It’s the midpoint of the semester here at Luther Seminary. Which means it’s been a week of midterms, candidacy interviews for second-year students, approval interviews for seniors, and more. There is, at this point of the semester, often a discernible weariness you can detect on the faces of students and faculty alike. For me, it’s also the midpoint of my regular commute from our new home near Philly to the Twin Cities. Quite frankly, that commute has gone as well as I could possibly have hoped – few delayed flights, just enough time to get work done, and a cleverly arranged schedule (thank you, Office of the Registrar!) that means...

Yes, it’s in Spanish. No, you don’t need to know much Spanish to enjoy this brief (7 minute) tour of the history of music. The work of Pablo Morales de los Rios, the video is a catch-your-breath whirlwind tour from the ancient Greeks to modern day punk and heavy metal rock, with significant stops along the way in the baroque, classical and romantic periods. What’s incredible is how much information the artist can convey via these drawings and the background music in such a short time. And, of course, it got me thinking: when are we doing to try to teach the Bible and the faith this way. Not just via animation – Spark House’s Reform...

Though released in 1984, Leonard Cohen’s beautiful “Hallelujah” didn’t catch on until it was covered by John Cale a few years later. Since then, more than 200 different artists have covered it, including Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, k.d. lang, and Bono. Having “laid our alleluias to rest” during Lent, now seems the perfect time to hear one more cover of Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” this time from street musician Petr Spatina, playing the piece on crystal glasses. Notes: 1) If you are receiving this post by email, you may need to click here to watch the video. 2) Thanks to Diane for sending this my...

There are two types of worship services most regularly associated with Good Friday. One is the traditional service of the “Seven Words from the Cross.” The service, often held between noon and three – the hours Christ hung on the cross – is composed of hymns, readings and a brief meditation on each the seven words Christ uttered from the cross as recorded by the four evangelists. The other common occasion for worship on Good Friday is the Tenebrae service, usually held in the evening and arranged around the passion story as recorded by St. John. Tenebrae comes from the Latin word for “shadows,” and at various parts of...

Eric Whitacre is known for his breathtaking compositions of choral work. He has published more than four-dozen pieces and recorded several albums. More recently, he’s become known as the guy who puts together virtual choirs. What is a virtual choir, you ask. Well, his one first involved inviting 185 voices from a dozen countries to sing and record their various parts in their living rooms, door rooms, or wherever, and send them to him. Whitacre then combined all of these recordings into a single “virtual choir.” The finished piece became an instant You-Tube sensation in 2010. A year later, he gathered more than 2000 voices from 85...

While it’s easy to forget this side of New Year’s, we are still actually in the season of Christmas. Knowing that the marvel and wonder and mystery of the Incarnation can’t be comprehended too quickly, the Church established twelve days of Christmas that stretch from the Feast of the Incarnation, on December 25, to the day before the Epiphany of our Lord, on January 6. So on this the 9th day of Christmas, and anticipating the Epiphany celebration that falls this Sunday, I thought I would highlight one more Unlike Christmas Carol. This one also comes from A Very Special Christmas 3: Patti Smith’s version of “We Three...