Month: February 2022

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6vyzoimvvsafy73/calvin_ruined_protestant_faith_final.pdf?dl=0

This Dropbox link is the final version of Calvin Ruined the Protestant Faith – PDF. The print copy is taken from this file.

The Kindle Ebook Version of Calvin Ruined the Protestant Faith is only 99 cents.

This brick path was hidden for over 25 years, until the new owner started digging.

Click here for the final version of The Path To Understanding Justification.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyn83vajv25xvfy/Path%20To%20Justification%20Color.pdf?dl=0

I have also posted the link in the free books section at the top of the page, too.

Anyone can download and share the pdf, which is the file used for printing the book. There are no limitations to sharing, quoting, or translating the book. Only the movie rights and choice of the cast are reserved.

I included the Greek text in many places so anyone with training can easily see that persistent cluster of words from Genesis 15:6 (LXX) to Romans 4 – believed, counted, righteousness.

I also included the proof – in German – of very early Missouri Synod catechisms that teach Justification by Faith in the clearest possible terms, plus the evidence that they changed to Objective Justification – the greatest denominational swindle in history – except WELS did the same thing.

50th wedding anniversary – Christina and Gregory Jackson, November 22, 2019

We met on the first day of college, in English class. My brother asked me about any girls I had met at Augustana. I said, “There is a redhead in English I would like to date and maybe marry.”

Christina liked to quote that comment and be offended about the maybe. I always said, “I had not asked you out yet. That was the first day of classes.”

She told that story at Lagomarcino’s, at the 40th Moline High School reunion. Kris Streed, at the same table, offered this addition, “I remember you walking around the dorm saying Gregory, Gregory.” Everyone had a big laugh, especially since Christina could not remember her reverie.

Design by Norma A. Boeckler

So we married a few days after an early Augustana graduation and moved to Canada for seminary and graduate school. Christina earned an MA in German literature, with most of the lectures and all of the reading in German. She was an excellent researcher for the department, no surprise to me. We did research projects at the library together, and she scouted the best books at book sales.

I was being interviewed for a pastoral call in Ontario when the bishop’s phone rang. He expressed some surprise and handed me the phone. “You were accepted at Yale Divinity School,” Christina said. “It just came in the mail.” The bishop congratulated me and I left his office.

At Yale, Christina landed a job doing research for Dr. Joan Fassler, at the Child Study Center of Yale Medical School. In contrast, I was a lowly xeroxer at the medical school, and we did research together. I helped with the Fassler work and she helped with theology.

After an STM, the delayed first call was in Cleveland, Ohio, where we became overly acquainted with the Cleveland Clinic. I applied to the Notre Dame PhD program, after talking to Stanley Hauerwas, who had taught at Augustana. That meant a full scholarship, moving to Sturgis, Michigan, an hour away from the ND campus. People despaired, but we countered, “We will never be younger or poorer than now.”

Christina grew in her research skills, so she later became the information specialist at an engineering firm. They never found anyone like her, they grieved, when she became disabled and could not work.  The medical issues were very serious, but God provided. We always had insurance coverage for her even though mine became too expensive to continue.

Her other skills including cooking, any and every form of sewing, and jewelry making. Several times women bought the jewelry she was wearing at public events, as in “Where did you get that? you made it? I want it now, I will write a check.”

In 2017, Christina found she had cancer and underwent a mastectomy. That malady changed to stage 4 in late 2018, so she began radiation and anti-hormone treatments. The shots will continue as long as she lives, and she has excellent physicians.

We are living in semi-demi-retirement. Online university teaching and independent publishing continue, so we spend most of the day in the same room with Sassy Sue, often discussing theology and world news. Christina’s comments about newsmakers and Lutheran leaders are hilarious.

Bethany Lutheran Church and our Philippine mission – they are members, family, and friends combined. We even have a group of scholars who discuss traditional Lutheran doctrine. Likes must attract, because we produce books, essays, YouTube narration, videos, and Christian art – each independent but working together. Christina loves this fellowship and family, and so do I.

Although many have been encouraging about writing, Christina has always backed publishing most of all.

These are real roses, but not from the garden. Who said, “Grass is boring, fill the whole front yard with flowers?”

ELCA’s Heidi Neumark – ELM Mentor For Even More Research – Exposing the ELCA Blog

ELCA’s Heidi Borkenhagen “RIC – What is needs to be done – complete an Affirmation/Welcome statement (to be completed by committee formed), hold Adult Forums on this throughout the year (options for meeting: – review what Bible does and doesn’t say; have families come in to discuss this; Bill Beyer 1st openly gay pastor in area come talk). Would be looking to have this completed by end of 2019 to have church vote on this at annual meeting. Committee formed could be short term to long term, based on what the committee chooses to do. Council recommends moving forward with presenting information to church leading to vote by end of the year. Pastor Paul, Linda 2nd, approved. Pastor Heidi will head up committee and start getting Adult Forums plan.” –   GJ – From her congregation’s website, but now missing. For Even More Research – Exposing the ELCA Blog

ELCiC’s Bishop Susan Johnson (Canada’s ELCA, eh?)

