EVERYONE's invited (part II)

(NET) Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female - for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."

I had a college professor who used to welcome students to Bible Study by proclaiming there there is "neither graduate nor undergraduate!"


Could we include distinctions like these; neither Black or White, Asian or Hispanic, Native American or European. Neither Liberal or Conervative, progressive or libertarian. Neither natural born citizen or immigrant, neither doccumented or undocumented. Neither gay or staight.

Just as ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ALL are equal at the foot of the cross and ALL are welcomed into the family of God and the arms of Jesus.

This new year, resolve to see everyone we meet as what they are, a unique and precious creation that God loves, created in His image.

Reading some really 'OLD-school!'

GEEKING OUT; last night I was reading the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope compiled by theologians in Smalcald, Germany in 1537 and it totally reinforced for me democratic philosophies about bottom-up structures, empowerment of the populace, and an aversion to tyranny. Amazing how conservative/orthodox 16th century theology is a good model for liberal/progressive 21st century politics.

Not to mention servant-leadership, egalitarianism or the separation of church-and-state!

It amazes me that Lutherans can purport to agree with this stuff from the Reformation and then seem to support so much of the ideology and behavior espoused by today's Republican candidates and pundits that's pretty much antithetical to what Martin Luther and his colleagues found in Scripture and wrote and taught. 

Antithetical and in my opinion, short-sighted and irresponsible.

But it does not surprise me that Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. was impressed enough to change he and his son's names after learning about the reformer's on a trip to Europe.