Politics

Christians often talk about how we are all children of God. However, what does that mean for our relationship to each other–what are the responsibilities of being a sibling in Christ? Dr. Linda Thomas explores this question in light of the election of Donald Trump, with a particular focus on the role of pastors.

[1] The election of Donald J. Trump as the next president of the United States has raised some important ethical issues that will have to be sorted out wisely and carefully for the sake of the wellbeing of our country and our communities. There are complicated questions regarding conflicts of interest, foreign meddling into our […]

Rev. Wilker, as pastor of a congregation in downtown Washington D.C., has a special perspective on U.S. politics. In this article, he outlines 9.5 ways congregations and individuals can continue to proclaim the gospel in conflicted and tense times such as these.

In this exceptional political cycle and fraught political climate, it can be difficult to navigate with thoughtful engagement. This month Dr. Robert Benne and Bishop Dick Graham bring their years of experience and thought into reflections intended to help traverse these waters. They both encourage active citizenship and flag dangers in political activity, with an […]

Bishop Graham of the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synod writes about his experiences with advocacy ministry. He notes that though Lutheran advocacy is a voice advocating for the poor among many similar voices, the humility and compassion Lutherans can bring to this work makes it all the more unique and valuable. How can Lutherans better serve their neighbor through this vital ministry?

In an election cycle so polarizing, and to some, hopeless, what is a Lutheran response? Benne argues that Lutherans, whether they choose to vote or not, cannot responsibly “opt-out” of this election.​ That being said, fusing religion and politics–envisioning a candidate as a political messiah–is also not faithful. Instead, Benne offers seven counsels for Lutherans and their churches in this fraught political season.

Editor’s Note: Though this book, so insightfully and thoroughly reviewed, is not our customary work of theological ethics, it is a work of historical and moral significance with implications for today’s world. It might well be considered in tandem with Mary Solberg’s A Church Undone: Documents from the German Christian Faith Movement, 1932-1940, which was […]

Indian Residential Schools are a sinful part of Canada’s history that were facilitated and hidden by Empire. Bishop MacDonald explores the history of the schools as well as the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Reflecting on the context of Scripture, he uses the concepts of idolatry, systemic evil, and Empire to explore the role of Christians during the schools’ existence while calling on Christians today to examine their roles in relation to Empire. ​

[1] It is a challenging task to provide a clear and fair evaluation of a volume of collected essays. This is doubly true when the volume includes contributions from more than a dozen different authors whose diverse interests coalesce around an emerging ​theme still being defined. In this instance, a reviewer more closely resembles a […]

Namsoon Kang, Diasporic Feminist Theology: Asia and Theopolitical Imagination. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2014, 378 pages, $39.00.