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ConservativeBamaFan,
With Auburn winning four in a row, I just have one thing to say: FEAR THE THUMB! :) Merry Christmas!

That would be AUBURN UNIVERSITY, not the University of Auburn. Thank you very much!

Conducting Divine Services, receiving the Body and Blood of Christ and praying for the defeat of radical Muslim and other terrorists throughout the world. Yes I will use these exact words. Political correctness has not entered my church.

This Lutheran understands the importance of a strong, traditional pope. Pope Benedict not only needs to convert Europe (lets hope he succeeds) but the United States as well. I think he understands this to be true, at least based on his past and recent words. The only hope for both is to return to church and reject secularism. Divine intervention is the only way for this to happen.

Which USC? The Trojans or Gamecocks?

Jorge,
I agree with you. Just curious, what do YOU think most people's ideas of "the Gospel of Jesus Christ" is? I think Bono has an incredibly clear knowledge of the Gospel. I simply want your idea of what most people think the Gospel is. Thanks.

Bono knows the gospel! There seem to be lots of Christians who don't. They instead give there hearts to Jesus or make a commitment to God or some such thing. It sounds like Bono is confessing that what matters is not what we give or do(thankfully in his and my case) but what God gives and does for us. This is true religion! I might not like his politics but his religion is spot on!

Pro,
I make a mean Pale Ale in my kitchen. My friend, who is a beer lover is there ever was one, thought my version was better than Sierra Nevada's, fwiw. Enjoy!

forthe,
No one is forcing you to be baptized. If you want to join my church or, for that matter, most churches, you would have to be baptized. Perhaps you already are. I think the denial of the salvific nature of baptism is a classic example of the inroads Satan has had, with all respect. As to your "Nowhere in the Bible is any infant ever said to be Baptized" I would simply state that nowhere does the Scripture say children are not to be baptized; that children are not a part of the "all nations" our Lord commanded his disciples to baptize and make disciples. To me, the fact that Jesus did not add "except for children under X age" after "all nations" is a slam dunk, cased closed situation. To all who refuse to be baptized or refuse to baptize their children, why take the chance that you could be wrong. This is not the best argument, I know. Lastly, if one believes it is a person's decision or committment to God that saves and not Baptism, you can't view as Christians those who believe that Baptism is what God does for us and not what we do for Him, and that Baptism saves. The reverse is also true. If you believe that Baptism saves, you can't view as Christians those who reject Baptism's salvific nature.

N3,
You write, "Where in the bible is infant baptism addressed?"
First, the onus is on those who deny infant baptism, not those who believe in it. Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:19-20) "Cooresponding to that, baptism now saves you." (1 Peter 3:21) No where is the command given to exclude children.

Dear forthe,
What I meant was that infant baptism was not seriously challanged until after the Reformation. Some would say this is mostly Luther's fault but I totally disagree. What I meant was that it is only in the last centuries that denying baptism to infants has been in vogue.

XR7,
When I teach about Baptism I don't start with "what ifs" and the like. Theology is not done well when it is theology by casuistry. (This is how many leaders in my church body do theology, sadly) However, since this is where we are, let me tell you a story. I was having lunch one day at Acme Oyster House in New Orleans, sitting next to a nice gentleman. I was wearing my clerical collar. We were having a nice conversation until he brought up spirituality. He asked what Lutherans believe. I said that we believe in the forgiveness of sins through the merits of Christ, won on Calvary and bestowed in the sacraments. He brought it up, I didn't! He simply said, "So, if I'm not baptized and I walk out in the middle of that street and get run over by a truck, I won't go to heaven?" Since he despised baptism I called him to repentance by saying, "Yes." I think, speaking of the thief on the cross, that it is very reasonable to believe that he had been baptized. It is also true that it is not the lack of baptism which damns, but despising it. Your thoughts?

PAR,
I have been away a few days and am trying to catch up.

txzman,
You wrote, "don't tout infant baptism as a crux of faith." Are you saying that those who tout infant baptism as a crux of faith are wrong and are scismatic, so to speak? I'm saying that those who deny infant baptism (and baptism in general as the way to be saved) are not to be considered Christian but scismatic. We can't both be right. If you are right then the Christian Church was wrong for about 1,600 years.

PAR,
I ought to have been more clear when I used the words "true presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar". I needed to write, "the true, bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar according to His divine and human natures." Incidentally, until after the Reformation the almost unanimous belief among church fathers is that of the bodily presence both according to Christ's divine and human natures. The fact that most "influential" churches deny this doctrine is nothing short of apostasy, in my opinion.

James,
Obviously the criteria to be on this list is what it is. To be considered "influential" as a church and deny infant Baptism and the true presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar (all Sacraments for that matter) means this is a list I would not only not want to be on but would be embarrassed to be included. Again, I know the criteria did not even consider true doctrinal theology to be even as important as number of members. As for me, no thanks.

Doug Updegrave
Barb Wire
Gray Wolf
Pastor Paul Pett

Argus,
How right you are that the real promblem is unordained lay Eucharistic ministers handing out the Host to all...
This is at least as much an abomination, in my eyes, as not allowing priests to marry. Btw, celebacy is more than a discipline. It's dogma. Of course, I'm Lutheran and Scripture determines our doctrines. Tradition is excellent so long as it doesn't contradict Scripture. Genuflecting and elevation of the host and chalice allowed!

Jesse,
I disagree to a degree when you state "today the real enemy of Christians are not Jews and Muslims but rather the faith-hostile culture bred by secularism and its handmaiden, liberalism." I think the more Rome thinks this the less relevant they will become. Obviously, the culture and liberalism are not friends of orthodox religion. However, I would not say that they are faith-hostile because the media, et. al. gives liberal Christians, dissenters, etc. lots of props. Orthodox or conservative Christians get just the opposite. I think the best way to influence the culture is to be absolutely faithful to your doctrine. You do it by being uncompromisingly orthodox. The more Rome speaks the language that says Jews who reject Christ and Muslims who are monotheists can be saved, the less credibility they will have. They should be trying to convert Jews and Muslims to become Roman Catholics, else they will not be saved. And other Christians should be doing the same, converting unbelievers to be members of their churches.

Andrew should pray the Collect for Jubilate Sunday and mean it. It goes like this:
Almighty God, who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth to intent they may return into the way of righteousness, grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.