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!
Decoupling Illness and Demons
“When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.’ Jesus answered, ‘You…… Continue reading Decoupling Illness and Demons
Letting Go
And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Matthew 4:19 The new academic year at Wartburg Theological Seminary is up and going, and I was privileged to preach at the opening worship service. Instead of preaching on following, I preached on leaving/letting go. I think the idea that…… Continue reading Letting Go
The Bread of Life
If you attend a congregation in a denomination that follows the daily lectionary [like most ELCA Lutheran congregations], you have been deep in John 6 for several weeks, hearing a great deal about bread–and Jesus’ relationship to bread, to life, and to his Father. Most pastors will tell you that this can be a hard…… Continue reading The Bread of Life
Celebrating the Olympic “Village”
I love the Olympics, especially the Summer Olympics. Certainly, I love the classics. Soccer? Obviously. Track and field? Top of my list. Gymnastics? Always, especially this year, with Simone Biles performing. Swimming? I’m in. And I also love the crazy sports that I only watch every four years: Synchronized swimming? Absolutely. Rhythicmic gymnastics? Gorgeous. Speed…… Continue reading Celebrating the Olympic “Village”
Well done, Good and Faithful Servant
I admit, I’m not a fan of politics. Especially in the last 10 years or so, I find the rhetoric inflammatory and toxic, with much less substance and many more personal attacks and caricatures. I know not all politicians individually are like this, but the political climate certainly doesn’t seem to bring out the best…… Continue reading Well done, Good and Faithful Servant
A Bad Idea…
“For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” Paul (Romans 7:19) “I should probably, probably not.” Olivia Rodrigo I’m not a huge Olivia Rodrigo fan, but I definitely like some of her more upbeat songs for my running playlists. One of…… Continue reading A Bad Idea…
Remembering Jűrgen Moltmann
I wanted to share a brief in memoriam and thanks be to God for the life and theology of Jűrgen Moltmann, who entered into the church triumphant on June 3, 2024 at the age of 98. Moltmann was an extraordinarily influential theologian on Lutheran Churches all around the world, and that includes several generations of…… Continue reading Remembering Jűrgen Moltmann
Whisper, “found.”
As I was skimming one of my favorite book of meditations and prayers yesterday, I found a lovely prayer by Rev. Emmy Kegler. It is called “For All the So-Called Lost,” and it is a reflection on Luke 15:8: “And what woman, if she had ten coins and lost one, wouldn’t light a lamp, and…… Continue reading Whisper, “found.”
Jesus & John Wayne
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
Happy Lutheran 