Musings about Faith

We don't think much about the Ebionites anymore.  In fact, we don't talk or think much about the great heresies of the first few centuries of the Church.  True most of us confess the Nicene or Apostle's Creed weekly, and they were created as the direct result or response to some of the great heresies of the early church.  But, we don't really concern ourselves much with this.  The ELW has eliminated the Athanasian Creed - which was the most polemic of the creeds, but as Pastor Colville-Hanson says in her blog (she's the ice skating Pastor - see below) this is a pity because it has some incredibly beautiful sections.  Nevertheless I received a very friendly comment from someone whose screen name is Adam Pastor (see the comments section) and he suggested that I might want to watch a video entitled "Jesus is Human."  He seems to think that by watching this video I would be convinced that the Trinity was error once and for all.  Well, thank you Pastor Adam...

One of my all time favorite shows has become "Dancing with the Stars." Now as someone who is fairly musical and has very good rhythm I nevertheless am a lousy dancer (just ask my dance partner from "Die Fledermaus"), so why does this show hold my interest so much. I think it is because of two things - first, the hope that even the bad dancers (who I relate to) actually can learn to do a pretty good job and can be acceptable. And second, because of the shear beauty of the dances themselves. What is required of course is complete coordination and communication. Which the more I think about it, reminds me of the Holy Trinity! Many of us approach Trinity Sunday with some nervousness. The Trinity is one of those complicated doctrines of our church which we accept and believe and which we regularly affirm – every week in either the Apostle’s or Nicene Creed. But, one which may give us a headache if we try to think about it to much. It is complicated and it is ha...

It was a stormy day on that Pentecost Sunday.  The rain was coming down hard and off in the distance there was lightning and thunder.  Nevertheless, at 1st Lutheran Church the mood was festive.  It was Pentecost Sunday and on this day 5 young people would be confirmed.  Like young Lutherans in many congregations, these 5 had attended classes faithfully every week for two years and had learned the catechism and the bible.  And today was the day when they would affirm their Baptism and become members of the church.  So amid a sea of red the service continued - "O Day Full of Grace;" "This is the Feast;" "Reading from Acts 2." And as the storm raged and the lightning got a little closer the Pastor preached a sermon telling a couple interesting stories of his own experiences as a confirmand and then the moment finally came.  "The following young people desire to be confirmed..." and the names were read.  Dutifully each of the young people stepped for...

This weekend our Gospel is the third in the series of three readings taken from Jesus’ last address to His disciples – it is known as the final discourse. Jesus has brought together His disciples for the last supper; he has washed their feet (only in John); he has shared bread and wine; he has given them a new commandment – to love one another; he has promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit and finally he breaks into a beautiful prayer during which he prays not only for his disciples, but he prays for us! David Lose writes about this wonderful prayer (known as the High Priestly Prayer): “No more instructions, no more Q&A, no more assurances or predications. Jesus just prays, asking his heavenly Father to draw the disciples into the relationship the Father and Son already enjoy, that they – Father, Son, disciples – may be as one. But then he extends his prayer, actually breaks it wide open until it stretches beyond the room, city, region, and even the time and history they occup...