A Seminary Interview Question

 When I was in college preparing to go to the Seminary, I had to go through my district interview.  There was a bit of a question as to where I should do it - I had been from Nebraska, but was attending school in Oklahoma, and then my dad had taken a call to Southern New Mexico which was part of the Rocky Mountain District with it's headquarters in Denver.  It was finally decided that I could interview through the Oklahoma District just to make everyone's life easier.

And so there I sat in a room at Trinity Norman, next to Rev. David Nehrenz (now the Oklahoma District President) across from VP Hartman (who would shortly be the Oklahoma District President) and a few other high ranking and respected pastors.  And they interviewed me, asked me questions to see if I would be fit for a spot at the Seminary.

The question was asked of me: What does a Pastor do?

I responded quickly and simply, "Preach the Word and administer the Sacraments."

And stopped.

And there was a pause.  

It was slightly awkward.  I could tell the district officials were wanting more; Pastor Nehrenz was next to me grinning slightly in anticipation.

Finally I expanded.  Yes, I knew that Pastors did a lot of other things, but all those other things were things that the laity could do and ought to do as well.  Visit, pray, works of service.  But the key thing for the Pastor is this: Preaching the Word and Administering the Sacrament.

That answer sufficed for the district officials... though one of the guys there wanted something probably a bit more flowery and glowing about the joys of ministry or some such thing.  

I don't remember much else, but I remember the contrast - how simple and focused the answer was that I gave - preach the Word and administer the sacrament.  Quick, to the point, the things that distinguish the Pastoral Office from the other duties of Christians.  And I remember how almost disappointed folks were with that simple distinction... they wanted there to be more.

But there isn't.  This is the beauty of the priesthood of the baptized.  That we all, lay and pastors alike, have the great gifts of God, the treasures of Christ Jesus, as our inheritance.  Pastors are simply placed into an office whereby the have the responsibility to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments for the sake of all the people.  Administer the gifts.  Steward the mysteries.  Simple servants.

And you end up reading things like Luther's Letter to the German Nobility and you get this spelled out in such detail.

I just get to do what I've called to do... and that's a lovely thing.

Reformation Day Sermon

 

Reformation Day Observed – October 29^th and 30^th, 2022 – John 8:31-36

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

So, what are you a slave to? Well, Pastor Brown, that's an awfully harsh question to start a sermon with! True, even Jesus doesn't just start off the conversation He's having in the text right there, so let's tone it down just a little bit. What is trying to enslave you? Because that's what's going on – sin, the world, and the devil are trying to enslave you. What sins, what idols are demanding more and more of your time, warping your priorities, robbing you of joy, and trying to make you disdain the good gifts God gives you? And I know that this is a heavy topic – but did you hear what Jesus said, the language He used? Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. Jesus is blunt here, and He doesn't leave exceptions. Everyone. All the people who are doing a sin are slaves to sin. And frankly, given that you and I commit sin, we're included in this.

So why is this a text for Reformation Day? In part it is because in the Reformation the idea of the enslaving power of sin was once again taken seriously. Over time, in the normal course of the history of the Church, sin began to be ignored, poo-pooed, downplayed. Works began to be praised – sure you sin, but just do some good stuff and that will get you out of it. Sure, you didn't turn the homework for the entire semester in, but maybe the prof will let you turn in extra credit. Or slip them a bribe and you can buy your way out of it. Surely, surely, there can be someway that we can work our way out of our sins, our misdeeds. No – because everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. You and I, we're enslaved to sin. We fight against it, we strive to discipline ourselves, we can and ought to try to make amends afterwards... but we still sin. Even if you make “amends” you're still mending something you had no business ripping apart in the first place.

