Category: Columns
Train Up a Child
by Mathew Block A month ago my daughter celebrated her fourth birthday. A few months earlier my son turned two. As my children get older, I increasingly find myself pondering the words of Proverbs: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even…
Spider-Man Fights a Web of Lies
by Ted Giese Following the events of Avengers Endgame and the death of his mentor Iron Man, Peter Parker (Spider-Man) faces uncertainties and personal doubts. While trying to be a normal teenager focused on his crush, MJ, Parker’s high school science trip to Europe is…
“We don’t need them”: A tale of two congregations
by Marvin Bublitz Picture for a moment two congregations. One is doing well and can stand on its own. The other is struggling to provide Word and Sacraments to its members. How should they view each other? Should the stable congregation say “We don’t need…
Toy Story 4: Fun, thought-provoking, and eye-popping
by Ted Giese Toy Story 4 continues the story of Woody and his fellow toys who, at the end of Toy Story 3, were given by the college-bound Andy to a shy little girl named Bonnie. Woody struggles to adapt to life with a new…
The Pastoral Office in the Catechism
by Timothy Teuscher Recently our seminaries observed the high point of their academic year when graduates received a theological degree and their first call to congregations across our synod. It is, as such, good that we—pastors and people alike—reflect anew on the office of the…
Godzilla: King of the Monsters – A Novelty of Gigantic Proportions
by Ted Giese Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the third entry in the Warner Bros./ Legendary Entertainment Kaiju-style series based on the Godzilla and King Kong franchises. Starting with 2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, this new film paves the way forward for…