Category: Ecclesiology and Ecclesial Life

The authors, the faculty of Wartburg Theological Seminary, demonstrated the unity of the church in its diversity. A peer among them, Professor Everist encouraged authors in content and process to deepen their differences, not hide them, thus modeling how the church can be the body of Christ in the midst of its greatest challenges. As difficult as it is, we need one another.

This book presents a unique blend of theological reflection on listening, new and tested research on listening as it relates to church leadership, and suggested forms of listening education and skills assessment in a continual effort to locate and understand listening as the heart of effective and faithful ministry.

This highly anticipated resource establishes the importance of children’s education to the life of today’s faith communities. A very readable textbook, it presents foundations for education in the faith, explores contexts in which contemporary faith is nurtured, and suggests practical helps for creating programs that work in congregations.

Moe-Lobeda explores what it means for the ELCA to play a role in public life today. Sections focus on what it means to be a public church, obstacles to being a public church in public life, power for being public church, and providing public leadership. For the followers of Jesus, the ”way of living” in public is a gift of God to the church.

Perspectives on the office of bishop in the global Lutheran church, papers from the Luther Colloquy 2000 at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, PA – editing and epilogue.

Each chapter in Blessed to Follow is structured around a similar pattern: appeal to experience; biblical stories; Jesus: the one blessing and the one blessed; disciples: blessed to be a blessing; practice: the blessing made real. Includes questions for discussion and additional resources.

Vice-Presidential Address to the North American Academy of Liturgy, January 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia, focused on applying a quote about tradition attributed to Gustav Mahler to the practice of preaching: “Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire.”

Develops a theology of thinking about death through hymnody, to enable a full life in Christ in life and at death. Evaluates entries in Lutheran hymnals in shaping and nurturing a Christian’s thoughts about death, and in sharing, proclaiming, and strengthening one’s faith. Illustrates with hymns that do an appropriate or lesser job in addressing issues of a Christian’s death.

A reflection on the excising of military imagery from church, and reasons to maintain it.

Sections of this article were also republished in Lutheran Partners 25.4 (July/August, 2009):16-21.