October 31 is an important date on the calendar of the Lutheran Church. This is the anniversary of the day on which Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the front door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. This document was the beginning of Luther's protests against several practices of the 16th Century Roman Catholic Church, including the selling of indulgences, the withholding of communion wine from laypeople, the use of the Latin language in worship, and the emphasis on good works. The Roman Catholic Church responded to Luther's invitation to debate and discussion by ridiculing him, then excommunicating him. However, the invention of the printing press aided the spread of Luther's ideas even as the Roman Catholic Church attempted to destroy Luther's documents. Luther's writings and ideas sparked several different reform movements that drifted away from both the Roman Catholic Church and one another, leading to the various denominations we see within the Church today.
Because we are part of a tradition that claims the Church is "always reforming," October 31 is also a date to consider where the Church still needs reforming. I ask you, what reforms do the Church need to implement? What should the Church keep? What should the Church add? What should the Church release as a practice which used to serve the Church well but is no longer a good idea?
If you have answers to these questions, I invite you to leave your answers below and participate in a sharing of ideas. I will respond to all suggestions.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
Invite a Corporation to Church? Why not!
Yesterday, I came across this blog post in which the author expresses his displeasure over recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings which declare that corporations can be treated as people, including the constitutional rights granted to all people. The author takes this conclusion of treating corporations as people and (sarcastically) invites Christians to go to corporations and invite the corporations to attend worship services at our churches. The author voices his protest to the rulings by pointing out that corporations such as British Petroleum (BP), McDonald's, and Capital One will not show up because they are not people.
However, corporations are made up of people. And if we take up this author's challenge to mainline protestants, it would be the largest evangelism effort that this country has ever seen!
I get that this author is trying to make a point. No, Bank of America is not going to show up at your congregation. However, the tellers at your local bank branch might come if you invite them. The Walton family will not show up just because you wrote a letter to corporate headquarters, but the sales associate at the Walmart or IGA register may appreciate a warm conversation from a customer instead of another set of complaints and accusations.
So, yes, let's invite the people who work in corporations to worship with us on October 19th, or October 26th, or November 2nd. Let's treat them as Sally and Mitch rather than throw scorn at their dress-code-compliant company shirt. For the rest of this month, and in the future, let's interact with company people as people rather than as one piece of the company.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Lutherans Responding to Ebola
Over the last month or so, you have likely heard that the Ebola virus is causing havoc in certain parts of Africa including Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The American media becomes most interested in the outbreak when American volunteers become infected with the virus. Once these Americans either recover from the disease or fall victim to the disease, the American media turns its attention elsewhere.
However, the virus marches on. While precautions can be taken to prevent the transmission of the disease, many do not have the necessary training or safety equipment to use these precautions effectively. Worse, some communities have assumed a corporate attitude of denial, entered a medical facility meant to isolate the sick, stolen beds and medical equipment used to treat Ebola patients (a sure-fire way to spread the virus), and insisted that the patients are suffering from malaria. The lack of equipment, training, facilities, and understanding all come together to prevent the containment of the Ebola virus.
Lutheran Disaster Response is stepping into the breach and helping to contain the Ebola virus. They have put out a plea for financial donations which they can use to answer the call from our partners and companion churches who have "requested our help in responding to the outbreak with food distributions, shipment of personal protective equipment, training health workers, outreach through education about prevention, and construction of an isolation unit at Phebe Hospital and School of Nursing in Liberia. Your gift designated for the Ebola Outbreak Response will be used in full (100 percent) to assist those who are suffering and living with the threat of this virus."
I invite you to click here to open the ELCA's designated donation page and donate what you can to Lutheran Disaster Response's efforts to contain the Ebola virus.
However, the virus marches on. While precautions can be taken to prevent the transmission of the disease, many do not have the necessary training or safety equipment to use these precautions effectively. Worse, some communities have assumed a corporate attitude of denial, entered a medical facility meant to isolate the sick, stolen beds and medical equipment used to treat Ebola patients (a sure-fire way to spread the virus), and insisted that the patients are suffering from malaria. The lack of equipment, training, facilities, and understanding all come together to prevent the containment of the Ebola virus.
