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.
God, Cancer, a Videogame: This case involves the arts, journalism, health concerns, the problem of evil, addressing grief, and mediums for Christian outreach. The linked article is a commentary on the story of the case in Wired, January 2016. The instructor will need to determine whether and how to adapt the case to course content.
Canada, Complicity, and Coercing Christian Medical Care: A federal panel has recommended that the Government of Canada “establish a process that respects a health care practitioner’s freedom of conscience while at the same time respecting the needs of a patient who seeks medical assistance in dying. At a minimum, the objecting practitioner must provide an effective […]
30 Years After Explosion, Challenger Engineer Still Blames Himself: A shuttle engineer for the Challenger has carried a burden of guilt for thirty years. Says Bob Ebeling, “That was one of the mistakes God made. He shouldn’t have picked me for that job. But next time I talk to him, I’m gonna ask him, ‘Why me? You […]
A Seismic Shift in Bioethics: How moral norms trump even scientific evidence and technology — This position paper can serve as an introduction or polemic piece for examining how scientific and technological developments influence social norms and ethical perspectives. Useful for courses in bioethics, science and technology, sociology, religion, and business.
On Supreme Court Case: Why We Can’t “just sign the form” — Sister Constance Veit, communications director for the Little Sisters of the Poor, offers an explanation. “Form 700 is neither a simple declaration of conscientious objection, nor an “opt out” regarding the HHS Contraceptive Mandate. Form 700 is a permission slip. Signing Form […]
Death, the Prosperity Gospel and Me — A first person account from Kate Bowler, historian and author of Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel (Oxford Univ Press, 2013), recently diagnosed with stage four cancer at the age of 35. Helpful for analysis of the God’s will/God’s plan discussion, American notions of the Gospel, and faith […]
Christianity Today on the PP /CMP Case: Daniel K. Williams, a historian of the pro-life movement, and Focus on the Family president Jim Daly provide their perspectives on the ethics of the Planned Parenthood Fetal Tissue case. The articles link are Why Are Pro-Lifers Borrowing Pro-Choice Philosophy? and I Know Why the Government Went after Pro-Life […]
How the homeless population is changing: As the population ages, the homeless are getting older too, presenting societal challenges in the years ahead. In the early 1990s, 11 percent of the adult homeless population in the United States was aged 50 and over. It increased to 37 percent by 2003, and today half of America’s homeless […]
Why sportswriters keep ignoring this MLB pitcher’s Christian faith: Daniel Norris makes no secret of his Christian faith — no secret at all. So why do sportswriters — again and again and again — either totally ignore that aspect of Norris’ character or keep the nature of his faith vague? There’s a reason why “God” talk […]
Is Sports Gambling Moral? You Bet, Americans Say: Nearly two-thirds of Americans disagree that it’s morally wrong to bet on sports. Yet 49 percent think sports betting shouldn’t be legalized nationwide. Opposition runs highest among religious Americans. Almost 60% evangelical beliefs say sports betting should not be legalized throughout the country, and 57 percent believe daily fantasy sports […]
