The Secret Wireless

     There has been much turmoil surrounding the subject of the final film in the "Dark Knight" trilogy.  The shootings in Colorado have put a dark cloud over this movie.  Yet I do not think we should allow tragedy to be the only thing we remember from this film.  It has much to say and many themes in common with the Scriptures.      That being said, I wish to explore a few of those themes and how they are similar to a Biblical worldview and Christian faith. (This could be a potential "SPOILER", so I shall tread carefully.) Sin and Despair : At the beginning of the film Bruce Wayne is "not Batman anymore."  He is a shell of the man he once was.  The state of his soul is reflected by the state of his body: weakened, battered, and broken.  Alfred comments that Bruce can only see one end to his story as Batman.  In other words, he has lost all hope.      Commissioner Jim Gordon ...

"Judge not, lest ye be judged!"  These words of Jesus are often hurled at those who hold to a traditional morality and confess Christ as their savior.  Anyone who believes in Jesus must obviously never judge anyone about anything at any time. This, however, is not possible.  Jesus Himself makes judgments, rather harsh judgements at times.  Saint Paul tells the Corinthian congregation to judge those inside the Church.  And Jesus does not give men and women license to live however they please.  He calls them from their sin-filled lives and into fellowship with Himself. The point Jesus is trying to make in Matthew 7 is that we should hold others to the same standard to which we hold ourselves.  As Christians this means we should be encouraged to call others to repentance when they sin against us.   I certainly would want someone to point out my sins rather than let them go unchecked (as unpleasant of an experience as that might be).  ...

Some Pastoral thoughts on the “drought” we are in. As you know we are in a heat wave and drought conditions that have not been seen here in recent times in Southern Illinois.   While certainly not unprecedented or unique to our area, it presents many economic an d , I would contend , faith challenges for the Christian. First, what is God doing?   It may be fashionable in our day and age to “leave God out of it”.  Merely strike the events to “natural” patterns that strike all areas of the earth at certain times in history.  Yet, we are Christians, and we believe, teach and confess that our God is the God of nature (a nature which is fallen and cries out for divine rescue (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:19-21), but also a nature that even in its fallen state praises the Lord (Psalm 148).  With this in mind we cannot say that God  has somehow “separated” himself from this drought.  Even if, the people claiming to speak for God today wo...

Is theology a distraction for you? I have heard this from several people, usually non-Lutherans. They argue that articles of faith such as the Lord's Supper, Baptism, Dispensationalsim, and others might be important, but they can become a distraction from Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.  My response is this: "If your theology is a distraction from Jesus Christ, you need a new theology!" It is not good theology that is the problem, but bad. So trade up.  The word "theology" literally means "God-Words". Speaking theology is speaking about God. And for a Christian speaking about God should always be done in reference to Jesus Christ, who reveals God to us. So I would agree that the Lord's Supper and Baptism can be distracting from Jesus, that is, when we are talking about a Reformed, Armenian, Roman, or otherwise Evangelical theology of the Lord's Supper and Baptism. They divorce Christ from the sacrament and make it a m...