Vocation

The Free Gift

By Paul Koch –

Today is a strange day. It’s Father’s Day, of course, but as far as special days go this one never really feels quite right. It isn’t as obvious as Mother’s Day, just what we are supposed to do on this day. It always comes off as a bit awkward. There are not elaborate brunches being planned and more than likely no one has gone out to buy a bouquet of flowers. It shouldn’t be so difficult to say and do the right thing for our fathers on this day, but it certainly can be. If you were to ask most men what they want for Father’s Day, they probably haven’t even thought about it. Quite simply, they would be happy with whatever small token was given: a phone call, a card, even a “World’s Greatest Dad” coffee mug. But there’s an inherent tension about this day. Though they are happy to observe it, men didn’t ask for it; so we’re not quite sure what to do with it.

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Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: Condemned to Comparison

By Bob Hiller –

Michael Jordan resides on LeBron James’ back. There he hangs heavy, always whispering into LeBron’s ear: “I am undefeated in the Finals. You have a losing record! Who cares if you’ve made more Finals than I have? I have enough rings to start onto the second hand! You’ll never catch me!” Jordan is LeBron’s accuser. He refuses to let go of LeBron. He refuses to get off his back.

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The Best Father’s Day Present

By Paul Koch –

This Sunday is Father’s Day. Unfortunately, it’s not so much a day to honor our fathers and highlight their unique qualities. No, this sad little day hiding in the shadow of Mother’s Day has been engulfed by cheap gifts, tacky ties, and “Word’s Best Dad” mugs. So, do I show my dad how thankful I am for a lifetime of sacrifice and hard work by getting him some new golf balls? Or perhaps a new wallet would better demonstrate my appreciation for all he has done. Fortunately, just as there are gift buying guides for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, so also there are guides for Father’s Day. So, I can rest assured that I will pick the perfect thing that has the most cleverly devised marketing strategy for my demographic to finally be able to say to my dad, “I love you.”

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What makes a Wonder Woman?

By Cindy Koch –

Sugar, spice, and everything nice—what are little girls made of? As a mother to four little girls, I have undoubtedly asked this question since the day they were born. Parents are created to encourage and teach their children to the best of their ability. And for years I have asked this question of each daughter: Who is she? Who will she become? What makes this little person?

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The Isolated Pastor

By Bob Hiller –

Well, if my calculations are correct, by the time you read this blog (I am writing this on Tuesday night), the Golden State Warriors will be on the brink of completing their undefeated playoff run by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers out of the NBA Finals. (Though, if you read my blog, you know my calculations are rarely correct…) Chances are that LeBron James will carry Cleveland to take one game. But I don’t think it will matter much. Golden State is stacked. The overindulgent signing of the great Kevin Durant in the off-season made the already incredible Warriors a near lock as this year’s champions. Handily winning every single playoff game may not make for great viewing, but it does make the Warriors rather impressive.

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Melanchthon’s Magnum Opus

By Scott Keith –

Luther Under the Ban Melanchthon Hard at Work

In 1521—the same year Melanchthon married his wife—at the Diet of Worms, Martin Luther was convicted of heresy and placed under a Papal bull and an imperial ban. The ban meant that he was an outlaw and could be killed or imprisoned on sight. It was only the grace and quick thinking of his elector, Fredrick the Wise, that saved Luther’s bacon. Elector Fredrick whisked Luther off to the Wartburg castle for safe keeping. Yet, while Dr. Luther was contending with the Papal bull against him, confessing the Christian faith at Worms, and writing sermons for preaching in the Castle Church and elsewhere, Melanchthon was at work developing the first Lutheran “system” of theology. This work was destined to exert a powerful influence on the Lutheran Reformation and marks an epoch in the history of Christian theology. The work in question was entitled the Loci Communes Theologici, or Common Topics of Theology.

