Bringing a Christian Perspective to Common Human Experiences — The Spring 2015 edition of Concordia Journal includes a set of articles that explore this intersection theme, including justice, marginality, and hospitality; suffering and joy; and vocation in work and rest.
Traces of the Trinity
Traces of the Trinity — In what sense or by what senses does the creation declare the glory of God? Peter Leithart explores the theme that the doctrine of the Trinity invites us to gain glimpses of God in vocation, nature, marriage, language, music, and even in the past-present-future quality of time. A Lutheran perspective […]
The Death of the Death Penalty
The Death of the Death Penalty — Upon the Nebraska legislature’s repeal of the death penalty, here is Time Magazine’s cover story on five reasons why the era of capital punishment is ending. The author focuses on the pragmatic problems of sustaining and applying death penalty laws but concludes with a discussion of the courts’ […]
Hostile Environment: Understanding and Responding to Anti-Christian Bias
Hostile Environment: Understanding and Responding to Anti-Christian Bias — This new release from IVP (2015) by George Yancey, professor of sociology at University of North Texas, maintains that sometimes Christians are too quick to claim that they are being persecuted. But Christians aren’t just being paranoid or alarmist. Anti-Christian hostility is real. Yancey shows how […]
Boy Scout Gay Leaders and the Churches
Boy Scout Gay Leaders and the Churches — Catholics and Mormons seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude as the BSA considers removing its ban on gay troup leaders. Methodists plan to mull the next steps with BSA officials, and some LGBT-affirming church groups are welcoming the possible change.
Luther’s Great and Worthy Undertaking: the German NT
Luther’s Great and Worthy Undertaking — We are cautious about conforming Christ to culture, but Bible translations must to some extent conform God’s word in order to communicate it. This excerpt from James Reston’s new book, Luther’s Fortress: Martin Luther and His Reformation Under Siege (Basic, 2015), explores Luther’s challenges when translating the NT into […]
The Intersection of Science & Christian Theology
The Intersection of Science & Christian Theology — The LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations has published a study document on science and religion titled In Christ All Things Hold Together. This book-length treatment addresses topics in theology, the history of science, issues in philosophy, exegetical concerns, and church practice. It is available in […]
Social and Economic Life in Second Temple Judea
Social and Economic Life in Second Temple Judea — A book review by Walter Brueggemann of this book by Samuel Adams (Westminster, 2015) which asks economic questions about the post-exile period of the Bible rather than focusing only on theological-spiritual matters–to the neglect of material considerations—or imagining that texts can be understood apart from context. […]
LGBT Persuasion Research Retracted
LGBT Persuasion Research Retracted — One of the authors of a research paper published in Science, claiming that short conversations could change people’s minds on same-sex marriage, is retracting it following revelations that the data were faked by his co-author. See also Retraction Watch.
Obergefell v. Hodges / The Same-Sex Marriage Case
Obergefell v. Hodges / The Same-Sex Marriage Case — This link takes you to the SCOTUSblog page on the upcoming Supreme Court decision. Issue: 1) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex? 2) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize a marriage […]
