Is Justification Still the Issue?

What is the greatest threat to the church today? Is it the disintegration of the family? Is it the helter-skelter of the Church’s liturgy? Two devout Lutheran theologians will present the case that justification is the article “on which the Church stands or falls.”

Speakers

Rev. Rolf D. Preus is pastor of First American Lutheran Church in Mayville, ND, Grace Lutheran Church in Crookston, MN, and First Evanger Lutheran Church in Fertile, MN. He has an STM degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, where he wrote his thesis on the doctrine of justification. He is the author of “Justification: Am I Good Enough for God?” and is currently writing the volume on justification for the Confessional Lutheran Dogmatics Series. You can read many of his papers and sermons at christforus.org. Pastor Preus and his wife Dort have one daughter and 11 sons, three of whom are Lutheran pastors, with four more currently attending Seminary.

Pastor Preus will speak on “Justification as the Center of Christian Theology.” This paper will address, among other questions: How does the article of justification relate to the rest of Christian doctrine? Was the battle of the Reformation only important for its time, or is it still a necessary struggle? Where do Lutherans stand with regard to Rome and the Protestant sects today?

Professor Roland Ziegler serves as Assistant Professor for Systematic Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS). Born in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, he studied at the Universities of Tübingen, Erlangen, and at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Oberursel. He served as a teaching assistant at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Oberursel, a vicar in Berlin and a pastor in Konstanz. He has for several years taught the course on justification at CTS, and has through his research and writings shown a tenacious grasp of this foundational Christian teaching.

Professor Ziegler will speak on “Was Paul a Lutheran? Current Issues Concerning the Doctrine of Justification.” The famous Anglican theologian, N.T. Wright, has claimed to offer the Church a “New Perspective on Paul.” The traditional Lutheran understanding of Romans and Galatians is being challenged. Do Wright and others help us understand that Paul was not really the “Lutheran” we view him as, or is their perspective really not so new?

Lutheran Hymns:
Teaching the Faith in Both Church and Home

The hymnal is one of the most important books in teaching the Christian faith. Hymns are simply doctrine put into poetic form. Change the hymn and you change the faith.

Speakers

Dr. Christopher Boyd Brown is assistant professor of Church History at Boston University. He received his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University (2001) and the M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (2003). Dr. Brown is the author of Lutheran Hymns and the Success of the Reformation (Harvard, 2005) and is the general editor of the extension of Luther's Works currently being published by Concordia Publishing House.

Dr. Brown will talk about how Lutheran hymns transformed the homes and hearts of sixteenth-century Germany. The Bohemian mining town of Joachimsthal, for example, sung hymns in the streets and homes as well as in the churches and schools. This preserved Lutheranism among them.

Dr. Richard Stuckwisch is pastor of Emmaus Lutheran Church in South Bend, Indiana. He received his M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne in 1993 and an S.T.M. from there in 2003. He also has a Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame in 2003. He is the author of numerous books and articles.

Dr. Stuckwisch will talk about hymnody and music in American Christianity. The church's music should be Christ–centered and not man–centered. It should focus on what the people need (i.e. the forgiveness of sins) and not on what they want. It should be centered on building faith in Christ and not building up the emotions. It should be holy and not casual. It should be a common form and language for everyone (old and young, rich and poor, parents and children) and not cater to one particular generation. It should focus on God'.s gift of sacrament to us and not on man's desire to appease God through sacrifice.

What Is Truth?
Scripture, Luther and the Lutheran Confessions

What is truth? Many people today think that truth is found from within or from our culture. However, the Word of God is the only reliable and trustworthy source of truth. It clearly reveals Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. Our Lutheran Confessions were written on the basis of the Scriptures. Luther himself confessed the truth found in God’s Word giving all glory to Christ our one and only Savior. Being Lutheran today is to believe in the truths of God’s Word as they are correctly explained and taught in the Book of Concord, and to confess and to teach this truth in a lost world.

Speakers

Rev. Dr. Scott Murray is the senior pastor of Memorial Lutheran Church & School in Houston, Texas. God has blessed him and Maryann, his wife of 23 years, with two daughters, Anastasia and Hilary. His hobbies are collecting books and recordings of classical music. He is the Vice President of the Luther Academy, an editorial associate of LOGIA, and is working on a book on Holy Scripture for the Confessional Lutheran Dogmatics Series. He is the author of numerous journal articles and also Law, Life, and the Living God published by Concordia Publishing House in 2001.

Rev. Daniel Preus currently serves on the pastoral staff at Hope Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Missouri. Since his ordination in 1975, Rev. Preus has served congregations in Hobart, IN; Truman, MN: Oak Park, IL; and Colorado Springs, CO. From 1995-2001 he served as director of Concordia Historical Institute. In 2001 he was elected as the First Vice President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and served in this position until 2004. Since 2005 he has been Luther Academy’s first full-time Director. He is married to Linda and has five children: Seth, Rebekah, Erik, Kirsten, and Dirk; as well as five grandchildren. Rev. Preus has authored numerous articles for publication. His most recent publication is a book entitled Why I Am A Lutheran: Jesus at the Center, published by Concordia Publishing House in 2004.

Who is Jesus?
Christless Christianity in the Contemporary Church

Contemporary Christianity wants a powerful, successful, and popular Jesus, but not a Jesus who was crucified. Therefore, Jesus is seen as a coach, therapist, buddy, political messiah, and a moral example, but not as an atoning sacrifice that satisfies God’s wrath against sin. The preacher will often focus on moral reform and progressive sanctification rather than on repentance and faith in the forgiveness of sins. The Bible is taken out of context for the purpose of a certain agenda. The Gospel is assumed and, therefore, seldom mentioned and the Sacraments are minimized. Instead of defending the faith, many want to “give their testimony” or “tell their story”.

St. Paul determined not to know anything among the Corinthian church except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). The apostle had the cross at the heart and center of the Gospel. The message of the cross may be foolish to the world, but it is the way of bringing salvation to us sinners. We are not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of our salvation.

Speakers

Mr. Craig Parton is a trial lawyer and partner with a law firm in Santa Barbara, California. Upon graduation from college, he spent seven years on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. His long journey from generic American evangelicalism to confessional Lutheranism is described in his book, The Defense Never Rests: A Lawyer’s Quest for the Gospel (CPH 2003). He is also the author of Religion on Trial (Wipf & Stock 2008) and has published articles in Modern Reformation and Logia–A Journal of Lutheran Theology. He is a member of Wayfarer’s Lutheran Chapel in Fillmore, California.

Rev. Todd Wilken is the host of the radio program Issues, Etc. (found at: www.issuesetc.org). He is also assistant pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois. He is a graduate of Concordia Seminary in 1990. He has written articles for magazines, such as, Modern Reformation, Higher Things, and For the Life of the World. He was born and raised in Dallas, Texas.