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Minnetonka Lutheran Church

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"Speaking of Luther"

I have been enjoying my commute from home to MLC these past few weeks. Lee Simso has shared a CD lecture series on Luther from "The Great Courses." Professor Phillip Cary walks the listener through the life and theology of Luther. One amazing thing that comes to light in listening is moments when God seems to miraculously use the convergence of the events of history, culture, and the personal lives of individuals to create a historic transformational moment on which the path of the world turns. For example, though the Protestant Reformation began with others who preceded Luther - with some who were martyred - Luther lives through the threat of martyrdom by his own Roman Catholic Church to propel the Reformation forward where others could not. This is because of things like a change in who sat on the throne of the Holy Roman Empire {Charles V 1500}, the invention of the printing press {1439} , the misguided church practice of selling indulgences to wipe away sin and time in a place called Purgatory, the military strength and piety of a local German ruler {Duke Fredrick the Wise of Saxony 1463}, and Martin Luther's posting of the 95 Theses and developments in his personal struggles of faith. It seems God dabbles in history and the shaping and making of it.

A second noteworthy discovery or rediscovery for me was the fluid nature of Luther's theology and faith. He started out with some pretty 'crazy ideas' about the nature of God and much like the Apostle Paul whose theology changes or matures over the life of his writings, Luther's way of thinking about God changes radically as he ages and wages wars of words that shape him and the world both then and now. Luther had what some might say was the crazy idea that God was out to get him... to condemn him and damn him for his sinfulness. It turns out for Luther that God was indeed out to get him, but not to condemn, but to save and love him.

I am only half way through my listening adventure, but I have a confident hunch that I will find that over the second set of a dozen lectures I will find that Luther will prove consistent in more than his love for the Word of God. I expect I will discover or rediscover that just as he begins his faith and theology walk with some 'crazy ideas', he will end his walk with more of the same.

Luther's discovery of grace for himself and others, his theology of vocation and the priesthood of all believers, and his teachings on the centrality of Christ Jesus' complete work of salvation will continue to bless me {us} in my own discovery of God's truth for us.

In a moment of honesty with myself and you as reader, I must acknowledge that one of the blessings of my 'listening' and learning is finding grace in the freedom to accept and admit that my theology is 'fluid' {and I hope maturing}, that I have had some - what might easily be called 'crazy ideas' about God - and that when my venture in theology and faith has its closing chapter on my journey on earth written... I will still likely have some 'less than enlightened' ideas about God and the Church and the saints.

RIP... we find those letters mostly on tombstones.

I hope Luther, one whose conscience and consciousness seemed plagued by angst at multiple points in his journey can claim them now. For my part, thanks to Luther and Professor Cary and Lee Simso {along with a holy host of other saints} and the Holy Spirit, I am moving toward claiming them early, in this world and not just the next. RIP Pastor Bob, your eternal destiny, your current temporal existence, and the lives of all the sheep currently in your shepherding... they don't depend so... solely on your getting your theology, doctrine, dogma, beliefs, thoughts, or even 'your' ducks all in a row! Settle Reverend Robert, settle for a meaningful, reasonable effort to be faithful to your God-given calling and leave the destinies up to God.

Still learning,

Still crazy about God,

Pastor Bob

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Grow in Faith, Share the Good News, Serve in Love, All in Jesus' Name.

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