LUTHERAN SYNOD QUARTERLY VOLUME 52 • NUMBERS 2-3 JUNE–SEPTEMBER 2012 The theological journal of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary LUTHERAN SYNOD QUARTERLY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF........................................................... Gaylin R. Schmeling BOOK REVIEW EDITOR ......................................................... Michael K. Smith LAYOUT EDITOR ................................................................. Daniel J. Hartwig PRINTER ......................................................... Books of the Way of the Lord FACULTY............. Adolph L. Harstad, Thomas A. Kuster, Dennis W. Marzolf, Gaylin R. Schmeling, Michael K. Smith, Erling T. Teigen The Lutheran Synod Quarterly (ISSN: 0360-9685) is edited by the faculty of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary 6 Browns Court Mankato, Minnesota 56001 The Lutheran Synod Quarterly is a continuation of the Clergy Bulletin (1941–1960). The purpose of the Lutheran Synod Quarterly, as was the purpose of the Clergy Bulletin, is to provide a testimony of the theological position of the Evangelical Contents Lutheran Synod and also to promote the academic growth of her clergy roster by providing scholarly articles, rooted in the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures and the LSQ Vol. 52, Nos. 2–3 (June–September 2012) Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. ARTICLES AND SERMONS The Lutheran Synod Quarterly is published in March and December with a “God Has Gone Up With a Shout” - An Exegetical Study of combined June and September issue. Subscription rates are $25.00 U.S. per year Psalm 47 for the Ascension of our Lord .......................................135 for domestic subscriptions and $30.00 U.S. per year for international subscriptions. Mark E. DeGarmeaux All subscriptions and editorial correspondence should be sent to the following Objective Justification ..................................................................159 address: Ronald E. Pederson Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary Understanding Latin American Religious Culture and Attn: Lutheran Synod Quarterly Assumptions ................................................................................171 6 Browns Ct Herbert C. Huhnerkoch Mankato MN 56001 “Walking Together” in Faith and Worship: Back issues of the Lutheran Synod Quarterly from the past two years are available Exploring the Relationship Between Doctrinal Unity and at a cost of $8.00 per issue. Back issues of the Lutheran Synod Quarterly and Liturgical Unity in the Lutheran Church ......................................195 Clergy Bulletin prior to the past two years are available at <www.blts.edu/lsq>. David Jay Webber The Lutheran Synod Quarterly is abstracted in Religious and Theological Into the Arms of Embrace .............................................................249 Abstracts, PO Box 215, Myerstown, PA 17067 (E-mail: <[email protected]>; Matthew W. Crick Website: <www.rtabst.org/abstracts>). Arisen ..........................................................................................251 Matthew W. Crick Copyright ©2012 by Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Requests for permission to reproduce more than brief excerpts are to be directed to the Editor- in-Chief. BOOK REVIEWS Book Review: A Lutheran Looks at Eastern Orthodoxy .................253 J. Kincaid Smith Book Review: Studying Luther’s Large Catechism .........................256 Michael K. Smith 132 Lutheran Synod Quarterly Vol. 52 Foreword LSQ Vol. 52, Nos. 2–3 (June–September 2012) SALMS 46, 47, AND 48 have related themes of God as Protector, Ruler, Avenger, and Deliverer. Psalm 47 in particular has been associated with the Ascension of our Lord. This is based onP the phrase, “God has gone up with a shout” (47:5), reminding one of Christ’s Ascension forty days after Easter, and on the phrase “God sits on His holy throne” (47:8), alluding to Christ’s session at God’s right hand. This exegetical study on Psalm 47 was prepared by the Rev. Mark DeGarmeaux who serves as a professor at Bethany Lutheran College. On the basis of Christ’s holy life and His sacrificial death in our place (Romans 5:18–19, Galatians 3:13), the Father’s wrath over sin is appeased and He does not impute (count or reckon) sin but declares the whole world righteous or innocent. This truth is demonstrated vividly on Easter morning. The open tomb is the public declaration of absolution or the verdict of not guilty for the world. