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Nov 26, 2024 | 
christiancitizen.us | Clint Schnekloth
Photograph by Jamie Street via Unsplash Against serving alcohol at church events: Beyond pietism and toward best practice The inclusion of alcohol in public events, especially those centered on inclusivity and community, presents a unique set of challenges. While it may be common practice to serve alcohol as a social lubricant or a mark of celebration (or even to market the event), it’s doubtful whether this tradition serves the goals of a genuinely welcoming, inclusive environment. This...
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Oct 31, 2024 | 
christiancitizen.us | Clint Schnekloth
Photograph by Brian Wegman via Unsplash Back in mid-September, I started getting in the Halloween mood.
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Oct 24, 2024 | 
clintschnekloth.substack.com | Clint Schnekloth
For quite some time now those of us who look to the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a source of inspiration have been deeply troubled by the appropriation of his legacy by the alt-right demagogue Eric Metaxas. I know each time I see a biography by Metaxas on a bookshelf I cringe, and I’m so saddened Metaxas’s manipulation of Bonhoeffer’s biography is the one many American readers are most likely to read.
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Oct 23, 2024 | 
christiancitizen.us | Clint Schnekloth
Photograph by Kelsy Gagnebin via Unsplash The joy of book stacks: curating stories and wisdom for the soul There’s a special delight in creating book stacks — those carefully curated collections of books arranged to share on social media. They invite people to a conversation about reading, hint at the thoughts you’re currently exploring, and, in some way, reflect the kaleidoscope of your mind. For me, it’s become more than just a visual exercise; it’s a joyful practice, a way of connecting...
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Oct 18, 2024 | 
clintschnekloth.substack.com | Clint Schnekloth
This morning, in Berliner Morgenpost, 86 descendants of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's seven siblings published an open letter, also condemning the distortion of Bonhoeffer's legacy. Here is their open letter in full (first in translation, then in the original German):“With horror, we are witnessing how the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is increasingly being distorted and misused by right-wing extremists, anti-democrats, xenophobes, and religious zealots.
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Oct 11, 2024 | 
christiancentury.org | Clint Schnekloth |Wendell Berry |Brad East |Stacey E. Simpson
To receive these posts by email each Monday, sign up. For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century. Although it’s socially awkward (and financially risky) to preach directly against the rich, such preaching is existentially crucial now more than ever.
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Oct 4, 2024 | 
christiancentury.org | Clint Schnekloth |Jack Jenkins |Aleja Hertzler- McCain |Nanette Sawyer
To receive these posts by email each Monday, sign up. For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century. After hearing Jesus’ teaching on marriage, many churchgoers will be mindful that 2025 is the 10th anniversary of the Obergefell v. Hodges decision granting LGBTQ marriage equality in the United States. Many will also be anticipating their own 10th anniversary of official marriage.
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Aug 29, 2024 | 
christiancitizen.us | Clint Schnekloth
Soldiers of the 57th Infantry of the 3rd Division from Camp Pike in Little Rock, who were dispatched to Elaine, Arkansas in 1919 during the massacre.
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Jul 27, 2024 | 
clintschnekloth.substack.com | Clint Schnekloth
Image from: https://x.com/Olympics/status/1816929100532945380Let’s first take a breath. If you watched the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics, the constant motion of it induced a kind of breathlessness. Like many Olympic opening ceremonies, it was a spectacle, an “event.” I’ve always loved how the opening ceremonies of the Olympics evokes the spirit of the nation in which the Olympics are happening. When they’re in China, they’re very Chinese. And when they’re in France, they’re very… French.
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Jun 5, 2024 | 
christiancitizen.us | Clint Schnekloth
Photograph by Michael Dziedzic via Unsplash Artificial intelligence and the Catechism On Sunday mornings prior to worship, a small group in our congregation gathers for an informal parish meeting. Topics range widely, but often participants ask very interesting catechetical questions. As just one example, a newcomer to our church sat down one Sunday recently and asked, “What’s the difference between the Large and the Small Catechism in the Lutheran Confessions?” This is a softball question...
