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
Category: Ethics
This is Water
Last week, I read a recent book on Lutheran ethics by my colleague, Craig Nessan: Free in Deed. The book is good–and definitely worth a read–and in the course of reading that book, I was pointed to another: This is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life, by David…… Continue reading This is Water
Truth & Healing, and Indian Boarding Schools
Those in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America might be aware that the Church has just launched a new movement, the “Truth and Healing Movement,” which intends to support the work of the ELCA to explore the “true history and current realities of Indigenous people.” Find more about it here: https://elca.org/Our-Work/Congregations-and-Synods/Ethnic-Specific-and-Multicultural-Ministries/Indigenous-Ministries-and-Tribal-Relations/Truth-and-Healing-Movement Included in this movement…… Continue reading Truth & Healing, and Indian Boarding Schools
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
Remembering Yesterday, for the sake of Today and Tomorrow
While I was in Oklahoma last weekend, I visited two very significant museums: the museum and memorial commemorating the Oklahoma City Bombing of April 19th, 1995; and the Greenwood Rising museum and Reconciliation Park in Tulsa, which commemorate the Tulsa massacre of the Black community [often known as “Black Wall Street”] in the Greenwood neighborhood…… Continue reading Remembering Yesterday, for the sake of Today and Tomorrow
Why Diversity Matters, for Everyone
Bob Iuliano, the current president of Gettysburg College, a wonderful college where I used to serve as chaplain/associate dean of religious and spiritual life, wrote this fantastic piece for The Hill on race-conscious college admissions: you can read it here: https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3673515-building-diverse-campuses-requires-race-conscious-admissions/ Iuliano is uniquely qualified to write on this topic, because he previously served as…… Continue reading Why Diversity Matters, for Everyone
Abundant Life as an Integrated Life
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” I wanted to share some reflections from a homily I gave at our most recent faculty retreat, and share a book recommendation in the process. I’m starting with this declaration from Jesus in John 10: “I came that they may have life, and have…… Continue reading Abundant Life as an Integrated Life
A Rhetoric of Love
Regardless of what the old adage about sticks and stones tells us, we all know how much words matter, and how much they can both hurt and heal. A cruel word can stay with us for years, even decades, especially when it is repeated, perhaps by a parent or a spouse. And an encouraging word…… Continue reading A Rhetoric of Love
It’s OK to be Wrong
A month or so ago I wrote a post about a book that I read and have really taken to heart: Dolly Chugh’s The Person You Mean to Be. As I described in that post, she describes a growth mentality, which basically means adopting the disposition and attitude of someone who is always learning, always…… Continue reading It’s OK to be Wrong
Make America Safe
As most Americans know, former president Donald Trump’s campaign catchphrase was “Make America Great Again.” It is catchy, right? And compelling. Who doesn’t aspire to greatness? Who doesn’t want to live in a great country? World War II veterans and their peers were honored with the title “The Greatest Generation” by Tom Brokaw, who wrote…… Continue reading Make America Safe
Happy Lutheran 