Luther Lessons for the Present Crisis – a review

Peter J. Scaer

Article: The Story of Salvation, the Genesis of a New Creation, and a Bold Proclamation: Luther Lessons for the Present Crises
Author: Peter J. Scaer
Concordia Theological Quarterly
Volume 81; Number 3-4; July/October 2017
Reformation 500 Anniversary Issue

“We are living in a time of crisis. At the core of our present difficulty is a radically new understanding of sexuality, marriage, and humanity, with profound implications for our society, as well as our church.” So begins Peter Scaer’s article in Volume 81 of Concordia Theological Quarterly. You actually do not have to be a world class theologian or have a doctorate in Philosophy to know this. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this present crisis is how fast it has developed. Our culture is now, largely, antagonistic towards marriage, monogamy, fidelity, children, maleness, and femaleness, the Church and, ultimately, God. Those who speak up for the created order, Christ and his Church or the Triune God, are characterized as hateful, bigots, ignorant, and worse. The toll this constant barrage of misinformation is devastating for the Church and for our country in general. What can we do?

Peter Scaer looks back to fine answers to move forward. You might say that his answer to the false narrative of the world is to return to the true narrative of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God is a creative and redemptive Lord. The heroes of the past, both in the Bible and in subsequent history, remind us to stand firm in the face of the “New Gnosticism.” We are not self-determining gods. We are created humans, in the image of God, yes, but not gods. As we remember our creator, how he created us, how he redeems us, how he recreates us, and how he will ultimately raise us, we have a hope of resisting the false narrative of our culture.

A good read.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor