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 justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Palestine and Israel, Myanmar, Iraq,…
Boldness Before God in Christ’s Election
More strongly than Calvin, Beza thinks when dealing with the “elect” [“electi”) [sic] of particular persons with particular names. He directs his interest toward what is going on inside them, their questioning and receiving answers, their unsettledness followed by quiet resolution and then more unsettledness in their souls, the entire process of strange ups and downs, back and forths, which constantly goes on there. -Karl Barth, The Theology of the Reformed Confessions, 121-2 This is what happens when election is thought of in “Latin” terms, in abstraction from both its objective and subjective ground in the Godman, Jesus Christ. This…
All Creation Sings Resources for Day of Pentecost, Holy Trinity, and Summer
As you make plans to celebrate the festivals of Pentecost and Holy Trinity and look ahead to summer worship, consider the following ways to explore All Creation Sings. Day of Pentecost Try worshiping in multiple languages through either song or spoken word. Has your assembly worshiped using ACS Setting 11, a fully bilingual setting in Spanish and English? Watch this video from Bishop Felix Malpica as he gives pointers for beginning the process of bilingual worship. Audio recordings of the music in Setting 11 are available to support your introduction process. Sing “Come, Holy Spirit” (ACS 940) as a…
Christ is Risen! As the Basis for Freedom Before God and Others
The following is a post I wrote quite a few years ago where I reflect on the implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is both devotional, personal, and a little academic in orientation; but I think it’s fitting for today. Christ is risen! I really struggled with a false sense of guilt and condemnation for particular sins from my past for years upon years. The enemy of my soul kept me living under ‘a yoke of bondage’ that Jesus said I ‘would be free indeed’ from. The Lord did not leave me as an orphan though, by the…
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 victims of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore, MD and for emergency personnel, government…
March Updates – U.N. and State Edition
Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network last month. Full list and map of sppos available. U.N. | ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | MINNESOTA | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA | WASHINGTON | WISCONSIN New York Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), U.N. – ELCA.org/lowc Christine Mangale, Director As our Lutheran Office for World Community colleagues conclude vigorous activity during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), no March update is available. Arizona LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY ARIZONA (LAMA) lamaz.org Solveig Muus, Director LAMA hosted its 3rd…
An Intention to Teach
Addendum: When I write a post that I intend to fit the theme of this particular post, I will note that in its title. To be clear, most of my posts will just be me writing and speaking freely still . I am thinking that it’s time to start “teaching” through some of my blog posts. In other words, it is time, at points, to take the time to nuance the precision theological language often used here in my posts. That is my intention, anyway. There will still be many posts where I am thinking out loud (which is my normal…
March 31, 2024–What is Watered, Will Grow
Kelsey Green, Baltimore MD Warm-up Questions In a world plagued with violence and death, what does resurrection in our current time and place look like to you? How do you know “Jesus lives”? What You See, Isn’t Always the Truth Friends, I’m tired. I don’t know if I’m the only one, but the current state of the world has me shuffling between images of pure terror and mind-numbing silence most days. I’m worried about my neighbors, worried about the future, worried about what to say to you. I’m sitting here hoping that this reflection might bring you whatever it is…
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 peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially lifting up Palestine and Israel, Myanmar, Iraq,…
An Athanasian Reformed Reading of John 6:44-45: On Unconditional Election and the Effectual Call
There was a debate, very recently, between Dr. James White and Dr. Leighton Flowers with reference to John 6:44-45. The theological locus under disputation was on the Calvinist doctrines of unconditional election and the effectual call. White argued the positive position, i.e., affirming unconditional election and the effectual call; whilst Flowers argued the negative, i.e., denying unconditional election and the effectual call. For the purposes of this post, I am just going to assume the reader understands the entailments of said doctrines, and cut right to the chase in offering the Athanasian Reformed (AR) (Evangelical Calvinist) reading of John 6:44-45….