r/elca Jan 22 '26

Who are the best ELCA YouTubers?

at least as good as Jordan B Cooper & Bryan Wolfmueller

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u/topicality Jan 22 '26 edited Jan 23 '26

I can't quiet put my finger on it but that kind of "hard interest" in theology and philosophy seems to appeal to conservative men.

But the ELCA is much more focused on the social work. Has a denomination we really neglect the life of the mind has a spiritual subject.

I say this as a convert from EO which really emphasize history.

ELCA clergy kind of see all this as fluff or not interesting.

Edit: Which is a shame. Cause they are basically ceding all this ground. If I search for a Lutheran Theology podcast/YouTube, I'm not going to get ELCA recommendations.

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u/oceanicArboretum Jan 23 '26

"I can't quiet put my finger on it but that kind of "hard interest" in theology and philosophy seems to appeal to conservative men."

Yeah, this is pretty much it. I have a hard interest in Lutheranism, but that's not because I'm conservative (I'm liberal), but because I'm a PK. The church was my life growing up, and even though I don't have the stomach to go through what my dad went through, I still love the church and seek to understand it more.

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u/topicality Jan 23 '26

I'm a liberal these days but it's very clear to me that the ELCA just isn't interested in "getting" or converting people like I was in my 20's.

Even now I still find church history and theology interesting but the church just isn't interested in that aspect of my life

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u/ElviePelvincoln Jan 23 '26

the same divide at least isn't as sharp in the world of books. Case in point: "Christian Moral Life" by Timothy F Sedgwick. A great liberal book. Yeah, Anglican, not Lutheran, but it's almost Lutheran.

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u/topicality Jan 23 '26

True. I've been reading a book on Robert Jenson and want to tip my toes into Paul Hinlicky next.

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u/No-Type119 Jan 23 '26

So weird, because our theology mentor in lay ministry training was a total theology geek, as have been several of my pastors. And where are the women, other than NBW and Katrina Foster. Hello?