Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Old Tappan, NJ

Comment

Comment by BARBARA FITZGERALD on September 2, 2009 at 11:09am

poor James!

Comment by John Holliday on September 2, 2009 at 10:52am

Responding to Robert's question about the book of James being banned from the Bible...in Volume 35 of Luther’s Works (Fortress Press, 1960, p. 397) of Luther’s preface to the Epistles of James and Jude, it is mentioned in note 55 that before 1530 AD Luther wrote the following regarding the book of James: “Therefore, I will not have him (James) in my Bible to be numbered among the true chief books, though I would not thereby prevent anyone from including or extolling him as he pleases, for there are otherwise many good sayings in him.” This comment was later reworked to read that Luther would not include James “among the chief books” (of the Bible.) Clearly, Luther would not have included the Epistle of James as a part of his “canon within the Canon.”

Comment by Robert Alfonso on August 30, 2009 at 8:39pm

When Hertha says the "attitudes" of legalism, I think we can get so preoccupied and judgemental about God's gift of Law, that we lose sight and of receiving God's grace. We can do good works such as music and technology and finance, but we could still feel empty and tend to sin. Thinking about it, we need the law, but Luther may be saying achieve grace, find that grace inherent within ourselves, and the rest ie., good works will follow.

P.S. = Did Luther want the book of James "banned" from the Bible?

Comment by BARBARA FITZGERALD on August 30, 2009 at 7:35pm

Not surprisingly, my thoughts were with the liturgy/music - is the piano somehow less HOLY than the organ? Does more contemporary music mean we are somehow displeasing God? Or do we get caught in the trappings - the handwashing - of the liturgy and forget the meaning? Would singing the kyrie "with a beat" change the words?

Comment by John Holliday on August 30, 2009 at 7:14pm

Continuing our Town Hall discussion from worship today (8/30) - any thoughts on God's gift of the Law? Do we emphasize the law too much at the expense of the Gospel, or vice versa? Hertha mentioned to me after worship that attitudes of legalism destroy everything. Do you see a danger of legalism anywhere in the world, in the Prince of Peace congregation or any other place?

Comment by Paul Lutz on February 21, 2009 at 8:18am

The NJ Synod BoF synod advocate here. What happening around the BoF in Old Tappan? peace, pl