Partner Organization Resources and Events
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. ELCA Worship also features resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers in a monthly blog post. The Hymn Society The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada encourages, promotes, and enlivens congregational singing by building supportive relationships and enabling networking and ecumenical cooperation which providing experience in performance practices to help in the introduction and leading of the congregation’s song. Hymn Society…
The Father-Son God by the Holy Spirit: Repudiating Social Trinitarianisms
Torrance is discussing the impact that dualistic Hellenism has had upon Western-thought-forms; namely the precedence that classical thought has given to the optical mode of thinking and verification (so the obsession with empiricism, etc.). TFT is highlighting the impact that this methodology and epistemology can have upon our construal of God’s “Father-hood” and “Son-hood,” and how Christian/Patristic theology, primarily through Athanasius’ influence, eschewed this “Hellenizing” effect by reifying it through Christian ontology. The contrast between Christianity and Hellenism could hardly be greater than at this fundamental level, where biblical patterns of thought governed by the Word of God and the obedient hearing of faith (υπακοη της πιτεως) conflict…
For what shall we pray?
“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, conflict, and uncertainty, especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela……
Worship Resources from Augsburg Fortress
Augsburg Fortress is the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers that support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. ELCA Worship also features resources from other partners in a monthly blog post. See Me, Believe Me: An Updated Guide to Deepen Allyship with Congregational Leaders of Color In this updated edition of See Me, Believe Me, Rev. Dr. Yolanda Denson-Byers offers an honest and unflinching look at the challenges faced by leaders of color in the predominantly white ELCA. The…
On A Critique of the Pactum Salutis and its Inherent Social [subordinationist] Trinitarianism
Karl Barth operated with his own reformulated Christologically conditioned Covenantal theology. For Him there is one covenant (of grace), just as sure as there are two covenants, if not three (covenant of works, covenant of grace, pactum salutis i.e., covenant of redemption) that the Federal or classically covenantal theologians such as Cocceius, Ursinus, Olevianus, Bullinger et al. articulated. Barth was a strident critic of Federal or classical Covenantal theology, insofar that he detected a primacy of the Law as the antecedent ground upon which the conditions of the covenant of grace are ultimately fulfilled in the coming of Christ for…
For what shall we pray?
“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, conflict, and uncertainty especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela……
While you are cheering on your team and celebrating with family and friends — let’s help tackle hunger together!
From now until the final whistle, Team Northwest Washington and Team New England will seek to outdo one another for the sake of the gospel. The fans that donate the most through their team page to ELCA World Hunger by midnight Central time on Feb. 8 will help their synod take home the title of ELCA World Hunger Champion — regardless of the outcome on the field. Whether your favorite formation is 3-4, 4-3, or 3:16, you can send your nickels and dimes to support your team! Click here to support Team Northwest Washington! Click here to support Team New England! ELCA Blogs
Not a Doctor of Theology
I am not a doctor of theology. I’ve tried to rationalize owning the one I had from the unaccredited school called Martin Luther School of Bible and Theology. I presented them with a 50K to 60K diss (based on my previously published chapters in my two coedited books, and some further original writing), but I just cannot justify it. I’ve been involved in the academic theology world for years, with just my MA degree (and I’m not even a fan of the academic theology world). I don’t need the ThD or PhD for what I do, ultimately. Anyway, just to…
Febrauary 1, 2026 – Blessed by Presence, Not Circumstance
Prepare This week, the Revised Common Lectionary gives us four meaty texts. They relate to one another, but it is also important to think about them individually. Micah 6:8 might be the best-known verse of the whole book, but it is important to read it within its literary context. Chapter 6 reads like a court transcript. God has dragged the people of Israel (ancient, not the modern-day state) to court. Creation acts as judge and jury. God starts to list all the ways that God has saved and delivered. The people then ask “How shall we say thank you? With…
The Story of Wild Bee Apiary in the Mentawai Islands
Pak Esli lives in a small hamlet called Sua, located in Saibi Samukop Village, Mentawai Islands, off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. On a daily basis, he works as a fisherman as well as a log collector used for making rattan. He lives with his wife and two sons, the second of which is currently in his first year of high school. As the head of the family, Pak Esli is responsible and always tries hard to fulfill his family’s needs. The big change in his life began when he participated in a forest bee farming program sponsored…