March ‘Witness’: Superstitions

The modern scientific age has not jettisoned many of the superstitious ideas and practices that have characterized earlier historical eras. People still say, “Knock on wood” or “Good luck” and check their daily horoscope. As noted by Stacey Egger this month, one of the most popular apps in the Apple store is an astrology app.

The March issue of The Lutheran Witness examines superstitions and superstitious practices and beliefs. The Rev. Dr. John Bombaro explains how superstition and scientism grow from the same foundation. Sometimes we use God’s name superstitiously; the Rev. Dr. Charles Arand offers suggestions from Luther’s explanation to the Second Commandment on how to avoid this error. The Rev. John Dreyer takes a hard look at angels and demons and corrects some common false teachings about them, and Dr. Adam Francisco explains how to avoid the same old new age.

We do not turn to either superstition or scientism for confidence. Rather than finding comfort in verbal tics or culturally conditioned clichés, we find comfort in the One who suffered and died for the sins of the world. We place our confidence in Christ Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s promise to Adam and Eve, to address the problems of this fallen world.

Enjoy web-exclusive stories and a selection of articles from the print magazine at lcms.org/witness, and connect on social media at facebook.com/TheLutheranWitness and twitter.com/LutheranWitness.

Posted March 31, 2021