In the last decades of the twentieth century, American Lutherans embarked on a journey fraught with peril and filled with promise: the formation of a new church intended to unite Lutherans throughout the country in a shared vision of ministry, service, and fellowship. Congregations, leaders, institutions, publications, programs--the whole ......
Debates about capitalism versus socialism reflect a deep divide in American society, both in the broader culture and in the church. While those attracted to liberation theology, radical orthodoxy, and some kinds of Anabaptist theologies support forms of socialism, many others continue to believe capitalism is the best real-world option.
Walter Brueggemann has been so effective for so long precisely because he has consistently called upon the church to see beyond the taken-for-granted realities it confronts by imagining God's alternative reality; to recognize that the bars of its entrapment were social constructs and could just as easily be deconstructed so we could be once again ......
Cultivating a Life of Intentionality, Openness, and Faith
An uncluttered mind increases one's capacity to draw close to and hear God. Mindfulness can help you live more joyfully and wholeheartedly in the world God created. The Mindful Christian provides readers with an overview of mindfulness practice through the lens of faith, showing how the ancient healing practice of mindfulness can help them live ......
A Creative's Guide to Awakening Presence, Pleasure, and Possibility
The world is imbued with a life force, a thrumming relational energy of creativity. That life force is Eros, and connecting with the erotic opens up a world full of possibility, sensuality, and creativity. For far too long we have relegated the erotic to the bedroom, when in reality it is a fundamental energy that helps us connect more deeply ......
Equity from Classical Philosophy to Contemporary Politics
The language of "equity" saturates our contemporary culture. Human-resources departments lead workshops on "diversity, equity, and inclusion." Progressive politicians promise "equity" in everything from housing to healthcare, while their conservative counterparts decry "equity" as a modern invention and a rejection of classical, Western culture's ......
Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians enacts a historical paradigm shift by unfolding in written form that which was previously only performed orally in early Christianity. This media revolution in Christianity begins about 50 CE and will lead successively to the collection of twenty-seven writings in the New Testament. Beginning and ending ......
A Guide to Deepen Allyship with Congregational Leaders of Color
In See Me, Believe Me, Rev. Dr. Yolanda Denson-Byers draws from the wisdom and experience she has gained--and the racism she has endured--as a female, Black, and queer pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Life as a caregiver is hard. There are no easy answers, and hope can feel elusive. At their best, medical care providers, government support agencies, schools, and legal advisors may effectively meet concrete needs. But who cares for the caregiver's soul? Bos, a Lutheran pastor and a fellow caregiver, shares a spiritually grounded message of ......
