Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

Does Matthew 16:18-19 mean that Peter was named the first Pope by Jesus himself? Does the Papacy have any special or Divine authority? Are the Keys given to just Peter and his successors, or the whole Church? These are some of the questions the Lutherans address in the Power and Primacy of the Pope in their Refutation of the Roman Arguments (paragraphs 22-31). Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, social media manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Power and Primacy of the Pope in the Book of Concord.

What is the right of any one man to rule absolutely in the church on Earth? Was the Pope always regarded by the Early Church as the supreme ruler in Christendom? How is the Church organized, structured, and governed? How do Lutherans receive pastors? These are the questions that are addressed in the document in the Book of Concord called “The Power and Primacy of the Pope.” Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss “The Power and Primacy of the Pope” in the Book of Concord. This is a rebroadcast from September 24, 2019.

What is the history surrounding this document, The Power and Primacy of the Pope? How does this history reflect itself in the Book of Concord and how does it relate to us today? How does the expanse of the church across the world play into Biblical church hierarchy? What is church hierarchy, anyway? Rev. Peter Ill— pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, Peter Slayton— Social Media Manager for the LCMS, and Dr. Kevin Armbrust— Director of Editorial for the LCMS and interim editor of the Lutheran Witness, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss paragraphs 12-21 in The Power and Primacy of the Pope in the Book of Concord.

Does God’s presence come directly to us? How do churches relate to each other, and how to pastors relate to churches? Do we have authority or divine right to have power over others? How did Jesus send disciples and apostles out to teach? These questions are covered in this week’s episode of Concord Matters. Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, social media manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss paragraphs 6-11 of The Power and Primacy of the Pope in the Book of Concord.

What is the right of any one man to rule absolutely in the church on Earth? Was the Pope always regarded by the Early Church as the supreme ruler in Christendom? How is the Church organized, structured, and governed? How do Lutherans receive pastors? These are the questions that are addressed in the document in the Book of Concord called “The Power and Primacy of the Pope.” Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss “The Power and Primacy of the Pope” in the Book of Concord.

Some traditions and institutions are created with the best of intentions, but when they do not work out as planned, rules and regulations designed to “fix things” can end up making matters worse. This is what the Smalcald Articles says happened in the case of Monastic Vows (Part III, Article XIV) and Human Traditions (Part III, Article XV). Rev. Anthony Oliphant, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss these articles.

Have you ever heard (or thought) these things? What about good works? Doesn’t God command us to do certain things, like keeping the Ten Commandments or loving our neighbor as ourselves? Isn’t the promise of sheer grace a little dangerous? Won’t people get lazy if we tell them there is nothing they can do to save themselves? We have to do something, don’t we? Luther addresses all of these questions in the Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article XIII: How One is Justified before God and Does Good Works. Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith for the conversation.

We call the Church the “Holy Christian Church.” But who or what is the church? What is the authority of the church? What is the church built on, and what do we put our faith in? These are the points that Luther takes up in a short, but weighty articles for discussion in the Smalcald Articles: Part III, Articles XII: The Church. Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith for the conversation.

Rev. Micah Bauer, Associate Pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Brookings, South Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Part III, Article X: Ordination and the Call in the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. The church is to gather together to preach the Gospel, use the sacraments, and promote the spreading of the pure Word of God. For this work, our Lord has graciously given to His Church the Office of Holy Ministry. Hence, there is a need for pastors! But how can you know that your pastor is rightly ordained for this work?

Rev. Mark Bestul, pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Part III, Article IX: Excommunication in the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. They discuss what excommunication is especially from a Lutheran or Roman Catholic viewpoint, how penitence and contrition plays a role in excommunication and “minor bans,” and how closed communion relates to excommunication.