'Krister Stendahl död,' Sydsvenskan, Malmö, April 16, 2008. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director today in advance of our session for May. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of … Continue reading Spiritual direction notes for May: ‘After the final no, comes a yes’; Swedish thelogian on Christan — and Lutheran — responsibility to fight antisemitism
How a Swedish Lutheran theologian’s response to the Holocaust guides my attitude to performative ‘anti-antisemitism’ in an election year
'[...] Christians have a responsbility.' - Krister Stendahl (Wikimedia Commons). Yahoo! News, or its algorithms, served up a twofer on antisemitism this morning. No, make that a three-fer! As I was scrolling through ithe Yahoo! directory Tueday morning, I came across this headline, "How Weaponizing Antisemitism Puts Jews at Risk," over an op ed piece … Continue reading How a Swedish Lutheran theologian’s response to the Holocaust guides my attitude to performative ‘anti-antisemitism’ in an election year
Turkish-American scholar: ‘What I find most hurtful in this whole (Gaza) situation is the reduction of complexity’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7BjYNMEcgg&t=326s Analysis by FRANCE 24's international affairs editor [4:40-5:37], Dec. 11, 2023 When I was growing up in small-town East Tennessee, people who weren't familiar with my Norwegian surname would sometimes call me Ellerstein, substituting the common suffix in Jewish names for the -t-s-e-n that doesn't roll trippingly off an English speaker's tongue. I thought … Continue reading Turkish-American scholar: ‘What I find most hurtful in this whole (Gaza) situation is the reduction of complexity’
Sundays@6: ‘Holy envy’ and Krister Stendahl’s rules for interfaith dialog
Lightly edited copy of a blast email sent out to participants in an online book discussion group Debi and I facilitate for our parish, Peace Lutheran Church of Springfield, Ill. (It meets Sundays at 6 p.m. — hence the name.) We are discussing “Holy Envy” by Barbara Brown Taylor. Her title comes from Harvard Divinity School dean (and Swedish … Continue reading Sundays@6: ‘Holy envy’ and Krister Stendahl’s rules for interfaith dialog
Sundays@6: Notes for online parish book study session on Buddhism, ‘Holy Envy’ by Barbara Brown Taylor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxq-RiLb-6M Lightly edited copy of a blast email sent out to participants in an online book discussion group Debi and I facilitate for our parish, Peace Lutheran Church of Springfield, Ill. (It meets Sundays at 6 p.m. — hence the name.) We are discussing “Holy Envy” by Barbara Brown Taylor. Her title comes from Harvard Divinity School dean (and … Continue reading Sundays@6: Notes for online parish book study session on Buddhism, ‘Holy Envy’ by Barbara Brown Taylor
Sundays@6: ‘Holy Envy’ and Krister Stendahl’s rules for interfaith dialog for a parish book study group
Lightly edited copy of a blast email Debi and I sent out to prospective members of an online book discussion group we facilitate for our parish, Peace Lutheran Church of Springfield, Ill. (It meets Sundays at 6 p.m. — hence the name.) As we begin "Holy Envy" by Barbara Brown Taylor, it explores where her … Continue reading Sundays@6: ‘Holy Envy’ and Krister Stendahl’s rules for interfaith dialog for a parish book study group
A trail of breadcrumbs in Roger Williams’ garden — short takes on theological hair-splitting, mix-and-match spirituality and an ongoing research project
Cartoon by Man Martin (rpt. Winnipeg Free Press, March 16, 2019) Short takes on a general theme that didn't start to jell until I'd been thinking about it for the better part of a month. It's still not completely jelled -- can we think of it as a Jell-O fruit salad? -- but I think … Continue reading A trail of breadcrumbs in Roger Williams’ garden — short takes on theological hair-splitting, mix-and-match spirituality and an ongoing research project
Here’s what Krister Stendahl said, in his own words, about ‘holy envy’ in the context of effective interfaith dialog
Krister Stendahl, dean of Harvard Divinity School and bishop of Stockholm in the Lutheran state Church of Sweden, is probably best known now for his "three rules of religious understanding" -- especially the third rule, "Leave room for 'holy envy'," which supplied the title of a best-selling book in 2019. The book is Barbara Brown … Continue reading Here’s what Krister Stendahl said, in his own words, about ‘holy envy’ in the context of effective interfaith dialog
How ‘holy envy’ enhances religious pluralism and guards against spiritual shoplifting or appropriation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdXAGm5xm9M Palm Sunday, 2016, Saint John's Orthodox Church, Warren, Ohio. I've been thinking lately about the concept of "holy envy" and the Swedish academic who coined the term. That's partly because I worry that the whole idea of pluralism -- both religious and secular -- is under sustained attack now at home and abroad. I … Continue reading How ‘holy envy’ enhances religious pluralism and guards against spiritual shoplifting or appropriation
