Podcasts about martin luther college

I can do all things through him who gives me strength. You've seen and heard that verse many times, right? "I can do all things What about that? Can you really do all things? Anything? Our guest this week, Pastor Jacob Behnken from Martin Luther College, will help us understand those words in their very important context. 

In this episode, we explore the story behind The Lutheran Hymnal (1941) and the remarkable collaboration that brought it into existence. Drawing on Elisabeth J. Urtel's recent dissertation, the conversation traces how the Missouri, Wisconsin, Norwegian, and Slovak synods of the Synodical Conference worked together to produce a shared English-language hymnal during a time of profound cultural change. The discussion examines how the shift from German and other immigrant languages to English shaped Lutheran identity in America, the theological and musical principles that guided the hymnal committee, and the challenges of translating and selecting hymns that would faithfully carry the Lutheran confession into a new cultural setting. Along the way, we ask how hymnody forms theology and devotion, how different Lutheran traditions negotiated their distinctive musical heritages, and how the publication of The Lutheran Hymnal helped foster a shared American identity among confessional Lutherans. The episode also reflects on the reception and lasting influence of TLH and what its history reveals about the relationship between tradition, language, and church life. 1941 Recording of a TLH model service (misleadingly described as just "Missouri Synod.")Many thanks to my wonderful supporters!NEW PODCAST: American Evangelicals - A History PodcastA thoughtful, deep dive into one of the most talked-about movements in American history.Support the showConfessional Languages ScholarshipThe Wauwatosa Diary (book)Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)FacebookWebsiteInterview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.comAbout the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.  Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics.  His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

The Impact Podcast is a ministry from St. Andrew Lutheran Church of Middleton, WI.   Subscribe here: rss  Is skepticism about the resurrection of Jesus valid? That is a fair question. Our guest this week is Dr. Mark Paustian from Martin Luther College. Listen to his answers to that question. 

Is skepticism about the resurrection of Jesus valid? That is a fair question. Our guest this week is Dr. Mark Paustian from Martin Luther College. Listen to his answers to that question. 

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Ronald Rittgers about his book The Reformation of Suffering: Pastoral Theology and Lay Piety in Late Medieval and Early Modern Germany.  Join us for a fascinating discussion of what was retained from the Late-Medieval focus on human suffering in the Reformation, and what was incompatible with the renewed focus on the biblical doctrine of salvation.Finally, we discussed how our current age seeks to distance itself from questions and acknowledgment of suffering and its proper theological framework and pastoral applications. Many thanks to my wonderful supporters!Support the showConfessional Languages ScholarshipThe Wauwatosa Diary (book)Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)FacebookWebsiteInterview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.comAbout the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.  Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics.  His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Tune in to this episode of WELSTech for a lively discussion on right-sizing technology for the classroom. Our friends Jason and Rachel are back with a rubric utility, Adobe free education resources, and a sprinkling of AI as well. You’ll be shouting “BINGO!” before you know it! The discussion Has education gone too far with technology?  Martin and Sallie are joined by Dr. Rachel Renno from Martin Luther College and Jason Schmidt from Oshkosh ISD to discuss the growing backlash against over-digitization in classrooms. Drawing on Jared Cooney Horvath’s The Digital Delusion, we explore how COVID accelerated tech adoption and why some are now calling for a return to fundamentals. Ministry resource National Teen Bible Study – Sunday, March 29 at 6:00 pm Central Picks of the week BestRubrics.com Adobe Podcast Part of Adobe Express which is free for education BingoBaker.com How To Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens Summary by Claude AI Community feedback Hot off the press … Matt Miller’s newest book, AI Literacy in Any Class Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper Share with the Diigo group welstech

Tune in to this episode of WELSTech for a lively discussion on right-sizing technology for the classroom. Our friends Jason and Rachel are back with a rubric utility, Adobe free education resources, and a sprinkling of AI as well. You’ll be shouting “BINGO!” before you know it! The discussion Has education gone too far with technology?  Martin and Sallie are joined by Dr. Rachel Renno from Martin Luther College and Jason Schmidt from Oshkosh ISD to discuss the growing backlash against over-digitization in classrooms. Drawing on Jared Cooney Horvath’s The Digital Delusion, we explore how COVID accelerated tech adoption and why some are now calling for a return to fundamentals. Ministry resource National Teen Bible Study – Sunday, March 29 at 6:00 pm Central Picks of the week BestRubrics.com Adobe Podcast Part of Adobe Express which is free for education BingoBaker.com How To Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens Summary by Claude AI Community feedback Hot off the press … Matt Miller’s newest book, AI Literacy in Any Class Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper Share with the Diigo group welstech

