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.

Lenten Thoughts on Judas

Posted in Bible, Easter, Forgiveness, Holy Week, Hope, Lent, Religion, Suffering, Theology2 Comments

So, in case you are ready to read something that is NOT about the Coronavirus, I have a quick recommendation. I don’t usually read graphic novels, but I have a very strong theological interest in Judas (basically, I think Judas is the exemplar of salvation in Jesus Christ—if he isn’t saved, none of us are).…… Continue reading Lenten Thoughts on Judas

Keep Calm and Breathe Peace

Posted in Hope, Jesus, Life and Living, Religion, Social IssuesLeave a comment

On Wednesday’s edition of “The Writer’s Almanac,” Garrison Keillor informed us that on Wednesday, March 11th, 1918, the first cases of what would become the influenza pandemic were reported in the US—107 soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas got sick. As we have been reminded multiple times in the past weeks, that was the worst pandemic…… Continue reading Keep Calm and Breathe Peace

Ash Wednesday & (Cosmic) Dust

Posted in Bodies, Church, Creation, Environment, Lent, Life and Living, Poetry, Science, Social JusticeLeave a comment

It was a very fortuitous circumstance that today, Ash Wednesday, my feminist theologies class was finishing up Ask the Beasts, by Elizabeth Johnson. This is a lyrical, prophetic text, in which Johnson makes a compelling argument that care for creation belongs at the heart of Christian faith, and that God Herself is deeply present in…… Continue reading Ash Wednesday & (Cosmic) Dust

Dig into Black History Month

Posted in History, Life and Living, Politics, Pop Culture, Racism, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

You probably know that February is Black History Month; have you ever thought about why we do that—you know, declare a month to be about something? The reality is, of course, that every month should be Black History Month—if that means learning something about and caring about black history. But, the fact is that in…… Continue reading Dig into Black History Month

The Holocaust, Memory and Ethical Loneliness

Posted in Ethics, Europe, Grief, Holocaust, Judaism, Social Justice, Violence, World War IILeave a comment

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.  This day was designated by the United States General Assembly in 2005; January 27th is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. I encourage you to learn more about the history of this commemoration here:  International Holocaust Remembrance Day.  In addition, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a fabulous…… Continue reading The Holocaust, Memory and Ethical Loneliness

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Calling

Posted in Hope, Jesus, Life and Living, Racism, Social Issues, Social Justice, Theology, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Today in the United States we are honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., commemorating his extraordinary life and way he changed US society for the better.  We have by no means realized the “dream” for which King is so famous, nor have we realized the beautiful community he envisioned, but because of the lingering power of…… Continue reading Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Calling

Targeting Cultural Sites for Destruction

Posted in Christmas, Ethics, Islam, Jesus, PoliticsLeave a comment

  Remember the Buddhas of Bamiyan?  These were two 6th century enormous statues of the Buddha that were carved into giant niches in Central Afghanistan, in the Bamiyan valley.  They became national news when they were destroyed  by dynamite by the Taliban in 2001, and while there continue to be talks about possible rebuilding, currently…… Continue reading Targeting Cultural Sites for Destruction