Early on I realized some people thought I could do no wrong because I was ordained. Of course, others disrespected me for the same reason. Still, I realized I could manipulate this first group if I wanted to. Three of the gospels report Jesus had compassion on these because religious authorities in his day did […]
Arguments about Christian characteristics in the New Testament follow a common pattern. Although they discuss particular specifics, they regard a transformed life as the essential factor. Paul is very explicit about this in Romans 12: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may […]
If the Bible can pretty much be read as God’s Word speaking truth to human political power, Church history is more diverse. It offers a variety of relationships in different periods. Before we examine what is going on in the present, it would be helpful to trace very quickly what went on in the past. […]
When I entered the ministry back in the early 1960s, pastors were warned not to get too political in the pulpit or they would lose their tax exemption. John Kennedy was elected president after promising his Catholic faith would not influence his politics. And everyone I knew tried to separate church and state. Then all […]
After three months of fairly intensive study, it is probably time to end this series. If I had to mention one take-away it would be our present inability to dal adequately with the mystery of a pregnant woman carrying a child. Many in the Pro-Life camp speak of the unborn child as an independent person […]
A few of you asked about the official position of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America concerning when life begins. That was the question we were asking in the 1960s. When we were unable to find consensus, we did the best we could with the compromise of Roe vs Wade. Now, many conservatives are insisting […]
The present abortion debate taking place in our society revolves around the question, “When are we dealing with a life that should be protected by civil law?” Answering the question adequately involves some understanding of what comprises life. We seldom talk about that because we assume everyone knows or at least senses what life is. […]
Back in the last century when ministeriums discussed their differing viewpoints in hopes of finding a resolution for the community, this joke was often told: “Three people discuss abortion. A man says he does not believe in it, because his religion says it is wrong. A woman says she does believe in it because her […]
It is obvious one difference between Jesus’ community and the modern Church has to do with his band treating its members with the intimacy usually associated with the biological family. They shared their money and loved unconditionally as would be expected in most families. As soon as we recognize this, many of Jesus’ tough sayings […]
Shortly after we were married, Faith and I purchased a wonderful reproduction of Hugo van der Goes, “The Adoration of the Child Jesus.” It is a triptych done on three wooden panels about eight inches high which we have set on our mantles, tables, and desks. For 47 years, it has been at the center […]
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