I have a bone to pick with Robert Alter. Alter is Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley, and in 2007, he translated the Psalter. [He also just published a three volume translation of the Hebrew Bible–I have read about it, but I haven’t actually seen a copy of it yet.] He is…… Continue reading Alter’s Psalter, and Inclusive Language
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.
Expansive Empathy for all God’s Children
Yesterday I listened to one of my favorite podcasts—“Hidden Brain.” This episode was about empathy, and it is definitely worth a listen, even though it is a little long. It is especially important in the current context to think critically about empathy, since the data shows that, in general, in the United States, empathy has…… Continue reading Expansive Empathy for all God’s Children
Rights and Responsibilities, and Gun Violence
So, last night before I went to bed, I was thinking about my blog, and I knew I wanted to write about the mass shooting in El Paso. I have written before about gun violence and the pathological, illogical resistance too many people in this country have to sensible gun laws that would create a…… Continue reading Rights and Responsibilities, and Gun Violence
Wildlife Tourism and Instagram
Often if I feel like doing a little bit of Internet scrolling and I want a lift, I head over to National Geographic. I love the images, I love the stories, and I love learning about new animals, new places in the world, and new environmental initiatives. I almost always come away filled with wonder…… Continue reading Wildlife Tourism and Instagram
To Blog or Not to Blog….
To blog, or not to blog, that is the question. At least, it has been for me these past few months. I started my blog back in 2012, and for many years, I wrote every week. Then maybe a year or so ago, it started to be a little less often–maybe every other week, and…… Continue reading To Blog or Not to Blog….
What Decade is this, Anyway?
One of my favorite shows these past few years has been “Call the Midwife.” It’s a BBC show that follows a lovely, interesting group of midwives and nuns in the East End of London. I find the characters really compelling and engaging, and the storylines thoughtful and poignant. In the course of the different seasons…… Continue reading What Decade is this, Anyway?
The Speeding Rate of Extinction. Why You Should Care.
Last week, I read another article in The New York Times about the threat humans pose to other animal species and the environment in general. Read it here: The Speeding Rate of Extinction Sadly, this news is not new, nor does it come as much of a surprise. What is new–and this also just seems to get…… Continue reading The Speeding Rate of Extinction. Why You Should Care.
Easter Joy and Easter Tragedy
My Easter celebration was really wonderful this year. I lead Triduum services with John that included a fabulous Easter vigil with the participation of both college and seminary students. I always find the Great Three Days a very meaningful experience, and this year was no exception. Then, I attended a fabulous Easter morning service, with…… Continue reading Easter Joy and Easter Tragedy
Practical Lessons from the Gay Rights Movement
So, I listened to this really interesting podcast yesterday, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I wanted to share it and invite you to listen, too. (Listen to it here: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/03/709567750/radically-normal-how-gay-rights-activists-changed-the-minds-of-their-opponents). It’s about gay rights, and it discusses the fact that, in the United States, there has been a relatively rapid change in both…… Continue reading Practical Lessons from the Gay Rights Movement
The Danger of Silence
Here we are, again. Once again, we find ourselves in a place we have been all too many times before, and only too recently. Here we are, again, mourning the tragic, senseless loss of life in a mass shooting. This time, at a mosque. Last time at a synagogue, and before that, at a church, and…… Continue reading The Danger of Silence
Happy Lutheran 