Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast stands as one of the most faithful confessors of the faith in our era. I’ll forever be grateful to Christ Jesus for allowing me to be one of his students.
What would Luther do? He refused to ally with the Calvinists to defend the Reformation against the Catholic military persecution, because of a slight disagreement over the meaning of Communion.
The uber-authoritarian attitudes of the Germanic Lutheran church needed to change as more and more seekers and believers alike became educated and as theologically literate as many pastors were. Complex theology, divisive doctrines and the sheer legalism of "country club religion" was and still is being rejected by a populace not so easily controlled as their faithful forbearers. Luther may have retained a tad too much of the ritualism and "command and control" theology of the Roman Catholic Church and for all the great and brave work he accomplished, it was clearly not quite enough. Don't over-complicate the Gospel message nor the Biblical message...stop the authoritarian over-reach and the punishment of professing believers by denying them the very spiritual medicine they and we so sorely need: Holy Communion. For "...with angels and archangels and ALL THE COMPANY OF HEAVEN, we evermore laud and magnify Thy holy Name......" and thus are assurred of our justification and holy-holy-holy sanctification.
I remember on Reformation Sunday, when " A Mighty Fortress is Our God" was sung, the reserved Germans would get all pumped up and look like they were ready to invade Poland again. My grandfather, bless his heart, would get angry at the local powers and join the Lutheran church in the next town.
![Former Slave Owner Interview in 1929 [Colorized]](/img/n.gif)
Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast stands as one of the most faithful confessors of the faith in our era. I’ll forever be grateful to Christ Jesus for allowing me to be one of his students.
Thank you President/Prof. Rast. As one of your former students...I am confident that CTSFW is on the right course.
What would Luther do? He refused to ally with the Calvinists to defend the Reformation against the Catholic military persecution, because of a slight disagreement over the meaning of Communion.
The uber-authoritarian attitudes of the Germanic Lutheran church needed to change as more and more seekers and believers alike became educated and as theologically literate as many pastors were. Complex theology, divisive doctrines and the sheer legalism of "country club religion" was and still is being rejected by a populace not so easily controlled as their faithful forbearers. Luther may have retained a tad too much of the ritualism and "command and control" theology of the Roman Catholic Church and for all the great and brave work he accomplished, it was clearly not quite enough. Don't over-complicate the Gospel message nor the Biblical message...stop the authoritarian over-reach and the punishment of professing believers by denying them the very spiritual medicine they and we so sorely need: Holy Communion. For "...with angels and archangels and ALL THE COMPANY OF HEAVEN, we evermore laud and magnify Thy holy Name......" and thus are assurred of our justification and holy-holy-holy sanctification.
I remember on Reformation Sunday, when " A Mighty Fortress is Our God" was sung, the reserved Germans would get all pumped up and look like they were ready to invade Poland again. My grandfather, bless his heart, would get angry at the local powers and join the Lutheran church in the next town.