World news and commentary: August 2025

New pope, same story

On May 8, 2025, the Roman Catholic Church elected a new pope, and Cardinal Robert Prevost became Leo XIV. He is the first US pope, having grown up in a working-class neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. He is now the head of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church.

Sadly, with his very first address he led people away from Jesus Christ. His first words as pope assured people of special help and love from the virgin Mary and encouraged the faithful to seek “special grace” from her. By his words, Leo XIV “sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He confirmed what the Lutheran church officially teaches on the basis of Scripture: “The pope is the very antichrist.”¹

Our love for the gospel compels us to be frank and bold. The pope’s politics or views of Donald Trump seem to be what most people are talking about these days. We Lutherans are more concerned with how the pope views Jesus Christ. Is Jesus the world’s only Savior, or does he share that role with his mother?

Training Lutheran pastors

A current issue among Lutherans in America is the need for pastors. Fewer men are studying for the pastoral ministry, and other Lutheran church bodies are wrestling with ways to prepare future pastors.

The April 2025 meeting of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Council of Presidents (COP) took up this topic. The LCMS has seen the appearance of a few alternative routes to the pastoral ministry, whereby laymen may take classes online or at nontraditional institutions. Much of this is new and “unsanctioned,” so to speak. The LCMS COP issued a unanimous statement that reaffirmed its support for the training of LCMS pastors only at the LCMS’ two seminaries (St. Louis and Fort Wayne). The statement also said: “The Council will not place graduates from other programs. The Council members agree not to ordain graduates from other programs.”²

Meanwhile, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is holding its churchwide assembly July 28–Aug. 2. This assembly is voting on a change to the ELCA constitution that removes the requirement that pastors in the synod must hold a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited ELCA seminary. Placed side by side, the two directions of these Lutheran churches could not be more different.

What a blessing to have our WELS system of Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary for the training of men for the pastoral ministry. We need more workers, and we pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. But at the same time, we must remember the care and dedication our synod has always shown for the training of pastors. The goal is not just to get more men out there. We entrust the Word and sacraments to “faithful men who will also be able to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2 Evangelical Heritage Version). We recognize the importance of good training.

Screwtape on the big screen

A popular C. S. Lewis book, The Screwtape Letters, is headed for the big screen. The book, first published in 1942, explores the Christian life in a satirical way. It presents the correspondence and directions of a senior demon, Screwtape, to his apprentice nephew, Wormwood, as the young demon tempts a Christian man, the Patient.

The adaptation of such a work into the medium of film will be an interesting undertaking. The stage version already has been a critical and commercial success, and the film can generate more conversations around the Christian faith. C. S. Lewis tackled tough topics with a winsome and provocative perspective. Sometimes, these works can be the way the Holy Spirit sparks discussion and opens doors for believers to share their faith with others. Once the movie appears in theaters, consider inviting a friend to watch it with you.