Entries tagged with ‘Lutheran’
Choosing a College for a Common Good
This article was first published on the Huffington Post, and can be found at the following link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-e-konkol/choosing-a-college-for-a-_b_11295676.html? — Before asking “where” or even “how much will it cost”, perhaps it is most worthwhile to first consider “why” when choosing a college. Why college? For starters, one should challenge the common assumption that campuses are mere […]
The Protest of Protestants is Justified
This article was first published on the Huffington Post on February 2, 2017, and can be found at the following link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-e-konkol/the-protest-of-protestant_b_14577018.html Nearly five-hundred years after Martin Luther awakened Protestantism with ninety-five theses, once again some are seeking to justify an influential truth: to be Protestant is to protest. The resistance of injustice as a response […]
The Scandal of God’s Criminal Justice is Forgiveness
The following homily was published with the Huffington Post on April 12, 2016, and taken from a homily given in Christ Chapel, on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN) on April 11, 2016. The 2nd Chapter of Matthew’s Gospel holds a most horrific story, as it shares a section of Scripture that […]
Conflict is Life and Listening is Living
* The following text is taken from a homily given in Christ Chapel, on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN), on March 7, 2016. Please note that the below manuscript was written with the intention for it to be heard, not read, thus the various grammatical choices were made with an […]
Made New. Today. Together.
The following is a transcript from February 10, 2014, in Christ Chapel of Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN). As part of the “Opening Celebration of the Spring Term”, this message cites Revelation 21:1-7 and considers the consequences of “being made new” during periods of significant change. The rhythm of an academic calendar offers a […]
An Invitation to Reconciliation
The following is a transcript from December 15, 2013, in Christ Chapel of Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN). As part of an Advent Worship Service of Holy Communion, the following sermon considers Matthew 11:2-11. Over the past week the attention of the world focused on the Republic of South Africa, in order to celebrate […]
Being Human in December
A predominant message of this holiday season seems to be both loud and clear: Our value as human beings is often dictated by our capacity to consume. While the average North American consumes approximately twice as much as fifty years ago, we are significantly less satisfied with the quality of our lives, which is – […]
Born Privileged
The following is a transcript from November 21, 2013, in Christ Chapel of Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN). As part of the “Daily Sabbath” fall semester rhythm, this homily examines a variety of biblical texts in order to consider the nature and consequences of social privilege. Today is my birthday. I was brought into […]
Liberation from the Desert of the Unreal
The following is a transcript from November 10, 2013, in Christ Chapel of Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN). As part of a Service of Holy Communion, the following sermon considers John 14:27-28. It was over 14 years ago, on March 31, 1999, when Warner Brothers released a cyberpunk science fiction film that opened the […]
So What Does This Mean? A Response to Race-Based Hate
The Gustavus Homecoming festivities of 2013 were vandalized through an abhorrent act of targeted racism. According to a statement made public by the Dean of Students on September 30th, an unknown individual spray-painted a racial slur, accompanied by the name of a current Gustavus student, on a campus sidewalk. As reported by The Gustavian Weekly […]