   Do you recognize the man shown above?  Probably not, though as emperor of the great Roman Empire, he was at one time the most powerful man on earth.  Diocletian (245-311) ruled as Roman emperor from 284-305 A. D.  His reign brought many changes to the Roman Empire, and some were innovative and beneficial. […]
2917) Diocletian vs. Jesus Read More »
   In the traditional liturgy there are certain little dialogs between the pastor and the congregation that, over time, become automatic. For example, if the pastor says “The Lord be with you,” the congregation will respond with, “And also with you,” even if they don’t have their bulletin or hymnal ahead of them. In
2855) He Is Risen Indeed! Read More »
Above: A Celtic Cross in Ireland. ****************************    (…continued) There are many legends about Patrick, such as how he chased all the snakes out of Ireland. He probably did not do that, but he did do just about everything else. Patrick proclaimed the Gospel, converted a large percentage of the population, improved the morality
2820) St. Patrick; A Grand Englishman (b) Read More »
   When you think about St. Patrick’s Day, you might think about your Irish neighbors, or, about whatever Irish blood you might have flowing through your own veins. Or, you might think about parades of people dressed in green or about an active night in the bars. Or, if you are old enough, you
2819) St. Patrick; A Grand Englishman (a) Read More »
1880 Bust of Squanto from Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, MA. ————————————————— By Chuck Colson, for:  http://www.breakpoint.org    Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving; at least we know the Pilgrim version.  But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint?    No, I’m not talking about some revisionist, politically correct
2712) The Story of Squanto Read More »
By Lutheran pastor David G. Johnson, The Road Once Traveled, 1991, pages 36-38 (adapted).    My grandmother, Annie, had real difficulty accepting a compliment or even “thank you.”  She would respond with denials.  “Oh, no,” she would protest, “it was nothing.”  The cookies which everyone thought were terrific, the “melting in your mouth” variety, just had not
2708) When Are We Most Thankful? Read More »
Photo above: An old farmer (not my great-great-great-grandfather; there are no photos of him) ———————— This meditation is from a sermon I gave July 10, 2005 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Henderson, Minnesota.  It is the congregation my ancestors attended when they immigrated to Minnesota from Germany in 1875.  The congregation was already 20 years
2685) My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather (a) Read More »
Martin Luther (1483-1546) —————–    (…continued) The catechism’s five parts contained what Luther considered the five basics of the Christian faith that everyone should know something about.  Part One is the Ten Commandments, outlining how God wants us to live.  Part Two is the Apostle’s Creed, a summary of what we believe.  Part Three
2684) Martin Luther and the Reformation (b) Read More »
   The husband and wife team of Will and Ariel Durant made it their life’s work to write the history of the whole world, from life in the caves to life in skyscrapers, from crude markings on the sides of cliffs to the age of the computer.  The result of that effort, which
2683) Martin Luther and the Reformation (a) Read More »
  You don’t have to be an expert in English history to be familiar with the main accomplishment of a certain King James.  You probably have a book whose production was authorized by this King– the King James Version of the Bible, first published in 1611.  This may not be the version you read anymore.Â
2657) The Bad/Good King James Read More »