And there are all sorts of sins that try to enslave us. One of the great standard ones that we'd harp on in the past in the idea of Greed – how many people were slaves to the almighty dollar. Some of you know this yoke – where the work calls and calls and demands more and more, and family and friends are pushed off into a corner – and for what? Cash to buy a new doo-dad that you're too busy working to enjoy? Perhaps other sins take the fore today – we see the enslaving and twisting power of lust all around us today, whether it's the proud displays in the world, the deviance that would have us mutilate our own bodies, the bored flings that rip marriages apart, or even just the flickering lights of phones or computers behind closed doors where no one else can see. Do you see the enslaving power there? Leisure and entertainment enslave, too – I can't come to work today, I have other things to do – I can't come to church today, because look at this other thing over here. Our hobbies so often drive us with cruelty where they take more and more time and money, where they become chores that we fool ourselves into thinking that we still enjoy. And what other things are out there that are enslaving – screens, social media, our food and diet (and sugar), all sorts of addictions, politics turned into a spectator sport of tribalism instead of service to the public, making sure we “support” the right causes where our support isn't actually doing anything to help but simply yelling at people who don't virtue signal properly. Do you see how we could go on – we could spend an hour just touching on these things, and not even going into detail about them.

Jesus wraps them all up this way – Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. And the worst of it is, as much as we will decry sin, as much as we will shake a fist that the sins that don't call to us... there are ones that call to us, and even as stupid and enslaving as they are, we like them. We make excuses for why we do them. We run back to them again, We like them. We love them, we choose them. And the Reformation begins with the acknowledgment of this blunt, harsh reality. We sin, we're stuck in sin, and we ourselves can't work our way out of it. It's verse three of Luther's Dear Christians One and All Rejoice. My own good works all came to naught, no grace or merit gaining. All the penance, all the pilgrimages, all the things I do don't change the fact that I sin. They might be good for my neighbor, but they don't fix me, they don't fix my problem, they don't rescue me or deliver me from my sin. Free will against God's judgment fought, dead to all good remaining. And let's not even talk about how maybe there's a spark of goodness in me – I know myself, I see how my mind will repeatedly make excuse after excuse to not only allow my sin, but to justify, to praise it. My so-called free will freely and happily sins because everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. I am stuck and trapped in sin and thus trapped in bondage to death and the powers of Satan, and despite all the blather otherwise, there's nothing I can do to change that.

Now let's go back to the beginning of our Gospel lesson – hear again what Jesus says. If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. Oh, Jesus knows that you aren't able to free yourselves from sin, that you cannot change yourselves. And in fact, He doesn't expect you to – no more than I'd expect any of you to rip one of those trees out of the ground with your bare hands. Jesus knows what is beyond you – and He knows what He must do for you. Jesus will act – He will act through His Word. And whenever you abide, whenever you remain, whenever the Word of God comes upon you, something happens. Several things, actually. First, You are truly My disciples. My disciples. You're not just left and abandoned to sin, you aren't just left to your own devices. You are tied to Christ. You belong to Him – Jesus claims you by the Word. No, you're not merely a slave to these stupid vices – you're Mine. You belong to Jesus – and He disciples you, He turns you into a student, to one who is learning, who is beginning to see. Beginning to see the power and weight that sin burdens and entraps you with – but also seeing and learning something else even more important.

And you will know the Truth. Truth is a big word in John's Gospel. John records for us Pilate dismissively saying, “What is truth?” during Jesus' passion. We'll hear all about truth today, about My Truth – which is really just my opinion that you aren't allowed to object to it no matter how unattached to reality it is. But when Jesus says that you will know the Truth, Jesus isn't speaking about random ideas or facts, and He's certainly not talking about my lived experiences. Jesus later in the Gospel says, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Truth. With a Capital T. Jesus. In hearing Jesus' Word, not only are you tied to Jesus, made to learn the reality of sin in the world, but you are made to know Jesus, to know He who is the Truth. By the Word of God, the Holy Spirit pulls your sin-trapped, enslaved eyes off of your idols that torment you, and He puts them squarely on Jesus. Quit looking at yourself, quit looking at what you do, whatever good you think it will do – and look at Jesus. And you will know Him, you will experience Jesus at work in your life.

And what is that work of Jesus? And the Truth will set you free. This is what Jesus does. He sets you free. With His Word, He breaks the power of sin – He curbs you and pulls you away from sin with the law, He shows you your sin to break your pride and love of sin – but more than that, Jesus comes to set you free. The whole point of God becoming man, the whole reason Jesus is born and lives is simply to set you free. Set you free from sin, death, and the devil. And everything that Jesus does in the Scripture is driving at your rescue. Is there sin? Jesus forgives it! Is there guilt? Jesus pays for it! Is there death? Jesus takes it up and rises again, and so shall you! All the powers of sin that work upon you, Jesus is breaking them down in your life now. And we don't always see this now, and we don't see it in full yet – the Truth will set you free. There's a fullness to come that you will see, that you will know only come the last day and resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.

