Once in Royal David's City

'Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten'

a modern jazz interpretation of 'Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier'

Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier - #4

Ich steh' an deiner . . . (#3)

Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (#2)

Ich steh an diener Krippe hier (#1)

more Norwegian Christmas stuff

Norwegians having fun at Christmas

Det kimer nu til julefest (see ELH #143)

v.  9  Come, Jesus, glorious heavnl'y Guest,
Keep Thine own Christmas in our breast;
Then David's harp-string, hushed so long.
Shall swell our jubilee of song.

Dejlig er den himmel bla (see ELH #120)

v. 6  As a star, God's holy Word
Leads us to our King and Lord;
Brightly from its sacred pages
Shall this light throughout the ages
Shine upon our path of life.

'Verbum caro'

Christmas book - 'The Book of Genesis'

My son Sam has given me an illustrated version of the Book of Genesis.  It's an interesting addition to my personal library. 

The Boar's Head Carol

The Wexford Carol

Coventry Carol

'Gaudete Christus est natus'

'All Glory Be to God On High'

'Schliesse, mein Herze'

more Norwegian Jazz at Christmas

Jazz interpretation of 'Her Kommer Jesu, Dine Sma'

Piano arrangement of 'Her kommer Jesus dine sma'

Her Kommer Dine Arme Sma

see Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, #144.  Text by H.A. Brorson, 1694-1764; translated by H.R.K. Spaeth, 1845-1925.

Observing Christmas With Bach

"Weihnachtsoratorium" Cantata No. 1 (Am ersten Weihanchtsfeiertage) BWV246 for choir, soloists, 2 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, 2 oboe d'amore, strings, and basso continuo

No 1. Coro: "Jauchzet, frohlocket!"

Performed by Concentus Musicus Wien & the Arnold Schoenberg Chor
Featuring Christine Schafer, soprano
Bernarda Fink, alto
Werner Gura, tenor
Gerald Finley, bass
Christian Gerthaher, bass
Directed by Nicholas Harnoncourt

*Recorded in 2007

**The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachtsoratorium) BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 incorporating music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a now lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of the parody technique. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).

Buxtehude - Gelobet seist . . .

Christmas Vespers - Praetorius

Christmas Music by Praetorius

Puer Nobis Nascitur - Sweelinck

Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ - Georg Bohm

Jeg er sa glad

Discussion of Bach's Cantata #132

For a detailed analysis of Bach's Cantata #132,  see the link:

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV132-D.htm

#132 Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!

    Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!

1. Aria S
Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo     
Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
    Bereitet die Wege
    Und machet die Stege
    Im Glauben und Leben
    Dem Höchsten ganz eben,
    Messias kömmt an!

Make ready the pathways
And make ev'ry byway
In faith and in living
Now smooth for the Highest,
Messiah shall come!


2. Recitativo T
Continuo      
Willst du dich Gottes Kind und Christi Bruder nennen,
So müssen Herz und Mund den Heiland frei bekennen.
Ja, Mensch, dein ganzes Leben
Muss von dem Glauben Zeugnis geben!
Soll Christi Wort und Lehre
Auch durch dein Blut versiegelt sein,
So gib dich willig drein!
Denn dieses ist der Christen Kron und Ehre.
Indes, mein Herz, bereite
Noch heute
Dem Herrn die Glaubensbahn
Und räume weg die Hügel und die Höhen,
Die ihm entgegen stehen!
Wälz ab die schweren Sündensteine,
Nimm deinen Heiland an,
Dass er mit dir im Glauben sich vereine!

If thou wouldst call thyself God's child and Christ's own brother,
Then freely thy heart and mouth the Savior must acknowledge.
Yes, man, thy life entirely
Must by its faith give constant witness!
If Christ's own word and teaching
E'en through thy blood is to be sealed,
Thyself then willing give!
Because this is the Christian's crown and glory.
Meanwhile, my heart, make ready,
Today yet,
To God the way of faith
And clear away the high hills and the mountains
Which in the path oppose him!
Roll back the heavy stones of error,
Receive thy Savior now,
That he with thee in faith may be united!

