Walter Brueggemann is one of my favorite Old Testament scholars, primarily because I am not an Old Testament scholar! I find his writing very accessible, very interesting, and always thought-provoking and generative. I just finished a recent book of essays, Truth and Hope: Essays for a Perilous Age. As the title suggests, the chapters are…… Continue reading Prayer and Justice
Category: Creation
Seeing, and being Seen
“Something looks back from the trees, and knows me for who I am.” Jane Hirschfield I finally saw him. For months, I have heard the Great Horned Owls that live in the trees near my house. Almost every day, every evening and every early morning, I hear the pair of them [Great Horned Owls are…… Continue reading Seeing, and being Seen
The Word becomes Flesh
A sermon for Christmas Day, 2024 The Word became flesh and lived among us. Let’s begin with the flesh. Your flesh, my flesh. The flesh of everyone you have ever known, or will know. The flesh of billions you will never know, across time and space. All flesh. The flesh of the whole creation. Flesh…… Continue reading The Word becomes Flesh
Happy St. Francis Day!
Today, Oct. 4th, is the Feast of St. Francis, the day on which many congregations have a Blessing of the Animals Service. It was a beautiful morning here at Wartburg Seminary, where we had our own service, and it was fantastic–dogs, cats, and even one very sweet bunny [MoMo!]. It was a joyous celebration of…… Continue reading Happy St. Francis Day!
Embodiment at the Parliament
The 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions opened yesterday, and I was pleased to be on a panel with two of my colleagues, Evangeline Anderson-Rajkumar and Kris Kvam, on Embodied Justice from a Lutheran perspective. I wanted to share a bit from my presentation, because I think the concept of embodiment is so important for…… Continue reading Embodiment at the Parliament
A Cultural & Spiritual Transformation
A week or so ago, I attended a presentation a colleague of mine gave on a grant project she will be leading in the next three years, on environmental education with the Maasai, using the system of Lutheran schools and confirmation classes. It is a great project, with the following components: Decolonizing climate science messaging…… Continue reading A Cultural & Spiritual Transformation
Unto You, a Savior is Born
Christmas is a labor of love, is it not? So much had to be done to get us to today—either by you, or by others: a tree was selected and cut, purchased and brought home, set up and decorated; lights were hung, decorations were placed; cards were written and mailed; food—mountains of food—was shopped for,…… Continue reading Unto You, a Savior is Born
Creation as our Prayer Shawl
Like many churches and other Christian organizations, Wartburg Seminary has a little prayer shawl ministry. People in our community knit or crochet beautiful, soft shawls that are then given to others who request them. What is unique about them, of course, is revealed in the name. What differentiates a prayer shawl from any other wrap…… Continue reading Creation as our Prayer Shawl
Remembering Henry, on the Feast of St. Francis
Sunday was the Feast of St. Francis, and this was the first year in many, many years that I was not able to do a Blessing of the Animals service. That has always been one of my favorite services, and for these last 15 years, I always led them with little Henry. This is also…… Continue reading Remembering Henry, on the Feast of St. Francis
Seeking Peace in Hard Times
Tributes have been pouring in all weekend to Ruth Bader Ginsberg, may she rest in peace. Regardless of your politics, you can and should admire her tenacity, her endurance, and her long, rich life that was characterized by a fierce commitment to issues of justice, equality and dignity. She was a dynamo in a compact…… Continue reading Seeking Peace in Hard Times
