I may regret doing this, but here goes!
Over at Street Prophets a few months ago we had a lot of fun with a series of "Ask a..." diaries (Ask a Quaker, Ask a UU, Ask a Wiccan, Ask a Lutheran, etc.), and I thought it might be interesting to start a similar conversation here at Daily Kos.
First a bit of background. I am a lay Lutheran (not an ordained pastor). I am a theologian by training, earning an M. A. in Theology, Church History and New Testament from a Lutheran seminary and currently writing my dissertation in Historical Theology on my way to a Ph.D. at a Presbyterian seminary. I can only speak with any authority for the liberal theological tradition of mainline Protestantism, especially the Lutheran and Reformed traditions. I cannot speak with any authority for Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anabaptists, Quakers, Evangelicals, or conservative Christians of any kind.
I envision this thread as a space for asking any theological question that you may have, understanding, of course, that I will be answering from a particular perspective. Feel free to ask anything you like.
I only have one rule: please be respectful! This is an opportunity for learning and understanding. We are all aware of the hijacking of Christianity by fundamentalists who claim to speak for all Christians. One of my goals with this thread is to show that there is a real alternative to conservative Christianity, one with a much longer history and with a more natural correspondence to progressive goals.
If your only goal is to trash Christianity or religion in general, don't bother. If you have a question and want to engage in dialogue, you're welcome here.
Ask away!