At the end of July last year the Editorial Council of Let’s Talk agreed that an issue on “peace with justice” would be timely and fruitful.  We asked: How is the church involved in peace/justice issues at various levels?  Has there been a “sea change” in the Lutheran approach to social ministry?  We recognized the […]

The Battle for God by Karen Armstrong, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2000. Reviewed by Brian Halverson In the aftermath of September 11th, as people struggle to understand the causes, impact, and implications of terrorism, Karen Armstrong’s book The Battle for God is both timely and particularly relevant.  She traces the causes of religious fundamentalism […]

This reflection was originally published by The Washington Office on Africa, 212 East Capitol Street, Washington, DC 20003 on September 18, 2001.  Used by permission. Evil was done last week.  The death and massive destruction mark a tragedy that has caused suffering and pain far beyond the confines of New York and Washington.  My heart […]

Reprinted from The Christian Century, September 26 – October 3, 2001 Copyright © 2001, Christian Century Foundation Used by Permission In the terrible terrorist at­tacks of September 11, thousands of our fellow citizens were buried under the rubble.  The rest of us have been buried under the rubble of words that followed. It is hard […]

One of the enjoyable aspects of being on the Let’s Talk Editorial Council is that we talk theology.  Our round table discussions lead to the formulation of topics for issues of Let’s Talk.  We hope we aren’t talking only to ourselves but that we are engaging you, the leaders of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, in […]

Bioethics: A Primer for Christians by Gilbert Meilaender, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1996. Reviewed by Nicholas J. Zook In 1966, Max Scheler published “Der Formalismus in der Ethik und die materiale Wertethik,” later translated into English under the title, “Formalism in Ethics and Non-Formal Ethics of Values,” in which he applied the phenomenological […]

At the installation of ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, the preacher, Pastor Heidi Neumark of New York City said “The daily ravages of injustice are less eye-catching than the events of September 11, but no less devastating in their human toll.  Millions of dollars have been raised to ensure that every family facing financial hardship […]

Let’s hear it for the social ministry committee!  You know, those dedicated folk in every congregation who make it their business to minister to homebound members, to raise awareness of, as well as funds and volunteers for, benevolent causes, and to strengthen the connection between the congregation and the social ministry of the church.  In […]