3. Aria B
Violoncello, Continuo       
Wer bist du? Frage dein Gewissen,
Da wirst du sonder Heuchelei,
Ob du, o Mensch, falsch oder treu,
Dein rechtes Urteil hören müssen.
Wer bist du? Frage das Gesetze,
Das wird dir sagen, wer du bist,
Ein Kind des Zorns in Satans Netze,
Ein falsch und heuchlerischer Christ.

Who art thou? Question thine own conscience,
Thou shalt without hypocrisy,
If thou, O man, art false or true,
Thy proper judgment have to hear now.
Who art thou? Question the commandment
Which will then tell thee who thou art,
A child of wrath in Satan's clutches,
A Christian false and hypocrite.

4. Recitativo A
Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo      
Ich will, mein Gott, dir frei heraus bekennen,
Ich habe dich bisher nicht recht bekannt.
Ob Mund und Lippen gleich dich Herrn und Vater nennen,
Hat sich mein Herz doch von dir abgewandt.
Ich habe dich verleugnet mit dem Leben!
Wie kannst du mir ein gutes Zeugnis geben?
Als, Jesu, mich dein Geist und Wasserbad
Gereiniget von meiner Missetat,
Hab ich dir zwar stets feste Treu versprochen;
Ach! aber ach! der Taufbund ist gebrochen.
Die Untreu reuet mich!
Ach Gott, erbarme dich,
Ach hilf, dass ich mit unverwandter Treue
Den Gnadenbund im Glauben stets erneue!

I will, my God, to thee make free confession, I have not thee till now in truth confessed.
Although my mouth and lips have named thee Lord and Father,
My heart no less hath from thee turned away.
I have thee disavowed within my living!
How canst thou then for me good witness offer?
When, Jesus, me thy Spirit's waters bathed
And made me clean of all my sinful deeds,
I did in truth swear constant faith unto thee;
Ah! Ah, alas! Baptism's bond is broken.
I rue my faithlessness!
Ah God, be merciful,
Ah, help that I with loyalty unswerving
The bond of grace through faith renew forever!

5. Aria A
Violino solo, Continuo       
Christi Glieder, ach bedenket,
Was der Heiland euch geschenket
Durch der Taufe reines Bad!
Bei der Blut- und Wasserquelle
Werden eure Kleider helle,
Die befleckt von Missetat.
Christus gab zum neuen Kleide
Roten Purpur, weiße Seide,
Diese sind der Christen Staat.

Christ's own members, ah, consider
What the Savior you hath granted
Through baptism's cleansing bath!(2)
By this spring of blood and water
Are your garments all made radiant
Which were stained by sinful deeds.
Christ then gave as your new raiment
Crimson purple, silken whiteness,(3)
These now are the Christians' dress.

6. Choral
Instrumentierung nicht überliefert       
 Ertöt uns durch deine Güte;
Erweck uns durch deine Gnad;
Den alten Menschen kränke,
Dass der neu' leben mag
Wohl hie auf dieser Erden,
Den Sinn und Begehrden
Und G'danken habn zu dir.

Us mortify through thy kindness,
Arouse us through thy dear grace;
The ancient man make weaker,
So that the new may live
E'en here while on earth dwelling,
His mind and ev'ry yearning,
His thoughts inclined to thee.

2nd part - Advent 4 - Bach Cantata #132

Advent 4 - Bach Cantata #132

Student choir sings 'Veni, Emmanuel'

improvisation on the hymn 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel'

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

another version of 'Wie soll ich dich empfangen'

Wie soll ich dich empfangen (see ELH #94)

My View of Military Chaplains

One of my friends is a participant in a blog where the discussion of late has been on the chaplaincy.  I wrote the following to this friend.  I thought that the readers of Lutheran Colportage might find these ideas to be of interest.

