My Friend Don Profile picture
Your friend. Jesus loves you. Pastor at St. Andrew Evangelical-Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Rockton, IL. Owner of the Green Bay Packers. My wife is the best of me.
Apr 21 6 tweets 2 min read
This is bad theology. Bad theology clings to *a* truth at the expense of *the whole* truth.

A truth is that God ordains rulers for a time. Kingdoms rise, kingdoms fall.

The whole truth is that rulers may be ordained by God to exact judgment, not blessing, on a people.

1/ Ultimately, God uses both the good and wicked to accomplish His ends. (See Pontius Pilate or Caiaphus or any of the Northern Kings.)

That does not mean, however, that God *desires* wicked rulers over His Creation. He turns their wickedness for good, for those who love Him.

2/
Jan 22, 2025 7 tweets 1 min read
Y’all ready for some necessary nuance about yesterday’s events at the National Cathedral?

There is an excess of performative Rightwing pearl-clutching and equally theatrical Leftwing handwringing about Mariann Budde’s words. Seeking mercy from civil officials on behalf of the poor and the helpless is nothing new, and indeed is a duty of the church! There are countless examples, from Ambrose temporarily excommunicating Emperor Theodosius I to Martin Luther’s many letters to the German nobility.
Nov 1, 2024 14 tweets 2 min read
“Blessed are the poor and spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:3

On an All Saints Day prior to election day, Bishop Bo Giertz has magnificent words for us: All Saints’ Day is about the saints. Even we [Lutherans] talk about saints. As a matter of fact, all Christians can be called “holy.” That’s what they’re called in the New Testament. They’ve been taken away from this world, cleansed in Christ’s blood and united w/Christ himself.
Mar 12, 2023 21 tweets 7 min read
My Grandfather was born a Jew and converted to Lutheranism. Then he killed Nazis at Omaha Beach, before also serving in the Pacific. Image Grandpa served in the 293rd Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO)— a mixed group of specially-trained commandos, engineers and specialists. They were the military’s cutting-edge version of mobile field radio operators. web.archive.org/web/2019010610…