Evil Will Be Punished 


Secrecy and Curiosity Provoke Even More Views


Mark Jeske’s Change or Die! Conference Proves ELCA’s Victory


Damage Control – What Got Erased Overnight


More Research on Time of Grace, Jeske, Change or Die!


ELCA’s Heidi Neumark – The Face and Voice of LCMS-WELS


The Fruit of WELS Objective Justification


Ghastly Debacle – LCMS-WELS Working with ELCA


ELCA Says Jesus Is NOT the Only Way of Salvation


For Even More Research – Exposing the ELCA Blog


ELCA’s Mission Investment Fund Is One Sponsor


Church and Change Basics – From the Cloaca Magma – Source

Heidi – “Oh, my goodness!”

Change or Die! in 2018 – Plenty of ELCA.


Change or Die! in 2017 – Yes, loads of ELCA here.

Changer or Die! in 2016 – Jeske allows Hisself  to be listed! Ewart a hoot – snarling, arrogant, pompous, like his mentor.

Note the WELS dude – Steve Witte – was a founder of Church and Change, the false doctrine coven funded by WELS donations, which then organized to grab positions for its advocates and lots more offering money for itself.

Lutheran Librarian Print Books are found here. Lutheran Library free ebooks are found at this location.

Long ago, I sent this Luther quotation, above, to Patsy Leppien, who was working on ways to show what the LCA/ALC synods – now ELCA – were teaching. The author was extremely careful in showing what was taught in the ALC/LCA and how those articles of faith were revealed in the Scriptures.

ELCA’s birth was midwifed by Seminex, the Missouri contingent led by Richard Jungkuntz, the UOJ fanatic and future Seminex chairman of the board. Seminex became the official seminary for the rainbow Metropolitan Community Church.

Difficulties did not come from the ELCA corner of the Lutherverse, but from the conservatives imagined rejoicing at Leppien’s efforts to clarify the differences. But no, the conservatives raved at her. I called that the highest compliment and a true honor.

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, print version at Amazon.

The last Beatitude certainly came true when WELS put Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant on its printing schedule, only to withdraw that “until your attitude changes.” Valleskey was on the board and I was supposed to lie weeping, prostrate before the Fuller alumni of WELS, begging forgiveness and hoping the terms of absolution would not be too severe.

Blessing? Yes, that catapulted me into independent book publishing.  Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant was the first of over 30 titles – now in print. Likewise, being kicked out of Free Republic caused me to start this blog, now approaching 8 million views. Various irritations moved me to make all titles non-profit and pubic domain.

Lutheran Synodical Publishing – rainbow, anti-Justification by Faith, anti-Biblical text.

Not long ago, the book publishing industry was a powerful business, and that included the nodes in each denomination. A few people could decide to publish a few titles within their areas of interest. Who else would publish

1. The Wonders of WELS or 
2. Isn’t WELS Fabulous! or 
3. WELS and Church Growth: Perfect Bedfellows?

The Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine

Lutheran Librarian print books pages. Nota bene – pages.

Bente’s Historical Introductions are great background reading for the development of the Book of Concords, heroes and villains.

The Augsburg Confession, 1530, Jacobs edition, with the Saxon Visitation articles.

Luther’s Small Catechism

Luther’s Large Catechism is based upon his sermons and includes essential teaching for pastors and laity.

The Formula of Concord summarizes the Biblical teaching of Luther and Melanchthon, from the Reformation scholars of that era.

Every time you click a link, an angel sings “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

Melanchthon and Luther are on YouTube.

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, I-IV (God, Original Sin, Christ, Justification) – Audio Gutenberg blog

Apology, I-IV, YouTube

I.   Europe considered Melanchthon a genius. He could have gone many places to be Number 1 there.

II.  Luther thought of Melanchthon as an ideal partner in their religious work together. 

III. When Luther died, Melanchthon preached the sermon.

Those are three reasons people should have the highest regard for Melanchthon, the key person writing the Augsburg Confession and the author of its defense – The Apology of the Augsburg Confession. We should use the old-fashioned and perfectly good words – like Apology – so we do not end up like Dick, Jane, Sally, Spot, and Puff – endlessly repeating short words to make up for a lack of study.

