Issue: March 2015: Dark Night of the Soul

With this issue we welcome the Rev. Dr. Carmelo Santos as interim editor of the Journal for Lutheran Ethics. Rev. Dr. Santos teaches at Georgetown University on the intersections between Cognitive Science and Theology. He has also served as parish pastor and as a consultant for Hispanic/Latino/a Ministry with the Metropolitan Washington DC Synod, and […]

When a layperson feels the absence of God in their life, they go to their pastor for guidance. However, what should a pastor do when they have the same experience? Lammi lifts up the examples of Mother Theresa, Martin Luther, and Augustine to demonstrate that this experience has happened to many faith leaders throughout history. Their experiences of living with and through doubt, as well as faith, provide a model for us all.

As Kurt Lammi demonstrates, feeling the absence of God in one’s life does not automatically make a person a bad pastor or a bad Christian. Showers goes one step further to explore what techniques a person can try to bring about a renewed awareness of God’s presence in their lives. He particularly focuses on Bernard of Clairvaux’s four stages of loving God, which Showers illustrates through an image of a “grace spiral.” For Showers, what may begin as a frightening experience can open a door to a deeper relationship with God.

Vasko, Elisabeth T. Beyond Apathy: A Theology for Bystanders. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2015, 192 pages, $29.00

Hoch, Robert P. By the Rivers of Babylon: Blueprint for a Church in Exile. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2013. $18.00