Tune in to this episode of WELSTech for a lively discussion on right-sizing technology for the classroom. Our friends Jason and Rachel are back with a rubric utility, Adobe free education resources, and a sprinkling of AI as well. You’ll be shouting “BINGO!” before you know it! The discussion Has education gone too far with technology?  Martin and Sallie are joined by Dr. Rachel Renno from Martin Luther College and Jason Schmidt from Oshkosh ISD to discuss the growing backlash against over-digitization in classrooms. Drawing on Jared Cooney Horvath’s The Digital Delusion, we explore how COVID accelerated tech adoption and why some are now calling for a return to fundamentals. Ministry resource National Teen Bible Study – Sunday, March 29 at 6:00 pm Central Picks of the week BestRubrics.com Adobe Podcast Part of Adobe Express which is free for education BingoBaker.com How To Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens Summary by Claude AI Community feedback Hot off the press … Matt Miller’s newest book, AI Literacy in Any Class Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper Share with the Diigo group welstech

2026 Tour Martin Luther College Choir, March 8, 2026 Martin Luther College 2026 Spring TourScriptures and Sermon lead by Preseminary Students of MLC

Image: Mythic depiction of PETER MUHLENBERG AT WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIANote: the guest wishes to clarify that he meant a $10 bill, not $100, in reference to Hamilton.In God on Three Sides, Jonathan M. Wilson explores how German Pietist communities experienced and interpreted the American Revolution, a war that forced believers to wrestle with loyalty, violence, and obedience to God in a time of political upheaval. Drawing on sermons, letters, and personal writings, Wilson shows how Pietists on all sides of the conflict—Patriot, Loyalist, and neutral—understood the war through a shared theological vocabulary of providence, suffering, discipline, and faithful endurance.Wilson treats Pietism broadly, using the term to describe a transatlantic devotional culture rather than a narrowly defined movement. In his account, Lutherans, Reformed, Moravians, and related German-speaking Protestants participate in a common pietist world shaped by intense Scripture use, moral seriousness, and the conviction that God was dwelling within them by faith.Rather than resolving the moral tensions of war, God on Three Sides highlights how pietist faith absorbed and interpreted political crisis: some read the conflict as divine chastisement, others as a call to reform, and still others as a trial demanding patient submission. For Lutheran listeners, the book is especially illuminating in showing how traditional Lutheran language of vocation, suffering, and obedience functioned within this broader pietist framework—often without sharp confessional self-consciousness, yet still grounded in inherited theological instincts.God on Three Sides offers a comparative compilation of how early American German Protestants experienced revolution, revealing the temporal costs of war and the complexity of Christian conscience in a divided world.Many thanks to my wonderful supporters!Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

Lutherans are a strange denomination in American religious history and culture. For Catholics they are certainly Protestants. For Protestants they are crypto-Catholics. While they have been around since the Swedes established their short-lived colony on the Delaware River, they have typically received as much attention in the American imagination as the short-lived Swedish colony on the Delaware River. But my guest Timothy D. Grundmeier has a different point of view. He argues in his new book Lutheranism and American Culture: The Making of a Distinctive Faith that Lutheranism was a central component of nineteenth-century American religion and of the era of the Civil War. This is because Lutherans were numerous, the nation's fourth largest denomination by 1900; they were uniquely positioned in the American religious landscape; and they almost invariably expressed the opinion of the “moderate majority” in Union states outside the Northeast. And, as with every other aspect of American society, Lutheranism was reshaped by the struggle of the Civil War, and Reconstruction.Timothy D. Grundmeier is professor of history at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. Lutheranism and American Culture is his first book.Chapters00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:60 - What is Lutheranism? 00:06:21 - The Civil War Era Defined 00:09:01 - Three Varieties of American Lutheranism 00:19:44 - The Old Lutherans and Missouri Synod 00:27:38 - How the Civil War Fractured Lutheranism 00:39:36 - The Slavery Debate: Walter and the Norwegians 00:47:20 - Lutheran Quietism After the Civil War 00:52:38 - The Great Lutheran Realignment 01:02:35 - Ideas, Institutions, and Cultural Context

The One Thing Needed | Return to Sender | Luke 10:38–42This weekend we're taking time to focus on something our hearts desperately need but often overlook: the one thing truly needful. In a world full of noise, hurry, and endless distractions, Jesus invites us to slow down, sit in His presence, and let His Word give us rest, clarity, and purpose.We're blessed to welcome a guest preacher from Martin Luther College, Pastor Dave Scharf, who will share a message from Luke 10:38–42 and help us reflect on what it means to build our lives around the one thing our souls truly need. He'll also share how God continues to raise up pastors, teachers, and staff ministers to serve His church — and how we can encourage the next generation to consider the joy of public ministry.This fits beautifully within our Return to Sender series. As we talk about giving God our time, talents, and treasures, it's important to focus on how Jesus first gives us Himself. He centers us. He fills us. He reminds us that everything begins with receiving His grace. Support the showMoved to give? http://dschurch.link/givedoralFor more info about our church please visit our website: https://divinesaviorchurch.com/dscdor/