Audio Gutenberg – Launched by the Internet

Lauren and Travis Cartee

The Internet has proven to be the greatest achievement in communication since a wine press was turned into a printing press. Every book became available at a low price, and illustrated lessons, like the Small Catechism, could be printed by the thousands. Radio and TV were intermediate steps but both require plenty of money for an individual to launch. Having a computer and broadband is cheaper now than owning a used car.

Listening to something worthwhile has grown as a hobby, even a necessity, for many people. If it is easy to access and free, time spent watching scripted celebrities can be converted to enjoying the treasures of the Gospel. 

Travis and Lauren Cartee began Audio Gutenberg, the YouTube series backed by the Audio Gutenberg blog. They have put together Travis reading the first part of the Apology, so an impressive but overlooked expression of the Gospel can be enjoyed on any digital device.

I asked our Philippine Missionary Pastor Jordan Palangyos if those readings would be useful for his congregation. (Looking far ahead, I think they will.) His reply was brilliant – “They will be very good for pastors. It will be helpful for future students.”

Of course! If the leaders know and appreciate the Apology, so will their members. Lutherans have gone through many times when the Reformation was little more than a dimly remembered spark. Times of recapturing the witness – the Defense – of the Gospel has always been rewarding for those on the verge of becoming generic atheists.

Picture the classic church library. When I was tied to real estate and buildings, the library was invariably a collection of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books that nobody read or wanted.  Our current church library  – on the Internet – has almost 300 classic books as PDFs and is moving toward 100 printed books.

We have over 100 people on Facebook looking for free Lutheran books for world missionaries.

Audio Gutenberg Blog

Lutheran Librarian print books are found here.

Lutheran Library ebooks are found here.

A large collection of free Lutheran books and sources can be found on this Ichabod the Glory link.

Luther’s Sermons, Lenker Edition, can be navigated here on Ichabod the Glory.

The links for live and saved Ustream worship services and educational programs are found here.

Someone asked me for a list of best books to read in theology. This is what comes to mind.

Luther’s Sermons, Lenker edition, for regular reading, one per week at the least.

Luther’s Galatians Lectures. The editors of the Book of Concord recommended it. Those OJists who have not studied it should be “deprived of food, driven out of town, baited with dogs, and pelted with manure.” (Luther, Large Catechism)

Luther’s Large Catechism. There is no evidence that anyone in the Synodical Conference has read this, let alone studied it.

Melanchthon’s Apology of the Augsburg Confession. The section elaborating Justification by Faith is an example of clarity and Biblical eloquence.

Chemnitz’ Examination of Council of Trent. For those who want to become theologians, this is perfect for content and for learning his method.

Augustine is rather difficult, but a good introduction to his work is his Confessions. The City of God is more of an encyclopedia, but worth having and looking into.

John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress should be read, heard, studied, enjoyed. He loved Luther’s Galatians, so I would put him above the entire Synodical Conference in doctrinal discernment.

• Print Edition – Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress
• Free Online edition – Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress

Henry Eyster Jacobs, A Summary of the Christian Faith. He teaches Biblical, Lutheran doctrine with clarity and genuine Biblical references.

• Print Edition – Jacobs’ Summary of the Christian Faith
• Free Online edition – Jacobs’ Summary of the Christian Faith
• Free Online edition – Krauth/Jacobs’ Book of Concord

Krauth, The Conservative Reformation. His barbs against false teachers are almost equal to Luther’s.

• Free Online edition – Krauth/Jacobs’ Book of Concord
• Free Online edition – Biography of Krauth, by Beale Melanchthon Schmucker (note the middle and last names)

Theodore Schmauk,The Confessional Principle. He was the last, lost voice of the Muhlenberg tradition (General Synod, General Council) – teaching against compromise with the Calvinists.

• Print edition – Schmauk’s The Confessional Principle
• Free Online edition – Schmauk’s The Confessional Principle

Matthias Loy’s Doctrine of Justification is a clearly written treatment of the subject.

• Print edition – Loy’s The Doctrine of Justification
• Free Online edition – Loy’s The Doctrine of Justification
• Free Online edition – The Story of My Life – By Matthias Loy

The Error of Modern Missouri is an excellent, but lengthy treatment of Walther’s effort to inject even more Calvinism into the Synodical Conference.

• Print edition – The Error of Modern Missouri
• Free Online edition – The Error of Modern Missouri

Lenski’s Commentaries are so good, ELCA will not let them go. WELS always says, “Lenski is not good on Justification,” which means – “He teaches Justification by Faith, which we attack and abhor at every opportunity.”

Save Audio Gutenberg on your favorites list. Their blog is also linked on the left on Ichabod.

Thursday, January 21, 2021