Higher Things - A True Positive for the Synod


I was the recipient the other day of a demo DVD from Higher Things, an organization that serves high school and college-aged youth in the Lutheran church. Higher Things and their magazine (first rate!) were familiar to me already, but I have to commend the producers of the DVD. They did a great job of presenting this absolute gem of an organization. My daughter was pleased to go to their summer conference last year in Colorado and loved every minute of it, especially the worship. In a day when so many see confessional Lutherans as capable of only criticizing and condemning, this positive blessing goes unnoticed by the critics, or so it appears. But they should be commended highly for their tireless work with the Lutheran youth of today. They are making a difference and I only wish that the powers that be were more supportive of their efforts. If you are interested in learning more, their web site can be found here.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Amen and Amen!

I haven't had the opportunity to attend a Higher Things event... but I'd like to before I get out of the seminary so that I can recommend it more hearitily to a future congregation. Did your daughter not have a blurb in the front of the most recent issue?? I'm sure there can't be too many Engebretson's running around the MO synod.
April 14, 2007 at 9:26:00 PM PDT
Rachel E. said…
Sam - Yeah, that was me. I write for a Higher Things blog as well.

Rachel E
April 17, 2007 at 5:53:00 PM PDT
Donald V. Engebretson said…
And you didn't even advertise your blog? See the link to "Here I Stand" on the side bar if you'd like to read more of her brilliant commentary :)
April 18, 2007 at 6:37:00 AM PDT
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Firefighter's Cross

Image
[Note: A similar article to this will be shared with my department at their next meeting. During this Lenten season when we are meditating on the significance and meaning of the Passion of our Lord and the Cross at Golgotha, it seemed like one way to offer a witness to the department that captured their interest and yet was not too heavy.] [Editorial Note: In response to a recent comment on this article I have made some changes to the original version of this article especially in regard to references to the so-called St. Florian's Cross. For any confusion the previous unreferenced information may have caused I apologize. I hope that the changes are satisfactory.] THE STORY OF THE MALTESE CROSS In many ways the familiar symbol to the right requires no explanation. It is the universal insignia of firefighting nationwide. Yet the precise origins of this symbol are less clear. The most popular explanation proposes its beginning in the far distant past of medieval Crusaders fi...
Read more

Historical Roots of the Warham Guild Hood

Image
In doing just a little checking on the internet, it's interesting to see how the Warham Guild hood, which I have as part of my STM degree attire, is actually a throwback to the Medieval hood. One article notes "the work of the Warham Guild in its imaginative renderings of medieval hoods" (reference is from here ). Again, here is my hood: The Medieval hood, which was originally a very practical outer garment to cover a person's head and shoulders, protecting both from the elements, bears striking resemblance to this revived form: This hood was also a part of the garb of monks in that era. The Medieval hood, in some cases, also had what is known as a "liripipe," a long tail hanging from the back of a hood. You can see the modern stylized version of this on my own hood. From an article on "Academic hood development" we read that "By 1463 the favourite dress of doctors was the hood with round bell-shaped cape, and the lir...
Read more

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

Image
According to a recent documentary, for all the talk about academic freedom in the world of the large American university system, it would seem that it extends only as far as the system defines it - especially with regards to the subject of origins and science. Noted speechwriter Ben Stein stars as host of the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Dr. Angus Menuge, professor of philosophy at CUW, highlights the film in an article included in the Concordia University - Wisconsin magazine Concordian , including some seemingly revealing details about the expulsion of talented scientists who apparently were ‘expelled‘ from their positions for mentioning the theory of Intelligent Design: “In the current climate, even when academicians have a relevant doctorate and a track-record of peer-reviewed publication, their careers suffer if they argue that the scientific evidence points to an intelligent source involved in the creation of the world. In 1992, Dean Kenyon, a biology professor at ...
Read more