First of all, if you don't mind my saying so, you do not have to apologize for your lack of education.  You are very well educated and you express your thoughts very well.  No more apologizing, ----.  You are a theologian.

Secondly, the chaplains vary from personality to personality.  I worked for two Southern Baptists when I was at Fort Benning.  I gained a very healthy respect for these officers and for their denomination.

I had very good experiences with LC-MS chaplains at Fort Campbell and Fort Benning.  The head chaplain at Fort Benning was a Missouri Synod officer and he arranged with the Catholic Chief of Chaplains for me to get a very good job in Viet-Nam.   

In Viet-Nam I worked for an ELCA guy.  Very nice guy.  I have communicated with him.

I only worked for one Catholic.  He was a bad officer and a bad man.  He mistreated the enlisted men and stole money from unsuspecting civilians.  

Third, I remember a 1990 Concordia St. Paul gathering where I was with my Dad at a 60th anniversary reunion.  I remember one of the old men of the class of 1930 explaining to me that he was a chaplain in a medical unit in Europe in 1945.  His job was to minister to those men who had been wounded in combat and were very close to death.  This man was in the right place to add comfort to those who were about to die.

Fourth, the military chaplaincy has some very definite secular benefits.  It is important for a military unit to reflect, as much as possible, the values of the larger society, i.e. the society that sends men into the military.   The military has butchers, bakers, finance officers, mail clerks, mechanics, carpenters, recreation facilities, and it might as well have churches, too.

Fifth, the quality of chaplains, and officers, and enlisted men, varies greatly.  There are lousy company clerks and poorly motivated cooks.  So, too, some chaplains don't do their work very well.  I seem to recall my brother, a retired Air Force officer, telling me once about the need to visit an Air Force family that suffered a loss.  My brother, as I recall, said that a chaplain who was with him on the call,  was a wimp and couldn't face up to the challenge of telling the family about their loss.

Sixth, there are Two Kingdoms that Lutherans are a part of.  When I was a soldier I was in the control of the U.S. Army while I was also a member of the UNA SANCTA ECCLESIA.  I did all that I could for those good Southern Baptists but I never participated in their worship services. I am not an altar-call kind of guy. I went to Missouri Synod church services at Fort Benning on Tuesday night where I received sustenance for my soul.

Seventh, I feel that the whole issue of fellowship and unionism is too widely applied for my liking.  I have never felt bound by what many in the ELS feel are the determinative factors on the issue.  As I have traveled through life I have been motivated to seek out the Word. 

As I posted in my Lutheran Colportage blog yesterday, Article VII of the AC is the determinative factor.    Strict descriptions of what is proper and what is improper often fail the test of distinguishing between the letter and the spirit.

So, that's what I think.

Don't apologize, ----.  You know more about theology than many of those morons on ----- -------.

O Magnum Mysterium

The Angel Gabriel

Article VII-Augsburg Confession - A Template for Lutheran Unity

Attention is being given among various blogging sites for an understanding of any rationale  for Lutheran unity.  As a public service Lutheran Colportage presents this essential document of the Lutheran faith (source:  Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, p. 10).

Article  VII, The Church

"We teach that one holy Church is to continue forever.  The Church is the congregation of saints. in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the sacraments rightly administered.  And concerning the true unity of the Church, it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.  Nor is it necessary that human tradition, rites, or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be the same everywhere.  As St. Paul says, 'One faith, one baptism, one god and Father of all.' etc. [Eph. 4:5,6]"

Veni, veni Emmanuel

On Jordan's Bank the Herald's Cry

Macht hoch die Tur

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending

choral expression - 'Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland'

Praetorius - 'Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland'

Cool Pachelbel - 'Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland'

more Nicolaus Bruhns -

Nicolaus Bruhns does 'Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland'

3 Bach organ compositions of 'Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland'

Bach - 'Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland'

Buxtehude - Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland

from Bach's Cantata #36

Vivaldi's Magnificat #2

now it's Vivaldi's turn - Magnificat

Pergolesi - Magnificat

more Buxtehude - Magnificat

Buxtehude - Magnificat

Bach's Magnificat - music for all seasons

An ice image from the writings of Martin Luther

I am reading From Luther's Epistle Sermons. The text is 1 Peter, chapter one, v. 13-16. The familiar text has St. Peter exhorting the Christian reader to prepare for living the life of faith. "Gird up" are the familiar words.

