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.
5 Surprising Spiritual Benefits of Owning Less Stuff: Minimalism was meant to help our finances. Here’s how it helped our faith. Jesus’ teaching on money and possessions tell us that owning less actually results in more freedom and joy and peace. Students are presented with five ways to reconsider their material existence without going gnostic.
Christians Say Predatory Loans are Sin: Christians in 30 states—from Alabama to Wyoming—say it’s a sin to lend money to someone who can’t afford to pay it back.Most want the government to protect consumers from loans with excessive interest. Still, 1 in 6 Christians has taken out a high-interest payday loan, while few of their fellow […]
Corporate America’s embrace of gay rights has reached a stunning tipping point: This Washington Post analysis piece on corporate business interests and gay rights may be of interest. Students can consider its content, conclusion, and implications, and if the headline is congruent with the content. Whether this current trend in business contributes to further polarization […]
The Resurrection of St. Benedict’s: Here is the 60 Minutes page and video on St. Benedict’s Prep, the all-boys prep school in Newark for low-income students of color that has a graduation rate of 98 percent. See also the Huffington Post story.
What Apple’s Encryption Fight Has to Do with Religious Freedom: Apple’s case reminds us of the broad importance of protecting organizations—both secular and religious, for-profit and non-profit—from compulsion to act against their most foundational values. These cases give us a chance to consider the public good of providing institutions—whether companies, niche craft stores, or religious nonprofits—with enough […]
‘Body Hacking’ Movement Rises Ahead Of Moral Answers: Body hackers view the world differently. They believe technology has reached a point where it can improve the human body instead of just fixing what’s broken. From pacemakers to color cameras for the brain of the color-blind, the goal is the human body augmented by devices. Students can […]
Can Monasteries Be a Model for Reclaiming Tech Culture for Good? Monasteries ushered civilization through the Dark Ages; perhaps unMonasteries, sparing the dogma and self-flagellation, can keep alive the promise of a liberating Internet as companies like Google and Facebook tighten their grip. Hackers are transforming an ancient city into a prototype for the future. As […]
What’s the Value of Utility? A brief essay that can help students quickly reconsider assumptions about value, what is important, why, how we assess value, versions of moral calculus, different ethical theories, and personal and public policy. The greatest happiness for the greatest number may sound like a noble idea, but exactly how are we supposed to […]
The Church Collection Plate Goes Digital: Using the Tithe.ly app takes fewer than five taps, and its built-in geolocation enables contributions at any of the 1,000 churches that subscribe—a feature that’s especially useful around holidays like Easter, when many people travel. Tithe.ly also lets worshipers set up automatic recurring payments.
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 […]
