Saturday, November 13, 2010

Preaching on Social Issues

This month, an essay I wrote got published in the Journal of Lutheran Ethics. You can read it online here: http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Journal-of-Lutheran-Ethics/Issues/Novermber-2010/Swords-Plowshares-and-Guns-in-Church.aspx

It's part of a series called Preaching on Social Issues. When I preach, I often prayerfully wonder how to address issues in the world around me. The question is not if, but how. I think of Linus of Peanuts fame, "There are three things we don't talk about in public--religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." As a preacher, I need to walk a fine balance between talking about politics too much and not being relevant.

I realize that the Gospel itself is very political. The teachings of Jesus confront the powers of the world. My job as a pastor is not to tell you how to vote, but to put the context of our world into dialogue with the Biblical reality as I proclaim how God's Spirit is at work.

Here's a Wordle of my article:

1 comment:

  1. The third paragraph is very powerful and sounds to me very much like a vision statement for you.

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