The Top Stories in Religion for 2025

United Lutheran Seminary: 200 Years of History

Dr. Maria Erling, Professor of Modern Church History and Global Mission at United Lutheran Seminary, shares her thoughts on the 200th Anniversary of ULS. She tells about the need for an educated Lutheran ministry in the United States , the English/German language issue in Church, and the confessional issues that established two Lutheran seminaries in the state of Pennsylvania. She also shares examples of personalities that held her interest. She discusses the life and Dr. Bertha Paulssen, a German refugee during WW2 , who was the first woman to be on a Lutheran seminary faculty in the United States. Dr. Erling also discusses the challenges to theological education in general and United Lutheran Seminary in particular.

The Top Stories in Religion for 2025

Dr. Jon Pahl, Professor of the History of Christianity, United Lutheran Seminary discusses his thoughts on the top stories in religion for 2025. He covers both national and international areas including interreligious peacebuilding in the global village, the changing dynamics of civil religion, the election of Pope Leo, the rise of misogyny, the GAZA protests, and the Epstein scandal. While some of the issues discussed and described are difficult and painful to hear, Dr. Pahl counters them with words of hope as we embark on 2026.

Reflections on Daniel A. Payne and Gettysburg

Dr. Mark Tyler, Historiographer of the AME Church, and the Inaugural Daniel A. Payne Lecturer, highlights the life and work of Daniel A. Payne and the importance of his years at Gettysburg Seminary. He emphasizes the importance of and the role that education exhibited in Payne’s life as an African American intellectual in the 19th century. Tyler also discusses Payne work as the first  historiographer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; he (Tyler) is the 15th person to hold that position. While a true intellectual, Tyler notes the fact that Payne’s life emphasized the use of Head and Heart in ministry. The intellect and the emotional commitment are inseparable; they inform one another. Dr. Tyler's full lecture can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n6aoWutn20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n6aoWutn20]   Dr. Mark Tyler   Thumbnail image source: By C M Bell - https://www.loc.gov/item/2016690322/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103021368 [https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103021368]

Songs of Liberation, Equality and Kindness

Tom Jolin, a folk musician, introduces this episode by sharing his love of folk music that developed in the 50s and 60s in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Using a dulcimer, banjo or accordion, he then describes a brief history of each of the songs or melodies for the listeners. This segment includes: “Love from the Heart/Marching Through GA by Henry Clay Work whose father spend three years in jail for abolition work; “No More Auction Block for Me” by the 1st South Carolina Volunteers. This was the first authorized Black regiment with Black men coming from South Carolina and Florida; “Deportee” (Crash at Los Gago Canyon) by Woody Guthrie tells the story of migrants who were deported from California and the plane crashed in 1948. These and the other songs/melodies are significant for what we are experiencing today.

What is Liberation Theology?

Dr. Nelson Rivera, Professor of Theology and Ethics at United Lutheran Seminary, defines and describes the development of Liberation Theology. This theology places an emphasis on context of the people, especially the poor. Rivera gives an overview of the seminal work of Gustavo Gutiérrez and discusses the contributions of other Liberation Theologians. Rivera makes it quite clear that Liberation Theology is not Marxist. Dr. Rivera also shares how his interest in Liberation Theology developed and gives suggested readings for those in the listening audience who want to read more about this area of theology.   The Rev. Dr. Nelson Rivera Professor of Theology and Ethics United Lutheran Seminary   Credits: Thumbnail Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Guti%C3%A9rrez#/media/File:Gustavo_gutierrez_(Peruvian_theologian).jpg [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Guti%C3%A9rrez#/media/File:Gustavo_gutierrez_(Peruvian_theologian).jpg]