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them” (2 Corinthians 5:19; see also Romans 4:5, Romans 5:18–19, and Romans 3:23–24). This is a summary of the doctrine of objective justification, which is the subject matter of the essay written by the Rev. Ronald Pederson, who is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Suttons Bay, Michigan. In his essay, the Rev. Timothy Schmeling provides an overview of classical Arminianism and its evolution in the American religious context. Prompted by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s critique of the American 134 Lutheran Synod Quarterly Vol. 52 religious landscape as “Protestantism without the Reformation” and an analysis of the Formula of Concord in light of the morphology of Arminianism, the essay joins the call for American Lutheranism to reclaim its classical Lutheran theology. Only in this way can an authentic American Lutheranism truly develop, which is capable of meeting the religious needs of the citizenry of the United States. The Rev. Schmeling is the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sebastian, Florida. “God Has Gone Up With a Hispanic culture has had a profound influence on present-day life in the United States. Hispanics are one of the largest ethnic groups Shout” - An Exegetical Study of in our country. Understanding the various elements of Hispanic reli- Psalm 47 for the Ascension of our Lord gion and culture will go a long way in efforts to reach Hispanic people with the Gospel and engage them with Jesus as the Savior. The Rev. Mark E. DeGarmeaux Herbert Huhnerkoch gives an overview of Hispanic culture and reli- Professor, Bethany Lutheran College gion in his essay, “Understanding Latin American Religious Culture Mankato, Minnesota and Assumptions.” The Rev. Huhnerkoch is a pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Kissimmee, Florida. LSQ Vol. 52, Nos. 2–3 (June–September 2012) Our Lutheran Confessions maintain that it is enough for the true unity of the church to agree in the teachings of the Scripture. It is not O THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. necessary that there be complete uniformity in all rites and ceremo- rwøm◊zIm jårOq_y´nVbIl AjE…xÅnVmAl 1 nies instituted by men. At the same time, the Confessions encourage 1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Lutheran congregations to continue to employ the historic liturgy of T 2 the church. This is the point of the essay entitled, “‘Walking Together’ PDk_…woVqI;t MyI;mAoDh_lD;k in Faith and Worship: Exploring the Relationship between Doctrinal Shout to God with the voice of triumph! [ESV: songs of joy] Unity and Liturgical Unity in the Lutheran Church,” written by the hÎ…nîr lwøqV;b MyIhølaEl …woyîrDh Rev. David Jay Webber, who is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran 2 Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. For the Lord Most High is awesome; [ESV: to be feared; KJV: terrible] The two poems for Holy Week, composed by the Rev. Matthew a∂rwøn NwøyVlRo hÎwh◊y_yI;k 3 Crick, show the vital importance of Christ’s death and resurrection in He is a great King over all the earth. the life of the Christian. The Rev. Crick is pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas. X®rDaDh_lD;k_lAo lwødÎ…g JKRlRm 3 Also included in this issue are two book reviews. The book A He will subdue the peoples under us, Lutheran Looks at Eastern Orthodoxy, by Robert Koester, was reviewed …wnyE;tVjA;t MyI;mAo rE;b√dÅy 4 by the Rev. J. Kincaid Smith, who is a pastor emeritus of the Evangelical And the nations under our feet. Lutheran Synod. The bookStudying Luther’s Large Catechism, written by Ryan C. MacPherson, was reviewed by the Rev. Michael K. Smith, who …wnyEl◊går tAjA;t MyI;mUaVl…w is a professor at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in Mankato, 4 He will choose our inheritance for us, Minnesota. …wnEtDlSjÅn_tRa …wnDl_rAjVbˆy 5 – GRS The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah. hDlRs bEhDa_rRvSa bOqSoÅy Nwøa◊…g tRa 136 Lutheran Synod Quarterly Vol. 52 Nos. 2–3 "God Has Gone Up With a Shout" 137 5 God has gone up with a shout, between the phraseology and the language of Isaiah who lived through the crisis and wrote on it.”1 This commentary also considers Psalm 47 hDo…wrVtI;b MyIhølTa hDlDo 6 to be an expansion of one phrase from the previous psalm: “A poem on The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. the theme of 46:11, I will be exalted [M…wrDa (M…wr)] in the earth.” The rDpwøv lwøqV;b hÎwøh◊y concept of exaltation appears three times in Psalm 47, with the expres- 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! sions: “Most High,” “gone up,” and “highly exalted.” Delitzsch, on the other hand, connects these psalm texts with the victory of Jehoshaphat 7 …wrE;mÅz MyIhølTa …wrV;mÅz over the Moabites (c. 850 BC). Both events are powerful victories of Sing praises to our King, sing praises! God over the enemies of His people; God alone delivers the people in …wrE;mÅz …wnE;kVlAmVl …wrV;mÅz each case. Sennacherib, king of the ancient Assyrians who were renowned for 7 For God is the King of all the earth; fierceness and brutality, was ready to attack Jerusalem. But good King MyIhølTa X®rDaDh_lD;k JKRlRm yI;k 8 Hezekiah of Judah received words of hope and assurance from the Lord Sing praises with understanding. through the prophet Isaiah. The writer of 2 Kings records this promise, lyI;kVcAm …wrV;mÅz and then describes the events that followed. 8 God reigns over the nations; Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to Me Mˆywø…g_lAo MyIhølTa JKAlDm 9 against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.’” … God sits on His holy throne.