Gospel Slam 2013

I wrote and performed this piece as part of Trinity Lutheran Seminary's Second Annual Summer Seminary Sampler Gospel Slam. Gospel Slam is based on poetry slams. TLS set the model for doing poetry slams in partnership with the Academy of Preachers, an ecumenical organization that lifts up and encourages young preachers. Each performance this year … Continue reading Gospel Slam 2013

Dangerous Theology

By chance, I ran into my friend and mentor Dr. Jacqueline Bussie (I was on my way home with Chipotle, thanks to my girlfriend's excellent suggestion). Back at Capital University in 2008, she taught a Liberation Theology class that ended up being one of my favorite classes. As we talked about her work out of … Continue reading Dangerous Theology

How to be a Liberal, Confessional Christian (and Lutheran)

1. Remember the centrality of the Word of God. This should go without saying, but if you don't remember this fundamental fact about Christianity, there's not much point in continuing, is there? And what is the Word of God? Fundamentally, it is not the Bible--it is the on about whom it was written. The core belief of … Continue reading How to be a Liberal, Confessional Christian (and Lutheran)

“Rejecting” Jesus

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-peoria-bishop-politicians-who-support-abortion-rights-reject-jesus-20121031,0,1711108.story “Today, Catholic politicians, bureaucrats, and their electoral supporters who callously enable the destruction of innocent human life in the womb also thereby reject Jesus as their Lord,” Jenky added. “They are objectively guilty of grave sin.” “Again, I am not telling you which party or which candidates to vote for or against,” he said. … Continue reading “Rejecting” Jesus

Violence and the Christian

This afternoon, I pulled up Chicago Tribune: Breaking News, and browsed through the stories. I don't know why I still do this. Most of the time, I'm looking to see if anything has happened in my home neighborhood of Hegewisch, on the Far South Side. What I see every day is tragedy. So many of the stories … Continue reading Violence and the Christian