Much is being made of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's ethnicity and her ocassional comments about the role that her family background and cultural heritage play in her judicial practice. Heritage Shapes Judge's Perspective was the headline for a front-page piece about Judge Sotomayor in Wednesday's Washington Post, under a smaller topical heading entitled, Ethnic Identity. The articleContinue reading ““Heritage Shapes Judge’s Perspective””
Category Archives: Society
Proud to be a Patriot
(In honor of Memorial Day, Proud to be a Patriot, republished from May 27, 2006) If there is one thing we liberal-leaning Christians do worse than evangelism, it's patriotism. Most of us left-ish Christians think it is our job, in the tradition of the prophets, Jesus, and martyrs of every age, to speak truth toContinue reading “Proud to be a Patriot”
Religious Clergy and Legal Weddings in Virginia
In preparation for conducting my first weddings as a pastor I'm reading the Code of Virginia (Title 20 [Domestic Relations] Chapter 2 [Marriage Generally]) and learning some interesting tidbits, especially in regards to the role that ordained clergy play in performing weddings: Any "regularly appointed pastor in his denomination" may perform wedding ceremonies in Virginia (thoughContinue reading “Religious Clergy and Legal Weddings in Virginia”
On choosing a Supreme Court nominee
Ever since Justice David Souter announced his intention to retire at the end of the current term of the Supreme Court, speculation has been rampant that President Obama will nominate a jurist who is a woman, an African-American, or a Latino in an attempt to bring greater gender and/or cultural diversity to the Supreme Court.Continue reading “On choosing a Supreme Court nominee”
Today is the National Day of Prayer
My three frequent readers – or what's left of them after I've all but fallen off the blogging cliff – know that I have some severe concerns about the relationship of church and state, particularly when the two get too close to each other. And so since today is the National Day of Prayer (establishedContinue reading “Today is the National Day of Prayer”
The Lutheran Zephyr 