Past Institutes

June 14-19, 2009 – “Exploring the Life and Times of Dietrich Bonhoeffer”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer— Pastor, Pacifist, and Conspirator

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who stood up against the Nazi regime at a time when many other Christians were in support of it. He was hanged for his role in a plot to execute Hitler. Since then,many have become captured by the clarity and urgency of his theological writings, finding timeless meaning and challenge within them. Spend the week exploring Bonhoeffer’s life and theology with an internationally recongized Bonhoeffer scholar. Engaging conversations, provocative questions, thoughtful readings, and exciting community-based experiences will serve as our method of learning about this influential theologian and his implications for our time.

ACYTI 2009 Faculty

Lori Brandt Hale, Associate Professor of Religion

Dr. Hale claims,”What we believe matters” and she finds a deep well of belief that matters in the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dr. Hale is respected internationally as a leading Bonhoeffer scholar and is a popular professor at Augsburg College. She challenges students to recognize that questions—their philosophical and existential questions (Who am I? Why am I here?)—have theological answers.

June 13-18, 2010 – “Christian Faith and Creation: Heavenly Minded and No Earthly Good?”

What does the Christian faith have to say about our relationship to the environment? Should we be concerned about global warming and the environmental impact of our lifestyle? How can we talk about our current environmental situation in a way the claims God as Creator and yet recognizes our role as stewards of creation? Together we will explore these questions through a biblical, theological, and literary lens.

ACYTI 2010 FACULTY

Mary Lowe
Assistant Professor of Religion
“The Environment and Christian Theology”

Colin Irvine
Associate Professor of English
“The Environment and Literature”

Professor Karl Jacobson
Assistant Professor of Religion
“The Environment and Holy Scripture”

June 26-July 1, 2011 – “Our Wild and Reckless God: What Does Forgiveness Mean?”

Nobody likes to think that they are sinful. So does this mean forgiveness is also something we should no longer talk about? What is forgiveness? Who needs it? How do you get it? Who shouldn’t be forgiven? Join us as we spend a week exploring forgiveness in today’s world. We will look to the Bible and to Luther’s theology to develop a better understanding of forgiveness. We will discuss how the church has historically offered forgiveness to a sinful world, and we will reflect on how we practice forgiveness (or not) today.

ACYTI 2011 FACULTY

Mark Tranvik
Professor and Chair of Religion

Mark Tranvik has clocked hours as a parish pastor and a baseball coach as well as a college professor. He has a deep love for the theology of Martin Luther and for enticing students into the study of Luther’s theology. He served as instructor for the 2004 ACYTI on Vocation. Professor Tranvik has the reputation of being an outstanding instructor and all-around good guy. Despite this, he is deeply in need of forgiveness from a reckless God.

June 17-22, 2012 – “Stories Worth Living: Exploring Lives of Interfaith Action”

Stories help us to make sense of our lives; in fact, we are all “storied” people, each with a unique narrative that gives our lives personal meaning. How does your faith story shape the way you live on a daily basis? How can the faith stories of others from across the religions of the world help us to understand our own Christian faith commitment and inspire us to action? Together we will explore the heroic lives of people from across the world’s religions who were deeply moved by their own faith story to act on behalf of others. Prepare to be inspired!

ACYTI 2012 FACULTY

Matthew Maruggi, Assistant Professor of Religon

Matt holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton in Psychology and Religious Studies, a Masters in Theology from the same institution, and a doctorate in Critical Pedagogy from the University of St. Thomas. He has worked in community organizations, college campus ministry, taught high school, and directed service-learning initiatives.  Since 2008, he has been an assistant professor of religion at Augsburg College. His teaching and research interests include Christian ethics and the ethics of world religions, liberation theology, spirituality, and service-learning.