Luther advises his congregation to prepare for hardship in the faith but he also urges his people not to go crazy about it as some have done. He compares such a person to an ass, a common sort of rhetorical device, I suppose, to engage his audience.

The ridiculous ass in his analogy can become "obstinate and, going on the ice, break a bone."

The point is for a person to maintain self-control and internal discipline.

Since we are iced in in Minnesota I thought that this old German folk image was hilarious. I wonder if there are other examples of an obstinate ass breaking a leg bone in German folk literature.

Iced In on the Last Sunday of the Church Year

Extreme ice in Minnesota is rare but we are stranded. The advice from the TV is 'No Travel' so we are complying with that advice.

I am using my iPad this morning. I have added some interesting things from the iStore in recent weeks.

From The Wittenberg Project I have added several volumes of Luther's Works. These are free. I have : On Christian Liberty, Treatise on Good Works, a volume of Epistle Sermons, and the 95 Theses. The Concordia Triglotta is also available at no charge.

My Lectionary is the very reasonably priced Lectionary for iPad.

To keep an open and balanced mind, I have also bought 'God Is Not Great' by Christopher Hitchins. One need not fear sliding into atheism by reading this author. Don't be deceived by book titles.

still more Buxtehude

Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707)

Alles, was ihr tut mit Worten oder mit Werken
Cantata BuxWV 4
1. Sonata
2. Alles, was ihr tut (Coro)
3. Sonata
4. Dir, o Höchster, dir alleine (Aria)
5. Habe deine Lust (Basso)
6. Gott will ich lassen raten (Coro)


Andreas Wolf, bass
Wiebke Lehmkuhl, alto
Collegium Cartusianum
Kölner Kammerchor
Peter Neumann, conductor

Recorded at Auditorium Eisenach, Nantes, 2009

'Te Deum Laudamus' - Buxtehude

Buxtehude - 'Mit Fried Und Freud'

Buxtehude does 'Wachet Auf'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE6qAHcCwRo

Embedding is not allowed but try this link.  It's a pretty exciting piece of music.  I did not know that Buxtehude had done 'Wachet Auf.'

BWV 645

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen

It's That Time of the Church Year - Wachet Auf

Bach - Cantata BWV 140 - Choir -Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme.
Conductor Karl richter.
Interpretation - Munich Bach Choir,munich bach orchestra.

On the burning bush

The text for Pastor's Sunday sermon was Luke 20:27-38.  It was the trick-question, Jesus-baiting sequence about all of those people who were married to each other.    Whose wife would this woman be when all seven of her husbands were dead?

The answer was, of course, that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

The text contains a reference to Abraham and the near-sacrifice of his son Isaac.  "But in the account of the burning bush...."

This reminded me that I have a book in my personal library on the subject of Abraham that I should read.  The cite is:   Delaney, Carol.  "Abraham On Trial   The Social  Legacy of Biblical Myth,"  Princeton NJ:  Princeton University Press, 1998.  313 pp

This Biblical event is a major consideration for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.  How do these religious expressions deal with this matter?

one more performance by Giovanni Vianini - 'Christ ist erstanden'

'Herzlich thut mich verlangen'

'O Mensech, bewein'

'Wir glauben all' an einen Gott'

Tea Party and Religious Fervor - Michelle Bachmann #2

The way to understand the Tea Party movement, according to author Freedman, is to understand the role of religion in the thinking of its adherents.  The Constitution, for example, is not seen as a "political phenomenon" but is understood "through the prism of religion."

