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.
Are millennials leading the way in rejecting Gideon Bibles? Students can use this brief commentary and analysis to consider issues in journalism, customer service, culture shift, evangelism, and other ways in which religion and society intersect. “When more people than ever are objecting to any sign of religion in the public square, a well-known hotel […]
The Christian Lawyer — Faithfulness in a Changing Legal Landscape: This article (p. 23) by practicing attorney Renee Carlson offers a mainstreet lawyer’s perspective on the church and the law. “I was reviewing some internal organizational documents for a Christian school client and was surprised to…noticed the school had acquiesced to language that may have precluded […]
“Man of Steel” Brings Muscular Message to Oppose Right-to-Die Legislation: in 2014, J.J. Hanson was diagnosed with a quickly growing brain tumor. He was given four months to live. More than two years later, Hanson is still alive. And he has positioned himself as the new face of a movement fighting against legislation that will give aid […]
Most Americans Say Assisted Suicide is Morally Acceptable: Two-thirds say it is morally acceptable for terminally ill patients to ask their doctors for help in ending their lives and that doctors should be able to help terminally ill patients die. Americans want more say over how they die. That’s especially true if facing a painful, terminal […]
Were Neanderthals Religious? What exactly is religion? This article can introduce the question in a brief and current way, setting up the usual issues of the transcendent, the numinous, symbol and concept, and whether religion is what we do to bind ourselves (ligio) to God, or what God has done in Christ to connect himself […]
SCOTUS for law students: Roe v. Wade and precedent — In the realm of constitutional law, justices generally assert that stare decisis, or respect for precedent, is an important value, but not a definitive one. Respect for precedent is an important part of maintaining doctrinal consistency and advancing the rule of law, they maintain; at the […]
Obergefell v. Hodges and Nonmarriage Inequality: (Note: one free download) The author extends the logic of the Obergefell decision to other relationships and communal arrangements. Students can consider this logic, the nature of social relationships, and the role of law and government. The significance of views on some Biblical anthropology will become evident.
Opposing ends of the spectrum: Exploring trust in scientific and religious authorities — This study examines public trust in scientific and religious authorities for information about the risks and benefits of science including values, knowledge, media attention, and trust in religious organizations and scientific institutions. See also commentary, For Some, Scientists Aren’t The Authority On Science.
Why White Evangelicals Are Feeling Hopeful About Trump: Among the many articles decoding the election results, this one may serve as a current catalyst for students when assessing politics and religion in our culture, and using a two-kingdoms perspective to inform that assessment.
The Bible Never Says ‘All Men Are Created Equal’: The New Testament mentions equality once or twice, but when it comes to social relationships, it is far more interested in concepts like oneness, commonness, partnership, union, and joint-inheritance. If you make all those passages about equality, you flatten their meaning. The New Testament presents a better, […]
