bing pixel

The CCV Blog

Christensen Symposium Archive 1990-2015

Posted on

WHY DO WE HAVE THE SYMPOSIUM?

The annual Christensen Symposium-first held in 1990-is made possible through the Christensen Endowment, which was established by alumni and friends of Augsburg to honor Bernhard M. Christensen. As the president of Augsburg College and Seminary from 1938 to 1962, Christensen was a central figure in drawing Augsburg fully into the study of the liberal arts.

The Symposium is designed to reflect and reinforce the principles to which Christensen showed such deep commitment:  academic integrity, the Christian Gospel, and a mutually supportive relationship with the church. In addition, it serves as a vehicle for the Augsburg community to explore and apply the five lessons that are Christensen’s legacy:

  • Christian faith liberates minds and lives.
  • Diversity strengthens vital communities.
  • Interfaith friendships enrich learning.
  • The love of Christ draws us to God.
  • We are called to service in the world.

For more information, see all Christensen Symposium posts.

2015  Living Religion
Richard Rodriguez, author Continue reading “Christensen Symposium Archive 1990-2015” →

Religion at Augsburg – New Faculty Series

Posted on

Religion at Augsburg 

Presentation by Pastor Sonja Hagander and Marty Stortz, Professor of Religion

Wednesday, November 11, 12:15-1:15 pm,

Find out how Augsburg’s origins as a seminary in a specific Christian tradition lay the foundations for a rich appreciation of religious and non-religious diversity. All faculty and staff are invited to this next session in the New Faculty Orientation Series brought to you by the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Christensen Center for Vocation.

All are welcome to this brown bag session in the Campus Ministry Seminar Room (Foss 110) – bring your lunch and join us!

Called to Scholarship with Joan Kunz

Posted on

On October 19, join the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Christensen Center for Vocation (CCV) for a time of reflection and recognition of professor Joan Kunz‘s call to scholarship.

The Seasons of a Scholar’s Calling: Reflections at Mid-Career

Monday, October 19
3:45 to 5pm
Marshall Room

Refreshments will be served.

2015 Heritage Day

Posted on

The 2015 Heritage Day featured presentations by two Augsburg Alumnae:

“BricMandyHeadshot 1ks and Mortar of the Epistle of Straw: Luther and James on Faith and Works.”

Amanda Brobst-Renaud, ‘04

– 2013 MDiv from Luther Seminary
– Current Ph.D. Candidate in Biblical Studies at Baylor University

smallerHeadshot Kmahon“Formation of Worship in Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.”

Katharine S. Mahon, ’06

– 2010 MTS from Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
– Current Ph.D. Candidate in Liturgical Studies, Liturgical History at the University of Notre Dame

ABOUT OUR ANNUAL HERITAGE DAY

Continue reading “2015 Heritage Day” →

Interfaith Student Reflection by Joseph Kempf ’16

Posted on

Joseph Kempf, Class of 2016

joe-kempf
Joseph Kempf Class of 2016

“(And Jesus Said) You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.” Matthew 5:13

You are…a people of faith. You are…a city on a hill. You are…the Salt of the Earth. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his followers salt, of all things! Don’t get me wrong, salt is delicious and needed. But we could be something great! We could be legends, we could be a mountain, instead Jesus charges us with salt. While there are numerous interpretations of what exactly is meant by being the Salt of the Earth, I personally hold this verse in the Gospel of Matthew to indicate how followers of Jesus should engage in the world. I am going to do this with a little bit of Chemistry.

I wanted to be scholarly and a little rebellious so I researched what Salt of the Earth even means. According to the Wikipedia page devoted to Matthew 5:13, it reads “Salt itself, Sodium Chloride, is extremely stable and cannot lose its flavor…(then some author notes) Jesus is ‘not giving a chemistry lesson’” I’m almost a little offended. Who are they to decide when chemistry stops. If there is one thing I learned at Augsburg…chemistry never stops. Since Jesus clearly was not teaching chemistry, I think I will step up to the plate so to speak.

Continue reading “Interfaith Student Reflection by Joseph Kempf ’16” →

2015-16 Christensen Scholar Profiles

Posted on

NORA BARR ’16Nora Barr

Hometown: New York, New York
Major: Urban Studies

My favorite thing about Augsburg is the small class sizes, wonderful professors, and the care that is put into my education. With my experience here I feel I am becoming who I am. I hope to go to grad school to become a School Counselor or Psychologist.

CHELSEA CREGO ’17Chelsea Crego

Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.
Major: Finance and Management
Minor: Management Information Systems

In my free time, I hang out with friends, do homework, volunteer with the M.S. community, and play on Augsburg’s golf team. After graduation I want to work in the Finance Department at a golf course.

HANNAH DAVIDSON ’17Hannah Davidson

Hometown: Virginia, Minn.
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Youth and Family Ministry

My father, an elementary teacher, has inspired me to pursue my current career path of teaching. The love and patience I’ve seen him give to his kids has inspired me to do the same.

JAY KIEL ’17Jay Kiel

Hometown: Little Falls, Minn.
Major: Youth and Family Ministry

Augsburg has helped me and encouraged me to think, how to question and search. After graduation I’d like to continue my education at Luther Seminary and work towards a Master of Divinity.

