OC_laudess

[Dr Jordan B. Cooper @DrJordanBCooper]

Look, I don't care what happens in the LCMS election because it is not my church, but I *do* care about the slander I am suddenly seeing all over the place about my friend Joel Biermann. Accusations of him abandoning the law-gospel distinction, wanting to compromise with the Reformed, and numerous other things are showing up again from over a decade ago. These are the same accusations that were leveled against me at the time (and from many of the same people).

Biermann fought against the reductionistic approach to law and gospel, which dominated the latter half of the twentieth century, before almost anyone. He was promoting virtue ethics at a time when the discipline was nearly entirely abandoned among Lutherans (Meilaender being almost the only exception).

When I entered the Lutheran world from outside, many were skeptical simply because I was not one of them. The mere fact that I had not always been Lutheran disqualified me from having anything to say about Lutheran theology. You know who didn't care about that at all? Joel Biermann. Because his concern has never been German culture or church politics, but has always been answering the question, "What is God's truth?"

At one time, I was essentially blackballed from a lot of Lutheran spaces for speaking against certain ideas that were deemed untouchable at the time (completely unknowingly, as I was a twenty-something who was totally clueless about inter-Lutheran politics). I had a book review editor of a Lutheran journal consistently block any positive reviews of my books for publication, and had multiple pastors and professors call churches to tell them to disinvite me when I was given an opportunity to speak at conferences. I was told that if I tried to publish anything with CPH, one of the members of the CDCR would make sure that nothing I wrote would pass doctrinal review.

But Biermann did not care about any of this. In fact, when I was something of a pariah to many in the LCMS, he wrote the foreword to my book on the topic that caused this (Hands of Faith). This is because he always cared about what is true, rather than what is popular or what is politically expedient.

The tide has turned on sanctification issues since then; arguing against law-gospel reductionism and encouraging virtue formation are no longer viewed as some radical fringe ideas (and they shouldn't be, since they have been a core element of the Lutheran tradition since its inception). Much of that is due to Biermann's work.

Do I agree with him about everything? Of course not. He's not as classical as I am philosophically, and he's more open on liturgical issues than I am. That doesn't make me any less grateful for him.

Biermann is a man of conviction who is willing to take positions that are unpopular if he believes them to derive from Scripture and align with our Confessions. There are too few men who are willing to do the same.

I don't care who you vote for. Give your reasons for why you want everyone to vote for the other candidate, but don't misrepresent a faithful man when doing so.

[Andrew King @drandrewmking]

🚨Giveaway Time🚨

I’m giving away another copy of our CSC Philippians commentary! Follow & RT to enter. Tag a friend for an extra entry.

Winner announced 4/21.

[OC_laudess @emk_3334]

@KrAn_Libertario Ketchup 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[OC_laudess @emk_3334]

@__Injaneb96 Hey! Where's the champagne to keep the grooving on!? 👍👍👍

[Trad West @trad_west_]

Despite brutal persecution, Iran is home to one of the fastest-growing Christian movements on earth. According to missionary groups and a 2020 GAMAAN survey, over 1 million Iranians now identify as Christian, many of them former Muslims.

These underground believers worship in secret, often risking torture or death.

What fuels the movement? Dreams and visions of Jesus (often reported through many islamic countries) without Western missionaries or buildings.

Persia will be Christian.

[Modern 🇮🇱 Talmud @ModernTalmud]

Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian empire, freed the Jews 2,500 years ago.

Happy we could finally repay that debt 🇮🇱❤️

[Mayra Dominguez @MayraDo57466678]

Esto es lo que la izquierda radical no quiere ver sobre Irán y los abusos hacia las mujeres.

[Angel Rivas @AngelRCuba]

En apoyo a Donald Trump en Santiago de Chile, frente al Palacio de La Moneda con banderas de Cuba y Estados Unidos cubanos y venezolanos dan vivas a Trump y a Marco Rubio, con las consignas:
Mejor Sin Comunismo y MAKE CUBA GREAT AGAIN.
#CubaPaLaCalle
#ElCambioEsYa

[AXEL KAISER @AXELKAISER]

Esto es excelente. Defensa en EEUU corta todos los lazos con centros de adoctrinamiento de izquierda (universidades de élite)

[AXEL KAISER @AXELKAISER]

Izquierda: "que terrible los ataques de EEUU contra el régimen( genocida) de Irán, pobres iraníes"
Iraníes:

[Chad Bird @birdchadlouis]

What is my go-to commentary on Isaiah? You’re looking at it. Alec Motyer [pronounced maw-TEAR] is superb. I consult him when preparing episodes on Isaiah for our podcast, “40 Minutes in the Old Testament.” I consult him when writing anything on Isaiah. He is insightful, creative, concise, faithful, and unabashedly Christian in his explanations. So as we spend time reading through Isaiah in Bible in One Year, if you are looking for a commentary, check out Motyer.

Available at Amazon: https://t.co/saYxOOqMzv

[Clau Patria de Cristal🎗️ @claucortezm]

Ganó KAST
GANÓ CHILE

[OC_laudess @emk_3334]

@thecliniccl No ví a la derrotada hacer lo mismo en su convocatoria 🤮

[AXEL KAISER @AXELKAISER]

Chile celebrates the defeat of communism

[KFUO Radio @KFUOradio]

What do the Formula of Concord and Scripture have to say about election? The Rev. Brady Finnern joins us to discuss the Formula of Concord reading plan he created for 2025, and what we will learn in November’s readings! @LutheranWitness #CoffeeHour
https://t.co/GO8LUQ0WZB

[Portals of Prayer @PortalsOfPrayer]

O sweetest Love, Your grace on us bestow;
Set our hearts with sacred fire aglow
That with hearts united we love each other,
Every stranger, sister, and brother.
Lord, have mercy! (LSB 768:2). Amen.

[OC_laudess @emk_3334]

PNG has set an example for all nations around the globe...😊✝️👍 That's for you too woke UN!!

[Jeremiah Knight @iamrjknight]

NEWS UPDATE

Here’s something remarkable that went almost unnoticed earlier this year.

Papua New Guinea has officially amended its constitution to declare itself a Christian Nation, with an overwhelming vote of 80 to 4.

The amendment adds a declaration to the preamble of the Constitution:

“We acknowledge and declare God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit as our Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe, and the source of our powers and authorities, delegated to the people and all persons within the geographical jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea.”

Christianity will also now be reflected in the Fifth Goal of the Constitution, and the Bible will be recognised as a national symbol.

In a world drifting fast from truth, it is deeply moving to see a nation publicly acknowledging the triune God as the foundation of its identity and authority.

[OC_laudess @emk_3334]

@iamrjknight Just love to hear this marvellous news...How I love PNG bold declaration, languages, and Rugby League 🏉! Thank you Lord for PNG 😊✝️👍

[OC_laudess @emk_3334]

@birdchadlouis Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, help me to fix my eyes on you, the perfecter and consumer of my faith as I wobbling walk the path a imperfect Christian 😊✝️👍