Lutheran Disaster Response is stepping into the breach and helping to contain the Ebola virus. They have put out a plea for financial donations which they can use to answer the call from our partners and companion churches who have "requested our help in responding to the outbreak with food distributions, shipment of personal protective equipment, training health workers, outreach through education about prevention, and construction of an isolation unit at Phebe Hospital and School of Nursing in Liberia. Your gift designated for the Ebola Outbreak Response will be used in full (100 percent) to assist those who are suffering and living with the threat of this virus."
I invite you to click here to open the ELCA's designated donation page and donate what you can to Lutheran Disaster Response's efforts to contain the Ebola virus.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
The Promise of Resurrection in a Funeral Liturgy
First, I apologize for not writing a new post in recent weeks. Since the last post, I have moved from one state to another, became ordained as a pastor within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and started as the called pastor of a congregation here in Ripley County. This has kept me very busy and prevented me from returning to this blog. I am still trying to establish my week-to-week routine, so blogging may be light until I can establish that routine.
I have already presided over a funeral in my new calling. I also have a committal service in the near future (note to my congregation: no, you did not miss the news of another death in the congregation this week). Because of this, I have spent time preparing to lead people as they prayed the prayers of the funeral liturgy within the Lutheran Book of Worship (or LBW). I was struck again by how often these prayers point to the Lord's promise of a physical resurrection at the end of the age. I invite you to pray these prayers and remember the Lord's promise of resurrection.
Sometimes, our belief in the resurrection of the body is the weakest strand of our faith that we profess using either the Apostles Creed or the Nicene Creed. But St. Paul claimed that the Corinthians got many other beliefs and practices wrong because they did not get this theological plank correct (see 1 Corinthians 15). Perhaps we also get other beliefs and practices wrong because we do not always grasp this promise and truly understand it. Or, perhaps we believe it, but we do not know how to best talk about it.
Do you find it difficult to understand and trust the Lord's promise of the resurrection of the body? If so, what are your stumbling blocks? If not, what reassures you that the promise is true?
I have already presided over a funeral in my new calling. I also have a committal service in the near future (note to my congregation: no, you did not miss the news of another death in the congregation this week). Because of this, I have spent time preparing to lead people as they prayed the prayers of the funeral liturgy within the Lutheran Book of Worship (or LBW). I was struck again by how often these prayers point to the Lord's promise of a physical resurrection at the end of the age. I invite you to pray these prayers and remember the Lord's promise of resurrection.
"When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by Baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Page 206, a paraphrase of Romans 6:3-5)
"Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ's death and resurrection may die to sin and rise to newness of life and that through the grave and gate of death we may pass with him to our joyful resurrection." (Page 209)
"Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting." (Page 210, a paraphrase of a portion of the third article of the Apostles Creed)
"Almighty God, by the death and burial of Jesus, your anointed, you have destroyed death and sanctified the graves of all your saints. Keep our brother/sister, whose body we now lay to rest, in the company of all your saints and, at the last, raise him/her up to share with all your faithful people the endless joy and peace won through the glorious resurrection of Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever." (Page 212, italics in the original)
"Since almighty God has called our brother/sister, (name), from this life to himself, we commit his/her body to the earth from which it was made/the deep/the elements/its resting place. Christ was the first to rise from the dead, and we know that he will raise up our mortal bodies to be like his in glory. We commend our brother/sister to the Lord: May the Lord receive him/her into his peace and raise him/her up on the last day." (Page 213, italics in the original)
Sometimes, our belief in the resurrection of the body is the weakest strand of our faith that we profess using either the Apostles Creed or the Nicene Creed. But St. Paul claimed that the Corinthians got many other beliefs and practices wrong because they did not get this theological plank correct (see 1 Corinthians 15). Perhaps we also get other beliefs and practices wrong because we do not always grasp this promise and truly understand it. Or, perhaps we believe it, but we do not know how to best talk about it.
Do you find it difficult to understand and trust the Lord's promise of the resurrection of the body? If so, what are your stumbling blocks? If not, what reassures you that the promise is true?
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Martin Luther on Suicide
Several years ago, Thrivent put together a movie which dramatically portrayed how Martin Luther became a leader of the Reformation movement. Perhaps the most powerful scene in the movie is this clip in which Luther responds to a teenager's suicide in a radical way. With depression and suicide in prominent focus after the death of Robin Williams, I invite you to watch this clip and consider the theological messages within it. Which messages inspire hope within you? Do you find yourself challenged by, or objecting to, some of these messages? If so, which ones? Please share your comments below.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Does Peace Equal Justice?
