In some ways, it was a massive shift in world history centered in the actions of one human. The world is commemorating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther posting his questions and propositions for debate on the university message board in Wittenberg in 1517. PBS did a special on it. Popular authors are publishing books about it. Germany is hosting the Luther Year, and tour groups the world over are arriving in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg to gawk at the door where those theses were... Read more

Since my “brand” of Christian is a tiny minority in this part of God’s world, I get asked a lot of questions about our denomination. Most commonly either How are you different from the other Lutheran groups we know?  -or- Is that like Mormon or something?I’ve been trying to create a short list of what’s best about us, what makes us truly unique. Here’s a attempt:11. Although we are “protestant” and in fact in a sense descended from the true founders of Protestantism... Read more

Recently the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, in response to a potential lawsuit from a group of atheists, posted signs reading In God we trust in public school classrooms. Because of course the logical thing to do when atheists challenge the law is to inflict more ideology on children. Right? But more seriously, a few theological points are in order. First, we defend the free exercise of religion in our nation. So it’s just fine if people want to put the... Read more

It’s the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and you want to read something to honor the occasion. Since there are as many books about Martin Luther as about Jesus, where do you even start? You can start with the PBS special if you prefer to watch the Reformation on television. But the Reformation really was a textual revolution, so I highly recommend reading about it. Here’s a short list of solid reads. Of the making of books about Luther there... Read more

Luke 13.1   At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think... Read more

Martin Luther King's Sermon on loving your enemy: http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/documentsentry/doc_loving_your_enemies.1.html Read more

It’s now the August recess, a good time for our elected officials to hear from people of faith. If you’re reading this, I know you are committed on some level or another to work for the good of your neighbor, especially those who are marginalized or vulnerable. In order to do that well, you need to think not only about how to help the powerless, but also how to impact and change the minds of the powerful. So far this year I’ve... Read more

Bishop Eaton issued a statement on the healthcare debate, which may be in part an effort to keep attention focused on the consequential issues (the main part being the statement itself, of course) http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Bishop_Eaton_statement_on_Healthcare_debate.pdf?_ga=2.130290575.1895059403.1501212661-442043862.1501212661 Read more

So let’s be really clear. The president of the United States of America is trolling the American public, distracting us (quite successfully) by blowing a very loud dog whistle. His goal: displace headlines on the collapse of the ACA repeal and collusion with Russia. His dog whistles: transphobia, the culture war, anti-government propaganda, and religion. If it were pure politics, I might not enter the fray. But this kind of politics gets up into my space, the space of religious... Read more

“In its simplest form, 5Q is the synergy of a holistic recombination of the apostolic, pro­phetic, evangelistic, shepherding, and teaching (APEST) capacities referred to in Ephesians 4.” (5Q: Reactivating the Original Intelligence and Capacity of the Body of Christ) Vocation vs. APEST I cut my teeth as a theologian among people for whom the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers was sacrosanct. Luther had famously observed that priests and monks had stolen the holiness of the many vocations of... Read more