Personal Health - Babies Know - A Little Dirt Is Good for You - NYTimes.com

Personal Health - Babies Know - A Little Dirt Is Good for You - NYTimes.com

Three Normative Contexts for a Life Shaped by Jesus

Sam Wells in his introduction to the 20th anniversary edition of Ched Myers Binding the Strong Man, suggests that Ched Myers believes that there are three normative contexts for a life shaped by Jesus. They are:

1) Being part of a group of disciples.
2) Attending to the crowd, being in relationship with the poor and oppressed.
3) Attending to Jesus' confrontation with the Jerusalem authorities of his day.

Or, stated in question form:

1) Am I part of a "group of disciples" in any meaningful sense?
2) Do I have friendships with people very different from myself, people to whom I say 'I am allowing myself to be changed by knowing you'?
3) Does the shape of my life reflect my longing to see God set people free, and do I challenge those who keep others in slavery?

These are excellent devotional reflection questions, but also useful as a hermeneutical lense for reading and preaching on Mark's gospel in this year.

DrMartinLutherKingJr.com - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence - Audio, Text and Photographs

DrMartinLutherKingJr.com - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence - Audio, Text and Photographs

I'm reading Ched Myer's commentary on Mark right now, and he sees this as a key prophetic text for our day. I'm taking some time to listen and read it.

Exclusive First Listen: M. Ward's 'Hold Time' : NPR Music

Exclusive First Listen: M. Ward's 'Hold Time' : NPR Music

Bishop's Report and Reflections on Holy Land Visit

Messages and Statements - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Report and Reflections from the Bishops' Academy Visit to the Holy Land [1]
January 2009

After two years of planning, bishops, their spouses, and staff members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) traveled to the Holy Land for the Bishops’ Academy, an annual gathering for study and worship. The trip was planned as a witness to God’s will for a just peace for all people and as an expression of accompaniment with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and ministries of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

I know, I should have bought the album already, but I've just been streaming this album periodically and it continues to grow on me...

The Girl Effect

Interfaith Worker Justice - Unemployment and the Economic Crisis Toolkit

Interfaith Worker Justice - Unemployment and the Economic Crisis Toolkit

Change.org - Ideas for Changing America: Appoint Secretary of Peace in Department of Peace and Non-Violence

Change.org - Ideas for Changing America: Appoint Secretary of Peace in Department of Peace and Non-Violence

Lausanne Movement - Lausanne Homepage

Lausanne Movement - Lausanne Homepage

Relationships Foundation

Relationships Foundation

Welcome to the work of A Rocha USA

Welcome to the work of A Rocha USA

A Christian international conservation organization caring for God's world.

A Healthy Economy

A Healthy Economy

Trappist Caskets - order a wood casket made of pine, oak, or walnut

Trappist Caskets - order a wood casket made of pine, oak, or walnut

Support an Iowa business, help your family with end of life plans, and give some forethought to your funeral. Great resource!

Bach cantatas, as they might have been - Sandow

Bach cantatas, as they might have been - Sandow

Bach: "Epiphany Mass" led by Paul McCreesh, discussed by Bernard D. Sherman in the New York Times

Bach: Epiphany Mass; led by Paul McCreesh, discussed by Bernard D. Sherman in the New York Times

Epiphany blessings to all. Bach's four hour Epiphany service reconstructed for modern ears reminds us how different the Lutheran church is in our day from that of the fifth evangelist.