Editor
By Daniel J. Lehmann
Time to stretch our knowledge
Three articles and a data crunch Another
bath toy? Encourage young children to splash in the waters of baptism through your gift of The Little Lutheran magazine. Little mariners will meet Mallory, who set nine paralympic swimming records. They’ll learn about Noah’s big boat, Jesus’ baptism and the woman at the well. Subscribe at www.
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$2.50 Volume 3, Issue 6 January 2010 O
ctober pulls us completely out of summer vacation mode and back into the more seri- ous issues of the day. This month’s edition
certainly does that, and we’re also providing an insight into what is likely impacting our church.
The heart of our article lineup offers some heady stuff. Starting with “Lutherans and the Second Vatican Council” (page 14), William G. Rusch takes us back to the epic gathering that changed the face of modern Roman Catholicism and Lutherans’ relations with that church. Then Kurt K. Hen- del and Vítor Westhelle walk us through the theology of the cross (page 18), the “very heart of (Martin) Luther’s identity as a theologian and believer.” Finally, Darrell H. Jodock spells out Luther’s “two kingdoms” (page 20): what it is—how God influences the world through the good news and gover- nance; and what it is not—separation of church and state. Why this three-pronged offering of challenging copy? Mostly it’s an acknowledgement of dates. The Second Vatican Council started 50 years ago this month and “Lutherans & politics” needs to be digested now before head- ing to the polls in November. The theology of the cross piece was scheduled more than a year ago.
But as a former Lutheran bishop in Germany put it (page 28), the Reforma- tion is about having an “informed faith, about asking questions, even asking questions about the Bible, the book of faith.” Or to paraphrase turn of the 20th-century humorist Finley Peter Dunne, “Religion ain’t beanbag.” Hence the substantive articles this month. Shifting gears, a report in late August on demography and income offered
sobering numbers. Overall, according to the data analysis company Sentier Research, the median American household income in June was $50,964. That was 4.8 percent less when adjusted for inflation than in June 2009, when the recovery from the Great Recession officially began. The biggest drop occurred in households headed by 55- to 64-year-olds,
Friends Adults, see back cover
part of the core of those in worship on Sunday. Their medium income (again, adjusted for inflation) fell to $55,748 from $61,716 over the past three years. That was offset slightly by the next oldest age group, 65- to 74-year-olds, with median income increasing 6.5 percent, to $42,113 from $39,548. A New York Times report suggested the drop in income for 55- to 64-year- olds may have resulted from inability to find work after being laid off because of their age, and even when they do find a job, “they usually take a pay cut.” Yes, the ELCA and other denominations face many issues that have impacted congregations. Grap- pling with a 9.7 percent or $5,968 income drop among a major portion of our membership adds clarity to the financial challenge faced by the whole church.
(T)o paraphrase turn of the 20th- century humorist Finley Peter Dunne, ‘Religion ain’t beanbag.’
4 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
MICHAEL D. WATSON
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