Image: German and British officers with a chaplain in 1777. In God on Three Sides, Jonathan M. Wilson explores how German Pietist communities experienced and interpreted the American Revolution, a war that forced believers to wrestle with loyalty, violence, and obedience to God in a time of political upheaval. Drawing on sermons, letters, and personal writings, Wilson shows how Pietists on all sides of the conflict—Patriot, Loyalist, and neutral—understood the war through a shared theological vocabulary of providence, suffering, discipline, and faithful endurance.Wilson treats Pietism broadly, using the term to describe a transatlantic devotional culture rather than a narrowly defined movement. In his account, Lutherans, Reformed, Moravians, and related German-speaking Protestants participate in a common pietist world shaped by intense Scripture use, moral seriousness, and the conviction that God was dwelling within them by faith.Rather than resolving the moral tensions of war, God on Three Sides highlights how pietist faith absorbed and interpreted political crisis: some read the conflict as divine chastisement, others as a call to reform, and still others as a trial demanding patient submission. For Lutheran listeners, the book is especially illuminating in showing how traditional Lutheran language of vocation, suffering, and obedience functioned within this broader pietist framework—often without sharp confessional self-consciousness, yet still grounded in inherited theological instincts.God on Three Sides offers a comparative compilation of how early American German Protestants experienced revolution, revealing the temporal costs of war and the complexity of Christian conscience in a divided world.Many thanks to my wonderful supporters!Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

SummaryIn this episode of the Gird Up Podcast, host Charlie Ungemach welcomes George Hogan, a student at Martin Luther College and an accomplished organist, to discuss the significance of liturgy and music in the Lutheran tradition. The conversation begins with George's background in theater and music, highlighting his passion for the organ and its role in worship. They explore the value of young people engaging in the arts, particularly theater, and how it fosters discipline and public speaking skills. As the discussion shifts towards church music, George emphasizes the importance of the organ in leading congregational singing, arguing that its unique sound and historical significance make it an irreplaceable instrument in worship settings.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Gird Up Podcast03:22 Meet George Hogan: A Passion for Music07:21 The Value of Young People in the Arts12:19 George's Journey into Playing the Organ21:06 The Historical Significance of the Organ in Worship26:42 Why the Organ Should Remain in Modern Worship33:43 The Essence of Congregational Singing35:47 Historical Context of Worship Practices41:43 The Importance of Authenticity in Worship49:35 The Role of Music in Ministry01:12:23 George's Journey to the Ministry01:18:04 charlieungemach-outro (1).mp4George's Links:Luther Prep - https://www.lps.wels.net/Martin Luther College - https://mlc-wels.edu/Gird Up Links:https://youtube.com/@girdupministries4911?si=tbCa0SOiluVl8UFxhttps://www.instagram.com/girdup_be_a_man/https://www.girdupministries.com

Luke gives us the account of Jesus teaching the scholars of his day, when he was twelve! Remarkable, not remarkable. Professor Paul Koelpin, Martin Luther College, is our guest. 

Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him (Colossians 2:6). Amen.Two weeks ago, I was on a mission trip in Gilbert, Arizona. I was learning how to evangelize to Mormons – members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.On Tuesday, we went to visit an LDS temple. Our mission team was Pastor Parsons – who is the Executive Director for Truth In Love Ministries – his wife, Molly, Pastor Nitz from Cheyenne, and his wife, Katie, and me. The mission team also had a dozen students from Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.Pastor Parsons organized an hour conversation that our mission team was able to have with Mormon missionaries, who are all 18 to 20 years old. Caleb, who is a second-year student at our Seminary was paired with me. He introduced me to Elder Young, a young missionary we would be speaking with. Caleb pointed to me and said, "Elder Young, this is my grandfather." Elder Young replied, "Really? That's cool. Pleased to meet you."I replied, "No. Not really, you young whippersnappers!"The LDS missionaries can never be alone. They must always have a partner. Elder Young's partner was the President of the Temple.During our conversation, I said to the President and Elder Young, "Let's say a member of my church named Joe, comes into my study. He admits he has an addiction to alcohol. He knows it's wrong and harmful to him and his relationships. He's been battling this addiction for years, but he can't overcome it. So, I lead Joe to the cross of Christ and to his open tomb. We open our hymnal and go through the order of Private Confession and Absolution."For your knowledge, that confession goes like this. The penitent confesses: Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a troubled and repentant sinner, confess that I have sinned against you in my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I am distressed by the sins that trouble me and am deeply sorry for them.The minister says: Jesus says to his people: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven." His death paid for the guilt of your sins and the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?The penitent replies: Yes, I believe.The minister says: Because of the promise of our Savior Jesus, I forgive you all your sins. Be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life. Go in peace. The Lord be with you.I continued with the President and Elder Young. I said, "I then use a Bible verse you quoted on your screen earlier, Jesus said, 'Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven' (Matthew 16:19). It's like the chains on Marley's ghost in Charles Dickens' novel, 'A Christmas Carol.'"The President replied, "I've read 'A Christmas Carol'."I said, "Great! Do you know what those chains represent?""I do," the President answered. "They represent Marley's sins.""Exactly!" I said. "Those sins were bound to Marley for all eternity because he didn't accept Jesus' forgiveness for them. In my study, I absolved Joe of his sins. By Jesus' perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and glorious resurrection, I could announce to Joe that his sins were absolved. They were paid for. He was released from his chains. That forgiveness would be the power to combat his addiction."Then I asked the President, "If one of your LDS members came to your bishop to discuss his addiction, what he say?"The President admitted, "We don't have absolution like you do. The man would speak to the bishop. The bishop would give him a list of things to do to combat his addiction. He would try harder. Because he's trying, Heavenly Father would accept him."We'll be doing a Bible study at this time next year on evangelizing to Mormons. Pastor Uhlhorn will be taking over the position of executive director for TILM from Pastor Parsons. Pastor Uhlhorn is already scheduled to do a workshop on outreach to Mormons for us in spring of 2027.Did you catch one big difference between the Christian Church and the LDS church? It's Jesus! In the LDS church, there is no absolution – no forgiveness through Jesus Christ as Savior. In the Christian Church, you and I are given the authority to loose and bind people's sins based on their repentance or unrepentance. The difference is absolution through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.John the evangelist writes that the day after Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29)!"Look" is an epiphany word. "Epiphany" means "reveal," "appear," "look here, I want to show you something." John had already received an epiphany from God the previous day. That's when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the heavens opened, the Father spoke, and the Spirit descended like a dove. Now John is proclaiming this epiphany in the water to his disciples and audience."Look, the Lamb!" Throughout the Old Testament, animals were used for sacrifice. Bulls, goats, and birds, but especially lambs. These sacrifices were plentiful – morning and evening sacrifices, purifications, sin offerings, guilt offerings, burnt offerings, and so on. Then there were special festival sacrifices – the Feast of Tabernacles, Pentecost, Passover, and the Great Day of Atonement. The blood of lambs was continually flowing from Jerusalem's altar. When John calls Jesus "the Lamb" all these images come to mind.All devout Jews knew that they were the ones who should be allowed to die, not all these lambs. The blood flowing from the lambs only emphasized how sinful they really were. Hebrews reminds us, "Those sacrifices were an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats (and sheep) to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:3). The people knew they had earned God's eternal wrath with their sins. Just as they knew that sheep are amazingly clueless animals regarding the things of this world; they also knew that they themselves were amazingly clueless regarding the things of God. This image was so strong that God often referred to the people as his sheep with himself as their Shepherd. They understood that the sacrificial lamb was taking their place. Now John was pointing to this Man who was the Shepherd who had become a Lamb to lead by becoming a sacrifice. Like we just sang, "You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd.""Look, the Lamb of God." I've learned that in the LDS church, their god – Heavenly Father – appears to me as being remote, aloof, and distant. Do you ever feel that way about the true God? That your Heavenly Father is remote, aloof, and distant? That he's out of touch? Unknowing? Uncaring? That he sees the unrest in our nation, but isn't doing anything to quell the violence? That he sees your hurt, but isn't doing anything to give you peace? That he sees your illnesses and injuries, but allows you to keep suffering?If you feel this way, then join John the Baptist on the shores of the Jordan River. Look at where he's pointing. "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" St. Paul explains the importance – and complexity – of the incarnation when he writes, "For all the fullness of God's being dwells bodily in Christ" (Colossians 2:9). In his incarnation of the divinity taking on human flesh, Jesus proves that our God is not remote, aloof, or distant. He is Immanuel. He is God right here with us. As we'll confess today in the Nicene Creed, Jesus is God from God and Light from Light. He is the Son from eternity who entered time by taking on human flesh to become a bridge between sinful humanity and a holy God. The Son of God also became the Son of Man so we could be adopted as sons and daughters of God. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God to lead us to God as our Savior Shepherd."Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away sin!" The words "take away" in the Greek mean to "lift up and carry to another place." This means the Lamb takes the load, the curse, the damnation of the total massive amount of sin upon himself. He lifts the awful burden from us and carries it to the cross. There our sin is crucified with Christ. Blood flows. The Lamb is slaughtered. The Savior is sacrificed. The Substitute takes our place and takes our sin away.Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Sin which has plagued and plundered creation since the Fall of Man is removed. Jesus takes away sin, not just of the Jews who sacrificed lambs on Jerusalem's altars. Isaiah says of Christ, "The Lord said: It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). Salvation is not restricted by race, place, culture, wealth, or age. There is no sin anywhere by anyone that this Lamb of God does not take away."Lamb" speaks of sacrifice. That's what lambs were good for. Their throats were slit, their blood poured upon the altar, sprinkled on the ark of the covenant or painted on doorframes. Their bodies roasted in the fire, sometimes consumed entirely, sometimes shared in communion for the fellowship offering. The lamb was their substitute, their vicarious victim. They owed everything to the lamb.Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! We respond to John's declaration in the Divine Service. As John baptized Jesus in the Jordan one day and the next day pointed to him as the Lamb who would ultimately lay upon the altar of the cross, so too our Baptism now leads us to the altar, to eat the body and drink the blood of the crucified Lamb of God. We sing John's song as we approach the altar, "Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us." The life we are given through water and Word is fed and strengthened and sustained through the forgiveness and life of this eating and drinking. If Baptism washes us from the outside in, here is the food that changes us from the inside out. If Baptism puts us into Christ, then here Christ is put into us.We owe everything to the Lamb.I've learned that the LDS church is all about what they must do for Heavenly Father. That's why LDS members won't smoke or drink alcohol or drink caffeine. That's why they have good paying jobs and lots of children. They must keep doing good works to gain their god's favor. When one of their members admits he is struggling with sin, he is told to do more, try harder, and be better. They are taught the Devil's lie.By God's grace, you have been brought into the Christian Church. You are taught God's truth. You can't ever do enough to earn God's favor. Doing more, trying harder, and being better doesn't work. The only thing that works to remove your burdens, release your guilt, and forgive your sins is Jesus Christ. He did the good work of living perfectly in your place. The good work of overcoming the Devil's temptations in the desert. The good works of paying for your sins with his sacrificial death, crushing Satan's power under his bloody foot, sacrificing himself on the altar of the cross, and rising from the dead to defeat Death once and for all. Jesus dies as the Lamb of God to rise to be your Good Shepherd. As the Lamb of God, he absolves your sins in private confession, in public worship, and in your daily lives as spouses, family, and friends. He then releases you from the chains of your sins to shepherd you to the green pastures and quiet waters of paradise.Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise (Revelation 5:12)! Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/look-the-lamb-of-god/

