In light of Call Day and our seminarians’ recent graduation, Rev. Bob Smith who works in our library, wrote the following about ordination:
“Soon an even more ancient rite will take place in about one hundred places around that continent. Called ordination, these new pastors will be recognized by the Church as men sent by God to care for his people. As their fathers in the ministry did for them, other pastors mostly from neighboring congregations, will place their hands on the new pastor, thereby designating the new pastor as minister of the word and sacraments. In an unbroken line stretching back through two thousand years to the day Jesus breathed on the Apostles the Holy Spirit and the church of Antioch laid hands on St. Paul, one generation entrusts to the next to take up the yoke of Christ.”
You can read the full article at whatdoesthismean.blog/2020/05/27/laborers-enter-the-harvest-field. The “What Does This Mean” run by Rev. Smith features several authors. Rev. Jason Kaspar, one of our grads from last year, recently joined with the first of three articles on the Athanasian Creed. There’s also another recent piece (also by Rev. Smith) on Luther’s Treatise on Good Works, which is 500 years ago the tail end of this month to the beginning of June. The blog often focuses on the intersection between historical events and Lutheran theology.
Rev. Smith is currently researching one on Leo X. On June 15th, his papal bull Exsurge Domine came out, threatening to excommunicate Luther. Luther threw this one into the flames in October.