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The CCV Blog

2015 Vocation of a Lutheran College Pre-Conference

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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

Upcoming and Current Interfaith Scholars

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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” →