Reformation Thoughts

Speaking of the Reformation. At our worst, the Lutheran tradition can be kind of culturally  bound, doctrinally stuffy, and relationally parochial. What are we like at our best?

Missionally confessional. We are a confessing church. Sure, those confessions are in books and creeds, but at our best, they are on our lips! At our best, we joyfully bear witness to the best news ever: God says he is not counting our sins against us, for Christ’s sake! 2 Corinthians 5.19

Evangelically catholic: We are not a grouchy group of dissidents. The hammer Luther used to nail up the 95 Theses was not a destroying hammer, but a repairing one! Christ has one church,  of which we are a part, not apart. Are there sad divisions and inaccurate teachings and misguided movements? Always! But, we have the Word and Spirit to continually reform and renew us. How we need these!

Biblically charismatic: We are not either/or people, but both/and people! There is no better both/and then the Word & Spirit. What God has joined together, let no one put asunder. 

My Swedish friend, Magnus Persson, is releasing his newly translated book Reclaiming the Reformation on Nov 2 through 1517 Publishing. He asked if I would “blurb” it before its coming release. My covid cloister gave me the space to start reading it last night. I ended up starting AND finishing it because it was that good. I hope we have a chance to read it together. Here is my “blurb” and a link to pre-order it.

“Like a marriage vow renewal manual, in Reclaiming the Reformation, Magnus Persson attempts to woo the bride of Christ back from her pragmatic wandering for relevance and her experimental dalliances with the spirit of the age. Persson is spacious without compromise, and particular without parochialism. I found myself repeating, “Amen. Amen! May it be so!” May the solid solas of the Reformation be the fuel, and may the living, breathing, renewing Spirit be the fire that ends up rekindling in us the fire of his love.”

Here is an excerpt and link for purchase: