Centrifugal: Being a public church
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…

Abundant life
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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

Interrupting ordinary time
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…

I’m a Lutheran: Rick Steves
Voices of Faith

I’m a Lutheran: Rick Steves

“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…

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Voices of Faith

Touch

I went to see her with a baby strapped to my chest. She was the oldest member of the congregation at the time, some 98 years old. My son was…

A lexicon of faith: Salvation
Voices of Faith

A lexicon of faith: Salvation

Nonreligious uses of the verb “to save” are easy to comprehend. A relief pitcher saves a baseball game. A medic saves the life of a heart attack victim. When we…

Winds of change, fire of passion
Voices of Faith

Winds of change, fire of passion

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit showed up with sound and force like the wind. Those present saw what seemed to be tongues like fire. In this powerful way, the Spirit…

Beware of the Lutherans: Darrow and the danger of labeling
Voices of Faith

Beware of the Lutherans: Darrow and the danger of labeling

Clarence Darrow, arguably one of the most famous attorneys in the 20th century, wrote an article for Esquire titled “How to pick a jury.” Here’s my favorite quote: “Beware of…

I’m a Lutheran: Kylie Oversen
Voices of Faith

I’m a Lutheran: Kylie Oversen

Christus Rex Lutheran Campus Center, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks Law student, state representative and chair of the North Dakota Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party I found my faith when I…