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Prepare Luke is the only gospel in which we find the story of Zacchaeus. Luke often shares stories of people who are marginalized, oppressed, or looked down upon and shows how Jesus’s love changes them. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and would have been shunned by his own people because of his profession. In those days, taxes imposed by Rome took a large portion of people’s money, leaving many poor.  And as was the practice of tax collectors, Zacchaeus was likely skimming a little extra for himself too, aggravating people even more. Zacchaeus became wealthy through his position in…

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.   Prayer prompts: For an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza,…

Ludwig Feuerbach Karl Barth is often identified as a neo-Kantian, or just straight up Kantian in his theological orientation (and methodology). It seems too facile to me to maintain that Barth was somehow a slavish servant of Kant, especially materially. Maybe formally, Barth could be understood to be a Kantian in certain qualified ways. But in the air he breathed to be “Kantian” or neo-Kantian would be like saying that John Calvin et al. was an Aristotelian, or Scotist for that matter. The point being, often, formalities are not the all-encompassing thing in the theological project. Ultimately, what is at…

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States September 15- October 15, we share this message from the Associate of Latino Ministries of the ELCA. Credit: This image is from the October 10, 2024 Living Lutheran Magazine online post entitled “Thoughts for Thursday during National Hispanic Heritage Month” which can be found here. For more information on the Association of Latino Ministries of the ELCA:  AML de la ELCA For more on the Latino Community of the ELCA:  Latino For more on Hispanic Heritage Month from Living Lutheran, check out these recent articles:  2025,…

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States September 15- October 15, we share this message from the Associate of Latino Ministries of the ELCA. Credit: This image is from the October 10, 2024 Living Lutheran Magazine online post entitled “Thoughts for Thursday during National Hispanic Heritage Month” which can be found here. For more information on the Association of Latino Ministries of the ELCA:  AML de la ELCA For more on the Latino Community of the ELCA:  Latino For more on Hispanic Heritage Month from Living Lutheran, check out these recent articles:  2025,…

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. –Ecclesiastes 3:14 The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. –I Samuel 2:6 Judas Iscariot Three decades ago now (to the year) I started struggling heavily with anxiety, depression, and spiritual warfare that was beyond me. It was this that the Lord used in my life to draw me to Him in very serious and sober ways. This struggle, in a very intense way (on a…

Prepare In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people lived under Roman rule. Even though Jews were allowed to worship Jehovah, the true God, life under an occupying empire often brought tension and resentment. Some Jews worked for the Roman administration, collecting taxes or overseeing trade. These tax collectors, often seen as collaborators who took more than what was due, were widely disliked and regarded by many as sinners or outsiders within their own community. At the other end of the spectrum were the Pharisees – Jewish leaders who devoted themselves on obeying not only the ten commandments, but also many ceremonial…

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.   Prayer prompts: For an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza,…

More engagement with a Mormon (a different one this time). On Mormonism as a Form of Gnostic Arianism No, it’s because the Mormon Jesus is equivocal with the Christian Jesus. In other words, the Mormon Jesus is not understood to be the second person of the Trinity (along with the Father and Holy Spirit), i.e., not ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑠 (of the same exact being) with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Mormon Jesus, at best, is a philosophical demiurge deployed by the Father (who alone is God) to point the LDS to their inherent need to be freed from the physical…

By Zachary Olson, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow ELCA Advocacy is excited to introduce the six new leaders in the 2025-2026 Hunger Advocacy Fellows cohort. These new Fellows bring a variety of skills, experiences and insights into their work for the upcoming year. This year-long fellowship combines professional development and faith formation as the Fellows tackle public policy issues on the state and national level. We look forward to the year ahead and our work to help create a more just world.   Garber, Daniella (Pennsylvania) Daniella Garber is the new Hunger Advocacy Fellow with the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Pennsylvania…