I seem to remember that part of the civil war that was the Arian controversy in the early Church involved rival hymnody. The Arians, with Arius leading from the front, wrote hymns that dressed the heresy in a musical form in order better to drive the doctrine into people's hearts. Their orthodox opponents then wrote…
The Futile Church
The Baptist had preached repentance, but it didn't help. The Church has done the same for two thousand years, and it still doesn't appear to have helped. It looks like other means are necessary to get people to listen. Shouldn't we show others that we can do something really impressive? That's a temptation that has…
There is life without …
... not sailing!
Lost in silence, saved in song
As part of my preparation for preaching on Isaiah 6:1–13 next Sunday, I was reading Luther's lectures on Isaiah. I was intrigued that the translation (presumably Vulgate) he was using rendered Isa 6:5 as, "Woe is me! For I was silent", rather than the usual "I am lost". Well, some digging around ensued, with the…
The ending and the beginning
I don't know what it's like from an author's point of view, but as a reader of books I have got the impression that the two hardest things in writing a book are the beginning and the ending. The story might write itself, but how do you open it? I suppose that's why there we…
Get a Lutheran Study Bible in the UK at a US price
There is a limited number of Lutheran Study Bibles available for sale at the CPH list price, plus p&p (within the UK). Mostly the basic hardback edition (£21.60—or half the Amazon.co.uk price), but also some others, including the Genuine Leather Larger Print at a mere £52.40 a piece. Look here for more details, including information…
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