Category Archives: Theology

The 16th Century Called…

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Matt

500 years later, and the Pope still wants Lutherans to set aside doctrine for the sake of unity. According to Fox News, the Pope met with a large group of Lutherans yesterday. The message was that Lutherans and Papists should … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology | 1 Comment

Wheaton was Right: a Followup

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Matt

The Federalist ran an article of mine last week—concerning the question of whether Muslims and Christians worship the same God (spoiler warning: they don’t.) You can read it over there, but I wanted to take a moment to address some … Continue reading →

Posted in Heresy, Theology | 1 Comment

The Athanasian Creed Probably wasn’t Important, Right?

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Matt

I was all set to teach about the Athanasian Creed at church this morning—before a badly pulled back muscle prevented me from teaching at all. One of the things I planned to note was the uses of the word “catholic” … Continue reading →

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Why Lutherans Sing

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Matt

A few weeks ago, the adult Bible Study that I teach started a new topic:  the historic liturgy used in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.  We’ll be going through it step-by-step from beginning to end and taking an in-depth look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Lutheranism, Theology, Tradition | 1 Comment

Sermon: “A Hard Saying” – John 6:51-69

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Matt

My pastor required a substitute this weekend, and I was honored to be asked to preach on John 6:51-69: Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “This is a hard … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Gospel, Theology | Leave a comment

The Binding of Isaac

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Matt

I’ve been giving the story of Abraham and Isaac some thought lately. It was only about a month ago that the sacrifice of Isaac came up in our lectionary. It as at about that same time that I watched an … Continue reading →

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Scripture Alone, but not a Scripture that is Alone

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Matt

Like any doctrine or teaching, the various Sola’s of the Reformation have provoked some misunderstandings from time to time. This is perhaps most common for sola fide—that we are saved through faith alone and not by our works. Because of … Continue reading →

Posted in Heresy, Lutheranism, Theology | Leave a comment

We Proclaim; We do not Include

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Matt

 Among theological liberals desperate to “fix” Christianity lest it die in obscurity and obsolescence (say, how is membership in liberal “churches” doing again?) one of the key goals is to make Christianity more inclusive. Why are American congregations so white? … Continue reading →

Posted in The Modern Church, Theological Liberalism, Theology | Leave a comment

That’s Just Your Reading Comprehension

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Matt

Any Christian who has ever argued theology with people has probably, at some point, heard the phrase, “That’s just your interpretation” in response to a citation of what God actually teaches in His Word. It’s the “whatever” of the literary … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Theological Liberalism, Theology | 1 Comment

No Need to Choose Between Doctrine and Love

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Matt

“Doctrine divides” became a popular refrain in Theological Liberalism, and its popularity continues as this heresy is rebranded as the “Emergent Church.” The idea is basically that when people believe different things about the world, it gets in the way … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Ethics, Theological Liberalism, Theology, Uncategorized | Leave a comment