Lutheran School of Theology in St. Louis

04/18/2020

Martin Luther's reflection on faithful, personal responsibility during a pandemic:

Back in 1527, a deadly plague hit Martin Luther’s town of Wittenberg and he wrote a letter to a friend (Volume 43, Pg. 132: Whether One Should Flee From A Deadly Plague – To Rev. Dr. John Hess), explaining how churches should deal with such complicated circumstances.

“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

-from "Martin Luther Had Some Great Advice For Dealing With The Coronavirus 500 Years Ago"
By Mornings with Rebecca & Burns March 17, 2020

04/07/2020

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to continue becoming your church in new ways, not yet knowing what that might look like, but trusting that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. -ELW Evening Prayer, adapted by Bishop Jim Gonia, Rocky Mountain Synod

04/01/2020

We are not alone in our lament.

From NT Wright's article in Time magazine on March 20, 2020:

The point of lament, woven thus into the fabric of the biblical tradition, is not just that it’s an outlet for our frustration, sorrow, loneliness and sheer inability to understand what is happening or why. The mystery of the biblical story is that God also laments. Some Christians like to think of God as above all that, knowing everything, in charge of everything, calm and unaffected by the troubles in his world. That’s not the picture we get in the Bible.

God was grieved to his heart, Genesis declares, over the violent wickedness of his human creatures. He was devastated when his own bride, the people of Israel, turned away from him. And when God came back to his people in person—the story of Jesus is meaningless unless that’s what it’s about—he wept at the tomb of his friend. St. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit “groaning” within us, as we ourselves groan within the pain of the whole creation. The ancient doctrine of the Trinity teaches us to recognize the One God in the tears of Jesus and the anguish of the Spirit.

It is no part of the Christian vocation, then, to be able to explain what’s happening and why. In fact, it is part of the Christian vocation not to be able to explain—and to lament instead. As the Spirit laments within us, so we become, even in our self-isolation, small shrines where the presence and healing love of God can dwell. And out of that there can emerge new possibilities, new acts of kindness, new scientific understanding, new hope.

03/24/2020

Food for the soul:

The St. Olaf Cantorei, Congregation, and organist / conductor James Bobb sing the hymn "Abide With Me". Words by Henry F. Lyte; music by William H. Monk. Thi...

05/09/2015

Check out our upcoming class on Eden's Storyboard!

On May 21, the Lutheran School of Theology will be holding a one-day workshop at Eden Seminary, "Preaching John," led by The Reverend Dr. Karoline Lewis. The Rev. Dr. Lewis will trace the broad themes in the book of John and offer insights on preaching specific periscopes. Participants will gain an…