But this salvation that Jesus has won for you does impact you now. You are granted faith, faith which clings to Jesus Christ alone. You're thrown upon Jesus and freed from the useless burden of trying to justify yourself. You're given forgiveness now, over and against your sin. And where there is forgiveness, there is life and salvation. You do have life now, you do see what sin does, you are made to fight against it, Jesus brings forth in you good works that serve your neighbor and supply the proof that faith is living. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me! And Jesus keeps coming to you in His Word – the Word that the faithless couldn't care less about – and that Word brings you forgiveness and life, that Word brings you Jesus. He's by your side even in this battle you see against sin and all the other junk that constantly seeks to mess with you. And because Jesus is with you, there is confidence. God Himself is on your side, God Himself fights for you. He will not abandon you to this slavery to sin – because before you were a slave to sin, you were His. He made you, and He Himself will redeem you, will rescue you from sin and restore you to the living beings you were created to be.

By the Word, we hear this. By the faith the Holy Spirit works in us, we see this. And so we see the world more fully and broadly – see sin in all its power and terror – don't soft sell it out there or in your own heart... but see that Christ Jesus and His love for you is even bigger than sin, bigger than Satan, and conquers over them all. For you, for your good. So if the Son sets you free [and He has, O baptized child of God] You will be free indeed. Amen.

Trinity 19 Sermon

Trinity 19 – Matthew 9:1-8 – October 22^nd and 23^rd, 2022

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

    “Take heart, My son, your sins are forgiven.” With those words, Jesus throws the scribes into a tizzy – indeed with these words that Jesus sees still spoken to you here in His house, Jesus throws the entire world into a giant tantrum of epic proportion. I do not know if there is anything that Jesus says that more fully and quickly encapsulates drives to the heart of the Gospel, the Gospel that Satan and this world are bound to oppose.

    Consider the story in our lesson. Jesus comes back to “his own city” - this would be Capernaum, the big town by Nazareth from whence Jesus started His ministry. So Jesus is in a place where people know that He is preaching and healing – and thus when the friends of a man who is paralyzed hear that Jesus is back in town, they pick the guy up and carry Him to Jesus. And Jesus sees this fellow, looks at him laying there and says, “Take heart, M y son, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes pitch a fit, how dare this bloke say he forgives sins, that's something only God can do, harrumph, harrumph, harrumph.

    Now, to be fair, these scribes have a point. Forgiveness is a God thing. We acknowledge that all sin is against God – remember that love God, love your neighbor thing? Even when you sin against your neighbor, you are also sinning against God who gave you that neighbor. So while you as an individual ought forgive anyone who sins against you, they also need to know how they stand before God, they need God's forgiveness. The problem with the scribes is that, even with all the Scripture pointing to Jesus, teaching that the Messiah would be true God and true man, they don't buy it. So, Jesus, True God and True Man, knows their thoughts. He sees right through them... because He's the Son of God. And then Jesus decides to heal the paralyzed man – and why? Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins – He then said to the paralytic - “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. The physical healing was secondary. The important thing was forgiveness. In fact, I'd argue that the paralyzed man needed forgiveness more – especially in the culture of that day where if there was some physical misfortune there was also crushing guilt and the assumption that your sin caused it. Forgiveness would have made the man ecstatic. The healing was good, the forgiveness was better.

    And so, the key, the center of this whole text isn't the healing – the healing is just so you know that Jesus can back up what He said earlier - “Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven.” That sentence is completely true – see, this man walks again. And this sentence is something the world hates, something Satan fights against in your life daily and routinely.

Consider the first part - “Take Heart” - that is, have courage, have boldness, don't shrink, don't be intimidated. Sin and Satan try to intimidate you all the time. How often this week did the world try to get you stupid Christians to just keep your traps shut? Don't you dare bring that stuff up around here! How often did the wiles of Satan shine forth to kick you in the shin? How often did the overbearing wickedness and stupidity out there try to crush you? How often did the Accuser reveal to you your own sinfulness, to break you, to tell you how terrible and wretched you are and leave you in despair? A common tactic that Satan uses, that the world excels in using, is breaking you down – is just overloading you with how much vice there is in the world, or telling you that the cost of being a Christian is just too high, or even throwing your own guilt in your face and rubbing your nose in it – all of this to rob you of courage, to rob you of strength, to make your life miserable. And the thing is – Satan doesn't even have to lie to do this. The world is full of wickedness. People probably don't want to hear about your faith. You do have sins, many of them nasty. And frankly, if we were supposed to rely upon ourselves, there'd be no reason for us to have any courage, any heart whatsoever.

