heatherdean

[1] The summer of 1939 afforded Stewart Herman Jr. his last idyll as a pastor of the American Church in the heart of Nazi Germany, little though he knew it at the time. An opportunity to travel for six weeks through Scandinavia and the Baltic states, heading northward beyond the Arctic Circle, proved an invigorating […]

[1] After years of activism and protests, the simple statement “Black Lives Matter” became more than a hashtag or a chant. It made the leap from the streets to homes, offices, and institutions. It became part of our personal conversations and our national conversation. Even those who react negatively cannot deny it or make it […]

This month we cover recent books that range from the historical to the contemporary in their focus – from Nazi Germany to the current movement to abolish the prison system.  Michael Pickett reviews Break Every Yoke: Religion, Justice and the Abolition of Prisons by Joshua Dubler and Vincent Lloyd.  Michael Birkner reviews one of several volumes […]

[1] A preacher who is proclaiming the Word on International Transgender Day of Visibility, faces ethical decisions. Ethically, there are considerations of whether to address the significance of the day and how a cisgender preacher might authentically incorporate transgender voices without appropriation.[i] In addition, there is the considerable challenge of whether to explicitly reference trans […]

[1] What is Christian unity in the Biblical sense? Is it merely two neighboring congregations of the same denomination sponsoring a joint meal? Or two congregations of different denominations doing so? Intercommunion agreements? Co-operation in the World Council of Churches, and similar national and local organizations? Or did Jesus and His first followers mean nothing […]

[1] Interreligious engagement belongs to the same set of activities undertaken by an assembly as gathering offerings for food-shelves, or pleading for the cleaning up of highways.  These activities are often the same thing because a somewhat ordinary kind of interreligious engagement takes place in the interaction of many peoples to redress problems they share.  […]

[1] Across the U.S. we struggle to talk with neighbors, family, and strangers about the things that matter most. Our modes of social engagement have narrowed, for many of us; disengagement or debate feel like the only options remaining. Amid increasingly contentious public discourse our personal relationships also bear the strain. For those of us […]

[1] I was invited by a congregation to lead an educational series on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations during one of the numerous politically controversial moments in our nation that fixated on Muslims. This is usually the time when I am invited to speak – when there is a political controversy. My intent, however, was to […]

[1] Linda Morgan-Clement’s essay gives practical advice for holding an interfaith dialogue which can result in transformative learning.  While adult education and confirmation classes can be powerful places for learning about other faith traditions through readings and watching videos, another path for learning might start by considering one’s own faith tradition through dialogue with others […]

[1] This issue of Journal of Lutheran Ethics invites thinking about the ethics of dialogue. This has been a common topic in the last several issues for the Journal, as dialogue between people with different life experiences, politics, and faith perspectives continues to be one of the most pressing demands for pastors, professors, and members […]