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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Wise Men Search for the Baby: Epiphany
Read MORE: Wise Men Search for the Baby: EpiphanyEthiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth on Epiphany. Their equivalent of our Christmas Eve service sometimes involves the Wise Men’s search for the baby Jesus. In the dark of the night very tall, very black monks dress as the Magi.…
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Shhh! Jesus Steps Out of the Tomb: Easter 2C
Read MORE: Shhh! Jesus Steps Out of the Tomb: Easter 2CIf Matthew, Mark, and Luke thought Peter’s confession was central to the Gospel proclamation, John believed Thomas’ confession was even more important. He originally ended his Gospel with the colossal, “My Lord and my God.” This was the most far…
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Heaven on Earth: Easter 6C
Read MORE: Heaven on Earth: Easter 6CThis is “Come Dream With Us” Sunday at Trinity. The congregation is meeting to share their dreams about the future. All three lessons include visions of what is to come. It’s a good time to remember how important dreaming is.…
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Reformation Sunday
Read MORE: Reformation SundayWe Lutherans set this Sunday aside to celebrate our roots. We remember from where we came, so we can understand better who we are. We do that this year mindful of the recent Pew Foundation report that indictaed 20% of…
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The Impossible Dream, Fathers’ Day: Proper 6
Read MORE: The Impossible Dream, Fathers’ Day: Proper 6Jesus’ name for God was so important the Bible keeps the original Aramaic word: “Abba”, “Abba”, an intimate form of “father.” Suddenly every father becomes a model for God- either a good model or a bad one. Faith Ann learned…
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God Eats With His People: Proper 13
Read MORE: God Eats With His People: Proper 13For several years my parish trained first year field workers for the seminary. They usually sent us their most difficult students. One of those was Heikki Ausiku, a pastor from Namibia. You might remember South Africa controlled this Lutheran nation,…
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Sunbury Marching Band: Palm Sunday
Read MORE: Sunbury Marching Band: Palm SundayIt’s hard to believe Jesus’ disciples can praise him as God’s Messiah, shouting, “Holy, Holy, Holy. Hosanna to the Son of David” on Palm Sunday and then abandon him on Thursday night. It seems impossible that the crowd can cry,…
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The Hallelujah Chorus: Proper 4
Read MORE: The Hallelujah Chorus: Proper 4St. John never wrote a birth story. Instead he celebrates God becoming human by singing the first Christmas carol. His song claims that this birth overcomes the darkness of this world and enables us to become children of God. Repeatedly,…
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Emmanuel: Fourth of July
Read MORE: Emmanuel: Fourth of JulyIt is the Fourth of July, the day our nation sets aside to remember the birth of our freedom in 1776. The celebration has always been associated with the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. We often forget this document…
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Women in the Church, Mothers’ Day: Pentecost
Read MORE: Women in the Church, Mothers’ Day: PentecostIt is Pentecost and Mothers’ Day, a good time to remind ourselves we are in the middle of the biggest revolution of all time. It sometimes pits one half of the world’s population against the other. Thank God it is…
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.