Complicit as Sin — This article considers current freedom-of-religion cases as an extended effort to legitimize discrimination and stereotypes and also harm human dignity. The writer cites legal arguments and court cases as evidence that religious conscience exemptions do tangible and significant harm and that harms from religious freedom claims in the health care context […]
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.
"Open Book" by R. Marxhausen: the Bible, the book open to us all
End-of-Life Ethics
End-of-Life Ethics — What does it mean to die well in this culture? This question is being asked with greater urgency and frequency as contemporary societies become more scientifically and medically sophisticated. The church as a source of both pastoral care and moral vision has untapped resources to share.
Meet the Women Apologists
Meet the Women Apologists — This Month’s (April 2015) cover story in Christianity Today looks at how apologetics has long been a bastion of men—until now. This edition examines the work of Holly Ordway, Amy Orr-Ewing, and “a burgeoning group of women who are reshaping apologetics in the West.”
Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis by Robert Putman
Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis (Simon and Schuster, 2015) — An interview with Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone, 2001) about his new book and his concern that opportunity inequality, or the gap between the chances for success among children from high- and low-income homes, is increasing and the prospects for getting into a good […]
Pro-Evolution Prof Removed From Nazarene University
Pro-Evolution Prof Removed From Nazarene University –Theology professor Thomas Jay Oord, at Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho, for over a decade, was laid off at the end of March, 2015. School officials say budget cuts prompted the move. Oord’s supporters say his theological views—including support for evolution and open theology—were targeted by NNU’s administration.
Why RFRA: some discussions
Why RFRA — This summary piece with plenty of links may serve to overview the complexity of the Indiana / Arkansas RFRA controversy. Two other even-handed sources include this Princeton Law Journal article and this WSJ article.
Sustain Religious Freedom Because “Religion” is not a Legal Category
Sustain Religious Freedom Because “Religion” is not a Legal Category — This Rawlsian defense of religious liberty argues that the First Amendment concept of religion is flexible enough to be accommodated legally while keeping the state neutral about theological questions.
New Christian Voices: Eric Teetsel
New Christian Voices — Eric Teetsel, the young spokesperson for the Evangelical’s Manhattan Declaration, views Christianity in higher education and the public square as closely linked to free market economy and limited government. This 12 min. video offers a perspective for students to consider, assess, and critique in terms of the Reformation’s theology of the […]
Wyoming Catholic College Opts Out of Federal Funding
Wyoming Catholic College Opts Out of Federal Funding — WCC, founded in 2005, announced that it “shall not participate in federal student loan programs.” The decision came after months of analysis and deliberations by the college and a unanimous vote by its board of directors. “While the financial benefits are undeniable,” said a news release, […]
Who Accredits the College Degree?
Who Accredits the College Degree? — The Illinois Board of Higher Education forbids non-accredited religious schols from offering a “degree” because they don’t meet accreditation standards. Illinois-based Bible colleges have now filed a federal lawsuit accusing the state board of overstepping the First Amendment and infringing on their rights to free religious exercise and free […]