In today's episode, we welcome back Dr. Tim Grundmeier from MLC to talk about his newly published book.Lutheranism and American Culture examines the transformation of the nation's third-largest Protestant denomination over the course of the nineteenth century. In the antebellum era, leading voices within the church believed that the best way to become American was by modifying certain historic doctrines deemed too Catholic and cooperating with Anglo-evangelicals in revivalism and social reform. However, by the mid-1870s, most Lutherans had rejected this view. Though they remained proudly American, most embraced a religious identity characterized by a commitment to their church's confessions, isolation from other Christians, and a conservative outlook on political and social issues.Grundmeier shows that this transformation did not happen in a vacuum. Throughout the Civil War and early years of Reconstruction, disputes over slavery and politics led to quarrels about theology and church affairs. During the war and immediately after, the Lutheran church in the United States experienced two major schisms, both driven by clashing views on the national conflict. In the postbellum years, Lutherans adopted increasingly conservative positions in theology and politics, mainly in reaction to the perceived “radicalism” of the era. By the final decades of the nineteenth century, Lutherans had established a rigorously conservative and definitively American form of the faith, distinct from their coreligionists in Europe and other Protestants in the United States.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

No one writes about our Savior Jesus better than Isaiah. This week's special Christmas episode looks at Isaiah 52. Our guest is Martin Luther College professor Keith Wessel. 

Kwik trip has been repeatedly named as a “Best Place to Work” both statewide and nationally and we dive into the specifics on employee culture. This previews a 2026 Dairy Strong conference presentation, register today at dairystrong.org. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Ben Leibl of Kwik Trip discuss the following topics:  Praise Program Unsolicited guest compliments Employee training On-going education and professional development Motivators Challenges Keys to building a reputation Advice to balance performance with fostering a supportive, compassionate environment How to start a positive culture Future goals for Kwik trip customer service and employee engagement Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin About the guest Ben Leibl is a Public Relations Specialist for Kwik Trip Inc., based in La Crosse, WI. In his role at Kwik Trip, he assists coworkers with their ongoing educational needs and directs the Kwik Trip praise program, which last year meant acknowledging over 2600 unsolicited guest compliment letters. Prior to joining Kwik Trip in 2020, Ben was an instructor and principal in Oshkosh, WI and Omaha, NE. He holds degrees from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. Ben sits on the Boards of the Boys and Girls Club in La Crosse, WI and serves as the Chair of St. Paul's Lutheran School Board. Ben and his wife Heidi have 3 children and they live in Holmen, WI. Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we're leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Dec. 17. Kwik trip has been repeatedly named as a “Best Place to Work” both statewide and nationally and we dive into the specifics on employee culture. This previews a 2026 Dairy Strong conference presentation, register today at dairystrong.org. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Ben Leibl of Kwik Trip discuss the Kwik Trip Praise Program, unsolicited guest compliments, employee training, motivators, how to start a positive culture, future goals for customer service innovation and employee engagement. Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin About the guest Ben Leibl is a Public Relations Specialist for Kwik Trip Inc., based in La Crosse, WI. In his role at Kwik Trip, he assists coworkers with their ongoing educational needs and directs the Kwik Trip praise program, which last year meant acknowledging over 2600 unsolicited guest compliment letters. Prior to joining Kwik Trip in 2020, Ben was an instructor and principal in Oshkosh, WI and Omaha, NE. He holds degrees from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. Ben sits on the Boards of the Boys and Girls Club in La Crosse, WI and serves as the Chair of St. Paul's Lutheran School Board. Ben and his wife Heidi have 3 children and they live in Holmen, WI. Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we're leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.

