heatherdean

[1] What does it mean to have a calling—to live out vocation—if human civilization is headed for extinction?   Extinction, after all, is absolute in its finality.  Theologically, it is the unraveling of Creation.  It voids the relationship between God and God’s people, effectively terminating the Genesis injunction to “be fruitful and multiply” and “fill the […]

[1] In our digital age, distractions are an inescapable part of daily life. From the moment we wake up to the instant we fall asleep, our attention is constantly being pulled in multiple directions. The ubiquity of smartphones, the enchantment of social media, the prevalence of multitasking, and the endless stream of digital content have […]

The seeds:  [1] Martin Luther is often quoted as saying something like, “If I knew the world were ending tomorrow, I would plant an apple tree today.” Luther didn’t say or write that,[i] but it is a variant of a longstanding saying in both Judaism and Islam: the tradition of the sapling. Different versions are […]

“In the year of the death of Uzziah, ruler of Judah, I saw Yahweh seated on a high and lofty judgment seat, in a robe whose train filled the Temple. Seraphs were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two […]

Using this issue of JLE as a resource, the following guide might guide ethical discussion. [1] You may have heard Frederick Buechner’s definition of vocation as the intersection of one’s great joy with the world’s deep need.  There are times when it feels like the world’s deep need is too deep to meet our joy.  […]

[1] The church year ends with Christ the King’s eschatological lectionary readings and begins anew with Advent’s eschatological lectionary readings.  We are waiting for the end times even as we are preparing to say again, Emmanuel: God is with us here and now. [2] We celebrate Christmas in the darkest part of the year for […]

Americans are more divided from one another than at any point in recent history. The divisions that we feel individually are even seen in recent research. Even faith communities are not free of sharp polarization.  But that doesn’t have to be the case. In this episode, host Matthew Best talks with Amy Carr and Christine […]

[1] Christine Emba, in an insightful Opinion piece published by the Washington Post in July of 2023, presented a fascinating cultural problem that has been overlooked and underestimated by many in this country.[i] It has to do with a crisis of masculinity as a result of changing cultural and social values, a more expansive view […]

Today I offer a special thanks to our readers, writers and reviewers. After approximately 7 years as book review editor, I have resigned from this position in order to create more space in my life for new projects and adventures. As I welcome William Rodriquez as the new book review editor, I am pleased to […]

[1] In the section above we situated the responses to our book in a historical framework of Lutheran thought. We now lean into thinking with some of the questions, concerns, and alternatives offered by our reviewers. [2] Both Justin Nickel and Leah Schade commented that we had not clarified the precise notion of justice presupposed […]