Jordan B. Cooper's Blog, page 31

Confession and Absolution (A Guide to the Liturgy Part 2)

On today’s program, I continued my series on Lutheran liturgy. I spent the hour discussing confession and absolution. I looked at the Old Testament liturgical basis for this aspect of worship, differences in how this practice is done, and the place of confession and absolution within the structure of the Divine Service. Here is the [Read More...]

Wheaton Professor’s Suspension Is Not About Anti-Muslim Bigotry: a Response to Miroslav Volf and Others

Post by Nathan Rinne Do Muslims and Christians, as Pope Francis re-asserted last week, worship the same God? After the recent suspension of Wheaton college professor Larycia Alaine Hawkins, for her explanation[i] of why she is wearing a hijab during Advent to show solidarity with Islam, this topic is on many people’s minds. As we [Read More...]

The Call (Jacobs Study)

On today’s program, I was joined once again by Rev. Lewis Polzin to discuss the call of God as we continue going through Henry Eyster Jacobs’ book A Summary of the Christian Faith.  Here is the program.

Does “Non-Denominational” Now Mean “Hermeneutical Democracy”?

Post by Nathan Rinne First of all, what is a “hermeneutical democracy”? The popular blogger Rod Dreher recently talked about an article by Abilene Christian University professor Richard Beck. In the article, Beck points out the complexity that lies behind the word “Protestant”, and urges Protestants to own the fact that they “have never agreed [Read More...]

2 Peter 3:9 Does Not Teach Particular Redemption

Lutheran theologians contend that the principles of salvation sola gratia (by grace alone), and universalis gratia (universal grace) stand together within the Biblical text. God’s salvation and election are freely granted; God’s grace is given without condition. Yet, God’s grace is not limited to a particular group. God’s saving will embraces all of his creation. [Read More...]

A Review of Jesus Calling

On my program today, I was joined by my wife Lisa Cooper. We talked about the popular women’s devotional book Jesus Calling. We addressed a number of issues including enthusiasm, passive righteousness, law and gospel, Scripture, and much more. This is an important program for Christian women to listen to. Here is the program

The Invocation of the Saints is Not a Neutral or Harmless Practice

I recently came across a Lutheran pastor (in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) who posted a picture of the Virgin Mary with the entirety of the hail Mary attached to it, including the request for Mary to “pray for us sinner now and at the hour of our death.” What was particularly troubling to me was [Read More...]

Three Recent Interviews I Have Done

Here are three different interviews I have done recently on various programs: First, I was interviewed about my book The Great Divide on KFUO’s BookTalk. You can find it here. Second, I was on the Ordinary Pastor Podcast discussing the role of the pastor as a theologian. Listen here. Finally, I joined Josh Sommer on [Read More...]

35 (or 33) Christian Theses (and Core Assumptions) About the Character of God, Man, Language, and Interpretation

For discussion. What would you take out? What would you add?: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was [Read More...]

A Guide to the Liturgy: Procession and Invocation

On today’s program, I began a series of studies on the liturgy. Throughout the series, I will explain the various elements of the liturgical life of the church piece by piece. On this first program, I discuss the procession and the invocation. Here is the program