The Templeton Committee met for the first time on October 21, 2015. Pastor Michael Tavella had received a $5000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation through the auspices of Earl Whipple, a staff member of the organization and a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The grant will be used to develop a manual for churches and individual Christians on how we should conduct ourselves when in conversation with atheists and others who do not attend Church (the “nones”), either one on one or in a public forum. The biblical basis for the project is I Peter 3: 15b-16. The proposal includes field testing the manual in church adult classes and then holding at least one public forum in which Christians and non-Christians dialogue with one another. These conversations will constitute a Christian defense of the faith (ἀπολογία, apologia, English-apology) and a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are called to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” What does this mean? First, let’s look at the context. Jesus is commissioning His disciples to go out and announce the kingdom of heaven. He warns them that he is sending them out as sheep among wolves; therefore, they need to be “wise as…
We begin an extensive series on discipleship in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew with civil speech, apologetics, and witness uppermost in our consideration. Several passages will be carefully examined and broad conclusions with respect to our theme will be made. Let us then look at the very end of this Gospel. It is here…
Nurturing Disciples in Community “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13: 35) In thinking about congregational care, there are four areas that aid in building up the body of Christ and strengthening personal bonds. Worship and Praise, Prayer, Study/Fellowship, and Work combine to nurture…
Beginning with the next article we will engage in a series on Christian discipleship. Nancy Ischinger will begin this series with an article, “Nurturing Christian Disciples.” Following this piece will begin a series on “Discipleship in Matthew and Christian Apologetics and Witness.” Discipleship will be viewed from the perspective of our main theme and concern about civil…
Anger is a dangerous emotion that can lead to harmful speech and actions. It is also destructive to the heart and soul of a human being. It can be as petty as a reaction to our not getting our way or as seemingly noble as a response to injustice. Either way, anger is never an appropriate emotion in any situation. Justice…
People differ, a well-known truth. In dialogue and witness it is good to be aware of this and to observe and learn about the person with whom you are speaking. In no way is such close attention to the other to lead to a patronizing or contemptuous opinion of that person. You may learn about an…
Dialogue may produce the resolution of differences or decrease the differences (It may, in fact, increase differences, but it should never do this, because we have spoken and acted poorly). When we differ with our neighbor or enemy about certain essential things, what then do we say and do? We must live together in peace, if at all possible. The…
Respect for the other in dialogue or debate requires careful listening. But, listening to another does not come easily to anyone. It requires discipline, self-control, and humility. Why humility? This virtue reminds us that we are not the only ones who have something important and beneficial to say. In fact, it teaches us that on some occasions we have nothing…
One must remember when in dialogue with unbelievers that a utopian longing may be present. Christians believe the kingdom of God will become fully realized in the future. It is by God’s power, not by human strength, that all things promised come to fulfillment. For five-hundred years in the West a number of authors have described fulfillment by human power. Thomas…
Humor is appropriate in apologetic dialogue and witness, but there are boundaries to it. I suggest these guidelines: No humor is acceptable that is at the personal expense of the other individual or individuals or is meant to discredit them. It is the world view that needs to be discredited and revised through new insight, not the person. …
