Theses By Which to Live: A Series

Die Berner Thesen
In altem Deutsch

1 Die heilig Christenlich Kilch, deren einig houpt Christus, ist us dem wort Gots geborn, im sel­ben belibt sy und hoeret nit die stimm eines froembden.

2 Die Kilch Christi machet nit gesatz und bott on gottes wort. Deszhalb all menschen satzungen, so man nempt der Kilchen pott, uns nit wyter bindent, dann sy in goettlichem wort gegründt und potten sind.

3 Christus ist unser einige wyßheit, gerechtigkeit, erloesung und bezalung für aller wellt sünd. Deßhalb ein andern verdienst der saeligkeit un gnueg thuon für die sünd bekennen, ist Chri­stum verleugnen.

4 Das der lyb und das bluot Christi waesenlich und liblich in dem brot der Dancksagung empfan­gen werde, mag mit Biblischer geschrifft nit bybracht werden.

5 Die Maess, jetz im bruch, darin man Christum Gott, dem vatter für die sünd der laebendigen und todten uffopfere, ist der geschrifft widrig, dem aller heiligosten opffer, liden und sterben Christi ein lesterung und umb der mißbrüchen willen ein grüwel vor Gott.

6 Wie Cristus ist allein für uns gestorben, also sol er ein einiger mitler und fürsprech zwüschen Gott, dem vatter, und uns gloeubigen angeruefft werden. Deszhalb all ander mittler und für­sprechen uszerthalb disem zyt anzerueffen, von uns on grund der geschrifft usfgeworffen.

7 Das nach disem zyt dhein Faegfhür in der gschrifft erfunden wirt. Desshalb all todten dienst als Vigill, Seelmaess, Seelgraet, Sibend, Triszgost, Jarzit, amplen, kertzen und der glichen vergeblich sind.

8 Billder machen zuo vererung, ist wider Gottes wort nuews und alts Testaments. Deszhalb wo sy in gefar der vererung fürgestellt, abzethuond syend.

9 Die heilig Ee ist keinem stand verbotten in der gschrifft, sunder huory und unküscheit zever­miden allen staenden potten.

10 Diewyl ein offenlicher Huorer nach der geschrifft im waren Bann, so volget, das unküscheit und huory der ergernuss halb keinem stand schaedlicher dann priesterlichem.

11 Alles Gott und sinem heiligen wort zuo eren.

For the next 11 weeks, every Monday, we’ll take these theses in turn and examine their practical usefulness for the modern community of faith.

Lying and Manipulation are Never Appropriate

Especially for Christians!  So give a listen to Scott’s podcast on the subject.  It’s nicely informed and informative.

That anyone calling themselves a Christian could manage to justify their behavior by making use of the evil ‘ends justify the means’ heresy is appalling.

(Mind you, Scott doesn’t do such a thing.  I’m just saying…)

Oscar The Cat: There Not in Comfort But For More Heinous Reasons…

Oscar the cat doesn’t appear in rooms in his nursing home to bring comfort- he comes to bring death…  because that’s what cats do… bring death….  Beware, you cat owners.  If the only company you have is a cat, it might bode ill for you.

Good Intentions, Bad Implementation

Ten Americans will appear in court tomorrow in Port-au-Prince after attempting to take 34 children out of Haiti, saying that they were trying to rescue them. The Baptist aid workers, from the Idaho-based New Life Children’s Refuge, were arrested on Friday as they attempted to leave the country for the Dominican Republic, about 45 miles from Port-au-Prince by road. They were reportedly taking the children, aged between three months and 12 years, to a safe house in the Dominican city of Cabarete.

Doubtless they were motivated by the best of intentions- to provide for the children. But taking them without going through all the necessary steps, that’s simply poor implementation of a good intention.

To be right, things have to be done right as well as being rightly motivated. Otherwise all manner of wrong can come of even the best behavior.

The End of the Horror

Snow’s done… whew… and I survived it. But it took its toll and left its mark…

Now How Nice is That?

Thanks, Barbara!

Calvin: On Self Understanding

That person has profited well in the knowledge of himself when he is crushed and frightened by understanding his wretchedness, poverty, nakedness, and disgrace. For there is no danger that a person will lower himself too much, provided he understands that he must recover in God what he lacks in himself. — John Calvin

Good For Billy

Billy Bragg

… is threatening to not pay his taxes in protest of the big bank bonuses to the Royal Bank of Scotland. Bragg explains that he has written to the Chancellor to inform him that he is “no longer prepared to fund the excessive bonuses of RBS investment bankers. Unless he acts to limit [bonuses] to £25,000, I shall be withholding my tax payment on 31st January.”

Yes, good for him. If everyone wrote their representatives and threatened the same thing what a difference it would make. I know I for one am tired of seeing my tax dollars completely wasted on corporations that pay their workers in a month more than I make in a year.

The Archbishop Is Right About That

If the world wants an ethical economy, it must build ethical people. That was the message from the Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of a three-day conference at Trinity Church on Wall Street this week. Dr Rowan Williams asserted that the question of how to build an ethical economy could not be separated from the question of what kind of people we want to be.

True words those.   And the proper funeral oration for an ethical economy. Because there will, so long as the world stands, be greed, selfishness, and persons operating purely from the basis of self interest with no regard for ethics.  Indeed, without God as the center of human life, ethics don’t exist and neither does ethical behavior.

Weather: A Question/Observation

Here in East Tennessee, in the Knoxville area, there are hundreds of churches that have canceled services today because of the weather.   And I have no quibble with that.  Be safe, etc., and all that.

But, that said, I wonder why they never cancel something like the Super Bowl and  it (and many other sporting events) never seems to suffer poor attendance due to bad weather.

I wonder why…