" 'There's a strong stand of divine-guidance thinking, thinking about American exceptionalism,' says Mary Beth Norton, a professor of early American history at Cornell University.  'People have certainly seen the texts of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as the equivalent of a secular religion, with the idea that you can't challenge these texts.' "

Bachmann appeals to a group of voters who feel that the modern world has forsaken the principles of American constitutionalism.  She finds support among people who fear the modern world and see religious faith undermined by secularism.  She finds support among the anti-abortion people who would have Roe v. Wade overturned because it is a violation of Natural Law.

Bachmann's political views are her own and people may accept or reject them.  What is remarkable for this Lutheran is how people of her persuasion would make her political views binding upon the consciences of those Lutherans (like myself) who don't agree with her.

Tea Party and Religious Fervor - Michelle Bachmann

Samuel G. Freedman had a perceptive piece in Saturday's New York Times about the ideological underpinnings of the Tea Party movement.

The piece caught my eye because it was well-written and it also described how Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann might see politics.

Bachmann is a Lutheran and a Lutheran member of Congress is nothing new here in Minnesota.   I would guess that almost all of the previous Lutheran members of Congress came from the ELCA which some consider to be the state church of Minnesota.  Bachmann is unusual in that she is a WELS Lutheran.  Her campaign manager is, I believe, a member of the ELS.  Truth in blogging requires me to state that I am a member of a congregation affiliated with the ELS.

I reside in the 3rd Minnesota Congressional District and so I was not able to vote against Ms. Bachmann in the recently concluded election.

Bachmann's gerrymandered 6th district has re-elected her again.  I think that Ms. Bachmann wouldn't stand a chance if she ran for office in the metropolitan Twin Cities.

First appearance here of a work by Maurice Durufle

and now, organ music by Edward Elgar

still more great Handel organ music on a Saturday night

more great Handel organ music

Great Handel organ music

It's time for a joke 'You Can't Get to Heaven in the Lutheran Church'

Congregational Medley

more 'Een vaste burcht is onze God'

Dutch congregants sing the Reformation hymn of Luther

Badinerie on trumpet

Badinerie

Handel Fugue

Cool Pachelbel (Fugue)

I'm back with more Bach

I've been gone for a few weeks.  My son was married last month in Brooklyn NY and we've just recently returned to our home in suburban Minneapolis.

Bach at his finest

Bach's Little Fugue

The religious right and the Tea party movement connection revealed

Michelle Boorstein in today's Washington Post writes about a new poll that shows the relationship between the religious right and the Tea party movement.   Most Lutherans that I know want to avoid the ludicrous left and the ridiculous right.

I am having trouble posting the link but go to the Washington Post for October 5, 2010.

Louis Vierne - how cool is this?

Espoo cathedral parish organist and music director Petri Koivusalo plays "Carillon de Westminster" by Louis Vierne. This is the final track of CD/Multichannel SACD "Espoon tuomiokirkon urut" (The Organ of Espoo Cathedral, Finland), MKSACD-43/FUGA-9292.

Espoo Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in the metropolitan area of Finland. It is a medium-sized medieval stone church, built in 1480. The organ of the cathedral has 38 stops and it represents the neoclassic style of the Danish organ reform movement. It was built by Organ Builder Veikko Virtanen (Finland) in 1967, number of stops were added in 1989. The present organ will be dismantled in February 2010 and a new Ladegast-style organ will be installed in 2012.

This CD/SACD was produced as a document of this particular organ, but also as a farewell to the organ. Other composers on this disc are Bach, Rheinberger, Mendelssohn, Merikanto, Lindberg, Kokkonen and Salonen. More information can be found from www.impressions.fi and www.fuga.fi.

Russian music set to organ

an exciting piece of Spanish organ music

Batalla Imperial for Organ composed by Juan Bautista José Cabanilles

A batalla is a piece, in which a military battle is illustrated and in which the organist can use the characteristic reed stops of Spanish organs

Performed by E. Power Biggs at the Cathedral de Segovia (date unknown)

how about some French organ music?

