October Update: Advocacy Connections
from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: October 2022 GLOBAL MALNUTRITION PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT PASSES! | DACA-RELATED DECISION STILL INDICATES NEED OF PERMANENT PROTECTIONS | INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND CHURCH BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE | ACUTE AWARENESS OF DISASTER RESPONSE NEEDS | ELECTION DAY IS ALMOST HERE GLOBAL MALNUTRITION PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT PASSES: We celebrate that the bipartisan Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act recently passed the Senate following spring passage by the House and thank the many Lutherans who used their voices to encourage this…
Reading the Bible Theologically versus Naturalistically
It has become almost self-evident that the way Christian persons are to interpret Holy Scripture comes from reconstructing history; through philological acumen; the ability to understand grammatical syntax, etc. While all of this, and more, is important towards culling the heft and riches of Scripture’s intent, in relation to its reality, Jesus Christ, it is not the only way to frame, nor I will suggest, the primary way we should approach the interpretation of the Bible. And since I want this post to be meaningful, in a contemporary sense, I want to focus, once again, on how the above has…
October 23, 2022–Lord Have Mercy
Steve Peterson, Saulk Rapids, MN Warm-up Question Has there been a time in your life when you longed for someone, or God, to have a little mercy on you? Lord Have Mercy Sometimes we experience a tension in life. We want to see ourselves in a position of superiority, thinking of ourselves as better than “other kinds of people”. But we also feel a pull toward humility and a stance of shared humanity with all people. Resentment may come into play. We are tempted to dehumanize those we resent, maybe even punish them. We think ourselves justified in considering…
October 16, 2022–Persistence
CeCee Mills, Greensboro, NC Warm-up Questions What is the difference between being persistent and being annoying? How do you decide when to push harder and when to pull back? Persistence I keep thinking about the people’s determination in the Ukraine. It has been nearly eight months since the invasion began. Ukraine’s population is forty-four million compared to Russia’s one hundred forty-four million. I watch President Volodymyr Zelensky and I feel inspired. I am sure it was not a surprise that they were attacked – but I wonder what the citizens feel. I assume they feel displaced, angry, scared, and untethered….
Christ Crucified and the Perfect Tense of Corinthians
The following is an excerpt from my Master’s thesis on first Corinthians 1: 17-25. This will be a quick discussion on the phrase “Christ crucified” found in verse 23. I will follow with a closing word. _____________________ This phrase serves as the content of the proclamation of foolishness, back in verse 21. The term Christ crucified is a perfect passive participle, and it is functioning as an adjectival- substantive participle, meaning the one who was crucified. The perfect participle carries the force of,” … describing an event that, completed in the past …,” and “… has results existing in the present time”…
Prompts for Prayers of Intercession – October 16, 2022
These prompts are provided for worship leaders as they prepare the prayers of intercession for weekly worship. The prompts are prepared by several leaders in the ELCA and reflect current world and national events. You are encouraged to adapt and add other concerns for your local context, including staying informed of events and concerns in your synod. Intercession prompts: For the victims and families of the mass shooting at a daycare center in Thailand… For peace amid the escalating conflict between Palestine and Israel… For the victims and rescue workers in the aftermath of a landslide in Venezuela… For the…
Situation Report: Hurricane Ian
Situation: On Sept. 27, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Cuba, causing severe flooding and an island-wide power outage. The next day, it hit Florida as a high-end Category 4 hurricane. A dangerous storm surge, coastal flooding and strong winds damaged buildings and infrastructure, making rescue efforts more difficult. In total, at least 137 people died, with 126 of those deaths in Florida. St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, FL Response: Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is coordinating a response with the Florida-Bahamas Synod. The synod is providing small relief grants to impacted families and will continue…
Don’t Be a Socinian: On the Trinity and Scripture
When philosophical analytic becomes the mode and method of particular theologians and exegetes, historically what we end up with is something like a Socinianism. In the following Richard Muller explicates, a bit, on what a Socinianism entails. In his context he is, of course, engaging with how the Socinians related to the Post Reformed orthodox; particularly in regard to the Socinians’ penchant to reject the Trinity on the grounds of being biblically fiducial over-against, as they would see it, slavishly bound to catholic Church teaching. I want to highlight this movement, once again, in this post, because Socinianism is never…
Situation Report: Pakistan Flooding
Situation: Since June 2022, Pakistan has experienced historic monsoon weather, with rainfall leading to torrential flooding. The flooding is causing a widespread humanitarian crisis, with people losing homes, crops and livestock. Millions of people are displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance, such as food, temporary shelter, health services and other supplies. A makeshift shelter in Pakistan. Photo: Community World Service Asia Response: Lutheran Disaster Response is contributing to an appeal from ACT Alliance to address the monsoon flooding in Pakistan. The implementing partner, Community World Service Asia (CWSA) will provide cash assistance so impacted…
October 9, 2022–Borderlands
Kris Litman-Koon, Mount Pleasant, SC Warm-up Question What determines the borders of the space where you are now gathered? For instance, if you are in a room, the answer would be the walls. What about beyond that? What determines the borders of the property on which you are located? The municipality? Borderlands Many physical places serve as a transition between two other spaces. In locations where outdoor temperatures can be frigid, some homes have a vestibule, which is an enclosed entryway that serves as a buffer between the warm interior and the cold exterior. (In South Carolina, with its moderately…