The most important WELS history resource might not sit on a shelf — it's already in your browser.In this episode, we sit down with Professor Nathan Ericson, Library Director at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and Editor of the Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, to explore the quiet engine behind much of modern WELS scholarship: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Digital Library. We discuss how thousands of digitized papers—from convention essays to rare historical documents—form an indispensable record of the synod's past and a living resource for pastors, teachers, researchers, and congregational historians today. Ericson unpacks how these materials are curated, what hidden gems lie inside, and how a new generation can use them to build a clearer, richer understanding of our church's story. This is the episode for anyone who loves archives, theology, or the thrill of finding the perfect source—right when you need it most.WLS online collectionsSupport the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

What was it like to witness Martin Luther's wedding—and even his bridal chamber? In this episode, we explore Justus Jonas's vivid letter announcing Luther's marriage to Katharina von Bora, complete with tears, friends, and ancient wedding customs that may shock modern ears. Along the way, we'll uncover the surprising role of the best man, the significance of Luther's marriage for Reformation theology, and why vocation and family life became so central to his legacy.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

In this episode of The Lutheran History Podcast, Dr. John M. Brenner joins to share insights from his recent article on Professor Siegbert W. Becker, a major voice in confessional Lutheran theology during the 20th century. Listeners will be introduced to Becker's life, teaching, and legacy, and gain a better understanding of the challenges he faced—and the convictions he held—in a time of great theological unrest.Becker's story spans some of the most critical decades in American Lutheranism. Raised in the Missouri Synod and later serving in the Wisconsin Synod, he became known for his deep commitment to the inerrancy of Scripture, his courage in confronting theological compromise, and his sharp but accessible writing style. Dr. Brenner discusses Becker's role during the years leading up to the WELS/LCMS split, particularly his concern over growing liberalism and the erosion of biblical authority in the seminary classroom.Despite his formidable intellect—fluent in multiple languages, trained in theology and apologetics—Becker was known for his humility, clarity, and pastoral heart. Through stories from former students and colleagues, Dr. Brenner paints a picture of a man who taught the faith not only in lecture halls, but also through his personal example of faithfulness, gentleness, and humor.Listeners will come away with a renewed appreciation for the importance of doctrinal clarity, the dangers of theological drift, and the enduring need for pastors and teachers who speak the truth in love. Dr. Brenner also shares reflections on what Becker's legacy can teach us today—and where interested readers can start exploring his work.Whether you're familiar with Becker's writings or discovering him for the first time, this episode offers a thoughtful and inspiring look at one of confessional Lutheranism's most important 20th-century theologians.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

The Church is well prepared for the end times - in which we now live - because the Holy Spirit is empowering it. More on this with Professor Luke Thompson from Martin Luther College. 

In this episode of The Lutheran History Podcast, we talk with Dr. Timothy D. Grundmeier about his recent article, “Pennsylvania's ‘Youthful Daughter': Reexamining the Early History of the Wisconsin Synod,” featured in the Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly (Spring 2025). While many are familiar with the Wisconsin Synod's early ties to German mission societies and eventual fellowship with the Missouri Synod, Dr. Grundmeier highlights an often underappreciated chapter in WELS history: its formative partnership with the Pennsylvania Synod. Drawing on rich archival sources, he paints a fuller picture of how eastern Lutherans supported and shaped the growing church in the Midwest through financial aid, pastoral connections, and shared theological commitments. This episode invites listeners to reflect on the blessings of intersynodical cooperation and the broader roots of confessional Lutheranism in America.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship The Wauwatosa Diary (book) Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the HostBenjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben has been a regular writer and presenter on various Lutheran history topics. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of several awards from the Concordia Historical Institute.Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis. ...

Jesus called twelve men to follow him as his disciples. He later sent them out as apostles. John 1 records the calling of the first four. Professor Keith Wessel, a teacher of God's Word at Martin Luther College, is to here take us through this account. 

More on the Beatitudes, including the blessed promise from Jesus about persecution against his people. Professor Paul Koelpin, Martin Luther College is our returning guest. 

The Beatitudes introduce Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Professor Paul Koelpin from Martin Luther College is here to share insight on these precious words from our Savior. 