English organ piece

Herbert Sumsion (1899-1995) plays the 'Choral Song & Fugue' of Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876).
Recorded on the Arthur Harrison organ of Gloucester Cathedral.

Bach-The Art of the Fugue - the last fugue

First music of Domenico Zipoli to be posted in this spot

Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726)

Sonate d'Intavolatura per Organo
1. Verso I
2. Verso II
3. Verso III
4. Verso IV
5. Canzona
6. All'Offertorio
7. All'Elevazione
8. Al post comunio

Thomas Schmögner at the Federico Crudeli organ of the San Filippo Church in Lucca

Frescobaldi wrote some pretty good organ music, too

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)

Toccate e Partite, Libro Secondo
Ancidetemi pur d'Archadelt passagiato

Thomas Schmögner at the Federico Crudeli organ of the San Filippo Church in Lucca

there is always time for a Bach fugue

J.S.Bach Fuga in D major Bwv 580 performed by Hans Fagius

how about some Mozart on a beautiful Thursday morning?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Fantaisie in f-moll KV 608

Olivier Latry at the Johann Michel Stumm organ (1745) St. Paul's church in Kirchheimbolanden

how about some Mendelssohn?

more coronation music

Johann H. Schmelzer: Sonata I; Antonio Bertali: Veni Sancte Spiritus.
Johann Rosenmüller- Ensemble; Leitung: Arno Paduch

an old blues tune sounds pretty on the organ

Schubert organ music

Improvisation on the theme 'Grosser Gott wir loben dich'

Solemn coronation music cont'd

Antonio Bertali: Missa Sancti Spiritus: Kyrie & Gloria.
Johann Rosenmüller-Ensemble, Arno Paduch

Solemn music for the coronation of a king

1. Ecce mitto angelum meum; 2. Antonio Bertali: Spiritus Domini replevit orben terrarum.
Johann Rosenmüller-Ensemble- Arno Paduch.

interesting blog

Some people are recapitulating Luther's walk from Germany to Rome.  It's interesting.

http://www.hereiwalk.org/

more Bach

Bach on a Tuesday morning

A personal note - finding a new church

We have spent the summer looking for a different  church. The search is over.  Our journey  took us on a tour of the contemporary Lutheran church scene.  We learned that the practice of Lutheranism is observed in a variety of ways.  We found that the art and practice of preaching is doing very well.

It was the preacher and the hymn book that brought us to our current destination.  We are grateful to all who offered us encouragement during this transitional period.

'Fili mi, Absalon' - Heinrich Schutz

Psalm 34 - Heinrich Schutz

'Grosser Gott, wir loben dich'

I'm back

I have resolved the reasons for shutting down this blog and I am ready to resume.  Thanks to those who were kind enough to write.

It's time to shut down

I am grateful to the people who have read this blog and shared their thoughts with me.  I do not feel that I have finished my blogging adventures.  There is more music to be posted, more historical topics to pursue, and more links to be read.  I have nearly finished my 3-month tour of Lutheranism.  I haven't gotten very far into into my intended study of the two Lutheran Study Bible, the (A) and the (C).

But sometimes things happen that are best dealt with by walking away.  Such is the reason for me to shut down my blog.  Thank you all for reading Lutheran Colportage.

I will continue my other blogs so you will continue to get those Friday night jokes on Norman's Demesne.  See you there.

continuing on with Bach on a Monday morning

Bach for a Monday morning

Tom Kuster named as Academic Dean at Bethany

Bethany Lutheran College will announce that Prof. Thomas A. Kuster has been  named as Academic Dean at Bethany.    Kuster will replace Ron Younge who is retiring after many years of service.

This is good news for friends and alumni of Bethany.   Tom's selection is important because of his impressive academic credentials and because he is a Bethany guy.

