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Voices of Faith
Grounded in grace: You visited me
As a young seminarian, I first visited prison as part of my contextual education. I entered the prison doors believing I was on my way to reforming the criminal justice…
Voices of Faith
Engaging the spiritual landscape of New Orleans
Next month, the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly heads to New Orleans, a city that occupies a special place in my heart. Having grown up in a family that moved often, we…
Voices of Faith
God’s breath of life
“Take a deep breath. “Really deep. “No, deeper. “Breathe in from your stomach.” My husband, Stephen, looked at me from across the dining room table. Charlotte, our 1-year-old daughter, was…
Voices of Faith
Deeper understandings
Series editor’s note: At the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August, the global dimensions of our self-understanding as “church” will be a major focus. This article helps us go deeper…
Voices of Faith
The scandalous Samaritan God
Possibly Jesus’ most well-known parable next to the so-called prodigal son was sermon material in many pulpits this past Sunday. It’s often called “the good Samaritan,” though I’m not fond…
Voices of Faith
I’m a Lutheran: John Sterner
“I’m a Lutheran” is a monthly profile featuring ELCA members around the world. The profiles showcase ELCA members in all their diversity, connecting one another through individual faith stories as…
Voices of Faith
Centrifugal: Being a public church
Every year I get to speak with prospective students. These folks aren’t just interested in seminary but have finished the application process and are ready to attend. I want to…
Voices of Faith
Abundant life
Summer is finally here! Time to unwind, hit the beach, go on vacation or spend a lazy afternoon in a hammock, right? Well maybe summer doesn’t feel quite as leisurely…
Voices of Faith
On not living steel-plated lives
I’m at the age now where my parents are giving me family household items. Sometimes it feels like they’re saying, “Here, throw this away for me.” But sometimes they’re gems…
Voices of Faith
A dad’s concern
Being a father is a wide-open venture. When my wife and I had each of our two children, we were filled with joy at their arrival and committed to loving…
Voices of Faith
A lexicon of faith: Hope
Hope is a simple four-letter word that packs unbelievable punch in the Christian life. Unfortunately, hope gets disguised beneath plenty of realities that deserve to go by the name of…
Voices of Faith
Interrupting ordinary time
Here we are, in the season after Pentecost that we sometimes refer to simply as “ordinary time.” It’s a long season, welcomed by the long days of summer. We might…
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