Category Archives: Law

Lutheran in a Strange Land – New YouTube Channel

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Matt

Welcome to a new experiment. I’ve had enough requests for video content that I’ve decided to give it a try and create a new YouTube Channel called Lutheran in a Strange Land. The thing is, I teach adult Sunday school … Continue reading →

Posted in Chastity, Culture, Ethics, Feminism, Gospel, Law, Lutheran in a Strange Land, Lutheranism, Theology | Leave a comment

The Proper Care and Feeding of Essential Theology

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Matt

Blogger’s note: This is the prose version of a recent talk I gave at my church’s recent congregational retreat where we considered the subject of change in the Church.  It’s intended for a lay audience with varying levels of education.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Gospel, Law, Lutheranism, The Modern Church, Tradition | 2 Comments

When Devotionals Attack

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Matt

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been a big fan of devotionals. As instructional material, I usually find them both shallow and unnecessarily flowery. As inspirational material, they usually feel emotionally manipulative. And as material that is supposed … Continue reading →

Posted in Gospel, Law, Lutheranism, Theological Liberalism, Theological Pietism, Theology | 8 Comments

Probably Because You Aren’t Preaching It

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Matt

At least, that’s my best guess after reading Why Are You Asking For More Law? In it, a Lutheran pastor briefly recounts a time when he was approached by some scare-quoted “pillars of the congregation” who were scare-quoted “very concerned” … Continue reading →

Posted in Gospel, Law, Lutheranism, Theological Pietism | 1 Comment

Did Jesus Destigmatize Sin?

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Matt

Last week, I had a piece on The Federalist about the destigmatization of racism. In it, I argued that despite the way we have been raised to think of racism as the ultimate evil—the closest thing to a moral absolute … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Law, Lutheranism | Leave a comment

The Forgotten Use of the Law

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Matt

It’s old news that the famous “three uses” to which God puts the law (a curb that restrains sin, a mirror that reveals the depth of our guilt, and a guide by which Christians live) have become very controversial among … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, Law, Lutheranism, Natural Law, Politics | Leave a comment

Catcalling and the Criminalization of Social Ineptitude

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Matt

By now, most everyone has heard of the video of a model being catcalled as she walked down the streets of New York. Under the guise of raising awareness about this casual form of alleged misogyny, it has served mainly … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, Feminism, Law | Leave a comment

“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians”

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Matt

This comic got me thinking a lot about Gandhi lately. It is, unfortunately, quite accurate. Like most people who cry some version of “Lord, save me from your followers,” Gandhi was less familiar with the Lord than he thought. Based … Continue reading →

Posted in Gospel, Law | 1 Comment

Preaching the Law vs. Preaching About the Law

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Matt

About a month ago, I posted a comment over at Brothers of John the Steadfast on a thread regarding legalism and a high view of the law.  The gist of the original post (with which I completely agree), is that … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Lutheranism, Theological Pietism | Leave a comment

Abusing Sola Scriptura

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Matt

“The Bible doesn’t say it’s wrong, so I can do it if I want to.” Unfortunately, this is a common refrain among protestants and Lutherans looking for some kind of license.  We can see this very clearly when it comes … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Law, The Modern Church, Theology | Leave a comment