My favorite place to sit and think on the campus of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis is on a bench just inside the Walther Arch. The arch was famously boarded up fifty years ago today, with the word EXILED painted across it. February 19th, 1974 is a day many are remembering today, some perhaps even …
Author: Matt
Remembering Missouri’s Most Sweetly Orthodox Teacher
In November of 1967, a few years and a month before his death on this day in 1973, Arthur Carl Piepkorn was doing what he did best—engaging the broader church. Piepkorn was a son of the Missouri Synod, and indeed was Missouri’s most sweetly orthodox teacher, but he did not believe the church was a …
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Never Proper
I've been wrestling with the recent decision of my church body to issue a lawsuit against an institution that, despite disagreements over bylaws and governance, is still a part of the church. While it would seem that 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 is clear on its own, the commentary produced by the publishing of my church body …
What has happened to us?
I have spent the better part of this week listening to the LCMS convention while I attend to my normal office work. This isn’t the first convention I’ve live-streamed and it certainly wont be the last. The difference is that during this one I’ve also been working on preparing a presentation on the theologian who …
The names may have changed, the narrative should too…
I remember sitting in a classroom in the basement of the chapel waiting for class to begin. There always seems to be controversy in the institutional church and my last year at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis was no exception to that perceived reality. As students often do, we were wondering what was going to …
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A Day We Never Thought We Would See
In late June of 2017 my wife and I saw a day we never thought we would see. We went in for an ultrasound at the 18 week mark of our second pregnancy. We were excited for another little addition to our family. I was serving a wonderful congregation who cared for me and my …
Truth & Unity
Nearly fifty years ago, the student body of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis believed, as I did when I attended, that the faculty who taught them were not simply beloved mentors, but orthodox teachers. The students were not pawns, as some have suggested, but they were filled with passion for and devotion to those whom …
It Matters
Without a doubt, today marks the most important day in my life. No, I’m not being hyperbolic. While there are days of extreme significance like my wedding day, the birth of my children, and so many others including my birthday, November 3rd eclipses them all. On that day, in 1985, God the Father claimed me …
Protestors and Politicians and Police, Oh News!
Every now and again Facebook decides to remind me of some quote or picture I shared years before. I’m always intrigued by this because it gives me a window into my past. Recently I’ve been reminded of all the Martin Franzmann quotes I shared a few years ago as I was researching for my STM …
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A Lutheran for Racial Justice
Yesterday, on Facebook and Twitter, I shared that I signed this petition connected with Lutherans for Racial Justice. Today I want to tell you why. I'm a son of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. I was baptized into Christ on account of an LCMS pastor. I’ve been educated at LCMS schools at every level except high …
an occasional theologian 