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.
The Evangelical Origins of the Living Constitution by John Compton (Harvard Univ Press, 2014) argues for a revisionist view that nineteenth-century evangelical Protestants, not New Deal reformers, paved the way for the most important constitutional developments of the twentieth century. Says reviewer David Skeel: “A ‘living constitution’ is not tethered to the Founding Fathers’ intent or the literal […]
This review of Tales of the Ex-Apes: How We Think About Human Evolution by biological anthropologist Jonathan Marks (Univ. of Calif. Press, 2015), can assist students with the discussions about human nature in the current terms of biological anthropology, human exceptionalism, and the cultural determinism of scientific terms and ideas. Says Marks: “My point is precisely that nobody can […]
“American Views on Reasons to Believe in a Creator” finds that traditional evidences for belief in a creator resonate with most Americans, including many of the nonreligious. Students can gain clarity on the assumptions among and about the nonreligious from this study. For example, more than 4 in 10 of the nonreligious believe physics and […]
This NYT op/ed piece from physicist Laurence Krauss offers a study piece for apologetics. Students can consider his premises and logic, his style of presentation and degree of connection with readers, and the extent to which his examples and reasoning convey a comprehensive grasp of the world as we experience it in the lab, the […]
This report on “Religion scholar boycotts BYU conference to protest university policy” provides a case study for students to consider regarding participation in public discourse in sessions and contexts that do not align with their sincere convictions. Mark Juergensmeyer, a sociology professor from the University of California Santa Barbara who is a past president of the […]
“Who’s Your Teacher?” is an essay on our sacred duty to teach the devil to death and begins this way: “Martin Luther’s prescription for pastors and preachers (including himself) who neglect the catechetical training of their congregation was characteristically colorful and coarse: ‘we deserve not only to be given no food to eat, but also […]
In his article, “Sporting Transcendence,” Richard Mouw explores the themes in athletics of competition, transcendence, felllowship, and community. This brief essay may serve to induct students into the multifaceted experiences of human nature for players, teams, observers, fans, and the larger culture. Mouw also links to an article by Martin Siegel in America titled, “Good Sports: Getting Closer […]
“How Christian Institutions Can Stay Christian Amid Secular Pressure” is a thorough interview with the authors of Free to Serve: Protecting the Religious Freedom of Faith-Based Organizations by Stephen Monsma and Stanley Carlson-Thies (Brazos, 2015, 208 pages). They discuss the concept of principled pluralism and strategies to offset the secular assumption that only nonreligious ideas should inform civil […]
“Churches step in after feds drop Fugitive Safe Surrender” is an in-depth article on a program for fugitives from law enforcement. Churches in more than 50 cities have hosted Fugitive Safe Surrender events over the past decade, some of them more than once, resulting in thousands of cleared warrants. Churches are integral to Fugitive Safe […]
“What Happens When the Moral Majority Becomes a Minority?” This article overviews a response to the culture shifts call “the Benedict option” that has received some attention from both Christian and non-Christian commentators. Student can use the essay as an introduction to the discussion of whether the church should step back from the current culture, or […]