BLAKE MILLER ’17Blake Miller

Hometown: Staples, Minn.
Major: Biology
Minor: Religion

My proudest academic achievement was being accepted into the summer Dental School Experience at the University of Minnesota. I have further pursued my career in dentistry by taking an internship shadowing several dentists. After graduation I plan to attend dental school.

DEVIN WIGGS ’17Devin Wiggs

Hometown: Oakdale, Minn.
Major: Sociology
Minor: Metro Urban Studies, Religion

My proudest academic achievements have been being accepted as an American Sociological Association Society honors student and completing my summer research project with Professor James Vela-McConnell about the sex scandal of the Catholic Church. After graduation I plan to go to graduate school for my PhD in Sociology.

2015-16 Interfaith Scholar Profiles

Posted on

VISION BAGONZA ’17Vision Bagonza

Hometown: Karagwe, Tanzania
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry, Physics
Internship experience: Mayo Clinic Biomedical Ethics Research Program & Mayo Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

My Augsburg experience has shaped me by broadening what I know, and giving me confidence to pursue higher dreams and aspirations. It also affirmed my career goals and gave me meaningful mentors and connections. After graduation, I plan to pursue a career in medicine and work all over the world.

KEISHA BARNARD ’16Keisha Barnard

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Major: Sociology
Minor: International Relations
Internship experience: Program Assistant for WorldChicago; Intern for the Nobel Peace Prize Forum; Intern at Metropolitan Group 

My favorite thing about Augsburg is the strength of student groups. Augsburg has pushed me to continuously use my critical thinking skills. My proudest academic achievement so far is being the class of 2016’s Kemper Scholar. After graduation, I plan to spend a few months abroad, farming and learning about sustainable agriculture through World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

Continue reading “2015-16 Interfaith Scholar Profiles” →

Highlight Video from 2015 Urban VBS

Posted on

This June, forty middle school and high school youth spent time at Augsburg for the third annual Collaborative Urban Vacation Bible School. They explored faith, community, and vocation while learning more about college. Ian McConnell (Augsburg alum, current Luther seminary student, and youth ministry intern at Redeemer Lutheran Church in N Mpls.) created a video to share about the experience. Enjoy!

2015 Urban VBS

Posted on
On June 9-10, over 40 middle school and high school youth from Lutheran congregations in Minneapolis will be at Augsburg to explore faith, community, and vocation. This Collaborative Urban Vacation Bible School also provides meaningful college exposure to the diverse group of students, and utilizes a leadership track for high school students.

 

The theme for the 2015 Collaborative Urban VBS is “Walk the Neighborhood.” Drawing from both John 1 and Colossians 1 (texts below), we understand that God took on human form in Jesus and walked the neighborhood. As disciples of God, and out of abundant gratitude for God’s gifts of love, grace, and forgiveness, we also walk our neighborhoods. During this year’s VBS at Augsburg College, young people will walk the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, work to identify their roles as being the visible image of an invisible God, and have fun participating in interactive workshops, games, and worship experiences!

Two specific Bible passages will help guide the “Walk the Neighborhood” theme. The bolded passages are added for extra emphasis. Both passages are taken from “The Message” translation of the bible.

John 1: 1-2, 14

“The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own yes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.”

Colossians 1: 15-21

“We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes tot he church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and— leading the resurrection parade— he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe— people and things, animals and atoms— get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured from the cross. You yourselves are a case study of what he does.”

2015 Vocation of a Lutheran College Pre-Conference

Posted on

Women’s Way of Leading: Exploring the Call to Lead

Monday, July 20, 12pm – 5pm at Augsburg College

Led by Kathi Tunheim (Gustavus Adolphus College) and Susan Hasseler (Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD)

As we look forward to significant turnover in executive leadership in higher education in the next few years, we have a unique opportunity to strengthen gender diversity in leadership in Lutheran colleges and universities. Considering the ways in which we can support women’s success in higher education leadership at all levels, from department and division heads to the presidency, is one of our essential tasks as we explore the vocation of a Lutheran college.

The objective of this VOALC 2015 pre-conference session is to promote women’s leadership development at ELCA colleges and universities.  In this session the participants will:

  •     Explore state-of-the-art leadership development strategies for women in higher education.
  •     Engage with current ELCA women in leadership, including a president, vice-president, and a division leader, in an interactive panel discussion.
  •     Create an individual development plan for your own career.

Schedule 
12:00-1:30pm  Lunch Introductions.  (Table Conversations)
1:30-2:15 pm   Recent Research on Women in Leadership in higher education (Short presentation)
2:15-2:30 p.m.  Break
2:30-3:30 p.m.  ELCA Women Leader Panel including question and answer session
3:30-4:15 p.m.   Professional Development plan writing time for the participants; discuss in small groups
4:30 p.m.          Closing and adjourn
4:30-5:00pm      Break

Pre-conference registration

Registration for ELCA faculty and staff for the VOALC Pre-Conference is handled by the ELCA Churchwide Office. Questions about registration may be directed to Vivian Chen, 612-330-1334 or voalc@augsburg.edu
Vocation of a Lutheran College Conference information