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Cee Mills, Burlington, NC Warm-up Questions What’s the biggest thing you have sacrificed in order to get to do or have something else? What’s the biggest thing you have gained by being a follower of Jesus? Lose Your Life? The idea of losing is counter to what American culture defines as good. When you think of sport teams, contests, or any effort you make, the idea of losing is the opposite of what you expect or want. I remember the first time I played an organized sport. All of us had a lot to learn and were not proficient at…

Joshua Serrano, San Carlos, CA Warm-up Question Who is your favorite celebrity and why?  Dealing With Highs and Lows There is an interview popping up on different social media sources between Brad Pitt and Adam Sandler. Pitt recounts a story he heard about Sandler.  In the story, Sandler was in college at NYU and had been taking acting classes. His theater professor took him out for drinks one night, but it wasn’t to tell Sandler what a great job he was doing. The theater professor was trying to let Sandler down easy, telling him that he didn’t have the ability…

Definitions are important; if for no other reason but to understand what something means. Context provides meaning, and thus definition, for words; whether that is in sentences, paragraphs, chapters, books, so on and so forth. When attempting to understand where a particular theologian lies, as far as classification, within the alternative types of being a theologian, it is important that we get a handle on the definitions used to ascertain that. In the medieval period, generally, a theologian could be classified as a scholastic theologian, or a Christian humanist; or potentially, both, depending on the way someone enters into the…

“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 peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Palestine and Israel, Myanmar, Russia and Ukraine,…

by Tomo Duke, Faith Action Network in Washington [about the author] I visited the Washington State Capitol a few times this legislative session to advocate with our elected officials. I walked through buildings filled with elegant marble and golden interiors and observed many people dressed in fancy suits. I thought the grandeur created an illusion about elected officials’ status and power. In a culture that tempts us to fall into idolization of elected officials or political apathy, what kind of power and accountability do we share?   POWER IN A UNIFIED COMMUNITY In his Epistle to Ephesians, Paul reveals a…

When I first started blogging years ago (circa 2005) many of my posts were pretty short; I’d say approximately 500 words or less. As the years have progressed they have gotten longer, and thus take a little more time and work to write. What would you all prefer. Shorter more frequent posts, or longer less frequent? I’m just curious. It will probably remain the same either way , but I am always interested in what my readers think on such things. Athanasian Reformed

Celebrate Black History Month with season three of “Talks at the Desk,” a four-part video series by African Descent Ministries of the ELCA. This season focuses on the Reclaim Gathering and will explore its themes: reclaim, embolden, embody and liberate. A new video will premiere each Wednesday in February at 7:30 p.m. Central time beginning Feb. 7. Watch live at https://youtube.com/ELCA. The following is cross-posted from Living Lutheran. The original post can be found here. The ELCA African Descent Ministries “Reclaim” gathering was held September 14-17 in Minneapolis. Pastor Nicolette Penaranda, program director for ELCA African Descent Ministries, addressed participants…

by Frances Dobbs, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin [about the author] I believe it is important to look to Scripture for values that our leaders should inhabit. The third chapter of Ephesians explores how Christ perfectly embodies leadership, making a clear example for worldly leaders. When reading the story of salvation history, I believe we are reminded that God has a role in appointing leaders, but that leadership also comes with guidelines for how they act. Micah 6:8 states: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to…

When the work of Christ is separated from the person of Christ, all you can be left with are either pure Pelagian or semi-Pelagian doctrines of salvation; as that becomes funded by some functional type of an adoptionistic christology (e.g., Ebionism etc.) This is why TFT refers to the Latin Heresy: he is referring to theologies, Western-Augustinian ones, that ultimately don’t think salvation, as both objectified and subjectivized in the Monarxia of God in the person of Jesus Christ. When this or that individual person is understood as being “elect” of God, based on an arbitrary and hidden decree of…

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. Institute of Liturgical Studies An ecumenical conference on liturgical renewal for the church today. Creation, Not Commodity: The Church’s Liturgy in a Consumer CultureApril 9-11, 2024, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind. Consumer or market culture’s role in our lives is so ubiquitous that we frequently fail to recognize its presence and influence over us. Even committed church folk will talk about…