Category: Relationships

“Deaths of Despair” and Social Isolation

Posted in Church, Hope, Jesus, Life and Living, Relationships, Social Issues, SufferingLeave a comment

I used to write a blog post after most mass shootings, but I stopped that practice some time ago when, tragically, they started to become so regularized. How many times can you bemoan the ease of obtaining a gun, the ignoring of warning signs, increasing violence and the normalization of these shootings? I felt at…… Continue reading “Deaths of Despair” and Social Isolation

Commemorating Trans Awareness Week

Posted in Bodies, Church, Gender Identity, Hope, Jesus, Life and Living, Love, Relationships, Scripture, Sexuality, Social JusticeLeave a comment

Today in chapel we commemorated Trans Awareness week, and our new homiletics professor, Sam Gilmore (who is fabulous, by the way–we are so blessed to have her here at Wartburg), preached a fantastic sermon. I’d like to share just a few reflections from it. The text was Matthew 23:37–24:14, the passage where Jesus laments over…… Continue reading Commemorating Trans Awareness Week

Abundant Life as an Integrated Life

Posted in Bible, Bonhoeffer, Books, Church, Ethics, History, Hope, Incarnation, Jesus, Life and Living, Love, Politics, Relationships, Social JusticeLeave a comment

“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

Becoming a Good-ish Person, Fighting Bias

Posted in Books, Hope, Life and Living, Racism, Relationships, Sexism, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

I just finished a fantastic book, and be warned: I have the zeal of a recent convert! The book is by Dolly Chugh, and it is titled The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias. The premise of the book is quite straightforward: it is applying a “growth mentality “–a concept popularized…… Continue reading Becoming a Good-ish Person, Fighting Bias

The Importance of Disruption

Posted in Ethics, Life and Living, Racism, Relationships, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

If you are like me, you probably have been to at least a few different anti-racism training workshops. And, if you are like me, you probably have had mixed reactions to them.  Well, on Monday afternoon, here at Wartburg Seminary, I was fortunate enough to have participated in one of the very best I have…… Continue reading The Importance of Disruption

Yom Kippur and Forgiveness

Posted in Forgiveness, Hope, Judaism, Life and Living, Love, Relationships, ReligionLeave a comment

I meant to share this great piece on forgiveness last week–Yom Kippur began on sundown, September 15th–but after reading it again today, I decided that “better late than never” definitely applies in this case. For those who don’t know, Yom Kippur is one of the holiest [some would say the holiest] days in the Jewish…… Continue reading Yom Kippur and Forgiveness

Sheltering in (a dangerous) Place

Posted in Bodies, Feminist, Laws, Relationships, Sexism, Social JusticeLeave a comment

If you are like me, your biggest challenges these past two months have been frustration with zoom meetings, cabin fever, loneliness, anxiety and occasionally desperately needing some space from the other people in your house. One thing I have not had to worry about, however, is getting beaten, threatened, or killed by my partner. My…… Continue reading Sheltering in (a dangerous) Place