In this special episode, guest host Tim Grundmeier interviews historian and author Benjamin T. Phelps about his recent Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly article on Dr. Henry A. Koch—a pastor, professor, and editor who left a profound mark on confessional Lutheranism in both Germany and America. Phelps shares personal insights drawn from years of research, including access to Koch's letters, diary, and unpublished materials preserved by his family. Together, they trace Koch's theological formation in Wauwatosa, his academic work in Leipzig, his resistance to Nazi ideology, and his return to America without a call during the Great Depression. The conversation explores Koch's role in rebuilding fractured congregations, his deep concern for doctrinal faithfulness, and his controversial but principled opposition to the Missouri Synod's growing unionism. Through it all, Koch remained committed to the Lutheran confession and the gospel ministry—living out the motto he printed for decades in the Gemeinde-Blatt: Halte, was du hast—Hold fast what you have.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

This is a special episode of a presentation I prepared for the Society of German American Studies symposium in April in Milwaukee.--The year 2025 marks the 175th anniversary of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Originally established in the Milwaukee area as the Die erste deutsch. evang.-luth. Synode von Wisconsin, this German immigrant ecclesiastical organization, immediately needed printed materials in its native language that would serve the needs of its people in a new geographic and social setting.  The Wisconsin Synod primarily sought to preserve and transmit conservative confessional Lutheranism in the first several generations.  The motto, “Halte was du hast,” crowned the synod's first regular publication, the Gemeindeblatt.  Its message, “Hold what you have,” reflects the conservative concern of the ministers who encouraged Lutheran immigrants to preserve their faith and pass it on to future generations.  Wisconsin Synod leaders also recognized that as the synod faced new challenges and opportunities in its frontier immigrant context, it must also apply theological principles in ways that precluded simplistic repristination of the 16th century Reformation.  The resulting “Wauwatosa Theology” came to life in the German publications of the synod.  To meet the needs of its laity, pastors, and scholars, the Wisconsin Synod locally produced various printed materials in the German language to meet its high theological standards.  These German American Lutherans required many printed materials: hymnals, service agendas, synodical reports, catechisms, bibles, and devotional literature.   Regular publications: the Gemeindeblatt and the Theologische Quartalschrifft not only served to communicate to and inform laity and pastors within the Wisconsin Synod but also spread its news and theology across the nation and back to the German homeland.  The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod required German materials for well over a century—despite the erosion of a German-speaking demographic accelerated by two world wars.  In the post-war years, the synod experienced an irreversible transition from needing German materials to holding on to them for personal comfort.  Still, the synod continued to print officially in German regularly until 1970.  Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Joel Otto, the anniversary committee chairman, about the pictorial history book Christ Through Us, which he co-authored with John Braun.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Joel Otto, the anniversary committee chairman, about what WELS worship has looked like in the past and how it has changed.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

image: Adolph Hoenecke from the host's family photo collection.In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Prof. James Danell who teaches German at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, about Adolph Hoenecke, who taught for many decades at the Wisconsin Synod's Seminary.  Prof. Danell speaks in this episode about his significant influence on the spirit and theology of the Wisconsin Synod.Not only does Danell teach the German language, but his advanced classes read through German Lutheran materials from the Reformation through the 19th and 20th century American Lutheran theologians.  His students, therefore, get to sharpen their German skills, study theology, and learn Church History--all at the same time!You can support the Confessional Language Scholarship here.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

One of the great teachings of Jesus is an answer to a question from Thomas: "Lord, how can we know the way?" Jesus said, "I am the way . . ." Professor Keith Wessel from Martin Luther College is here to help explain this verse and others from John 14. 

This is part of a longer conversation I had with Prof. James Danell about the imperative need for scholars who know German to do Lutheran history.You can support the Confessional Language Scholarship at MLC to encourage this endeavor here.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Where is the Father's house? Here is a better question. How has Jesus prepared a place for us in the Father's house? Professor Keith Wessel from Martin Luther College is here to help us understand the opening verses of John 14. 

This is a cross-over episode with The Shepherd's Study Podcast, where I was a guest of Jared Natsis and Phil Moldenhauer.  We talked about the content and merits of the book Brand Luther which came out shortly before the Reformation 500th anniversary.The Shepherd's Study podcast is produced by Grow in Grace to help pastors grow in the art and practice of pastoral ministry. Each episode features Lutheran pastors discussing a book that is salient to their work.The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary or the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175 episode, we talk with Peter Prange about the third volume in his series, Wielding the Sword of the Spirit, in which he gets into the details and nuances of the Election Controversy that rocked the Synodical Conference.Support the show Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

The shepherds saw Jesus and shared. Mary saw Jesus and pondered. Both are beautifully appropriate reactions to our Savior's birth. Professor Aaron Dolan from Martin Luther College is back for a second look at the Christmas story as told by Dr. Luke. 

In this WELS 175th episode, Tim Grundmeier and I talk about who Johannes Muehlhaeuser was, Christmas trees, and the founding of the Wisconsin Synod.Support the show Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

The story of Christmas in Luke 2 has very familiar words to most Christians and, yet, they never get old. Professor Aaron Dolan from Martin Luther College helps us understand the details. 