Today, we find several active military conflicts within the world. The conflict that gets the most press is the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Many people around the world are doing their best to bring the conflict to an end so that peace can come to the region. Unfortunately, the definition of "peace" usually means the end of the fighting rather than a result that will lead to a lasting peace.
In our public schools, we are seeing a wave of "anti-bullying" efforts. This is something I want to applaud, but I have some concerns about how these efforts are applied and carried out. These efforts in combination with "no tolerance" policies for fighting lead to a message that goes against what we actually want to teach our children. Although we want to teach our children to stand up to bullies and protect those who are bullied, the message that actually gets proclaimed is that our children should stand aside and not prevent a bully from harming another child. A child that does step in to protect another student being assaulted will automatically be suspended for "participating" in a fight, even though we should support the child's actions on behalf of the one being harmed. Because of this, we teach our children that preventing someone from harming another person is the responsibility of "authorities" and "officials," not ours.
Of course, if we limit our understanding of peace to a lack of violence and bullying to physical assault and battery, we miss a great deal of violence and bullying that takes place through non-physical means. There are many who have found ways to use authorities and officials to do non-physical violence on their behalf. This can exist in a range from the student who tells a false story to a teacher or principal so that another student gets suspended or expelled by the school to countries that sit on the UN Human Rights Council and point investigators away from the atrocities in their homeland.
If it helps, think of how Whitey is able to manipulate Beaver, his parents, and others in this clip:
I also suggest that you read Sarah Hoyt's thoughts on this topic. This is a long blog post, but it is an excellent discussion of whether a lack of violence truly represents justice. Here is a small portion of what she wrote:
A quote attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. is "Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice." How do we advocate for justice rather than for peace? What does justice look like in public schools? What does justice look like if the world is to stop ISIS from persecuting all people who are not sufficiently Islamic? In what other situations does "justice" represent more than an end to the fighting?
In our public schools, we are seeing a wave of "anti-bullying" efforts. This is something I want to applaud, but I have some concerns about how these efforts are applied and carried out. These efforts in combination with "no tolerance" policies for fighting lead to a message that goes against what we actually want to teach our children. Although we want to teach our children to stand up to bullies and protect those who are bullied, the message that actually gets proclaimed is that our children should stand aside and not prevent a bully from harming another child. A child that does step in to protect another student being assaulted will automatically be suspended for "participating" in a fight, even though we should support the child's actions on behalf of the one being harmed. Because of this, we teach our children that preventing someone from harming another person is the responsibility of "authorities" and "officials," not ours.
Of course, if we limit our understanding of peace to a lack of violence and bullying to physical assault and battery, we miss a great deal of violence and bullying that takes place through non-physical means. There are many who have found ways to use authorities and officials to do non-physical violence on their behalf. This can exist in a range from the student who tells a false story to a teacher or principal so that another student gets suspended or expelled by the school to countries that sit on the UN Human Rights Council and point investigators away from the atrocities in their homeland.
If it helps, think of how Whitey is able to manipulate Beaver, his parents, and others in this clip:
I also suggest that you read Sarah Hoyt's thoughts on this topic. This is a long blog post, but it is an excellent discussion of whether a lack of violence truly represents justice. Here is a small portion of what she wrote:
"Faced with a classroom full of violent kids, or a world full of violent adults (none of us are angels) it’s very easy to say “I’ll just stop all fighting. I’ll beat anyone who fights.")
"Here’s a problem – you too are a fallible human and filled with violent impulses. (And before one of you asks – did I as a kid dispense the wrong justice? Probably not often. It was a small school and I was aware of the personalities and proclivities. Sometimes, though? Probably.) You’re going to listen to the side that seems right to you. The angelic looking and cleaner side does it for most adults. And half the time it will be the wrong side."
A quote attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. is "Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice." How do we advocate for justice rather than for peace? What does justice look like in public schools? What does justice look like if the world is to stop ISIS from persecuting all people who are not sufficiently Islamic? In what other situations does "justice" represent more than an end to the fighting?
