If the church is indeed to be a long table with a seat for everyone, then people of all lived experiences must feel deeply the inclusion promised to them by Jesus. Jesus prays three times in John 17 “that they may all be one.” In the climactic conclusion of his last supper with the disciples, […]

I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. —John 15:5 In the transformational work we have been doing at Luther Seminary in recent years, it is clear that we are called to be a seminary […]

“Up until that time, I’d only been a liturgist in the church. I’d never done anything like a reflection. It was very daunting, and I was quite scared. I thought my voice would get high and squeaky and all that. But for some reason, it felt like this was the place I needed to be, […]

We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. —Roman 12:6a Sometimes I wonder how the Christian tradition developed such clear lines between those in our community with a clergy role and those without. Certainly, humans crave order and prioritize roles and responsibilities. In doing so—intentionally or not—we assign worth to the […]

Then he said to them all, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” –Luke 9:23-24 We should not be […]

The texts we read during Lent, Holy Week, and into Easter remind us that Jesus is all over the place. He’s in the wilderness and up to Galilee and in Jerusalem and over to Bethany. He talks to the poorest of the poor, the richest of the rich, and everyone in between. And throughout his […]