The Sixth Commandment: How Did It Come to This?

In the program planning model project, “Called, Gathered, Enlightened and Sanctified: Using Luther’s Catechisms and Bowen Family Systems Theory to Move Beyond Chronic Parish Anxiety and Conflict Toward Mission” (January 2012); The Rev. Amy C. Little asserts that a baseline of health and well being is needed to move a chronically anxious congregation toward mission and that an understanding of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Luther’s Catechisms can aid pastoral leaders in bringing about positive change in the congregation including a deeper Lutheran identity and communal self awareness in the face of conflict. By examining the eight concepts of Bowen Family Systems Theory and applying them to two Reformation era conflicts, Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms, and the Biblical story of Jacob and Esau, the author develops exercises and discussion questions for the pastor to engage self and congregation towards health and mission. The purpose of this project is to offer insights from working with congregations in conflict for other pastors who need resources to aid the anxious parish. This project is written for the local parish pastor who is motivated to bring about positive change and assist a congregation to move from survival mode to a flourishing ministry.

A Translation of A. Vanhoye's Study of Christology from the Perspective of the Letter to the Hebrews

Australasian Catholic Record, 2018

We see in Mark's Gospel an interest in Jesus reaching out beyond the Jewish people to bring the good news to other peoples as well. One of the issues associated with that is the extent to which these other people need to adopt Jewish ways in order to become followers of Jesus. That is why, even though we are in a section of Mark's Gospel that deals with Jesus and the disciples, we have today's passage about Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees.

In our modern, so-called “secular age” religion in the North Atlantic world continues to flourish unabated, yet its shape and character seem undoubtedly to be changing. This essay will articulate what our secular age is like in order to help the pastor, professional church worker, or missionary gain a better grasp of our contemporary religious milieu. It won’t be comprehensive, but it will be broad enough to give the reflective practitioner some resources to help map and navigate our present moment, especially in terms of anticipating mission efforts, thinking about faith formation in the lives of the youngest to the oldest, and of course, trying to give a helpful description about how we came to be the kinds of religious people we are in the North Atlantic.