Community vs. Belief

Herbert Hoefer Editorial Note: As an interesting follow up to Luther Engelbrecht’s article on the “Priesthood of ALL the Baptized,” fellow Indian missionary Dr. Herb Hoefer reflects on the importance of the community in the evangelization of people from other faiths. Herb is at present the regional secretary for India for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod….
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The Priesthood of ALL the Baptized

The Priesthood of ALL the Baptized1 By Luther Engelbrecht2             As the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod struggles with proposals with regard to its corporate structure, there is a bigger challenge confronting the church body. This is the need for a deeper understanding and more effective response to God’s will and way regarding “who” we are and…
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Theses on Fellowship at the Lord’s Supper

By Jeffrey Anderson INTRODUCTION Lutheran congregations which have adopted a less restrictive practice of administering Holy Communion, sharing the Sacrament with confessing Christians of other synods or other denominations, should not do so quietly or in a hidden manner, for they are celebrating the highest feast God has given us in this world. Rather, they…
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Lutheran Education Is Catechistic

By David Stein “The deplorable, miserable conditions which I recently observed when visiting the parishes have constrained and pressed me to put this catechism of Christian doctrine into this brief, plain and simple form. How pitiable, so help me God, were the things I saw: the common man, especially in the villages, knows practically nothing…
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Is Lutheran Higher Education for the Church?

By Robert Schmidt The director of church relations of a local Concordia University was leading a Bible class at the church he was visiting.  He was hoping that the congregation would put the university in their budget.  In the Bible class he had the opportunity to talk about the university.  He talked about their programs in education, management,…
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Babylonian Captivity of the Church

The Babylonian Captivity of the Church By Robert Schmidt High sacramental doctrine should make men eager…to provide the sacraments for Christians, and to remove all hindrances which prevent men, anywhere, from using them; but we see those who most glorify the sacraments, glorifying them by external adornment and standing most stoutly for those very things…
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Education for the Mission: What Good Is Theology

By Matthew Becker Some years ago a Lutheran editor of a church newsletter asked me to write a brief essay that would answer the question, “What good is theology?” At the time I thought it a bit strange that a Lutheran who writes about and for Lutherans would ask that question. Don’t Lutheran Christians have…
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