Trinity Lutheran Seminary Calls New President

It's official! Today, the Trinity Lutheran Seminary Board of Directors voted to approve the nomination of Pastor Rick Barger as the new seminary president. This is an exciting time for the seminary as it looks forward in its mission to form new leaders for a changing church. One word that the nominating committee used to … Continue reading Trinity Lutheran Seminary Calls New President

DOMA and Christianity

Disclaimer: As the Supreme Court of the United States began hearing oral arguments in United States v. Windsor, I have tried to present and fair and balanced approach to the subject. I have done my best, but I apologize if my own opinion influences the arguments, specifically in regards to the citation of facts and … Continue reading DOMA and Christianity

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)

In Defense of Doing the Right Thing

... even when the church is wrong. Earlier this month, the news broke that the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus broke fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Church of Sweden. The EECMY came to this decision after carefully deliberating the ELCA's and the CoS's decisions to accept same-sex partnered clergy onto their rosters. My first … Continue reading In Defense of Doing the Right Thing

Worship Styles: An Idiot Falls Into a Trap

A few weeks ago, I sat in Bexley Hall's Tuesday night Eucharist and listened, for the second week in a row, to the old old Rite I liturgy out of the Book of Common Prayer. I mentally objected, citing my conviction that worship should be in the language of the people (just because something is … Continue reading Worship Styles: An Idiot Falls Into a Trap