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
Tag: featured
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Lesson 6: Bonhoeffer
Read MORE: Lesson 6: BonhoefferI had to do some research on Dietrich Bonhoeffer last week. It was very unsettling because it quickly became evident that he was facing very much the same situation we are. True, he opposed Adolf Hitler, but that involved opposing…
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Lesson 5: Immigration
Read MORE: Lesson 5: ImmigrationSince day one of his 2016 campaign, Donald Trump has used immigration to play on people’s fears and present himself as the only one who can save them. He blames immigrants for taking our jobs, raping our women, murdering our…
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Lesson 4: Christians Gave Us Trump
Read MORE: Lesson 4: Christians Gave Us TrumpLike so many others, I have been concerned with the lying in the election campaign, but perhaps even more so with the terrible exaggeration used to justify the lies. Claiming this is the most important election in American history—or even…
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Lesson 3: Christian Political Principles
Read MORE: Lesson 3: Christian Political PrinciplesA traditional Lutheran response might think my contrast between Jesus’ teachings and the way Donald Trump presents himself at his rallies and on social media is unfair. It would see comparing religious and political programs somewhat like comparing apples and…
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Lesson 2: Christian Characteristics and the Election
Read MORE: Lesson 2: Christian Characteristics and the ElectionI was surprised at the response to last week’s lesson. I don’t think I ever had so many people write or speak to me about what I posted. Quite frankly, I expected dead silence. Obviously, many share my concerns about…
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Lesson 1: Jesus’ Teachings in the Election Campaign
Read MORE: Lesson 1: Jesus’ Teachings in the Election CampaignMany of us have become very upset watching politicians weaponize Christianity as the political debate has become a political war. People claim their party speaks for Christ. Some churches even consecrate a candidate supposedly chosen by God to save our…
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Lesson 7: False Prophets
Read MORE: Lesson 7: False ProphetsIf having good judgment includes weighing what others think, some standards are needed for doing this. There are all sorts of bad ideas out there, including strange conspiracy theories. This is nothing new. The Bible continually offers standards for judging…
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Lesson 6: Good Judgment is Communal
Read MORE: Lesson 6: Good Judgment is CommunalGood judgment when making decisions involves, to some degree, consideration of the common good. This does not negate the singularity of every situation but recognizes that everything is also related to everything else. A judge representing the people in a…
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Lesson 5: What Makes for Good Judgment
Read MORE: Lesson 5: What Makes for Good JudgmentI’ve been looking at the different meanings of judgment in hopes that they might offer some clues to helping us move beyond our society’s deep divisions. It is not that they make a different argument but that they come at…
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Lesson 4: Technology and Accountability
Read MORE: Lesson 4: Technology and AccountabilityLooking at judgment stems back to a conversation over twenty years ago. My son and I were writing something about technology and religion, which prompted me to ask my wife what she thought was our greatest loss from the tremendous…
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.