Nashotah is now in the information age. Just posted this from the wireless access point here in the library, which is connected to our T1 line

Interesting blurb from my class on the Gospels this morning. The first chapter of Matthew mentions four women and implicitly mentions one (Mary) in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. They are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Each was a Gentile who wound up being mixed in with Israel. Each gave birth to their son by unusual circumstances - for instance Tamar dressing up as a prostitute and conceiving by her father-in-law. The first point is that they pre-figure the Virgin Birth. The second point is that they are a case for Gentile inclusion in the Church. Next, they serve as ties to Jesus, not by genealogy, but by faith. These are not historical references, but rather theological references. Remember that the geneaologies of Luke and Matthew conflict, and that neither are historical.

On this day, 457 years ago, Martin Luther died at his boyhood home of Eisleben. Martin Luther is most commonly attributed as being the father of the Continental Reformation, although he had forerunners such as Jan Hus. Luther found himself caught in a storm during his university days and prayed a prayer to St. Anne to rescue him, promising to become a monk if spared. This he did. Luther spent hours upon hours in the confessional, fretting over the security of his soul. A breakthrough came to him when reading the words from Paul's Letter to the Romans - "The righteous shall live by faith." Faith became the center of Luther's theology, causing him to decry the sale of indulgences by the Roman See, and thus to challenge papal authority. It was not Luther's mind that promulgated reform, but rather his passion. His most notable works, namely On the Freedom of the Christian Man have been the fuel for many of the less fortunate heresies of the protestant tradition. His doctrine of Sola Scriptura is the pinnacle of a problematic theology that has led to much of Protestantism being backed into a corner in regards to the development of doctrine, which according to Sola Scriptura ends with the last words of the New Testament - an assertion that is neither historical nor founded upon scripture itself.

Read Luther's 95 Theses.

the great thing about the week after valentines day is that you can get cheap candy at all the drugstores - but that's about it. what's really amazing is that people who don't celebrate the assumption of the blessed virgin mary (august 15) will celebrate the feast of an anonymous roman martyr of the third century. pretty sad if you ask me. but, on the other hand, if it means i can get reeses' miniatures for 50% off, why not?

Put some links on the left. Check them out.

I saw this today in West Bend, the town where my internship parish is. It hangs in the West Bend Art Museum, and is the work of Carl Von Marr, a notable German artist who was born in the town. A reprint hangs in the parish hall of the parish. Von Marr was a master with the use of light in paint, and this is a perfect example. The Christchild lights up the faces of all who come near, even the angels.

We were hit with 5 inches of snow this afternoon. I've never been around a LOT of snow like this, and it's FUN!!! Still to soft to make any snowballs or snowmen, but I'll give you an update when we can.

One of the wacky things about seminary is that you seem to get a lot of books. My library has grown by leaps and bounds in just the past few months. It's getting a little hard to keep up with.

Due to a request by a friend, and since I haven't posted much in the past couple days because of an organ recital, and Hebrew (which has no vowels), and historical theology, I have decided to post my recipe for coq au vin, which a number of you have had.

My iMac will be back tonight... hopefully. Then I can get some more postings.