Organ history lesson - #4

Organ history lesson - #3

Organ history lesson - #2

Organ history lesson

music of Matthias Weckman

ELS News

Here is current news about the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

CANDIDATES: Jeff Merseth – Roseau, MN; Nick Proksch – Holland, MI; Trent Saari – Lake Havasu City, AZ; Josh Skogen – Waukon, IA; three unassigned at this time: Mark Faugstad, Daniel Hartwig, Samuel Gullixson

The annual convention will be held in Mankato from June 20-24 in Mankato.   There will be an election for President of the Synod on Tuesday, June 22nd.

The Rudolph E. Honsey Academic Center ('The Rudy') will be dedicated at Bethany College on Sunday, June 20th at 3 PM.

Didja hear the one about the ELS vicar who was dating a woman from the CLC?  She wouldn't pray with him. [Joke stolen from Rolf Preus, former ELS pastor]

How about some Marcel Dupre?

Great organ work of Cesar Franck

The Catholic Church will survive

Read what Ross Douthat has to say on this topic by clicking on the link   

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/07/the-catholic-church-is-finished/8159

ELS views of a segment of Missouri's history-a first hand perspective

Recently I have posted several items on this blog re Missouri Synod history.  The ELS owes its formation to the support of Missouri Synod Lutherans.  Even though the ELS is not in fellowship with Missouri (I personally think that this is wrong and hope that the ELS would reverse its position) there are many ties with Missouri.  These ties with Missouri are in decline because of the passage of time, and death.

Walther's views on slavery were a shock to many of us in the ELS because we didn't know that the old man was so wrong about such a basic issue. I had always heard about Walther's good side and never anything about his bad side.

The link to a recent discussion of the Tietjen-Preus era brought a number of responses.   The writer of that dissertation pointed out that the ELS suspending relations with Missouri was due to the influence of Jack and Robert Preus.

On another blog I made some observations about how painful it was for my father and my uncle that Jack left the ELS for Missouri.  The pain was personal, of course, because my father and my uncle were very close personal friends of Jack and Robert.  The greater pain was, I believe, that Jack and Robert were so persuasive to the ELS that the Missouri Synod had gone the wrong way, theologically speaking, and that the ELS should suspend relations.   The ELS did so in 1955.

In the interests of objectivity, I also published a link to a 1999 analysis of the events. The author of this essay emphasized that the Walkout was based on doctrinal differences.  The author of the dissertation emphasized the personalities of some of the principals.  He  particularly had unkind things to say about the Preus brothers.

Back to the ELS. The leaders of the ELS at the time of the Missouri-ELS split are gone to their graves.  My father died in 2004.   The young men from the ELS who knew Jack from the classroom are now in their declining years.  What might be of interest to the readers of this blog is the observation of an old man who was once a seminarian and studied under Jack.   His name will be kept confidential.

"I haven't had a chance to read about the Walther issue but I will surely do so since I am vitally interested.  I can't imagine that I'd be agreeing with C.F.W's views on slavery judging by your comment.  I thought your comments on the Preus brothers matter were poignant and interesting.  Of course in my pre-the studies I had Jack as my Greek prof for a year.  Church Politican, I concluded after that time.  I wrote him some several years after he made a rather impassioned plea on the synod flood holding forth at some length on why the ELS should break or suspend fellowship with the LC-MS. Whether his position at that convention was for suspension of fellowship or breaking fellowship entirely I don't remember - tho perhaps my letter or his reply might reveal which & I'd have to spend hours perhaps finding that file.  In any case, the gist of my letter to JAO was this: Why have you joined the LC-MS in the light of your former position. I referred at that point my letter to his speech at the convention. His reply - and I choke at memory of his words - was to this effect: "There must be some misunderstanding on this.  I never spoke at that convention on behalf of the position taken by some that the ELS should suspend/break relations with the Missouri Synod."  Enough said.

