This book came highly recommended by several colleagues, so I finally got around to reading it. I see what the fuss is all about. The thesis is clear and straightforward: for more than a century a significant percentage of white evangelicals (especially men) have been cultivating a toxic “militant Christian masculinity” that has corrupted American…… Continue reading Jesus & John Wayne
Category: Imagination
Christian Hope
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”Romans 15:13 This is the verse that the Wartburg Theological Seminary Class of 2024 chose as their verse, and so it was the verse that grounded the “charge”…… Continue reading Christian Hope
Genesis, by Marilynne Robinson
I want to share some thoughts about Reading Genesis, by Marilynne Robinson. I can’t remember who first told me about this literary commentary on Genesis, written by one of my favorite authors, but I do know that as soon as I heard about it, I went online and bought it right away. I know something…… Continue reading Genesis, by Marilynne Robinson
Between Confidence and Fear: the Risen Christ
At dawn on that first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to the tomb with spices to anoint Jesus’ body. There was just one problem: an enormous stone was blocking their way. There was no way they were going to be able to roll away that stone, and they…… Continue reading Between Confidence and Fear: the Risen Christ
Call to Allyship
I want to share a recommendation of a short book that I finished last night. The title is Called to Allyship: Preparing Your Congregation for Leaders of Color. It is edited by Rev. Angela !Kebab, and includes chapters written by a variety of leaders of color in the ELCA. Each of the chapter is focused…… Continue reading Call to Allyship
A Fresh Take on a Traditional Confession
One of the things that I love about the Lutheran liturgical tradition is the way the language of the prayers, sung parts of the service, etc. become so familiar after years of recitation that I know them by heart. It is comforting to enter into a worship space and be carried through the service without…… Continue reading A Fresh Take on a Traditional Confession
What did you think about “Barbie”?
Did you see the movie “Barbie”? I finally got around to watching it on our flight to Tanzania—I think we all did!—and I’m glad I saw it; it is definitely thought-provoking, and it is also quite entertaining. I read a review of it in The New Yorker when it first came out, and I agree…… Continue reading What did you think about “Barbie”?
Life without Wonder is not worth Living
sadfgasd Zechariah “Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’” Luke 1:18 Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the great Jewish theologians of the 20th century, once said, “The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding…… Continue reading Life without Wonder is not worth Living
Reflecting on the Sheep & Goats
The Gospel text last Sunday was one of my absolute least-favorite parables of Jesus; sometimes it is called “The Judgement of the Nations,” sometimes it is called “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.” It is from Matthew 25: 31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,…… Continue reading Reflecting on the Sheep & Goats
The Ethics of Doing Nothing
One of the best parts about attending the American Academy of Religion Conference is the chance to wander through the book displays. I picked up a couple new books, and read this one on the plane ride home. It was interesting, and I wanted to share a few thoughts from it. The thesis of the…… Continue reading The Ethics of Doing Nothing
Happy Lutheran 