This week’s featured Fish Hooks:
In the Boat
Someone was overheard to remark: “When I’m sitting in church I sometimes enjoy just looking around and feeling like I’m in a boat.” What he was probably referring to is the way that traditional church design has us seated in a long narrow row of pews all facing the same direction, like the crew of an ancient sea-faring galley. Or perhaps the church he attends is one of the many whose architecture features a vaulted ceiling with exposed wooden beams that arch overhead like the ribs of a boat hull, so that the effect (with a little imagination) is indeed like sitting underneath an overturned fishing boat of the kind Jesus and the disciples used. What this person probably did not realize, however, was that this similarity is reflected in the word we use for the part of the church where the worshippers sit: the nave. That word is derived from the Latin navis, which means ‘ship’ and is also the root of the words naval, navy, and navigate. (Read more)
Welcome to Fish Hooks! These are short informal takes on a wide range of topics related to Christian faith and practice. Expect some trivia, some history, some theology, some practical guidance, some meditations, some humor – as well as some things that are a bit hard to categorize. Don’t expect deep doctrinal dissertations or weighty sermons! We’re “working Christians” who ourselves have questions and are curious about a lot of things related to our faith. That means we sometimes take on topics that are important, perhaps even controversial, and at other times things that are interesting but not really all that important. We hope that you too will find these topics informative and engaging. And if you get ‘hooked’ into thinking more deeply about some things that you have taken for granted, never previously thought about, or didn’t really understand – well, that’s the whole point! Though we ourselves are Lutheran Christians we consider ourselves brothers and sisters with all who confess Jesus Christ as Risen Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9), regardless of denominational affiliation, and most of our content is intentionally ecumenical. Yet, we recognize that our Lutheran beliefs, practices, and traditions can be subtly (or not-so-subtly) different from others – and we believe these differences can sometimes be very important. We try to be open and honest in our discussion of such differences – clear about ourselves while also being respectful of the faithful followers of Christ who hold to and worship Him in other faith traditions. Each week we publish a new Fish Hooks, which you can access by the link above. Or you can view all of the Fish Hooks published so far via either the Archive link (by date), or Listing by Topic. If you want to know more about how this site came to be and the people behind it, you can learn more by clicking the About Fish Hooks link. And if you’d like to comment on the contents, suggest a topic, or otherwise engage in conversation with us, you can reach us via the Contact link. If you find value in this site and our articles, please feel free to link to us in your own publications. Happy nibbling!
Fish Hooks 
I enjoy reading fish hook every week, it makes me think.
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Thank you for the encouragement. It is much appreciated! Fred
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have enjoyed since the beginning…keep them coming!
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I enjoy both the information and challenge of Fish Hooks.
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