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From The Presiding Bishop
Easter message 2024
“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid.” That’s where the Gospel…
From The Presiding Bishop
Our real and truest hope
There is a curse of unknown provenance that says, “May you live in interesting times.” In November we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, counting our blessings and giving thanks for the bounty…
From The Presiding Bishop
One body, one spirit, one hope
As I write this the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is preparing to gather in Kraków, Poland, for its 13th assembly. Delegates, observers, guests and staff from the 149 member churches…
From The Presiding Bishop
Who is a “real” American?
My husband and I live in Skokie, Ill., a diverse community. Our neighbors to the west are an octogenarian Taiwanese Evangelical couple who regularly order meals from Kosher to Go….
From The Presiding Bishop
A time of renewal
At the 2022 Churchwide Assembly, the decision was taken to establish a Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church to “reconsider the statements of purpose for each of the expressions of…
From The Presiding Bishop
Holy Saturday, holy space
They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the…
From The Presiding Bishop
The blurring of law and gospel
Martin Luther once said, “I felt that I had been born anew and that the gates of heaven had been opened. The whole of Scripture gained a new meaning. And…
From The Presiding Bishop
God is with us
Sometimes the world just seems so solid. Reality is uncompromising and immutable. Literally, what you see is what you get, and our sight, our perception, is limited. So we forge…
From The Presiding Bishop
Healthful words of life
In September I had the beautiful privilege of preaching at a combined meeting of the Conference of Bishops and the inaugural gathering of the 2022-23 Fund for Leaders class. It…
From The Presiding Bishop
A common witness
One of the distinct privileges of this call as presiding bishop is seeing the church at work at home and around the world. The Lutheran movement is alive and well,…
From The Presiding Bishop
We are woven together
He was a young man. In his early 20s. He had cancer. His mother and stepfather cared for him to the point of weariness. The family was unchurched, but a…
From The Presiding Bishop
Can we answer the question ‘why’?
Once for continuing education I signed up for an introduction to philosophy course at the community college. I was a music education major in college and never had any philosophy…