Articles

[1] Christian minjung theologies arose in the 1970s and 1980s in South Korea. They were articulated by a small group of Protestant pastors and intellectuals who became part and parcel of the late 20th century minjung movement—a cultural phenomenon led by artists, students, labor organizers, and intellectuals—that included a retrieval of traditional artistic forms, a […]

The Dilemma [1] In my last congregational ministry, prior to my election as a synod bishop, the congregation I served was standing on the brink of a crisis faced by hundreds of ELCA congregations now. We were a vibrant, growing, intergenerational, mission-driven, middle-class, white, English-speaking faith community, living and working in a mission field that […]

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service 12/14/2013 This piece is from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and is reprinted with permission. To see it in its original form, click here. For more information about the work of this great organization, check out their website lirs.org. [1] An estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently reside in the […]

Immigration reform continues to be a major issue confronting the United States of America. This issue of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics provides information on comprehensive immigration reform thanks to the ministry of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. In addition, the authors of the two articles explore and suggest what the church needs to do […]

Imagining Undocumented Immigrants [1] What does an undocumented immigrant look like? What images do those words elicit in your mind, and what feelings and emotions do those images evoke? Compassion? Pity? Anger? Puzzlement? Anxiety? Admiration? Indifference? Those are probably not easy questions to answer, even if you happen to be an undocumented immigrant yourself! However, […]

Sallie McFague and Cynthia Moe-Lobeda agree: the world is in trouble and we are to blame. Rising sea levels due to climate change; species extinction; massive inequalities between rich and poor on a global scale; unstable economies predicated on dwindling reserves of petroleum… the list goes on. These two eminent eco-theologians have faced the prospect of environmental catastrophe, but in their newest books – both released from Fortress this year – they bring messages of hope.

John Carlson (an ethicist) and Jonathan Ebel (a historian) have brought together a rich collection of essays examining the intersection of religion and violence in America. An early goal of this book was “to show that September 11th was not the United States’ first experience with religion and violence,” through the expertise of scholars writing from within their own disciplines. They discovered that this multidisciplinary approach also brought “new and compelling insights into the complex historical and moral legacy of the United States.”

Kirsi Stjerna uses Luther’s words to call Lutherans to respond to violence: “Of most importance is that we not stay silent but speak to matters of violence, to war and the other endless forms of violence.”

William Rodriguez asks a scary yet important question: “Is religion the cause of violence?” Rodriguez uses Rene Girard’s assessment of the relationship between religion and violence to approach this controversial topic.

Daniel Lee explores violence between religious communities in recent years and the Christian view of violence. He draws upon the wise words of peaceful leaders to bring a message of hope and a path to peace.