Pr. Taran's Sabbatical 2026 - St. Luke Lutheran Church

I’m not sure who originated the concept, but there are always three worlds/peoples interacting when reading Scripture:

The world in front of the text – That’s you and I as readers and listeners The world of the text – Which is the characters and world in the story itself The world behind the text – Which is world of the author and/or whoever that story/passage i...

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” – 2 Timothy 1: 5

When we read or hear Scripture’s story, we never listen in a vacuum. We bring our stories with us in our hearing. This weekend the question on the storyboard in the fellowship hall changes to have...

Narrative is one of the most impactful ways to tell a story. Think back on your favorite stories. Whether it’s a personal memory, a piece of fiction or non-fiction, a movie, a book, or a television series, narrative is the norm of how stories are told. It’s the main way we tell what has happened and how we communicate experiences with each other.

Part of what makes...

For centuries, pilgrimages were understood as acts of devotion that merited holiness. Sites such as the scala sancta (holy staircase) were believed to carry the power of sanctification. According to tradition, these were the steps Christ climbed on his way to stand trial before Pontius Pilate, moved from Jerusalem to Rome in the fourth century.

As a young m...