Happy Lutheran

I got this link from one of my students in the “Doing Theology Interreligiously” class–we are having such a great time!http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/12/tulsi-gabbard-hindu-congress-oath-bhagavad-gita_n_2117474.htmlThe story is about the first Hindu member of Congress, Tulsi Gabbard:  she is a Democrat from Hawaii.  The story mentions that she will be taking her oath of office on the Bhagavad-Gita, which I…… Continue reading The Oath of Office on the Bhagavad-Gita

I am very, very glad the election is over–not only because President Obama was re-elected, but also because I was very, very tired of all the negative campaign ads, and the pitting of various interest groups against another.  So, I was somewhat surprised and disappointed in this piece I read in the NY Times today:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/07/opinion/after-the-election-fear-is-our-only-chance-at-unity.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&ref=general&src=me,This quote in particularly…… Continue reading Uniting With, not Against

I have a very guilty, very selfish confession:  at this particular moment, I am feeling a little grateful for Hurricane Sandy.  Lest you think I am a terrible, horrible person, don’t despair entirely:  I am also very sorry for all the destruction the storm has wrought, and I am praying hard for those who are suffering and…… Continue reading Time the Avenger

Now, I am aware that few things are more divisive and explosive than politics–especially around election time. However, I am wading into these waters gently, without being polemical, simply to articulate something that I have been thinking about for the past few days.These thoughts were prompted by this Op-Ed piece in the Sunday New York…… Continue reading Why I’m a Democrat

I went to see “Queen of Versailles” last night–here’s the official site for the movie: http://www.magpictures.com/thequeenofversailles/. It’s a documentary about Jackie & David Siegel, and their attempted construction of the largest private residence in the United States, model on Versailles. I say “attempted,” because Siegel’s timeshare company–and consequently, the construction on the house–was severely impacted…… Continue reading The Queen of What Really Matters

I don’t read The Christian Century cover to cover every time, but almost every issue I find something that strikes me.  This issue, it was this short story about a woman who offered a very simple, very profound way of showing her love and care for another woman who was about to go through a…… Continue reading Tender ministry

So, I have tried multiple times to link this article to my Facebook page:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/us/historian-says-piece-of-papyrus-refers-to-jesus-wife.html?ref=usHowever, I keep getting blocked.  Why?  Apparently, “Some users of Facebook have reported abusive content in this article.”  ABUSIVE?!  I find this incredible:  here is a fascinating new piece of scholarship that might reveal something interesting about the early Christian communities, and some…… Continue reading Is a Scrap of Papyrus Abusive?!

September 11th has become a national day of remembrance, both in this country and beyond.  Particularly for those who were living in New York City and Washington DC, and especially for those who lost loved ones in the attack, September 11th is a day to remember, to lift up connections with individuals and communities, to speak…… Continue reading Remembering