Editor’s note: In this five-part series, former ELCA Presiding Bishop Herbert Chilstrom examines the authority and interpretation of the Bible. Part two will explore how to use Scripture in context. One…
In a lectionary reading for the third Sunday of Easter, Saul has a life-altering encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6, [7-20]). Light from heaven shines down,…
When Peter returns from his junket to Joppa in the book of Acts, the elders at First Church in Jerusalem aren’t happy. Peter’s been mixing with the wrong kind of…
Over recent decades, I’ve witnessed much change across the church. As a professor and parish pastor, I’ve been able to observe the church and the seminary each from the lens…
Each year on the Sunday following Easter, we hear in our Gospel lesson the story of Thomas, “the Twin.” He’s been stuck with the nickname “Doubting Thomas,” yet the point…
Jesus “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). Scripture makes clear that God’s will is for each of us, and the entire planet, to have health, wholeness…
A sacrifice is giving up something valuable to gain a greater treasure. As a child, I sacrificed my precious free time to participate in park district programming, which afforded me…
In [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed (Romans 1:17). In the preface to The Complete Edition of Luther’s Latin Works (1545), Martin Luther recorded how this verse in Paul’s…
Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, Seattle National Public Radio (NPR) correspondent I believe that man is not the measure, and the simple fact of existence is evidence of divine will. An…
How sometimes everything closes up, a painted fan, landscapes and moments flowing together until the sense of distance – – – say, between Clapp’s Pond and me – – –…
I’ve always appreciated the brassy candor from two sisters upon meeting Jesus after Lazarus’ death: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32)….
One of the Reformation’s ambitious goals was to create an educated clergy. Both Protestant and Catholic reformers shared this goal, but the methods they chose varied somewhat: Protestants relied on…
You have attempted to access a feature of this website that is only available to members of livinglutheran.org.
A free membership gives you a customized dashboard for curated content based on your interest, the ability to like and save articles, an optional subscription to a weekly email digest “LL Stories”, and more.
Already have an account? log in
If you are a subscriber to the LL Stories email digest from before the introduction of the new website in December 2025, your account is intact, but your password will need to be reset unless you have a login for another ELCA website.
If you have a login for another ELCA website like community.elca.org, directory.elca.org or others you can use the password associated with that login.
Logout
