The stalled split of the United Methodist Church was originally over the LGBTQ controversy, but now abortion has become a key issue. As Mark Tooley notes, the underlying factor is that mainline liberal Protestantism as a whole has abandoned historic Christianity.
When we pray for our own needs, we focus on ourselves. But when we pray for the needs of others, "love rises." So said Pastor Frese, citing Chrysostom, in a sermon I heard recently. Thus, praying for others can help us love our neighbors, which is at the heart of vocation.
Considering today's post about praying for others, what are some things and people that we, in the Cranach community, could pray for?
Another novel by Bo Giertz, the author of "Hammer of God," has been translated into English. Its title is "Faith Alone: The Heart of Everything." Depicting the coming of the Reformation to Sweden--warts and all--the novel explores the spiritual struggles of two brothers and the impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Read more
The Lutheran thriller writer Ray Keating--known for his Pastor Stephen Grant novels--has started another series, set in the 1930s. The Alliance of Saint Michael defends assaults on Christendom by battling both Communists and Nazis. Read more
With teams blowing up their conferences and other problems in college football, a proposal has been put forward based on "promotion and relegation." Instead of conferences, teams would be in leagues based on their strength. As in English soccer, the top three teams in each league would advance to the next highest league, and the bottom three teams would be demoted to the next lowest league.
Novelist Walter Kirn distinguishes "fun" from other pleasures. In his essay "The Holy Anarchy of Fun," he says that rulers--the government, teachers, the prevailing authorities--don't like their subjects to have fun, citing COVID restrictions and elite demands for high-minded seriousness. His title suggests that there is also something "holy" about fun.
In overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court returned the issues to the states. But this will create problems of its own, with pro-life and pro-abortion states not recognizing each other's laws. A "grand compromise" has been proposed, limiting abortion to the early weeks. But we prolifers would have problems accepting it. Do you see any solutions?
Pollsters keep putting out surveys asking whether the country is going in the right direction. But both progressives and conservatives can agree that the country is getting worse, but for completely different reasons. And how do we know what direction the country is headed? So I put it to you as this weekend's discussion question.
Perhaps the strongest arguments on the pro-abortion side are the variations of the claim that "women should have the right to control their own bodies!" But Tish Harrison Warren, writing in the New York Times, gives three arguments for why the notion of our "bodily autonomy" is a myth.
Select your answer to see how you score.
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