By Uwe Siemon-Netto

This
column requires a caveat:  I am not an American citizen and therefore
neither a Republican nor a Democrat. But as a German residing
permanently in the United States I believe I have a duty to opine on at
least one aspect of the upcoming elections – the question whether years
from now Americans will have to wrestle with collective shame, just as
I have had to deal with collective shame over what has happened in
Germany in my childhood for my entire life.

It
was West Germany’s first postwar president, Theodor Heuss, who coined
the phrase, “collective shame” contrasting it with the notion of
collective guilt, which he rejected. No, I cannot be expected to feel
guilty for crimes the Nazis committed while I was still in elementary
school. But as a bearer of a German passport I have never ceased
feeling ashamed because three years before I was born German voters
elected leaders planning the annihilation of millions of innocent
people.

I
am certain that in 1933 most Germans did not find the Nazis’
anti-Semitic rhetoric particularly attractive. What made them choose
Hitler, then? It was the economy, stupid, and presumably injured
national pride, and similar issues. This came to mind as I read the
latest Faith in Life poll of issues Americans in general and white
evangelicals in particular consider “very important” in this year’s
elections.

Read more…

More details forthcoming on this, but I thought you might enjoy a sneak preview of The Pocket Diary on Google Calendar. For many, many years LCMS pastors and other church workers receive in November a copy of this resource, for free, from Concordia Publishing House. It provides a handy pocket-sized appointment book and calendar with the lectionary readings for each Sunday available, etc. But increasingly pastors who do not use paper calendars have been asking for the resource in some kind of digital format, well, with the advent of iCal and Google Calendar, it is now relatively easy to make it available digitally. Ryan Markel, of Lutheran Service Builder support and development team fame, at CPH, is working on the digital edition and has posted it up on Google Calendar, so, if you use Google Calendar, you can activate the calendar and start using it. You will have to search for it in the "public calendars." Look for: CPH Pocket Diary.

NOTE: It starts at the end of November, so advance forward to Nov. 30.

This is sort of a "public beta," so if you have any feedback, let us know what you think. Add a comment here.

A handy web application, for picking out a tune.

The Virtual Keyboard

I'm pleased to report that as of this afternoon, the entire text of the German Book of Concord is now live, online, at Book of Concord.org

Enjoy!

If you have not had a chance to take a look at the new and improved home of the Lutheran Confessions on the Internet, BookofConcord.org, I think you will be interested in several new items we've added. Look for them under the "Sources and Context" section of the web site, in the left-hand column of the page.

Exsurge Domine, 1520
This Papal Bull set forth Rome's case against Luther and pointed out his perceived errors.

Excommunication of Luther, 1521
This is the actual Papal excommunication of Luther and all his followers, along with a photo of the document itself.

Johann Eck's 404 Theses, 1530
This document was, in large part, responsible for final content of the Augsburg Confession. Eck prepared this recounting of alleged heresies of Luther and other reformers, and his accusations were answered by the Augsburg Confession. It is a very interesting look into the mind of the Roman opponents of Luther. An excellent introduction and explanation by Henry Eyster Jacobs accompanies the translation.

Martin Luther's Exhortation to the Clergy in Augsburg, 1530
This was the first document that Luther prepared at his quarters at the Coburg Fortress, after his colleagues and the Lutheran princes went on to Augsburg, for the Diet. It has been called "Luther's Augsburg Confession." We have a few photos up of the Coburg Fortress and Luther's room there.

The Confutation of the Augsburg Confession, 1530
This was the Roman response to the Augsburg Confession, the document to which the Apology of the Augsburg Confession is replying.

The Consensus Tigurinus, 1549
John Calvin prepared this document as a statement intended to unify various strands in the Reformed movement. It conclusively demonstrates and proves that Calvinism is very much in favor of a spiritualizing interpretation of the Words of Institution and places Calvinism in the stream of Zwinglianism. Comments and expressions in this document are specifically repudiated by the Formula of Concord.

The Saxon Visitation Articles, 1592
The most concise and explicit rejection of Calvinism by Lutherans. These articles were prepared, and used, to rid Saxony of infiltrating Calvinists. It was included in all editions of the Book of Concord published in Germany, from 1592 until the Prussian Union of 1817.

I’m doing a seven part series on the Lutheran Confessions on Issues, Etc. Here is part one, on the Augsburg Confession, with some brief introductory remarks about the Book of Concord.

When The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod adopted the Lutheran Service Book project, part of the proposal was to use the English Standard Version Bible translation as the translation of choice for all materials related to the new hymnal, including, of course, the hymnal itself, lectionaries, etc. etc. All CPH materials since then have been using the ESV, including all our books, periodicals, magazines, curriculum pieces etc. However, during the same convention that adopted the new hymnal it was mandated that the text of the Enchiridion, the actual text of the Small Catechism, be left untouched. And so it has. Repeatedly though we have been asked for an edition of the enormously popular Small Catechism with Explanation that uses the ESV as the translation for the Explanation portion, all the numbered questions and answers. So, I’m happy to report that that edition is now available, The Small Catechism with Explanation: ESV Edition is now available. The catechism proper is the same text as always, the Explanation uses the ESV Bible translation for all the proof texts. Here is where you may read more about it.
I thought you would like to know.

I'd like to revisit the issue of preaching about sanctification and good works. A friend sent me these thoughts the other day, and I thought I'd pass them along here:

Please note Dr. CFW Walther's Thesis VII, in his masterful and magisterial The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel which reads: "In the third place, the
Word of God is not rightly divided when the Gospel is preached first
and then the Law; sanctification first and then justification; faith
first and then repentance; good works first and then grace."

He urges us not to preach "sanctification first and
then justification," and "good works first and then grace." In so saying, clearly Walther was intent on preaching sanctification, but making sure it did not occupy its place before preaching
justification; however that we are to be preaching sanctification is a "given."

Also of note is Walther's XXIII Thesis which reads: "In the nineteenth
place, the Word of God is not rightly divided when an attempt is made
by means of the demands or the threats or the promises of the Law to
induce the unregenerate to put away their sins and engage in good works
and thus become godly; on the other hand, when an endeavor is made, by
means of the comands of the Law rather than by the admonitions of the
Gospel, to urge the regenerate to do good."

Notable, again, is the strong foundation of the gospel on which Walther places the doctrine, and preaching of sanctification, but clearly he assumes that sanctification and good works will be preached.

Check out the new Lutheran Service Builder site with news of the next major upgrade of Lutheran Service Builder….2.0!

Click on the image for an enlarged version.