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Reframing the Church's Conversations About Marriage
My cousin, Jackie, shared this article on Facebook. The author writes about how she internalized her congregation's message about virginity. The congregation taught her that sex was reserved for marriage; extra-marital sex would lead to Hell. Although she remained a virgin until she was married, she was afraid that she might "cross the line" and punch her ticket to Hell. After the wedding, she still feared sex, which restricted her relationship with her husband. In time, her internal pressures were too much to contain and she confessed her struggles to her husband, who suggested therapy.
What was the end result of this process? The author states:
During my time in seminary, I learned about the Church's traditional teachings concerning the three ends (or purposes) of marriage. These three ends are:
I did not hear most of this as I was growing up. I heard the message of "Don't have sex before marriage." Obviously, I did not have the same experiences as the woman who wrote the article in question. However, I can see how limiting our message to a command to refrain from sex with the threat of Hell as punishment can lead to poor relationships, poor understandings of sex within God's good order within marriage, and, in some, burnout, depression, and withdrawal from the Church.
I can also see how teaching these three ends of marriage is extremely counter-cultural. Turn on your television or pop in a movie, and you will likely see something that proclaims that sex is a good thing, so we should have sex on a regular basis as long as we find someone else who will agree to have sex with us. Today, in our culture, sex is not an activity by which married couples build their relationship; sex is an activity through which individuals obtain pleasure whether or not the individuals are in a relationship with one another. Because our culture upholds pleasure as its own value, our culture dangles sex in front of us to catch our attention, to make us desire sex, and to train us to do certain "approved" things so that we can obtain sex. Proclaiming that sex is much more than a vehicle for pleasure will put the Church at odds with our culture, which is where the Church is supposed to be in the first place. Refraining from sex shows that we are not like the rest of our culture and that there are other options than the pursuit of pleasure through sex.
So, instead of simply telling our children, "Don't have sex until you are married," let's tell our children about what a marriage relationship truly is. A proper marriage relationship will testify to the relationship between the Lord and the Church, raise children for the Church, and help the married couple grow in holiness. Sex within such a relationship can fulfill these ends of marriage. Refraining from sex when one in not a part of a marriage relationship also fulfills these ends of marriage. After all, it would be a powerful message if the teens and young adults of the Church can turn to our culture and say, "We have found something more interesting than the pursuit of sex. We are dedicated to our calling from the Lord and will testify to the Lord with our whole lives. When we have sex, it will be within our faithful marriage relationships because the Lord has been faithful to us and to the Church." Perhaps this is a more healthy message than the "Don't have sex before marriage or you will go to Hell" proclamation that many have heard in recent years.
What was the end result of this process? The author states:
"I don't go to church anymore, nor am I religious. As I started to heal, I realized that I couldn't figure out how to be both religious and sexual at the same time. I chose sex...These words should bother most people who believe that sex should be reserved for marriage. Does this woman represent the majority of what our children and grandchildren hear and experience when we talk about purity and virginity? Is this why many young adults remain away from the church: they do not believe that they can be both religious and sexual? How can we talk about sex as part of God's good creation while also upholding the value of reserving sex for marriage?
"I'm now thoroughly convinced that the entire concept of virginity is used to control female sexuality. If I could go back, I would not wait. I would have sex with my then-boyfriend-now-husband and I wouldn't go to hell for it. We would have gotten married at a more appropriate age and I would have kept my sexuality to myself."
During my time in seminary, I learned about the Church's traditional teachings concerning the three ends (or purposes) of marriage. These three ends are:
- Unitive: the relationship between a husband and a wife is a living testimony to the relationship between the Lord and the Church. The Lord is always faithful to the Lord's people, and the Church is always faithful to the Lord. A couple that remains faithful to each other testifies to the relationship between the Lord and the Church. On the other hand, a couple that does not remain faithful undercuts their testimony to the Lord and the Church.
- Procreative: the married couple raises children for the Lord and the Church. Note that this purpose of marriage speaks to raising children, not creating children through sexual intercourse. Because this purpose speaks to raising children, couples which are infertile, choose to adopt children, or remain childless can also fulfill this purpose by either adopting children or acting as adult mentors for other children in the congregation.
- Sacramental: the husband and wife jointly participate in worshipping the Lord and obeying the Lord's calling. By doing so, the couple grows together in holiness.
