Author: happylutheran

I am the president at Wartburg Theological Seminary, my beloved alma mater. I am an inveterate optimist, runner, vegetarian, and harp player. I love Mary Oliver and Gerard Manley Hopkins, and like them, I'm continually delighted by all the surprising and wonderful ways God shows up in the world.

The Criminal Fallibility of the Death Penalty

Posted in Bodies, Death Penalty, Ethics, Laws, Racism, Social Issues, Social Justice, SufferingLeave a comment

Where do you stand on the death penalty? Many people have very strong opinions about it, and it can be a controversial topic of conversation. I am a long-time opponent of the death penalty, for theological reasons; and, while many people do still support the death penalty, in the United States, opposition is growing. I’m…… Continue reading The Criminal Fallibility of the Death Penalty

Periods, Poverty & Pollution

Posted in Bodies, Feminist, Laws, Life and Living, Politics, Religion, Sexism, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

Thanks to our Global Advocacy Committee & the Sustainability Taskforce here at Wartburg Seminary, I had the opportunity to watch a great documentary last night that I want to share. It’s short, less than 30 minutes, and it’s called “The Bloody Truth about Period Poverty in America” [watch it for free here: https://youtu.be/gPWriykB0xY%5D Mostly, I…… Continue reading Periods, Poverty & Pollution

Lament, Caste, and Racism

Posted in Books, Forgiveness, Holocaust, Lent, Life and Living, Racism, Social Issues, Social Justice, SufferingLeave a comment

The faculty at Wartburg Seminary is reading Caste: the Origins of our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson. It is a very interesting book in which she uses the concept of caste, as well as several vivid metaphors, very creatively as a way to invite people into thinking about racism with new categories and fresh eyes. (The…… Continue reading Lament, Caste, and Racism

Reflections on “After Whiteness”

Posted in Books, Creativity, Hope, Imagination, Racism, TheologyLeave a comment

I want to share some reflections about a book I just read, After Whiteness: an Education in Belonging, by Willie James Jennings. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but it turned out to be something even better than I thought—something really thought-provoking and important.  I read it with the other ELCA seminary leaders…… Continue reading Reflections on “After Whiteness”

What does Authority Look Like?

Posted in Bodies, Politics, Pop Culture, Racism, Sexism, Social IssuesLeave a comment

What does authority look like? Answer: it depends. If you are a white man, you don’t have to ask what authority looks like, you just have to look in the mirror; it looks like you. When someone says CEO, Fortune 500 business leader, Chief Operating Officer, President, more often than not, people assume a white…… Continue reading What does Authority Look Like?

Mitch McConnell and the Importance of Timing

Posted in Ethics, Life and Living, Politics, Social Issues, Social Justice, ViolenceLeave a comment

Today, Mitch McConnell learned the importance of timing. As shocking, horrific images of insurrection in the Capitol building fill the news, my thoughts keep turning to Mitch McConnell, and I wonder if he regrets his actions in the weeks following the election–actions, which, I believe, have contributed to the rioting that took place in Washington…… Continue reading Mitch McConnell and the Importance of Timing