Four Challenges for Christians on Assisted Suicide — “Those who try to win an ethical argument that it is morally wrong for terminally ill patients to take their own lives are on their way to losing that argument. But those who are ready to articulate a better way have a real chance in changing the […]
Items included on this page come from a variety of sources. The perspectives conveyed may or may not express a Lutheran ethos. They can serve our instruction as discussion-starters, examples (positive and negative), and illustrations of intersections between God’s two kingdoms, intersections sometimes characterized by tension, sometimes by congruence. Inclusion does not imply endorsement.
The Dignity Deniers
The Dignity Deniers — Dominant cultural voices argue that an individual’s moral worth should be predicated upon his or her individual capacities of the moment. This view is most acutely expressed in bioethics, the field that wields tremendous influence over health-care public policies and in the ethical protocols of medicine.
More on Health Care Sharing Ministries
More on Health Care Sharing Ministries — Apart from recent ACA disputes and court decisions, a little-known 4-year-old provision in the nation’s health care law allows for Americans to opt out of the insurance mandate if they object on religious grounds.
TechnoReligion: Transcendence Through Technology
TechnoReligion: Transcendence Through Technology — Organized around four core tenets—“life is purposeful, death is optional, God is technological, and love is essential”–Terasem is a “transreligion,” (meaning that you don’t have to give up being Christian or Jewish or Muslim to join) in which you can beam a digital copy of yourself into space.
Clemson Coach and Religious Coercion
Clemson Coach and Religious Coercion — In a letter to Clemson University, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a complaint about “the football program’s connection to the coach’s Christian religion.” According to the foundation, Coach Dabo Swinney has “promoted a culture in the program that promotes Christianity and violates constitutional guidelines against publicly funded […]
23 Weeks 6 Days: The Borderland of Premees
23 Weeks 6 Days: The Borderland of Premees — Kelley and Tom’s daughter was born at 23 weeks and 6 days, roughly halfway to full term. This story addresses the questions about the lines between life and death, reflex and will, and the confusing tug of war between two basic moral touchstones: doing no harm […]
Dying in the Digital Age
Dying in the Digital Age — An active conversation and a hefty dose of outrage is swirling on social media about the proper boundaries between public and private when it comes to illness and death. Lisa Adams, a stage 4 cancer patient, has been tweeting her experiences with the disease. Writers Bill and Emma Keller […]
When I Die: Lessons From the Death Zone
When I Die: Lessons From the Death Zone — In this 9 min. video, Philip Gould shares his thoughts and insights as he confronts his impending death from oesophageal cancer. Filmed during the last 2 weeks of Philip’s life, this intimate portrait reveals his quest to find purpose and meaning in what he called “the […]
Views on End-of-Life Medical Treatment
Views on End-of-Life Medical Treatment — A growing minority says that medical professionals should do everything possible to save a patient’s life in all circumstances. the share of the public that says doctors and nurses should do everything possible to save a patient’s life has gone up 9 percentage points since 2005 and 16 points […]
Churches, Preaching, and the Obamacare Coverage Gap
Churches, Preaching, and the Obamacare Coverage Gap — An article with broad coverage of issues on the church’s words and deeds on whether and to what extent the church, the government, or both should address the needs of “the least of these” (Mt. 25) in society. The Obamacare ‘Scandal’ You Haven’t Heard About may serve […]