Image: JP Koehler at Wauwatosa Seminary, candid photo taken by a student.While going through some old boxes in my grandfather's basement, I stumbled upon something truly remarkable: my great-grandfather's diary. He was a student at the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary from 1910 to 1912 and had the unique opportunity to learn from the famous Wauwatosa theologians of that era. As you can imagine, this diary could be a treasure trove of insights into the life of a seminary student over a century ago.But here's the thing—the handwriting is challenging to decipher. It's very different from what we're used to today, and to do it justice, I need to hire professional transcribers who can carefully decode its contents. Only then can I start the process of translating and studying it. This project isn't just personally meaningful to me; it could also provide valuable historical insights, and I plan to use it as the basis for an article in the Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly Journal.Here's where I'm asking for your help. The cost of professional transcription is about $1500. To make this project a reality, I've set up a crowdfunding campaign. If this story resonates with you, if you're passionate about preserving history or just love a good discovery, I'd be incredibly grateful for your support. Whether you're able to contribute or just share the campaign with others, every bit helps.https://patreon.com/tlhp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkSupport the show Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Link to the service and hymns: https://trinitylutheransd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Reformation-Hymn-Festival-2024.pdf The first evangelical hymnal—which in retrospect we can also call the first Lutheran hymnal—rolled off the presses around the middle of January 1524. But interestingly, it did not roll off the presses in Wittenberg, even though the title page gave that impression, or even at Luther's instigation. It was printed by Jobst Gutknecht in Nuremberg, well over 200 miles to the south of Wittenberg, and apparently on his own initiative. Gutknecht compiled four hymns that had been individually published in Wittenberg on broadsheets in 1523 and 1524. He also obtained the texts of three additional Luther hymns, which were already being sung in services in Wittenberg. (There were no copyright laws back then, and printers regularly copied, reprinted, and sold works they obtained from elsewhere.) To these seven hymns he added one more anonymous one, which was possibly given to him in the composer's own manuscript. He published these eight hymns under the title:Some Christian Songs, Hymns of Praise, and Psalms, Produced in Conformity with the Pure Word of God from Holy Scripture by Various Well-Educated Men for Singing in Church, Just As Is Already Being Done with Some of Them in WittenbergSupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Timothy Plichta is a WELS homeschooled high school student living in Germantown, WI. He loves Lutheran history in general and is especially enthralled with anything related to the CELC.Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law EnforcementHost: Clint McNear and Tyler Owen discussing topics, issues, and stories within the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

The resurrection of Jesus is a sign that Jesus is who he says he is: the Son of God and your Savior from sign and death. Jesus called it "the sign of Jonah." Professor Paul Koelpin from Martin Luther College is here to help us learn. 

This episode is a fuller version of my presentation given at the 2024 Lutheran Historical Conference in Baltimore. Link to the full video of this episode.One church historian observed that “ It would require pages and pages to report Wyneken's work during his pastorate [in Baltimore].”  This episode will examine one specific topic- how Wyneken contested for a genuine Lutheran identity and practice in the following arenas in Baltimore:2nd German Evangelical Lutheran ChurchEvangelical Lutheran General SynodForming the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, etc.The IOOF, Red Men, and other lodgeshttps://youtu.be/T9m8usSbwSESupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In chapter 2 of Ruth, we see generous kindness from Boaz to Ruth. That is where God hides. When you receive kindness, realize that God is behind that. Dr. Mark Paustian, from Martin Luther College, explains that and more as we continue this beautiful story of God's love. 

Image: Johannes BugenhagenDuring the Reformation Martin Luther restored many Christian teachings to its proper biblical understanding. One of the men who worked with Luther in communicating those teachings was Johannes Bugenhagen. This episode explores one specific way Bugenhagen communicated the doctrine of the Two Kingdoms in The Christian Order of the Honorable City of Braunschweig. His answer to the question is especially evident in the section of this Kirchenordnung that deals with relief for the poor.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image U.V. Koren “How is our America doing?” That is the poignant question that C.F.W. Walther (1811 1887), the President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, asks in his Synod's theological journal, “Lehre und Wehre” in 1863. In a series of articles written in the Spring of that year, on the eve of the Civil War, Walther addressed topics such as slavery, abolitionism, the nature of America as having been founded on “Enlightenment” principles, as well as how Lutherans can remain faithful to God's Word in the face of fiery political debates in a democratic context. Of course, Walther was grappling with a much broader question that endures to this day among Lutherans living in America, and that is, what does it mean to be both an “American” and a “Lutheran”? Rev. Andrew Soule discusses the views of Clausen, Koren, and Walther.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image: city of Brunswick (Braunschweig) in the 16th centuryIn Becoming Lutheran, Dr. John Maxfield discusses several key aspects of Lutheran culture that shape the identity and practice of Lutherans as the Reformation grew and developed outside of the center of Wittenberg.  The story of Brunswick engages with Reformation historiography in a way that takes genuine religious convictions seriously as pamphlets and preaching spread the Gospel to every level of society.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.