Letters
It’s not either/or social issues, Jesus Environment, adoption, campaign, healing articles draw letters
Careful with stories The April cover story (page 16) was disturbing. I honor personal lifestyle choices to protect God’s creation, and we need to educate ourselves and our children to be good stewards. That said, I see a real and present danger in the attacks on our capitalist eco- nomic system that has raised so many of the world’s citizens out of poverty. Pursuing green is a worthy endeavor. However, the philosophy of “you are with us or you’re against us” is unwise, divisive and unworthy of the Christian community. H. Jay Sexton Carlisle, Pa.
I’m one who appreciates all the arti- cles about social, political and other types of Christian involvement in what theologian Paul Tillich called “the eternal now.” But ELCA Pre- siding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton’s words about how rarely we actually talk about Jesus, God or “an encoun- ter with the transcendent” also reso- nate (April, page 50). Some might see this as a call to promote “that old time religion.” But I see it as a chal- lenge to do what theologian Mar- cus Borg called “Christian (adult) re-education.” How can churches be renewed if we are unwilling to dive deeply into contemporary theologi- cal issues such as biblical literalism, dubious personifications of God or the largely metaphorical, symbolic, artistic nature of religious language? Carl L. Jech Cupertino, Calif.
48
www.thelutheran.org
Wise analysis Thank you to Peter W. Marty (April, page 3) for illuminating words of faith. I have long thought the comment “someone up there was looking out for me” in response to dodging a crisis or accident is perhaps the most narcis- sistic thing we can utter. What about the car behind me that gets crunched? This column is not only a wise analy- sis of faith, but perhaps a “how-to” manual for prayer, as we trust God’s presence in all of our day-to-day liv- ing, bad and good. Thanks be to God. The Rev. Barbara Birkeland Cloquet, Minn.
Good examples Thank you for the article about the exemplary parenting displayed by Dave Lenox and Nathan Merrells and the role played by Lutheran Services Carolinas in the adoption of Erin and Max (March, page 26). In the church we attend a lesbian couple is raising two small children who were born to a substance abuser and addict. I don’t
believe my wife and I could have been better parents than these committed adults. The congregation is support- ive of them and delights to see the antics of the two happy and irrepress- ible children. The more we see of the effective parenting same-sex couples can provide, the less threatening such arrangements may become to those who still oppose them. The Rev. William Heil Petoskey, Mich.
Silence not golden The heartbreaking fate in the Middle East of Christians and others by the Islamic State is being ignored by our churches in favor of looking inward and remaining silent. There is Scrip- ture that one can use to justify most any position, but I know of no Scrip- ture to justify our silence in the face of pure evil. Ellen Storksen Sunland, Calif.
All about love The March issue is the best I’ve read in a long, long time. The articles on the ELCA Malaria Campaign, bless- ing skiers, grassroots ecumenical efforts in Peru and several more were all wonderful “service” activities. But … the presiding bishop’s column (page 50) on works righteousness concerned me. Jesus’ words in the Gospels convince me that his mes-
Send “Letters” to: The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631;
lutheran@thelutheran.org. Include your name, city and state. All letters are subject to editing. Be brief and limit your letter to a single topic. Requests for anonymity will be considered but not guaranteed.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52