Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Response to the so-called wife of Jesus

CTS Professor Offers Response to Gospel of Jesus’ Wife
For Immediate Release
September 26, 2012

FORT WAYNE, IN (CTS)—
In the last several days much has been circulated concerning a small, papyrus fragment of Coptic text which has been dubbed the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife by Professor Karen King of Harvard Divinity School. These types of “finds” always create quite a stir and that is why Dr. Charles Gieschen, Academic Dean and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, has studied this material and offered a brief analysis of its significance. His response may be read and downloaded at www.ctsfw.edu/response-to-the-gospel-of-jesus-wife.

Dr. Gieschen, who earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan (1995) where his studies included the Coptic language and Gnostic writings, is an excellent resource for this topic. He has examined the digital image of this fragment, King's article and some early feedback of other scholars. His brief response walks the reader through the history of the fragment, discusses the various interpretations and comments on the import of the fragment. Dr. Gieschen concludes, “This fragment, therefore, may assist us in understanding the teaching of a Gnostic group concerning Jesus and His marital status, but it does not help us to understand the teaching of the historical Jesus or His actual marital status.”

The best place to look for early and historically reliable evidence of Jesus' life, as Dr. Gieschen notes, is the four canonical Gospels. This fragment does nothing to displace the testimony of these Gospels that Jesus supported marriage as a divine institution, but was not himself married.

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Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Apostle Peter teaches us, “...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ”

(1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

Starting Sept. 30 @ 7 PM
Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church
2000 Diamond Dr.
Los Alamos, NM
“Serving GOD by Loving Your Neighbor in Your Vocations"
God teaches us to serve Him by loving our neighbor. He does not leave this instruction in the realm of ambiguity. Instead, He places us in a variety of vocations through which we love our neighbor in acts of service. A vocation is a “calling.” Every Christian is called to specific offices and tasks through which God works to govern and care for His creation. In this five week lecture series, we will discuss and investigate the teaching of vocation as it is related to the church, the family, and the society. All lectures are FREE and open to anyone interested in learning more about the teaching of vocation.

Lectures start at 7 PM.

Lecutre 1 (Sept. 30) -- Vocation
Lecture 2 (Oct. 7) -- The Church
Lecture 3 (Oc.t 14) -- The Family
Lecture 4 (Oct. 21) -- The Society
Lecture 5 (Oct. 28) -- Christian Love

The goal of the Redeemer Theological Academy is to enable the saints to confess the Christian Faith handed down to us from the Apostles. In this age of competing religions and spiritualities, it is the special gift that each Christian has the opportunity to confess the Faith in the midst of an unbelieving world. These courses are designed to help you articulate what you believe and why you believe it. Podcasts and other resources are available at the academy site.

Click on the link below to enter the Redeemer Theological Academy website:

www.redeemertheologicalacademy.org

Free to Be Faithful


Monday, September 10, 2012

Lecture 13- The Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians

Lecture 13- The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
The Apostle Paul writes to the baptized souls in Ephesus teaching them that when they heard the word of truth, they were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He prays that they would continue to be filled with the Spirit. As those who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we too are encouraged to remain in the Spirit by abiding in the Spirit filled word. As we are in the Spirit listening to the word of God, we have access to the Father through the Son with the promise that He will hear our prayers. (Click here)