[1] As we head towards Reformation Sunday, this issue of JLE presents four articles on how understanding Luther\u2019s teachings calls us to consider our ethical responsibilities. These four articles were research presentations in the \u201cLuther and Religion\u201d seminar within the 14th International Congress for Luther Research held at California Lutheran University in 2022. \u00a0I am pleased to present them to a wider audience here, and I am especially grateful to Mary Lowe\u2019s work with her fellow participants to make this issue possible.<\/p>\n
[2] Lutherans are used to asserting that faith is more important than works.\u00a0 Of course, there is also the understanding that our faith calls us to see the world in such a way that we see better our obligations to our neighbor and feel freer to answer those obligations in love.<\/p>\n
[3] The first two papers in this issue deal specifically with Lutheran understandings of the Eucharist.\u00a0 Mary Lowe\u2019s paper explains the orthodox Lutheran view of the Eucharist and how this view relates to queer theologies that invite all of ourselves to be welcomed at the table.\u00a0 She explains that the \u201cfor you\u201d is especially important for those who too often feel excluded from the table and from the community for who they are.<\/p>\n
[4] Mary Streufert\u2019s paper explains how thinking about Luther\u2019s theology of Communion, especially as expressed in \u201cAgainst the Fanatics,\u201d makes clear our ethical obligations. Sharing the stories of pastors who have reported sexual harassment and assault in their churches, Streufert demonstrates that there is a theological crisis in the church that is leading to abuse.\u00a0 She uses Eucharistic theology to help readers understand the roots of the problem as well as providing a more ethical way to behave.\u00a0 Like Lowe, she also asserts that the sacrament of Communion itself binds us in fellowship with our neighbor and changes us and reforms us so that we might better see and act with each other.<\/p>\n
[5] The third paper focuses on Luther\u2019s understanding of Genesis and the creation story as explained in his Large Catechism section on the credal sentence, \u201cI believe in God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator.\u201d\u00a0 Arnfr\u00ed\u00f0ur Gu\u00f0mundsd\u00f3ttir uses this theology about creation in order to address our call to be stewards for the planet and our need for ethical responses to climate change.<\/p>\n
[6] Finally, the last paper focuses on a recent ELCA document, the 2019 \u201cDeclaration of Inter-Religious Commitment,\u201d which addresses how Lutherans are called to be in relationship with their neighbors who adhere to a variety of different religious traditions as well as to those with no religion at all.\u00a0 Deanna Thompson discusses how this piece of Lutheran theology calls us ethically to support, stand with, and advocate on behalf of those in our communities whose religious affiliation is different from our own.<\/p>\n
[7] Sometimes, Lutheran theology is criticized as being quietest. These four essays show that Lutheran theology calls loudly to us to act, to welcome, to protect, to care, and to support in very specific ways.<\/p>\n
[8] The next issue of JLE is about ethical responses to domestic abuse and child abuse.\u00a0 We are still taking submissions on this important topic.\u00a0 Please send proposals to the editor at Jennifer.Hockenbery@elca.org by October 20th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [1] As we head towards Reformation Sunday, this issue of JLE presents four articles on how understanding Luther\u2019s teachings calls us to consider our ethical responsibilities. These four articles were research presentations in the \u201cLuther and Religion\u201d seminar within the 14th International Congress for Luther Research held at California Lutheran University in 2022. \u00a0I am […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[145,42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ethics","category-martin-luther"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n