The reformers rejected the sacramental doctrine that many of them inherited from the Roman Catholic Church, which taught that the elements of the ceremony infused grace into the recipient, working independent of their faith, or lack of faith. Instead, Reformed theologians such as Zurich pastor Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531) taught that the sacrament was the sign…

Can Science and Scripture be Harmonized? The past history of a question often reveals it to be more complicated than we first imagined. So it is with the seemingly simple idea of fitting together, or “harmonizing,” the truths of science with the truths of scripture. Three Options for Harmonizing “All truth is God’s truth,” we rightly…

In a previous post I mentioned that I drafted an “Elder Affirmations about Creation & Evolution” to articulate for the leadership of our church a set of convictions that we share in common and that might provide an outline for a teaching position for our church. I received several inquiries about this document and thus…

As our Reformation Commentary feature nears the end of the Historical Books series, Sapientia asked Derek Cooper and Martin Lohrmann, editors of our source volume, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles (published by InterVarsity in April), a few questions about working on the project. Martin Lohrmann, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Lutheran Confessions and Heritage at Wartburg Theological Seminary….

Johann Spangenberg (1484–1550), a Lutheran pastor, authored one of the best selling postils1 of the sixteenth century, the Postilla Teütsch, which helped to prepare children to understand the lectionary readings. In this post on Luke 5:1-11 for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Spangenberg asserts that Christ’s words penetrated the hearts of the disciples—not merely their…

John Calvin (1509–1564) knew suffering. He was an outlaw in his beloved France; the magistrates of Geneva exiled him—only to beg him to return to “that cross on which I should have to die a thousand times each day.” His son died in infancy. He was a widower. And throughout the course of his career…

But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days? Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old—unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with…

There are two cautions that must be recognized before beginning construction on the foundation laid in the last exploration. First, I want to be sensitive to the historical particularity of the biblical text addressing the matters of Jubilee and lamentation. The nature of lamentation, for example, will be a product of a reflection on the…

John Calvin on Philippians 4:6   For we are not made of iron, so as not to be shaken by temptations. But this is our consolation, this is our solace: to place (or, to speak more correctly, to unload) in the bosom of God everything that harasses us. Indeed confidence brings tranquility to our minds,…

  Peter Walpot on Acts 2:42-47 Community is and can mean nothing other than out of love for neighbor to share everything equally or in common and not to have anything of one’s own. This cannot happen any more nobly, better or perfectly than for each person to present himself and to place himself and…

If achievement is good, if it is part of God’s design for human beings, then surely it ought to be celebrated. This week we explore reasons for celebrating achievement and ways to do so (and ways not to do so). Why we should celebrate achievement I’ve made the case that achievement is good, that it…

Martin Luther on John 6:35 Out of the mass of powerful words in the holy Scripture there is almost no stronger word than that Christ is a bread and meal given by God, and that whoever eats this bread lives forever and becomes content, no longer hungering or thirsting… It is a settled point that…