Author: MASadmin

One Potato, Two Potato, Three I-have-never-really-met-that-potato, Four

The evolution of my time at my field site has been rather fascinating. Its been neat seeing how the longer I’m integrated into the community and the staff at the church, the more I’m assumed to have always been there. As I near the end of my second year as their intern (and prep for the start of my internship), the assumption that I’ve just always been there has increased. Recently, people who have moved on from the church and come back to visit, either assume that they automatically know me or that I automatically know them. Folks I’ve only seen on facebook, tagged in the pictures of church members, arrive and people just automatically feel that I’ve had a relationship with them for years. My need to say “oh hey, that’s before my time” has increased. And while that might seem annoying to some people, I actually enjoy it. It doesn’t really boast my ego in the sense that I am starting to feel indispensable; rather, it helps make me feel assimilated into the community. I’m enjoying that.

Of course, there does arise situations where I end up feeling the need to “fake it” when it comes to knowing someone. Luckily, I’m getting use to introducing myself, stick my hand out there, and saying hello to people. In reality, it is the same kind of work that I’m suppose to normally do with people I don’t know anyways. But there’s a skill in showing a hint of remembrance in your eye, taking a step back and letting the conversation develop around you, and also using the time honored phrase of “what’s new?” rather than any other kind of uncovering question. In fact, “what’s new?” is becoming my standard question. I’m still working on a followup when people obviously respond with “well, nothing really. same old, same old.” But I’ll get there. And, if worse comes to worse, I’ll just show them pictures of my dog and my cat. That seems to open up people all the time.

Watching Anglican wheels turning on Lutheran Ethics


The Blue Jay is disappointed in my lack of class participation. via buzzfeed.

The problem with going to a non-Lutheran seminary is that there is a very large language gap between Lutherans and the Episcopalians/Anglicans around me. I mean, we use the same words but we’re not saying the same thing. In my class on Ethics, we attempted to examine, somewhat, Lutheran ethics through the lens of Luther’s own perspectives. Sadly, the books that were selected were actually the wrong place to start any fruitful discussion about Lutheran ethics. Rather, they were books that reinforced the misconception that Augustinian ethics is the same thing as Lutheran ethics (Luther’s two kingdoms are not the same as Augustine’s two cities, etc.). I think, based on some massive generalizations, that such a misconception arises because of the similar words used and the fact that Anglicans love the church fathers/mothers in a non-sexual, non-threatening way, in a way that actually interferes with the realization that Reformers used Augustine in different ways. Luther is Augustinian but he’s not only reading Augustine in one way; i.e. he’s not Anglican.

Now, I know I could have raised my hand and lectured the class about where Lutheran ethics possibly starts (maybe starting from the question of what faith is) but it is getting to the point in the semester where I just don’t have the energy or desire to correct people (I’ll leave that for my papers and projects). And it didn’t help that I was tired and in a bad mood either. So I just sat there, kept myself quiet, and stewed. It was fun to see the class, however, move around on the question of Luther and work some of it out – but it grated on me. And with the internet not really working during that class period, I actually felt I had to pay attention to the discussion and that just didn’t help at all.

In the interests of full communion, maybe I should have opened my mouth and educated my classmates. But, with less than a month of classes left, I just don’t have the time.

Those young people – getting their theatre on – tsk tsk.

Here’s another reason why I like to look at old magazines: finding out that I’m violating so many things, I might as well just give up and go on a bender.

From The Lutheran Quarterly, 1895 (July), page 416 (“Review of Recent Literature”)

[From the] AMERICAN LUTHERAN PUBLICATION BOARD, CHICAGO.
The Theatre. By William Dallman. pp. 112.
In the form of a dialogue with several young people the author disposes quite effectually of the arguments cited in behalf of the theatre. This is followed by an array of startling testimonies against it, and this in turn by Bible proofs, and anecdotes. A careful reading of these clear and sober pages will likely convince Christians that they ought not to patronize the theatre and that it is no place for their young people to seek amusement. This little work merits the widest circulation.
R. J. W.

I’m seeing Newsies in 9 days. All hope is lost for me. SAVE YOURSELVES!

Post Easter Madness

I wish I could inform all of you that this Easter Monday will consist of naps, vegging out in front of my Netflix instant stream, and eating a chocolate bunny for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But, alas, there is no rest for a seminarian who is going to finish his semester in a month. Laundry, papers, books, articles, worship design, and some web development hootenanny will devour my day today. However, I am satisfied because not only is Christ risen (Alleluia!) but I, personally, looked awesome yesterday. My easter shirt was a hit especially during the joint choir sing where I was in the center of the crowd while surrounded by folks in white choir robes. Now if only I could get a cassock in this color….

We match!
Photo by the lovely Julie. K and I didn’t plan to match, it just worked out that way.