       But Jesus isn't telling us to ignore reality when He says, “Take heart.” Hey there guy, I see that you are paralyzed. Take heart. Jesus says Take heart to a man who is weak, who can't walk. Why? Because the reason we take heart, the reason we are bold, isn't because of ourselves, because of who we are or how strong we are – we have courage because Jesus is here. With might of ours could naught be done, soon were our loss effected – but for us fights the Valiant One, whom God Himself elected! We are weak, but He is strong! Therefore, because Jesus is here, take heart. Jesus isn't merely telling the guy to buck up, don't worry fellow – just keep a stiff upper lip. No – Jesus is there with Him, and Jesus is his strength – and the world hates that because while it can steamroll some paralyzed guy or knock over you or me, it can't do anything to Christ Jesus. So the world hates it when Jesus says, “take heart” - because it takes our eyes off of sin and death and weakness and puts them squarely on Jesus.

    But it gets worse for the the world. Jesus says, “My son.” The world is quite content to have you believe in “god” as long as this “god” is some faceless, distant entity. “Oh, he's out there somewhere, awfully far away, kind of cold and indifferent – maybe powerful, maybe not... but what's that got to do with anything.” The world will allow for that type of god – a god that has nothing to do with you. But that is not the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. My son. That's what Jesus says to this man. It's not just that there's some god who is far off and just leaves this man to the deprevations and attacks of Satan – no, no – My son. There's a tie here, there's a bond here, you have value to Me, and there's no way on My green earth that I'm going to just abandon you or forget you. You're Mine, you're My creation, My child, My brother, one for whom I would and indeed, for whom I will give My own life on the Cross to save.

    God is not indifferent to you. Jesus knows you – He knows your name. He called you by name at the font – that's why I ask that old fashioned, formal question, “How are you named” - that's why I baptize kids “So and so, I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Because there fundamentally is a personal relationship between you and God. You don't need to get one – you have one. God is your Father – and even if you're mad at God and pitching a fit – tough. He still is your Father and He still loves you. Even if you run away – you're His child and He will care for you. The world doesn't get to eliminate God, remove Him. He remains your Father, much more in truth than any of us human fathers are dads. Jesus doesn't disown you, He doesn't undo the promise of your baptism. You're His – and the world can't do a thing about it.

    And then, there's the phrase that caps it all off. “Your sins are forgiven.” But what if you have pitched a tantrum at God, what if you have ignored what He has said, what if you've been on the run forever – what if that person that you come across this week out there has been on the run? Your sins are forgiven. That's what Jesus says. That's what Jesus does. He comes and becomes man, and He takes up your sin, He takes up the sin of the world, and He drags them all to the Cross in His own Body and He puts them all to death. See the Cross – there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because He took it all up. And Jesus, who has come to be with you and give you courage, who is always your Creator, says to you that you are forgiven. Period. Did I stutter? Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. As far as the east is from the west, so far will I remove your sin from you. Father, forgive them – it is finished.

      There is nothing that Satan and this sinful world hate more than Jesus' forgiveness. We all see it, the rage, the anger – the drive to keep the rage going, to never forget, to never reconcile, to cancel forever, to keep the grudge alive. The world despise the forgiveness of Christ Jesus. Oh well. That's what Jesus does. He forgives. He forgives you. Your sins are removed from you, they are taken away, and you are clean in God's sight, and you are going to be raised again from the dead. Period. But what's more, my friends – When they saw it they were afraid, and they glorified God who had given such authority to men. Forgiveness, the authority to proclaim Jesus' forgiveness, has been given to you. It's the family treasure, the birthright of every baptized child of God. The forgiveness that God has declared to you, you speak it as well. Now, as a Pastor, I do this publicly, here – in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ. And when doing the absolution from Divine service 1 or 3, I'll make the sign of the Cross over y'all in blessing, because I'm addressing the baptized children of God. But you all have that authority as well – you announced God's pardon and forgiveness to me today as we used the old “Confititor” form of Confession and Absolution where we take turns confessing and forgiving. You're baptized, you've received God's forgiveness, you get to declare it to other people because they are people for whom Jesus has died.

