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Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 147
July 14, 2016
Latvian Lutherans go back to male-only pastors
Last month, the Lutheran Church of Latvia–the main church body in that Baltic republic–reversed course and rescinded its policy allowing the ordaining of women. But the church has not ordained women since 1993, with its confessional revival at the fall of Communism. Now the church has formalized its doctrine that only men may be ordained as [Read More...]
A national conversation
The shootings of the last few weeks–of black suspects; of police–have at least provoked what has seemed to be impossible: a national conversation over race. We have black people defending the police; gun rights activists defending a black man shot by police; liberals questioning their extreme rhetoric; conservatives showing empathy for both sides. Moving outside [Read More...]
UK’s new prime minister is Theresa May
British prime minister David Cameron stepped down from office after his efforts to keep the United Kingdom in the European Union were voted down. Under parliamentary systems, the head of the party with a majority in the legislature becomes the Prime Minister. So the new leader of the Conservative Party and thus the new Prime Minister is [Read More...]
July 13, 2016
The history of the word “mercy”
The word “mercy” is gaining more and more currency in Christianity these days. It has long been a favorite word of LMCS president Matthew Harrison, and, more recently, of Pope Francis. Kory Stamper, a lexicographer with Merriam-Webster dictionary, gives its history after the jump. Originally, “mercy” meant clemency for an offender. The word came from [Read More...]
Government by bureaucracy
Congress passes a handful of laws each year. But government agencies pass several thousands of regulations each year, which have the force of law. Democracies elect their lawmakers and law enforcers, but no one elects the bureaucrats, who are now increasingly performing the functions of government and are running the country. This is a global [Read More...]
Brewing crisis with China
China has been extending itself beyond its territorial waters in the South China Sea. Japan and Vietnam have been affected, but the expansion is mostly at the expense of the Philippines. China has gone so far as to build an artificial island in Philippine waters. In doing so, it destroyed a coral reef, disrupted the [Read More...]
July 12, 2016
Russia forbids evangelizing outside of church
A new Russian law forbids evangelizing except within a church service. This includes using e-mail or other online communication. It even outlaws private evangelistic conversations within one’s own home. This is not the work of Godless communism. It comes out of the Russian Orthodox Church and its resistance to “proseletyzing” on the part of Western [Read More...]
Chinese state government confiscates churches’ offerings
In more state repression of religion, the government in China’s Zhejiang province is confiscating the tithes and offerings that churches receive. From Christianity Daily: China Implements Law Compelling Churches to Hand Over Tithes and Donations to Authorities, According to China Aid Report – China Aid: The Chinese state government in Zhejiang province has implemented a new [Read More...]
A psychiatrist who identifies demonic possession
Richard Gallagher is a board-certified New York psychiatrist who serves as a consultant for exorcists in distinguishing between mental illness and demonic possession. He tells his story in the Washington Post, no less, excerpted and linked after the jump. From Richard Gallagher, As a psychiatrist, I diagnose mental illness. Also, I help spot demonic possession. [Read More...]
July 11, 2016
The Lutherans’ great and holy council
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is holding its triennial convention July 9-14 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The delegates will not be trying to revise the Christian sexual ethic, ordain women, or weigh in on national politics. The biggest issue, as I understand it, has to do with the paradoxically-named “Lay ministers.” Some decades ago, the LCMS [Read More...]