Uneasy with St. John’s bias against ‘the Jews’ in an age of religious pluralism? Here are a couple of ways to deal with it
Christ Before Pilate, Hans Holbein the Younger, ca. 1538-40 (Wikimedia Commons) Now comes Jim McDermott SJ, associate editor of the Jesuit magazine America, and suggests -- in the headline, no less -- "The Gospel of John has been used to justify anti-Semitism—so we should stop reading it on Good Friday." To which I say: Amen, … Continue reading Uneasy with St. John’s bias against ‘the Jews’ in an age of religious pluralism? Here are a couple of ways to deal with it
A query that went nowhere: On David Brooks, the prophet Jeremiah, a French jurist, ‘creative minorities,’ cultural diversity, UNESCO and ‘reciprocal creolization’
Excerpts from a query: Sent Thu, Jul 22, 8:32 PM -- it doesn't matter who I sent it to, and I have no plans to fool around with a free-standing article, but Mireille Delmas-Marty's concept of "reciprocal creolization," a process of cultural blending that involves dialogue and mutual respect for differences, fits in so well with … Continue reading A query that went nowhere: On David Brooks, the prophet Jeremiah, a French jurist, ‘creative minorities,’ cultural diversity, UNESCO and ‘reciprocal creolization’
Krister Stendahl’s ‘holy envy,’ who gets to go to heaven and Luther’s dear angels in 19th-century Chicago: New perspectives on an ongoing research project
D R A F T Krister Stendahl prays at U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, April 22, 1993 (C-SPAN). As I move on from my presentation on 19th-century Swedish immigrant churches for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, I've been cleaning my office -- sort of like clearing the decks for a sea battle in the … Continue reading Krister Stendahl’s ‘holy envy,’ who gets to go to heaven and Luther’s dear angels in 19th-century Chicago: New perspectives on an ongoing research project
Spiritual direction, August-September
Email, lightly edited to make sense of a couple of really clunky sentences, that I sent today to my spiritual director in advance of our September meeting. Excerpts from my earlier posts are in italics and linked to the original posts to this blog. Hi Sister -- Here's the usual note to confirm our appointment … Continue reading Spiritual direction, August-September
‘Letting grace renew us’ — a little book by a Swedish dean of Harvard Divinity and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QviA2iOsOo Gott ist gegenwärtig [God himself is present]. Heilig-Geist-Kirche, Menden, Germany When we got our mail out of quarantine earlier this week, a little volume by Krister Stendahl titled Energy for Life: Reflections on the Theme "Come Holy Spirit -- Renew the Whole Creation" tumbled out. Perhaps I should explain. The mail wasn't directed to … Continue reading ‘Letting grace renew us’ — a little book by a Swedish dean of Harvard Divinity and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit
Plenty to think about on the road to Caesarea Philippi (Pentecost XII)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwlJtc_3Ioo&t=114s Grace Lutheran Church Chancel Choir, Tallahassee, "Built On A Rock the Church Shall Stand" Oct. 30, 2011. P. The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 16th Chapter.C. Glory to you, O Lord.At a climactic point in Jesus’ ministry, God reveals to Peter that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Sonof the living God,” and … Continue reading Plenty to think about on the road to Caesarea Philippi (Pentecost XII)
Spiritual direction — December 2019
Email sent Saturday to my spiritual director and posted here to provide a monthly update on themes we've been working on and my progress (or lack thereof). Lightly edited to fix obvious illiteracies and reformatted. Hi Sister -- Just looked at the calendar with something else in mind and realized our meeting is Monday afternoon. … Continue reading Spiritual direction — December 2019
Advent meditation: John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven, a Swedish theologian and the duty to resist anti-Semitism
Mass grave at Bergen-Belsen camp. Inscription says, "Here rest 1,000 dead, April 1945."Memorial stones and Israeli flag are placed on monument in observance of Jewish tradition. One of the spiritual exercises I try to practice is something the Jesuits call "creative prayer" or Ignatian contemplation -- after St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the order … Continue reading Advent meditation: John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven, a Swedish theologian and the duty to resist anti-Semitism
Ordinary Time 