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.
Sexual Inactivity During Young Adulthood Is More Common Among U.S. Millennials and iGen: Age, Period, and Cohort Effects on Having No Sexual Partners After Age 18 — Here is the study on diminished sexual interest among young adults that is receiving current attention. See for ex why-more-millennials-are-putting-off-sex in the Washington Post.
Officers Can Turn To Police Chaplains In Time Of Need: This 5 min. audio clip (with transcript) offers a positive view on the role of clergy in local police departments large and small and an informative example of church and state, left-hand kingdom and right-hand kingdom. NPR interviews Mark Clements, president of the International Conference of […]
Meet the unelected bodies chipping away at religious freedom: SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) commissions and regulators continue to receive attention, pro and con. This World Mag article can be used as an intro for students. (See also Liberty and SOGI Laws: An Impossible and Unsustainable Compromise.”) A cursory search engine scan does’t immediately produce […]
State senator drops proposal that angered religious universities in California: [This series of events can serve as an instructive case study for classes in political science, church and state, sociology, and administration.] Faced with intense opposition from religious colleges in California, a state Senator said Wednesday he has decided to amend a bill by dropping a provision […]
Does French Culture Have a Future? This interview of Pierre Manent, former director of studies at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris, was conducted by the newspaper Il Foglio in the wake of the ISIS murder of Fr. Jacques Hamel. Students can weigh Manent’s position, pro and con, as an artifact in […]
Race, Religion, and Political Affiliation of Americans’ Core Social Networks: This study measures the ways in which individuals’ choices and attitudes are influenced by their family and close friends. Americans’ core social networks not only demonstrate substantial homogeneity by race and ethnicity, but Americans are also much more likely to associate with people who share their […]
The Madness Of Humanity Part 4: Science Vs. Religion: One installment in a series. Gleiser’s essay on science and religion is brief. Instructors and students can consider whether his choice of phrases, expressions, and characterizations helps or hinders the S&R disputes and whether they fit his series title, “The Madness of Humanity.” The article could serve […]
When does faith become fraudulent? Philip Jenkins asks, Should truth in advertising laws apply to religious claims? Should governments be in the business of defining authentic miracles? Which pastors are genuine, and which are fakes? Every society has its own versions of Elmer Gantry, people who use religious deception as a money-making tool. The question then arises of […]
U.S. Public Wary of Biomedical Technologies to ‘Enhance’ Human Abilities: Americans are more worried than enthusiastic about using gene editing, brain chip implants and synthetic blood to change human capabilities. The survey examines public attitudes about the potential use of three emerging technologies that could fundamentally improve people’s health, cognitive abilities or physical capacities. See also Christians to […]
Streaming Church Services: “We are looking at the popularity of Facebook Live, Snapchat and Periscope, so churches want to be there where they can reach people,” says DJ Chuang, consultant and leading expert on social media, the Internet and the church. This 8 min. video clip and transcript looks at the pros and cons.