"That perhaps was the starting point for me in taking the position eventually that theologians/pastors/professors may be trustworthy but you'd better be very careful.  They may be users. It was a shocking and disappointing experience."

more on Missouri Synod history

On June 8th I published a link for a view on a recent historical interpretation of Missouri Synod history. 

A reader advised me that Paul Zimmerman had written on this subject but I have not read his take.  Paul Zimmerman is an old friend of the Teigen family.   He was at Bethany in the late 40s and early 50s and served most capably.  He returned to his church home, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, where he served as President of Concordia- Seward and Concordia- Ann Arbor.

Rev. Daniel Preus, Director of the Concordia Historical Institute, has also written on this subject.  Follow the link   http://www.confessionallutherans.org/papers/dantalk.htm

Desiderio - classical guitar - #1 (of 10)

Cimarosa on guitar

How about some Cimarosa?

Bach from Evangelische-Lutherse Kerk in Utrecht

Nice organ prelude

Who owns church history?

The interpretation of events is one of the fascinating parts of historical study.    Who owns history?  Who is entitled to tell the story of a particular event or era?

A thoughtful reader of this blog has sent me a link to a discussion of the history of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the Preus-Tietjen years.    This topic generates intense energy among people who follow this subject.

Follow the link:  http://daystarnet.org/Burkee%20on%20the%20LCMS.pdf

'The Unchanging Forms of the Gospel'

Scott Diekmann is one of the best bloggers around.  I was privileged to meet him in Bloomington a few weeks ago.  Follow the link to a review of a new book by Holger Sonntag.

http://stand-firm.blogspot.com/

Mt. Olive Lutheran School, Des Moines - 50 year celebration

This Spring I've been on a tour of Lutheranism.  This weekend I visited our Des Moines IA church for a 50th anniversary of the school which our sons had attended in the 80s.

It was a great experience to see old friends again and to know that Mt. Olive proclaims the Word to the community.

The guest preacher was Kurt Taylor a 1980 school graduate.  Pastor Taylor is at St. John's Lutheran in New Boston MI.  He had a terrific sermon.  His theme was that the mission of the church is to bring them in and build them up.

Afterwards a banquet was held at a nearby Ramada Inn.  On the way to my car in the parking lot I found a group of earnest Mt. Olive scholars.  At Mt. Olive School learning is not restricted  to the classroom.   These science students were making detailed observations on the contents of a robin's nest which had fallen to the ground from an overhanging tree branch.

I thank God for Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and School in Des Moines IA.

Brade - #3

Brade #2

Music of William Brade - #1

music of Samuel Scheidt

Hammerschmidt motet

'Thou Whose Almighty Word'

Intrepid Lutherans in the WELS

I will be following this new Lutheran blog prepared by Wisconsin Synod people.

http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/

How about some Wagner on a Memorial Day morning?

Cool Bach

How about some Elgar?

Brother Dave resting after angioplasty

I think that  some of the readers of this blog may know my oldest brother, Dave Teigen.  Dave underwent angioplasty surgery this afternoon and is recovering nicely.  He began to suffer a heart attack yesterday afternoon but was promptly treated in the initial stages.  He was first driven to St. Joseph's Hospital in Brainerd and then evacuated by helicopter to Abbott in Minneapolis

It has been a challenging ordeal for all of us.  We are all grateful for the prayers of the  friends of the Teigen family and the skill of the medical practitioners.  Thanks be to God for his healing mercy.

I've never heard of Claudio Merulo before

How about some Frescobaldi?

Some very old music played on a very old pipe organ

more music of Vincent Luebeck

The excommunication of a nun

Nicholas Kristof writes a disturbing account of a nun who has been excommunicated. Mr. Kristof says:  When a hierarchy of mostly aging men pounce on and excommunicate a revered nun who was merely trying to save a mother’s life, the church seems to me almost as out of touch as it was in the cruel and debauched days of the Borgias in the Renaissance.

Follow the link   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/opinion/27kristof.html?ref=opinion