Theological Discernment????

"The world is awash in religion, yet there is so little faith--particularly, faith in Christ," declares Timothy J. Swenson, proprietor and mentor of St. Martin's School of Theological Discernment. Tim and his wife, Dale Swenson, of Arnegard, ND have begun this endeavor wherein people will 1) learn the truth about themselves and God; 2) come to properly distinguish law and gospel; 3) be able to discern faith from the midst of religion.

"At the beginning of his career in 1518 during the Heidelberg Disputation, Martin Luther laid out the contrast between "theologies of glory" and "theologians of the cross." This, says, Swenson is the difference between religion and faith. "It's all about direction," declares Swenson, "Religion is about us going up to God, about what people do for God. Faith is all about God coming down to us, about what God does for us."

St. Martin's School of Theological Discernment

St. Martin's School of Theological Discernment:
where you learn

• --the truth about yourself and God;
• --to properly distinguish Law and Gospel;
• --and to discern faith in the midst of religion

Affiliations:

• --A Designated Teaching and Learning Center for the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT)
• --A Designated Delivery Site for the Augsburg Lutheran Theological Seminary (ALTS)
• --A member of Augsburg Lutheran Churches (ALC)

Theological Base:
Jesus declared:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me."

The Apostle Paul declared:
"We preach Christ and him crucified."

St. Martin's School of Theological Discernment (SMstd) teaches and preaches the categorical exclusiveness of these claims which is captured by the great "solas" of the Reformation:

• "Christ ALONE!"
• Scripture ALONE!"
• "Grace ALONE!"
• "Faith ALONE!"
• "Cross ALONE!"

Held together in Christ, who is their living center, these "solas" guard the pure preaching of the gospel. Such preaching exposes us as creatures of bound wills who receive freedom and salvation in Jesus only.

Goals:

• --Establish a WEB presence and resources
• --Find sources and develop materials for Theological Discernment
• --Build a list of prospects and clients needing theological discernment
• --Provide resources and develop materials for home and family use
• --Establish "formal" relationship with ILT
• --Establish "formal" relationship with ALTS
• --Develop relationships with congregations for "Lay Education" using ILT and ALTS programs
• --Build a "pipeline" of candidates for ILT's Rapid Pastoral Certification
• --Develop contracts with area congregations for pastoral services
• --Generally promote the uniqueness of "faith in Christ" which forms theologians of the cross