Pastor Foltz is Pastor Emeritus of Saint James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA and author of the the Frontline Study content.
Most of us can’t help ourselves when we speak the last part of the Second Article, “On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Conditioned by simplistic popular ideas, we think […]
A close examination of this phrase can help us gain some perspective on what is involved in using a 2000 year-old creed. When I was young, I thought it meant I had to believe in hell. That made me uncomfortable in high school when I heard evangelists like Billy Graham base their ministry on the […]
The next portion of the second article also emphasizes Jesus was a human with all of our limitations. “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried”. There is nothing make believe here. Jesus dies. And before he dies, he suffers, alone. Two of the gospels picture him dying while believing he has […]
Creeds are not complete statements of what we believe. For the most part, they state positions the Church has taken on controversial issues. You see that easily when you examine the second article. It skips from Jesus’ birth to his death, saying nothing about his ministry. Apparently, the reason is because believers in those days […]
When we confess belief in a loving God who creates everything good, we acknowledge all things are unique and interrelated. Francis’ encyclical puts it this way in #86. “We understand better the importance and meaning of each creature if we contemplate it within the entirety of God’s plan…The spectacle of their countless diversities and inequalities […]
The second observation we should make is that the creed speaks of the creation of heaven and earth. These few words make some significant points. First, God creates place. Perhaps the central point of Francis’ encyclical is that the earth is our common home. The pope emphasizes this reality is more important than any idea. […]
To confess “I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth” is to take a significant position in the modern world. One way to highlight this is to consider the implications in light of Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si.” The first thing that jumps out is Almighty God is described as Father. Modern […]
Before we examine the Apostles’ Creed, we had better remember the roles creeds play in the Church. Obviously, the first is to state what an individual believes. “Credo” is “I believe.” That is not to claim the creed summarizes a person’s faith. It addresses items that have been controversial. Many essential items, such as Jesus’ […]
Most Protestants grew up believing we were not Roman Catholics, because they worshiped Mary and did whatever the Pope told them to do. When pushed, we would insist these are just two examples of how Roman Catholics do not follow the Bible. It did not help when our friends pulled out their catechisms to look […]
>Francis’ trip reminds us how much the papacy is involved in church-state relationships. He will be addressing the U.S. congress as well as the United Nations Assembly. He, undoubtedly, will be accompanied by the Vatican ambassador to the U.S. Government. A great deal of the Pope’s power developed after Constantine legitimatized the Church in the […]
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