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Upcoming and Current Interfaith Scholars

students from the interfaith program gather for a group photoOn April 23, several of the upcoming (2015-2016) Interfaith Scholars met with the current (2014-2015) Scholars. The current scholars shared highlights and advice for next year’s cohort. The Interfaith Scholars Program is co-led by Professor Matt Maruggi and Pastor Sonja Hagander.

All are welcome for the final project of this year’s scholars:

Interfaith Community Sending for Graduates.
Thursday, April 30
6:30pm, Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center

Graduating students of all religious and non-religious identities are invited to an interfaith service celebrating your educational journey. This 45-minute service will be a special time of reflection and blessing.

CCV Advisory Book and Movie Recommendations

Movie and Book Recommendations from the CCV Advisory Board

At our recent winter meeting we solicited names of movies and books that come highly recommended by the members of the Board.  Here is the list:

Melissa Pohlman:
Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart by Christena Cleveland

John Snider:
Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi by Richard Rohr

Mark Hanson:
Never Wholly Other: A Muslima Theology of Religious Pluralism  by Jerusha Tanner-Lamptey
A Strange Glory: The Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Marsh

Marty Stortz:
David Foster Wallace’s commencement address (2005) at Kenyon College
Christoph Schwoebel’s article “Talking Over the Fence.  From Toleration to Dialogue” (for John Clayton on his 60th Birthday), in: NZSTh 45 (2003), 115-130.

Sonja Hagander:
The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Diane Jacobson:
The film “Sweet Land”— suggested given disagreements about immigration.

Jack Fortin:
Christianity for the Rest of Us by Diana Butler Bass

 

Resources on Vocation: Blogs, Chapel Talks, and More! 2010-2014

Bernhard M. Christensen

“Devoutly Would He Teach: The Legacy of Bernhard M. Christensen,” Gracia Grindal, ’65, professor of rhetoric at Luther Seminary, Bernhard M. Christensen Symposium keynote address on Oct. 2, 2010

Reflections on the 5 Lessons of Bernhard M. Christensen from the spring 2010 issue of Till & Keep journal.

Blog – The Progress of Pilgrimage

Martha E. Stortz, the Bernhard M. Christensen Professor in Religion and Vocation, has a blog with her colleagues about pilgrimage.

Continue reading “Resources on Vocation: Blogs, Chapel Talks, and More! 2010-2014”

What’s in a Name? A Christian Reflection on Current Events

On January 28, 2015, Martha E. Stortz’s chapel talk at  Augsburg College connected current events of Charlie Hebdo and Ferguson with the naming that Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount: Light. Salt.

Her timely reflection is available electronically – What’s In a Name?

 

Lives Explored Videos

Martha E. Stortz (Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation) and Jack Fortin (CCV Senior Fellow) work with the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research on special vocation-related programs.

The Collegeville Institute has created a helpful video resource for personal and/or small group reflections. “Vocation is the story of our lives: how God calls and how we respond. Lives Explored is a video narrative project started in 2012 to capture stories of vocation from participants in the Called to Life and Called to Work programs.”

View the Lives Explored videos and enjoy these everyday examples of vocation in people’s life and work.

 

 

2014 ACYTI Journal

The 2014 Augsburg College Youth Theology Institute (ACYTI) Journal has been published!

participants of the augsburg youth theology gather around a font posing for the camera
2014 ACYTI Participants

This year’s ACYTI was an intense week of friendship, classroom learning, worship, solitude, contemplation, discernment, and action on Augsburg’s urban campus for high school students from around the country interested in theology.

Students participated in hands on learning with classroom discussion both at Augsburg and sites throughout the Twin Cities. At the end of their week-long journey they reflected on what they took away from the week and wrote an essay.

This year’s theme was OMC! Christian Community in the Internet Age and focused on the impact of technology on the Christian Community. Take some time and read what current high school students are learning from Augsburg’s intellectual and diverse community experience!

Vocation as Path: Following the Questions

Augsburg College hosted Seminary and Divinity School Day on October 28. This event allows regional college students to connect, reflect, and explore theological graduate study options with representatives from 18 top-notch seminaries and divinity schools.

Martha E. Stortz, Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation, gave the keynote address at the event.

Her message includes several Big Questions for reflection, and is available electronically – Vocation as Path: Following the Questions 

Welcome to Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Distinguished Fellow

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson 

Distinguished Fellow in the Christensen Center for Vocation at Augsburg College

headshot of Mark HansonAppointed as a Distinguished Fellow in Augsburg’s Christensen Center for Vocation, The Rev. Mark S. Hanson leads national and international initiatives to advance interfaith dialogue, inspire peacemaking, and support the College’s commitment to vocational discernment. In addition, he serves as a major gifts advisor for “Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.”

Prior to his current appointments, Hanson served as presiding bishop of the ELCA. He was elected to this position by the Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA in August 2001 and was reelected in 2007. In 2003, he was elected to serve, concurrently, as president of the Lutheran World Federation, a position he held until 2010.

Before being elected as ELCA presiding bishop, he served as bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod (3H). He had been elected to serve a second term in Saint Paul earlier that same year. Prior to being elected synod bishop, he served as pastor of three Minnesota congregations: Prince of Glory Lutheran Church, Minneapolis; Edina (Minnesota) Community Lutheran Church; and University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis.  Continue reading “Welcome to Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Distinguished Fellow”

Upcoming Christensen Symposium with Nadia Bolz-Weber

Nadia Bolz Weber headshotWe have less than two weeks to go until the annual Bernhard M. Christensen Symposium with Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber: The spirituality of being a total screw-up.

The day will involve Nadia’s presentation from 10:00am-11:00am in Hoversten Chapel. It is free and open to the public!

Learn more about it through StepUP’s blog post about the Symposium.

Augsburg Students – is a career in ministry in your future?

Join us for a special Q&A session for Augsburg students with Nadia Bolz-Weber.

Wednesday, Oct. 1
3:30-4:30pm
Oren Gateway 113

Ask questions of Nadia such as, “What is your advice for those of us considering careers in ministry?” Bring your own questions and be ready for good conversation!