I did not hear most of this as I was growing up. I heard the message of "Don't have sex before marriage." Obviously, I did not have the same experiences as the woman who wrote the article in question. However, I can see how limiting our message to a command to refrain from sex with the threat of Hell as punishment can lead to poor relationships, poor understandings of sex within God's good order within marriage, and, in some, burnout, depression, and withdrawal from the Church.
I can also see how teaching these three ends of marriage is extremely counter-cultural. Turn on your television or pop in a movie, and you will likely see something that proclaims that sex is a good thing, so we should have sex on a regular basis as long as we find someone else who will agree to have sex with us. Today, in our culture, sex is not an activity by which married couples build their relationship; sex is an activity through which individuals obtain pleasure whether or not the individuals are in a relationship with one another. Because our culture upholds pleasure as its own value, our culture dangles sex in front of us to catch our attention, to make us desire sex, and to train us to do certain "approved" things so that we can obtain sex. Proclaiming that sex is much more than a vehicle for pleasure will put the Church at odds with our culture, which is where the Church is supposed to be in the first place. Refraining from sex shows that we are not like the rest of our culture and that there are other options than the pursuit of pleasure through sex.
So, instead of simply telling our children, "Don't have sex until you are married," let's tell our children about what a marriage relationship truly is. A proper marriage relationship will testify to the relationship between the Lord and the Church, raise children for the Church, and help the married couple grow in holiness. Sex within such a relationship can fulfill these ends of marriage. Refraining from sex when one in not a part of a marriage relationship also fulfills these ends of marriage. After all, it would be a powerful message if the teens and young adults of the Church can turn to our culture and say, "We have found something more interesting than the pursuit of sex. We are dedicated to our calling from the Lord and will testify to the Lord with our whole lives. When we have sex, it will be within our faithful marriage relationships because the Lord has been faithful to us and to the Church." Perhaps this is a more healthy message than the "Don't have sex before marriage or you will go to Hell" proclamation that many have heard in recent years.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Blog Title Change
As of Sunday, August 3, 2014, I am called by the congregation of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Olean, Indiana, to be the congregation's pastor. The congregation, my wife, and I are very excited for this new beginning as we work together to carry out God's mission within the world.
To reflect this, I have changed the title of my blog. This blog is not just my forum anymore. Yes, I will still blog about topics on which the Church and the world are focusing and discussing. However, this blog will also feature topics of concern within my new local community and congregation. My plan (such as it is) will be to connect with others in the local community through this blog and through the congregation's social media efforts.
To all who have read this blog while it has been either my seminary project or my entry into social media ministry, thank you for your support. I hope that you will continue to follow this blog as I enter into ordained ministry with the people of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Olean, Indiana.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Pray With Us
This weekend, my wife and I are meeting a congregation before the congregation votes whether to issue a call. As we enter this time of discernment, I ask that you join us in praying this prayer:
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Source
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Source
Monday, July 28, 2014
Virtual Bible Study: Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
As I prepare to preach this Sunday, I invite you to be a part of my sermon preparation. These are the four readings which the Revised Common Lectionary assigned to this Sunday:
Isaiah 55:1-5
Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
Take a few minutes to read through these passages. Because the Isaiah 55 and the Matthew 14 readings may be very familiar to you, read through these two passages a second time to prevent the "I know this story" bias.
As you read these passages, what catches your attention? What word/phrase/image sticks with you? Did anything catch you by surprise? In the familiar stories, did you pick up on a detail which you did not notice when you have read this passage in the past?
Please share your answers to these questions, along with any other insights, in the comments section here on as a comment on my Facebook page. I will respond to all comments and ask follow-up questions. While I have some thoughts which I will share during the discussion, my main interest here is to read and hear your thoughts and opinions on these passages.
So how do these passages speak to you today?
Isaiah 55:1-5
Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
Take a few minutes to read through these passages. Because the Isaiah 55 and the Matthew 14 readings may be very familiar to you, read through these two passages a second time to prevent the "I know this story" bias.
As you read these passages, what catches your attention? What word/phrase/image sticks with you? Did anything catch you by surprise? In the familiar stories, did you pick up on a detail which you did not notice when you have read this passage in the past?
Please share your answers to these questions, along with any other insights, in the comments section here on as a comment on my Facebook page. I will respond to all comments and ask follow-up questions. While I have some thoughts which I will share during the discussion, my main interest here is to read and hear your thoughts and opinions on these passages.
So how do these passages speak to you today?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)