So forgiveness pre-requires understanding the mistakes of the past? here hear re this opposing this me-first, America-first, white-first, male-first approach>…
Weekly lessons in theology and public life • Since 2011
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Lesson 11: So What?
Read MORE: Lesson 11: So What?My son likes to add an addendum titled, “So What?” to academic work. I felt compelled to do that after so many respondents reported they agree completely that money controls our society but are not sure that we can do…
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Lesson 12: Why This Obsession With Abortion?
Read MORE: Lesson 12: Why This Obsession With Abortion?Shortly after I was ordained I was surprised when a fishing buddy compared himself to another friend with the words, “He is not a real Christian. He believes in abortion.” I was speechless. I had never previously heard my friend…
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Lesson 13: Pro-Life and Pro-Choice
Read MORE: Lesson 13: Pro-Life and Pro-ChoiceReviving any creative conversation about abortion has to begin with appreciating the two positions that presently divide the Church. The Pro-Life group champions a concept of eternal law that maintains the sacred nature of all human life. Believing life begins…
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Lesson 14: Pro-Life
Read MORE: Lesson 14: Pro-LifeLet’s look more closely at the Pro-Life position in order to better critique it. This group is founded on the longstanding conviction that all human individuals regardless of physical or mental health have a fundamental and equal worth. This includes…
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Lesson 15: Pro-Choice
Read MORE: Lesson 15: Pro-ChoiceThe Pro-Choice group agrees readily with the Pro-Life group that life is a gift from God to be cherished and protected. They emphasize, however, acknowledging the sanctity of life must include considering the quality of life. The Christian love that…
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Lesson 16: Your Responses About Abortion
Read MORE: Lesson 16: Your Responses About AbortionI have been impressed with the conversation that has taken place here around abortion. It reminds me of the public discussion fifty years ago when the issue first went public. In those days, many of us were enriched by people…
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Lesson 17: The Church’s Damaged Voice
Read MORE: Lesson 17: The Church’s Damaged VoiceRemember this series has tried to focus on the Church’s role in a democracy. I began with two assumptions and two related questions. The first assumption was that, at least presently, we are not sure what the relationship of Church…
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Lesson 18: Freedom of Religion
Read MORE: Lesson 18: Freedom of ReligionI think the widely ignored freedom of religion movement indicates the problem Christianity faces in a modern democracy. People in my circles thought the advocates were a paranoid minority of various church bodies. Now those paranoids control our government. Let…
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Lesson 19: The Political and Technological Environments
Read MORE: Lesson 19: The Political and Technological EnvironmentsFather Jude caught my attention when he described the State as being the environment in which the Church exists. He reported that he framed his argument this way in order to make clear the Church has to play by the…
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Lesson 20: Church and State
Read MORE: Lesson 20: Church and StateLet’s end this series by reminding ourselves there is no one biblical position on how God’s people should relate to the political state. Beyond that, the Bible offers no approved Christian relationship. Instead, we find a variety of perspectives that…
Recent Comments
An extremely timely topic. Thanks, Fritz!
yes we need to forgive our leaders yet make sure they do the right thing – which they aren’t.