witnessed the clear difference in their strategy and tactics. My son seems to have a deep instinctual desire to fight with a physical exchange, a trading of blows to make his point. In fact, you can see the torment he goes through when he restrains from physical retaliation toward one of his sisters because he has been taught from the get-go that you don’t hit girls.

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Rejecting the Intellect

By Caleb Keith –

The Christian faith is blessed with the ability to be informed and educated. The Lutheran Reformation highlighted and used this gift to its full advantage. Theologians were trained in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, History, Rhetoric, and Logic to better understand the Scriptures and clearly read what God revealed to the authors of the New and Old Testaments. Informed preachers and teachers were then called to proclaim the Gospel message to common people and train them not only to believe but to understand their faith.

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The Theologian’s Craft

By Paul Koch –

In 1965, Dr. Montgomery presented an insightful and challenging paper titled “The Theologian’s Craft: A Discussion of Theory Formation and Theory Testing in Theology.” (For those interested, it can be found in a collection of his essays here.) His paper was a real attempt to explain to scientists just what it is theologians do. He offers a brilliant comparison between scientific and theological methodologies and in my estimation, he succeeds in his task and builds a compelling case for how we understand and speak about the craft of a theologian.

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Pastors, Words Are Enough

By Joel A. Hess –

This past week, I had the pleasure of visiting a member of my congregation in a time of need. He had just been told that his cancer had spread throughout his body. His wife sat next to him. They both looked shocked and frightened. Doctors could give prognosis and possibilities, but nothing for sure. Pharmacists could prescribe pills that may or may not work.

All I had were words—God’s Word!

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Unsafe Theology

By Paul Koch –

Do you remember drinking from the garden hose as a child? I do. In fact when I’m working in the yard these days I will still get a quick drink from time to time from the hose. I like it. I like the taste; compared to the water that comes from the dispenser on the door of my fridge you would almost think they were from a different source. The water in the house passes through our water softener system, then through a filtration system in the fridge while it is chilled down a bit before it reaches my glass. In my front yard the water takes a more direct route off the main water line through a tired old hose with a slightly corroded metal spigot and directly into my mouth. It may not be as healthy or safe as the filtered option inside, but there is something simple and enjoyable about it.

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Conquering Armies

By Scott Keith –

Not long ago, we on the Thinking Fellows podcast had the opportunity to interview Dr. James Nestingen. Dr. Nestingen was my Doctor Father and is a good friend. I always love the chance to pick his brain. This time around we discussed Luther’s seminal work, The Bondage of the Will. Dr. Nestingen provided us with many gems, including the advice of reading the book backward, that is from the last half first and the first half last.

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Art & Theology: The Struggle To Create Imagery Without Heresy

By Quincy Koll –

As someone who finds a vocation in both art and theology, I often desire to combine the two. While traveling during my sophomore year of college, I met an artist who devoted his art to depictions of the Gospel. When his work is viewed critically and questions are asked, the Gospel can be shared in a personal and meaningful way. I was inspired by this and tried to take on theological concepts in my own work.

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