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Meeting Melanchthon: The Early Years

By Scott Keith –

Early Life and Education:

Philip(p) was born to George and Barbara Schwarzerdt in Bretten in 1497. Philip had four siblings: Anna (1499), Georg (1500 or 1501), Margarete (1506), and Barbara (1508). All were born in his grandparents’ house in the Electoral Saxon Residential town of Bretten. Melanchthon’s father, Georg Schwarzerdt, born in Heidelberg, was a master of gunnery founding and was skilled in forging lightweight, durable armor. Because of his skills, Georg was elevated to the office of electoral master of armorer and thus needed to remain in Heidelberg. Melanchthon’s mother, Barbara, came from the wealthy merchant family of Reuter.

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A Conservative Case for Universal Healthcare

By Graham Glover –

Universal healthcare. The mere mention of the idea is enough to bring a smile to a liberal and a scowl to a conservative.

Outside of the immigration debate, I don’t think there is an issue that divides the electorate more than whether the United States federal government should provide healthcare to all its citizens. Obama won two elections because of his promise to provide universal healthcare. One could argue that Trump won an election because of his promise to repeal it.

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Is God A Stranger To You?

By Joel A. Hess –

I love Luke’s account of the two disciples walking out of church. They had been disciples of Jesus for some time. They were excited about the building project, mission vision statements, and miracles. They thought for sure that they had joined the right church. This Jesus was going to take them to the top of the world. He was going to rescue Israel! He was going to heal everyone’s diseases. He was going to make the world better and get rid of those bad guys. They felt empowered! They were going to be superstars. Everything was going to get fixed!

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Meeting Melanchthon

By Scott Keith –

Yesterday I taught a class on Philip Melanchthon at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Frasier, Michigan. At the end of class, I was asked if I would recommend a short biography on Melanchthon suitable for a layperson. Sadly, I said no. Most of the short biographies are out of print and very expensive, and most the modern works are written for academic audiences. So, I decided to do a short series as a brief introduction to the life and times of Philip Melanchthon. As we continue to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, I think that this series of blogs will be helpful and pair nicely with the two forthcoming Thinking Fellows podcasts on Melanchthon.

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Blogging for Good

By Bob Hiller –

I’ve been thinking a lot about writing blogs lately. Having to produce weekly content on The Jagged Word is a strange experience. As Doc Scott pointed out some time back, doing this on a consistent basis is a bit of a roller coaster. I wonder what sort of good my words are doing, if any. Or I grow too proud of what I write, and then I feel foolish over the pride but shoot to make myself proud again next week. I’m a very self-involved person, after all. Does this simply become white noise, or are we doing some good ruffling some feathers in the blackhole that is Lutheran social media? Is there any value, or even virtue, in writing a weekly blog?

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Choppers and Plows and Preaching

By Paul Koch –

I had forgotten how much I love the radical freedom and danger of flying down the road on a stripped-down motorcycle. A bike only equipped with the necessary safety features—good brakes, new tires, and a headlight and tail light, lacking a horn, speedometer, front fender, chain guard, mufflers, turn indicators, and rear shocks is a simple and powerful machine. It doesn’t allow the distractions of the radio, text messages, or much else to get in the way. It’s just you and the wind in your face with all the sights, sounds, and smells of the journey you’re on.

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Call Day Extravaganza!

By Ross Engel –

This is an exciting week in the lives of the future pastors of the LCMS. Both of our synod’s seminaries hosted their annual call and vicarage placement services. These are anxious moments as fourth-year seminarians patiently wait through an evening Vespers service to find out where they will serve for their first Divine Call. Second-year students get to find out where they will be placed for their one year of vicarage (like a pastoral internship). The running joke has always been that calls and vicarage assignments are determined by the throw of a dart at a map of the USA, but I’ve been told that there is much more to the process.

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A Weary Preacher and the Imaginary Friend

By Paul Koch –

I’m tired.

I am a called and ordained servant of the Word. I preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments in accordance with the Word of God, guided by the Lutheran Confessions. I get to do what many people couldn’t imagine. I’m invited into intimate moments of people’s lives: death, marriage, and new births. I have a congregation that loves and supports me. By all accounts, I have an incredible job. I get to study the Word and read theology as part of my craft. In fact, I do love my job. Still, I find that I’m weary.

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