The Nihil Rule

"Interpreters have noted that the evangelist gives the reader important hermeneutical guidance for understanding his Gospel, including its sacramental teaching, after the account of the cleansing of the temple in chapter two, where he states: “When, therefore, [Jesus] was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken” (John 2:22).7 Even as the original hearers of Jesus did not understand some of his teaching about his death and resurrection until after the resurrection (e.g., “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” in John 2:19), so also they did not understand some of his teaching about the sacraments until after the resurrection and ascension when the sacraments began to play a very significant role in mediating the presence and forgiveness of Jesus. If one understands Jesus’ discourses in this Gospel as sermons that John delivered to the post-Easter church...

  Would that our WELS pastors and altar guilds took such pains with the holy body and blood of Christ.

This is bound to get some panties in a bunch...  From The Crown Jewel of Germany, Doctor of the Church, Second Martin, Author of the Formula of Concord, Examination of the Council of Trent Volumes I, II, III, and IV, Two Natures in Christ, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The Lord's Supper, the Enchiridion, Church Order, the Lord's Prayer, Loci Theologi Volumes I, II, and III, Opponent of Lindanus, Andrada, Pighius, the Papacy, and Zwingli, Calvin, and the Anabaptists. St. Fr. Rev. Reformer Churchman Professor Confessor Theologian Philosopher Martin Chemnitz The Apostolic His Holiness The Great and Wise (Peace Be Upon Him) (Gone to experience beatific vision, will return in glory at the Resurrection to oversee all theologians). Martin Chemnitz sharply criticized the 15th Century Roman Catholic theologians for giving in to this notion that Christians may not wish to drink from the same cup as their fellow Christians. One reason why the Council of Constance (1414-1418) chose to withho...

  Rev Roy Coates had an excellent presentation on the Father Frederick Roth Webber. One particular quote on the introduction of individual cups I wanted to share: The question of such things as individual communion cups does not come within the scope of this discussion. An age that takes delight in carillons that contain no bells, and church organs that contain no pipes need not be criticized for celebrating Holy Communion without a chalice. We are saying nothing against bell-less carillons and pipeless organs, nor chalice less celebrations of holy Communion either. For those who can find spiritual edification in such things, they may go as far as they like, for this is a land of religious freedom. It is possible that the day may come when the Christian’s devotion will be stirred by the sight of a clergy-man in his Talar, carrying a twenty-four inch chromium plated tray, with fifty little liquor glasses neatly reposing in a series of round holes in the tray, holding the tra...

  Are We Still A Free Church? — Gottesdienst Koontz describes the American church as a state church so as to understand why the churches acted the way they did during the COVID pandemic. While our churches are not state-funded and while its "probably easier to lose one's call in our churches than for a mid-level bureaucrat in the US Department of Health and Human Services to be fired" we rely on tax benefits and school vouchers to make things work. While we don't slot into our nation's federal bureaucracies, "our subjugation need not be organizationally established". Shutting down churches, mandating masks, signup lists for worship, withholding the Common Cup - these are all indefensible actions of a truly Free Church. These actions defy the scriptural admonitions to not give up meeting together (Hebrews 10:25) to participate in the acts of the Church (Acts 2:42) and requires an Enlightenment approach to spiritualizing the words "together" and ...

"As a pastor for example you are called to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Yes, we can take reasonable steps and be cautious, but at the same time our Lord used the common cup, He instituted the sacrament in that way, the one clear example we have that we know for sure - if there is more than one right way to do it, we know that at least that way is the right way because that is what our Lord did - I don't think that anyone should be hesitant then, to use the common cup. And if you want to look at scientific studies we can do that too... My question would always be at the end of the day are you making your decision based on the Scriptures, based on the long-standing historical confessions of your church and historic church practices, or are you feeling pressured because of earthly fears? Are you being coerced by the government or by neighbors and do what is supposedly seems loving in their eyes, in order to what, earn some kind of public relations campaign as ...