Hi Folks, just a quick note, the blog site this site is really meant to be a place where confessional folks can reflect theologically on the theological direction of Lutheranism given its past and the challenges of the day. I am particularly interested in discussing what role Pietism and Orthodoxy have and are playing in the church and if there is a more viable way of integrating the best of these two movements into the life of contemporary Lutheranism. As one who definitely leans to the more orthodox side of things I can readily see how the ”heartfelt” aspects of pietism have led many to a surface like emotionalism that has in turn led many toward liberal drift. At the same time extreme orthodoxy seems to have a tendency towards a kind of elitism that often lacks mass appeal and becomes overly ritualistic, while also becoming overly embedded in institutionalism. In many ways it seems that the African church has done a much better job with pietism than have the western churches, why is this so? I believe that we would be wise to have African and other third world leaders reflect on these issues as well as LCMS theologians. In this regards let me also say that one of the things we are discovering in this ongoing revisionist vs. confessionalist debate is that Luther’s theology has assumed too great a place in our interpretation of Christianity. Now don’t get me wrong but I think that one thing that has helped the LCMS is that it still among it an active memory and interest in the works of Gerhard and Chemnitz and others, theologians who in my opinion help to take Lutheranism into a more mature phase of its development and beyond that certain quirkenes, polemic and time sensitivity that can make Luther seem like an antinomian even when he wasn’t. So in other words what I am looking for is an ongoing discussion that would include confessional ELCA, third world, and LCMS folks about the state of Lutheranism that would help to reveal our Achilles heals and how to better cope with them. You see to me, the ELCA is not “the Church” it is as some have said “this church” and the substance of “this church” is pretty weak. If there is to be any hope for Lutheranism we must reclaim a place as a movement within the Church catholic and seek to model our institutional and theological structures in way that promote that movement rather than turn us into a sect that parrots the whims of contemporary culture whether it be form the revisionist or the church growth side of things. So if you have any reflections just post them on this site starting now (it will be in response to this which I will post, and if you have others to add to the mailing list, particularly LCMS, solid ELCA theologians and third world contacts let me know and I will add them to my mailing list. By the way part of the motivation to this is the fact that my wife Rev. Sally Gausmann was asked by an Austrailian pastor if he could share her insights into church-wide that she posted earlier with others in that country