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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Introduction to the Ten Commandments
Read MORE: Introduction to the Ten CommandmentsAll Christians, all Jews, and even all Muslims agree the Ten Commandments are a basic statement of how to live according to God’s will. The disagreements come with how to codify these into specific laws. For instance, in our time…
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Lesson 1: The First Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 1: The First CommandmentI am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. The command goes on to prohibit making graven images, a command…
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Lesson 2: The Second Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 2: The Second CommandmentYou shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. The ancient Israelites took this so seriously that they did not even utter God’s name…
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Lesson 3: The Third Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 3: The Third CommandmentObserve the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall…
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Lesson 4: The Fourth Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 4: The Fourth CommandmentHonor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The…
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Lesson 5: The Fifth Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 5: The Fifth CommandmentExodus and Deuteronomy: “Do not murder.” Martin Luther’s explanation: “We should fear and love God that we may not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every need.” Jesus’ comment: “You have heard…
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Lesson 6: The Sixth Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 6: The Sixth CommandmentNeither shall you commit adultery. The first task is to define what adultery is in our time and place; no easy task. It used to be having sex outside of marriage, the presumption being there was always the chance of…
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Lesson 7: The Seventh Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 7: The Seventh CommandmentNeither shall you steal… Down through the ages most people realized there were many different ways to steal. It can be done in our society by sticking a gun into someone’s ribs and demanding their money or by setting conditions…
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Lesson 8: The Eighth Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 8: The Eighth CommandmentNeither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor. Sisela Bok once wrote that truth is as essential as the air we breathe and the water we drink. She claimed if we cannot believe other people are telling the truth,…
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Lesson 9: The Ninth Commandment
Read MORE: Lesson 9: The Ninth CommandmentThou shall not covet your neighbor’s house. If you were examining the commandments for the first time from a purely intellectual perspective, chances are you would notice that respect for personal property plays a primary role. One prohibits stealing. Depending…
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.