    And this forgiveness is spoken to you so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God who forgives sins. It's the Word of eternal life, and it is given to you for you good and for you to use for your neighbor – there is no greater love than this, that Jesus laid down His life for you and for your neighbor. And even though the world will try to muzzle you, to terrorize you, to make you think that God is distant and far – no, you know the truth, you know reality. Christ Jesus has come, God Himself has taken up the battle against sin, death, and the devil for you – and He has won you the victory with His death and resurrection. And this victory, this forgiveness and life and salvation has been applied to you. You are baptized. Christ is indeed present for you, He comes you to this day – and there's not a cotton picking thing Satan or the world can do about it. Take heart, My son, your sins are forgiven. Amen.

Bible Study - Which Ordo is It?

 So if you've been following Lutheran Twitter (a strange and bizarre place) or even Lutheran Blogs... which you probably are if you see this... there has been a round of discussions on the role of women, in particular whether or not they can write a theological book which in particular has study questions so as to be used in a bible study.

There is much discussion on what is meant when Paul says in 1 Timothy 2 that he does not permit (or suffer, if you like the King James) a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.

I, like some, hold that these ideas - teaching (διδάσκειν) and even authority (αὐθεντεῖν - authenticate, verify) are describing the life of the Church.  This is talking about handling the Word and Sacrament ministry of the Church - given that right after this Paul goes on to the qualification of Bishops and Deacons.  This is what Paul is speaking to.

Of course, there are some who want to make this a blanket statement about the relation of women and men all over the place (to greater or lesser extent).  But even if some will grant that this is a statement about the Church, surely this would apply to the writing of theology or what goes on in bible study!  Surely this is a violation of the Order of Creation.

Interestingly, Luther doesn't really use that term of "order of creation" - but he will speak of the three orders - that this world is broken up into three (I'll call them) spheres... that of the Family, the Church, and the State.  There's different chains of command in each of these, different responsibilities.  As a Pastor, I'm bound to preach (that is teach - didaskein) and administer the Sacraments.  As a father, I have a house of my own to manage.  As a citizen, well, I don't hold office other than voter.  In each of these ordos I have different vocations, different duties, different responsibilities.  I get to discipline my sons - I don't get to just discipline any kids in the congregation (that would be usurping the role of their parents) and certainly I don't get to discipline just random kids in the neighborhood.  

There are three ordos - Family, Church, and State.

So - Bible Study - Which Ordo is it?

The assumption seems to be that as Bible Study takes place in Church that it is clearly a part of the Ordo of the Church.  This is not the case.

First, both Sunday School and Bible Study as we think of them are novelties.  Luther wouldn't have known of them. But the terms used - study, school - speak to what they are.  They are training - and training belongs properly to the Family.

This is the start of the catechism - as the head of the family should teach....  Studies, Sunday School, even (and perhaps especially) Confirmation Class are all properly under the sphere of the family, the home.  When I teach confirmation class, or the Sunday school teachers do their thing, we are operating "in loco parentis" - in the place of the parents.  This is shown by the fact that I can insist that my kids go to Sunday School, but I can't insist that any other children must go - I can only encourage and suggest.

I will even assert that Bible Study belongs to the ordo of the family, not the Church.  Consider - let us say there's a massive blizzard and all Sunday activities at the Church are cancelled.  A dad might well have his family spend some time in devotion and study; he's not going to celebrate the Lord's Supper at home (even if he's me!).  In fact, I expect that the men and women who do attend my bible studies would do that, precisely because they are focused upon studying the Word.  And I also expect that even people who do not attend any of my studies also do their own devotional study of the Word on their own.

Bible study most properly belongs to the home.  In fact, many congregations have bible studies in the home - there was a ladies' group in my own congregation that met for study last night in a member's home.  And food.  Food was there too... and my wife didn't bring any of it home for me as she sometimes does.

... that was sad.

