From the presiding Bishop

Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified (Luke 2:8-9). Night. A liminal time. A time when God sends messages and messengers […]

A dear friend gave me a plaque inscribed with the words “Vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit.” Bidden or not bidden, God is present. It’s an intriguing proverb, thought to have originated from the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece and later found in an anthology of Greek and Latin proverbs compiled by Erasmus in […]

Recently the Louisiana Legislature passed a law mandating that all state-funded schools and universities prominently display the Ten Commandments in classrooms and cafeterias. Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah are considering similar legislation. This initially seems benign, even beneficial. After all, in our baptismal liturgy we ask parents and sponsors to promise that they will teach […]

The airwaves are filled with contentious political discourse. And, as we get closer to the November election, it will undoubtedly get louder and coarser. Each side seeks to catch the other with questions that aren’t designed for clarity and dialogue but to further its own agenda. Martin Luther’s explanation of the Eighth Commandment in the […]

As I write this it is early May. The leaves on the trees are still that new green that comes with spring. The lilacs are blooming with their intoxicating scent. The birds greet the dawn in the morning after a cold silent winter. The days are longer and there is sunlight. Baseball season is in […]

“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid.” That’s where the Gospel of Mark originally ended. And it just seems so odd to me. It’s so abrupt. I mean, the women had seen the angel. He’d announced […]

There is a curse of unknown provenance that says, “May you live in interesting times.” In November we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, counting our blessings and giving thanks for the bounty of the land. It’s a time for families to gather and renew the bonds between generations. It’s a holiday open to all people of faith […]

As I write this the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is preparing to gather in Kraków, Poland, for its 13th assembly. Delegates, observers, guests and staff from the 149 member churches in 99 countries representing 77 million people will gather for worship, Bible study and deliberation. We will sing and pray in hundreds of languages—a veritable […]

My husband and I live in Skokie, Ill., a diverse community. Our neighbors to the west are an octogenarian Taiwanese Evangelical couple who regularly order meals from Kosher to Go. Our neighbors to the east are a Ukrainian and Russian multigenerational family. Our grocery stores have both kosher and halal departments. As I drive past […]

At the 2022 Churchwide Assembly, the decision was taken to establish a Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church to “reconsider the statements of purpose for each of the expressions of this church, the principles of its organizational structure, and all matters pertaining thereunto, being particularly attentive to our shared commitment to dismantle racism.” This is […]