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.

Commemoration & Hope in April

Posted in Bonhoeffer, Feminist, Holocaust, Hope, Poetry, Social JusticeLeave a comment

The first two weeks of April are filled with significant commemorations, and I’m not even talking about Easter and Passover. April 4th of this year was the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. April 9th was the commemoration of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his execution by hanging at the Flossenburg concentration camp…… Continue reading Commemoration & Hope in April

All Buddhists are Nice People, Right?

Posted in Buddhism, Politics, ViolenceLeave a comment

I get alerts from The New York Times on a variety of topics, including animals, adoption, religion, and philosophy, among other things.  Yesterday, this article came in my inbox, under the “philosophy” category [not religion, which in itself is interesting]: Buddhists and Violence.  The article, which actually is titled “Why are We Surprised when Buddhists are Violent,”…… Continue reading All Buddhists are Nice People, Right?

Forgiveness & Accountability

Posted in Forgiveness, Life and Living, Sin, Suffering2 Comments

If you orbit the Lutheran world, you probably have heard that United Lutheran Seminary is in the midst of a serious leadership crisis.  Damaging information has come out about President Theresa Latini’s past, which in itself is problematic for some [roughly twenty years ago she was the executive director of OnebyOne, a Presbyterian anti-gay organization…… Continue reading Forgiveness & Accountability

The Theology of “Westworld”

Posted in Bodies, Entertainment, Movies and TV, Pop Culture, TechnologyLeave a comment

I just finished watching the first series of “Westworld”—have you seen it?  It is a really interesting tv series, with lots of material for theological reflection. Basically, the plot of the story is this.  “Westworld” is an elaborate, sophisticated theme park for very, very, VERY wealthy people, who come into the park by high-speed train.…… Continue reading The Theology of “Westworld”