Of course, food is a difference as well.  As a Pastor, I tend to food in the Divine Service - the Body and Blood of Christ under bread and wine for us Christians to eat and drink.  Then, there's bible study - with coffee and snacks for the people who hang around to eat and drink.  Those are categorically different things!

So, I will assert here that although things like Bible Study, Sunday School, and Confirmation Classes may (note, may, not must) take place even on Church property, they do belong to the realm of the family, and as such are governed by the family.  Now, as the Pastor of this congregation I get oversight of anything done here at this place... that's only because the members of the congregation who have their own authority have designed me to exercise such oversight.

+ + + + + + + +

If, in fact, the idea of bible study belongs to the ordo of the home and not the ordo of the Church, there is much more flexibility for what can be done.  The instruction therein belongs to a different ordo than the preaching of the word, the shepherding and teaching, that is mine as a pastor - that is denied not only to women but also to all laymen as well for the sake of order in the Church.

In the home there is more freedom.  I cook and my wife assembles the furniture we get... because I like cooking and she's better mechanically than I.  This isn't a violation of Scripture, nor does it undercut the Order of Creation... because I see my house so ordered this way because it seems to rightly utilize my talents and the talents of the woman that God has given me... and frankly, none of you have an ounce of authority to gain say me - go back to your home (and if you're rude I won't let you take any of my tasty food with you).

And so I'd assert the same with even studies.  Those are things given to the home - let the pater familias designate responsibilities as he sees as good. 

And I suppose, that for the sake of not causing confusion or offending the weak, I'd so oversee the studies of my congregation to curtail the role of women in studies - just Sunday School and not the adult class... that's fundamentally my ordering of a familial responsibility designated to me by the congregation and families of the congregation done in accordance with their wishes and expectations.

But I'm also very hesitant to instruct other families how they must do things... and indeed, other Sunday Schools and Bible Studies at other congregations full of families not my members - I don't have much say.  And if the Scriptures do not forbid, I cannot myself.  I can only give counsel and advise.  

So - there you have it.  Rambling thoughts and conclusions and takes.  Less Scripture than I'd like - at some point I can make a defense of the idea that 1 Timothy is giving primarily instruction for the Ordo of the Church and not instructions for the state or family... but at some other time.  This will suffice for the day.

A New 4th Use of the Law?

 Lutherans have long allowed for 3 uses of the Law.  The primary use of the Law is what often gets termed its 2nd Use (maybe central use would be better) - the Law reveals our sin.  It shows us our sin, drives us to repentance, and thus we are prepared to hear the Gospel.  This is the theological use of the law.

However, the Law also provides for order in society.  It acts as a curb (1st use) where it's threats and punishments keep wickedness in check by fear and threat.  It also acts as a guide (3rd use) where those who love God may thereby seek out to do works of service to God that are pleasing to Him and beneficial to society.  Both of these are centered on loving the neighbor - whether by force or by devotion to God the neighbor is served.

Every so often, though, I end up seeing what I think is a purposed 4th use of the law - the Firebreak use of the law.  People see a trend in society, something that is wrong - and rather than just staying strictly with what God says, an additional firebreak is extended.  Instead of simply "don't eat" - a "don't touch" gets added... because if you can't touch it, you can't eat it.  And there are many examples of this through the ages.

Don't fornicate - so don't dance.
Don't gamble - so don't use face cards.
Don't violate the Sabbath - so don't go over X steps.
Don't misuse the name of the LORD - so don't even speak Jehovah.

So on and so forth the pattern goes.  And the arguments are always wonderfully appealing - there is a danger, and clear and present danger - and we can't give in an inch to them, so to make sure they stay far, far away, we are going to... add things.  Expand the meaning.  Give our holiness a little lebensraum so that it is not defiled.

And these always go poorly.  Wickedly.  The gateway to tyrannical legalism because is it as much and as wicked a sin to add to God's Law as it is to take away from it.

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The Pastoral Office is reserved only for men.  It is the office of preaching and teaching, of administering the Sacrament.

But the public square is not reserved for pastors, nor the writing of books, nor discussion.  In these forums, all the baptized alike are of the royal priesthood, with all the rights there given.

Fear of woman pastors, fear of society losing any distinction between man and woman is no reason to go beyond the limits God has set.  And we do not add to His Word the firebreaks we think we need because of His fear, no more than we ignore His Word to be culturally relevant.  Either is the way of folly.