"Can Anything Good Come out of the Gaza Crisis?"
Since the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7th the world has been lining up and taking sides. Although very few non-Arab...
Is There a Road Back to Concern for All?
As we begin a new presidential political season, many people are filled with anxiety. The main reason for this concern is that, going in,...
"Endangered Values in America"
For forty plus years I lived my life as a pastor in the progressive Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Because I tend to do...
Is it Patriotism or Nationalism?
This weekend we are entering the first of two patriotic national holidays in the United States with Memorial Day. Certainly as we...
"Winning and Losing In America"
Some years ago I remember reading in James Michener's Sports in America that the obsession about winning in sports has to do with people...
"The Spectre of Religious Nationalism"
As a student of history and religion, I have long been confronted with the ambiguity of nationalism in world history. But not until...
"Making a Difference in Leadership and Life"
I just finished a book of essays on two great religious and political leaders, Bonhoeffer and King (Fortress Press, 2010). Both Dietrich...
"NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Reflects Questionable Values"
This year’s NCAA College Men’s Basketball Tournament emphasizes the value of winning at any cost. In most college basketball programs...
"Lifting up Those Historically without Power is the Mark of being Ethical Today"
Lately I have been reading and ruminating on our social structure in the United States. In part, this has come to me through reading a...
"Growing toward Anti-Racism through Group Participation"
From October through this week I participated in a class called "Let's Talk" on growing toward becoming more anti-racist. I must admit...
