Friday, September 13, 2024

*** This is a rough transcript of today’s show ***

It is the 13th of September 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

What is it, Friday or something? I’m supposed to be in Wittenberg and Eisleben today- good times. And appropriate for today’s question coming from Makayla in Jackson Michigan- if you fly into Detroit you g through Jackson on your way East to Kalamazoo, if you’re going to Grand Rapids you’ll miss it.

It is the home of Tony Dungy- famous football coach and man of faith- and James Earl Jones- aka Terrance Mann in my favorite movie, which is also the name of a Forward on the Clippers.

Makayla writes to me, saying, at the behest of her father, that she was wondering and then writing to me, “Why does everything have to have the name Luther on it? Doesn’t it make you feel like it’s kind of a cult?”  I hope cutting out that part of your question gets your point across.

Rest assured, Makalya, everyone is weird and likes to name things after their heroes. I might make fun of it, but I wear a Rams jersey on game day like I’m on the team, and that is just as foolish, maybe more so. I’ve heard Calvinists and Wesleyans ask similar questions. And you have maybe heard the quote from Luther himself, something like: “Whatever you do, don’t call yourself Lutherans,”… and they did. And so, for better or worse, we use names as a shorthand. Calvin and Wesley get the same treatment- and I understand the argument against it all, BUT… words mean things. And they can signify important things. If “Luther” or “Lutheran” means jello salad and hot dishes…. Well, that’s good for Garrison Keillor. But if it means Jesus first. Jesus only. You don’t need anything to come into the kingdom. Lutherans don’t have a hold on the gospel (nor would they say that), so other things and words come to mean things, even if they aren’t ideal.

Some churches- in different denominations, remove their denominational name as “non-denominational” was the fasting growing church group in America for a long time (and by some metrics still is).

Today, a cult is usually called a “new religious movement,” so it’s probably nicer. Was Luther and the broader Reformation movement a cult? Was it a “new religious movement?” It was self-consciously a move back to the ancient church, not a new church. The best Catholic retort to the Reformers was, “Where was your church before Luther?” And the best answer is: with every believing Christian who came to church or to their creator like the publican in the parable- saying only “God have mercy on me, a sinner.” And wherever there are those people and people sharing the good news- whether it’s the 2nd or 21st century.

Makayla- the world is full of cringe. But rest assured you are in a big family- even when everyone doesn’t always agree (like all families). Part of this show is opening up the world of church history not so that you lose your distinctive but so that you see them as perhaps your offering to the rest of the church body.

Church names, church body names, and movements change. I think we do well to hold on to them lightly- to recognize that sometimes we need to explain what we are with more than brand names and slogans. But those “brand names” and “slogans” can serve as good places to start a conversation.

Rest assured, Protestants and Lutherans aren’t a cult or “new religious movement.” That’s what happens when you elevate a modern book to the level of scripture- don’t do that to your denominational writings, and you’ll be just fine.

And today, while I said I was in Wittenberg and Eisleben? I was only half right- they are both technically “Lutherstadt” Wittenberg and Eisleben because of… tourism? Heritage? He would object, but it can start a conversation.

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary, and (no kidding) it’s James 2:17 and the following:

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 13th of September 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by the man who once hosted a podcast called “As Lutheran As it Gets”- really! He is uber-Lutheran Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who only elevates his favorite athletes to inappropriate heights- I’m still living in Wally World- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.