I constantly asked two questions as I examined the past election campaign against Jesus’ teachings. The first concerned our present understanding of freedom, and the second concerned the role of Christianity in a constitutional democracy. Let me talk about the first this week. In the past, civil rights movements relied on the Constitution to support […]
At one time, I was the unofficial chaplain of our local Abate chapter (Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education). That involved burying young men who were killed riding motorcycles. One of the perks was getting to know Redman, who taught me valuable lessons about leadership. I often reflect on them when trying to understand how […]
In the past week, people have been asking why Donald Trump is nominating people who are not capable of running their assigned agencies. One way to understand this is to recognize that Project 2025 concludes by reminding its readers that people are policy. The idea is that the president’s first job is to choose people […]
I’ve received far more responses to this series than any other in 20 years. Almost everyone in the past week believes we must prepare for a very threatening future. Indeed, a good beginning is trying to understand what is going on. Once we grasp that, we can ask how Jesus’ teachings guide us. With that […]
I waited to write until after the election knowing that the outcome could make a big difference in our life together. Our nation will never be the same again. All morning long, I’ve been hearing from friends, mostly pastors, who also believe we are in very critical times. All are calling for compassion that might […]
Below is a slight abridgment of a pastoral letter sent by Bishop George Lucey to his people in the American National Catholic Church. It provides excellent guidance for us all as we approach the election. “Long ago, I gave these commands to my people: ‘You must see that justice is done and must show kindness […]
I 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 the German National Christian Church, which heralded his rise. In many ways, this group produced […]
Since 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 children, and destroying our country. In 2024, his rallies focus almost exclusively on this. In […]
Like 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 world history—is incredibly self-centered and far from reality. Claiming one administration is good and that […]
A 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 oranges. The Church proclaims the Gospel, and the government provides order. Jesus’ teachings were not […]
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