The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Minneapolis, MN
The Rev. Dr. Peter Samuelson is a pastor at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Minneapolis, MN.
For several years before he was pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta, GA.
Peter earned a master of divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Georgia State University in Atlanta, where he teaches part time. He is married to Lutheran pastor the Rev. Dr. Debra Samuelson.
Latest Content by The Rev. Dr. Peter Samuelson
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(
ELCA)
The Trayvon Martin case has hit close to home for me. I served a congregation in Atlanta that was predominantly black. I have known many black teenage boys who liked to keep up with the latest fashions and dress like their peers. They were in my confirmation class. I have known many black teenage boys who, in the universal search of all teenagers to find their own internal moral compass, sometimes broke the rules of their parents, or even flirted with breaking the law. They read scripture for our worship service. I have known many black teenage boys who may not always been able to control their emotions when faced with injustice or when treated with suspicion and disrespect. They have sung hymns with our church choir. I have sat with the parents of these beautiful black men-in-the-making as they worry that their sons will be prejudged in what otherwise would be innocent circumstances, except that the skin of their beloved sons is black. I have known many white teenage boys who have had acted much the same as they try to negotiate those volatile teenage years and find their own identity, my son among them. But the white parents do not have the same worries and fears that their sons will be harmed, arrested or killed for simply being – innocently being their teenage selves.
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The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(
ELCA)
I heard Tom Brokaw on a broadcast of the Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis on my car radio today. He spoke on many things but had this advice for young people regarding the brave new world of social media and instant communication (paraphrased): "Texting is fine but there is no substitute for the first kiss."
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Other Recent Content by The Rev. Dr. Peter Samuelson
July 01, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
My mother's Alzheimer's disease has caused me to reflect on the nature of memory. Without memory we would not even know the love of God in Christ.
May 04, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
If there is a sense of justice served at the death of Osama bin Laden, it is only partial and incomplete. Only God can bring about complete justice.
March 29, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
In his speech on March 28 at the National Defense University, President Obama appeals to our national moral identity to defend his decisions to use American military force to intervene in Libya. Moral identity is a powerful motivator for moral action in our personal lives. Does it work the same on a national level?
March 08, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The hearings on the threat of homegrown terrorism from the Muslim community in America being held in the Homeland Security Committee of Congress this Thursday are not only a grave injustice, but are a threat to our true homeland security: our desire to live in peace with our neighbors.
January 10, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
We are having an ongoing conversation in the wake of the horrific events in Tucson, Arizona this past week At times like this, when senseless things happen, we go searching for a cause. Who is to blame?
December 19, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
What hope is there for those who those have lived in winter so long that they can no more remember spring? They have none, except perhaps for those who have memory who can remind them that spring is coming.
December 09, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
In an overwhelming encounter with the will of God, Mary's response is to wonder, ponder and question. Only then does she assent.
June 19, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
I used to be annoyed when an inebriated fan would yell “You da man!” at Tiger Woods. Now on this weekend of the U.S. Open Championship, I will smile and wonder if he hears an echo of the voice of the prophet Nathan who delivered the same message to King David.
May 31, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
In his sermon posted on the Day1 website for Holy Trinity Sunday, the Rev. Canon Chuck Robertson invites us to view the idea of God as Three-in-one as a dance. I am taking up this invitation by further suggesting that the dance of the Trinity is not just any dance, but a ballroom dance.
May 24, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
One of the enduring metaphors for our relationship with Jesus is that of student/teacher. In this graduation season, we can be reminded that our relationship with God through Christ is based on grace, not grades.
March 09, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
Jesus warns us to repent or we will perish. Bill Withers has written a song that illustrates what Jesus means by repentance. It's called "Grandma's Hands."
January 18, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
Ben Larson, a dear friend of our family, died in the earthquake in Haiti. He lived the joy of Christ.
January 12, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
I teach a course in human development at a local university. Can the interactive nature of development teach us something about our relationship with God?
January 02, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The trailers from “Leap Year,” a recently released romantic comedy have gotten me thinking about the power of words to create new realities.
December 22, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
Government intrusion into the lives of Mary and Joseph brought the Prince of Peace to Bethlehem. With the modern day intrusion of a wall near Bethlehem is there hope for peace there today?
December 10, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
I am struck by how the rhetoric of climate change mirrors the texts of Advent. I explore some of these similarities and differences in this blog entry.
October 12, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
President Obama's award of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize has gotten me thinking about God's grace.
September 19, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The writer of James asks in Chapter 4, verse 1: "Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from?" Lately we have been asking, do they come from racism? James has found a deeper source.
August 22, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The words of my blog title describe the principle behind the decision of the ELCA to allow clergy in publicly accountable, same-sex, committed relationships to serve as pastors in the church. It is also a plea to those who disagree with the decision, for remaining in our church.
August 12, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The debate on health care reform, especially as covered by the new media, has begun to resemble a food fight - each side throwing their undigested sound bites at each other. Can the words and teachings of Jesus be a tonic to settle this down?
August 07, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
A woman in my parish had a medical condition that prevented her from eating and enjoying food. It reminded me of the importance of food for our well being, especially the food Jesus offers, the "bread of life."
June 22, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
While the title of my blog sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, I actually have something quite serious in mind. the use of speech in the exercise of authority.
May 31, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
At a recent family reunion, my sister asked my 87 year old father: "What is the purpose of life?" His answer: Love.
May 17, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
A recent confluence of stories and events has gotten me thinking about the connection between mother and home, and the homeland that Palestinians long to obtain.
May 08, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
In an essay on "This American Life" on NPR, writer Dan Savage speaks of a new return to an old struggle with faith after the death of his mother. He finds an unexpected comfort in the church, even as he cannot quite embrace the faith again.
May 02, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published a survey that says a majority of church going Christians believe torture of suspected terrorists to get information can be justified. While there may be some reason to suspect those numbers, it is hard for me to reconciling a belief in torture with following Christ.
April 26, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
In this blog, I wonder if our separation on Sunday morning by ethnicity and culture has less to do with racism and more to do with the nature of worship.
April 15, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
In this blog I introduce myself and invite you to respond. I liken the Day1 website to a typical church coffee hour where we can engage in a meaningful conversation on timely issues.
March 15, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The Rev. Dr. Peter Samuelson preaches on John 2, the account of Jesus angrily clearing out the moneychangers at the Temple, and draws lessons for Lent on understanding and experiencing God's discipline, guilt, and reconciliation.
August 13, 2006
The Rev. Dr. Debra Samuelson
(ELCA)
The Rev. Debra Samuelson is the pastor for evangelism at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta, Georgia. And her husband, the Rev. Peter Samuelson, is the pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta, GA. In this dialog sermon they take a look at how God provides
August 06, 2006
The Rev. Dr. Debra Samuelson
(ELCA)
The Rev. Debra Samuelson is the pastor for evangelism at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta, Georgia engages in dialogue with her husband, the Rev. Peter Samuelson, is the pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta, GA.
March 28, 2004
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The Rev. Peter Samuelson,interim pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta, Georgia, explores the words of hope from the prophet Isaiah.
December 07, 2003
The Rev. Dr. Peter L. Samuelson
(ELCA)
The Rev. Peter Samuelson is Interim Pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Atlanta, Georgia.
