Items included for this subject area 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.
Pew Research Center for Religion and Public Life: Pew has focused its summer Polling and Analysis section on religion, social problems, and current politics. The snapshot may offer a set of perceptions that students can use to assess the current climate of religion and culture in election year 2016.
A Fixed Meaning of Religion in the First Amendment: (Note: one free download allowed) The Supreme Court has never clearly defined religion. While the debate may seem initially like an academic one, defining religion is key to determining the nature and scope of religious freedom. This article’s novel definition focuses on the worship of supernatural […]
The case for faith, by the religion editor of The Times Literary Supplement: This brief review of a new, brief book notes that, “To write a slim, serious book that provides thought-provoking reasons for believing in God is a difficult task today.” The title is “God is No Thing: Coherent Christianity” by Rupert Shortt (Hurst, […]
Does This New Bill Threaten California Christian Colleges’ Religious Freedom? This detailed assessment of California SB 1146 examines the background and implications of the proposed legislation. Despite critical response, a newly revised version of the proposal passed a legislative committee last week and will likely reach the final stages of approval in a few weeks. […]
Is it morally wrong for an individual to identify with a gender different than the sex they were born? Six in 10 Americans don’t think it’s wrong for people to identify with a gender different from their birth sex, according to the Nashville-based research organization. More than half don’t think it’s wrong to switch genders by […]
Protecting Religious Liberty: This June 14, 2016, conference of presentations and panel discussions held at the Cato Institute includes views from several frequent participants in the religious liberty issues such as Douglas Laycock, Charles Haynes, and Mark Rienzi.
Critical issues facing Lutheran schools in today’s political landscape: This two-part audio program focuses on the impact of religious liberty and civil rights disputes on Lutheran elementary and secondary schools. Topics included Title IX implications, Title VII employment discrimination issues and on accepting state and federal dollars and the implications.
Noted physicist says string theory suggests we’re all living in God’s matrix: Theoretical physicist, futurist, and bestselling author Michio Kaku has developed a theory that points to the existence of God using string theory. “It is clear that we exist in a plan which is governed by rules that were created, shaped by a universal intelligence […]
Generally Applicable Law & the Free Exercise of Religion: (one download allowed) Exempting secular but not religious activities that undermine alleged government interests deprives religious minorities of vicarious political protection and demonstrates a forbidden value judgment: the exempted secular activities are more valuable, more deserving of legal protection, than the unexempted exercise of religion. In the […]
The Parable of the Talents: (one download allowed) To the legal mind, the Parable thus raises some interesting questions: What was the relationship between the master and the servant? What were the servants’ duties? How do the likely answers to those questions map to modern relations, such as those of principal and agent? Curiously, however, there […]
