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.
Varieties of Religious Experience: Ross Douthat provides a convenient list of current popularized notions about God, gods, and other versions of the numinous. Useful for the sociology of religion, apologetics, world religion, intro to philosophy, or introducing William James’ original book.
A Solstice Devotional for the Faithless in Trump’s America: Students can read this secular homily from a former Christian as a testimony of concerns, appeals, and petitions for the kind of society for which a notable demographic in today’s world hopes. Compare and contrast the themes with a traditional Christian narrative and hope.
Amicus Says Trademark Case Impacts Religious Speech: The case of Lee v. Tam involves a free speech challenge to the government to deny trademark registration to a mark “which may disparage persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring them into contempt, or disrepute.” An amicus brief now argues against this disparagement clause as […]
Becket Fund Helps Clergy Intervene In Parsonage Lawsuit: This somewhat breezy column discusses the minister of religion housing allowance and may serve as an example of how this 60 year-old congressional action is perceived by some. Plainly, a two-kingdoms topic.
The Spiritual Crisis of the Modern Economy: The main source of meaning in American life is a meritocratic competition that makes those who struggle feel inferior. This essay can help students explore how value is assigned to persons and whether and how the concept of grace might be applied (or misapplied) to themes in sociology and […]
A Bible Translation for Everyone? Released by the ABS in 1966, Good News for Modern Man—the TEV—was a cultural phenomenon and one of the most successful religious publications in American history. For 25 cents the public could read a Bible in plain English, representing an important chapter in the post–Protestant Reformation quest to make the Bible accessible […]
Saving the Funeral from an Untimely Death: We no longer see funerals as worship. We see them as private, sad gatherings for the family. But we are here to recall a wider, deeper reality, nothing less than the crux of the cosmos: Christ’s resurrection. Students can examine the funeral as an intersection of our liturgy–“doing a […]
Bethlehem’s Holy Family Hospital: This brief 2 min. video introduces Holy Family Hospital, just up the hill from the Church of the Nativity. The medical staff is primarily Christian, most of the patients are Muslim, but the hospital serves everyone, especially mothers, their newborn babies, and all children who need special care.
Women’s Mental Health and Well-being 5 Years After Receiving or Being Denied an AbortionA Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study — Here is the JAMA study on whether there are associations between having or being denied an abortion with women’s mental health and well-being. Students can study the research and assess it for methodology, reports on it from […]
Should I Lie About My Beliefs to Get Health Insurance? — Students can untangle the issues, assumptions, and inferences of this op-ed piece that asks, “If you could save your family $8000 next year simply by signing a statement affirming belief in principles you find repugnant, would you?” The comment section is as instructive as […]
