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Augsburg Faculty Publish New Books for Kids, Parents

Augsburg students benefit from world-class faculty with deep academic expertise and a love of teaching—a major reason the university is so highly ranked for undergraduate teaching. 

Many Augsburg faculty are also dedicated public scholars, whose work reaches beyond the academy to shape conversations in the public square. Two recent faculty books hold broad appeal for children and parents.   

Matt Maruggi holding a copy of his new bookMatt Maruggi, associate professor of religion and previous co-director of Augsburg’s Interfaith Scholars program, is the co-author of “Religion Around the World: A Curious Kid’s Guide to the World’s Great Faiths.” The book aims to make the world’s major faiths accessible to kids ages 8–12, sharing the complexities of different religious traditions in language young people can understand. Maruggi calls it a “gorgeous, content-heavy picture book,” with sections on Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as Native American traditions, Sikhism, Taosim, shamanism, secular humanism, interfaith families, and interfaith cooperation. 

Maruggi and his co-authors Sonja Hagander and Megan Borgert-Spaniol interviewed children from different traditions about the most meaningful aspects of their faith traditions. The book highlights their perspectives as well as famous individuals (like Dorothy Day and Muhammad Ali) and organizations (like Sewa International and Bread for the World) whose religious convictions are visible in public life. 

Cover of Spanked: How Hitting Our Children Is Harming OurselvesChristina Erickson, professor of social work and environmental studies, is the author of “Spanked: How Hitting Our Children Is Harming Ourselves,” a deep dive into the long-accepted practice of hitting children for learning and obedience. “Spanked” explores the historical roots, cultural supports, and social dynamics of spanking—a practice that is illegal in 62 countries, but still widely accepted here in the U.S. Erickson, who also chairs Augsburg’s social work department, comes to this topic as a social worker, a researcher, and a parent herself. In the book, she traces more than a century of research into spanking outcomes to critically assess the common narrative: “I was spanked, and I turned out fine.” 

Erickson was featured by columnist Laura Yuen in a recent Star Tribune article about “Spanked.” The book gives parents, health care providers, educators, social workers, faith leaders, and anyone interested in power and family dynamics a platform to respectfully discuss what spanking communicates to children.

Lilly grant expands vocational, theological reflection

$447,000, three-year award supports Youth Theological Institute

2014 Youth Theology Institute Seniors
The Youth Theology Institute each year celebrates the accomplishments of its senior class. Here, YTI celebrates the 2014 senior cohort.

(MINNEAPOLIS) — A grant of more than $445,000 was awarded by Lilly Endowment Inc., in a highly competitive grant process, to Augsburg College’s Youth Theology Institute. The award means the Youth Theology Institute can, among other things, develop a fellowship program for youth ministers, including from multicultural and ethnic-specific congregations, and expand participation in the program among youths, congregations, and synods.

“This grant supports Augsburg’s continued commitment to intentional diversity and to modeling what it means to be a Lutheran college of the 21st century, located in the heart of one of the nation’s most diverse zip codes,” said Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow.

“It equips young people with theological and vocational skills and helps them learn what it means to practice their faith, with its commitments to education, radical hospitality and serving your neighbor.” Continue reading “Lilly grant expands vocational, theological reflection”

Adjunct faculty member speaks about legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

MatthewsThe Rev. John Matthews, an adjunct professor of religion in the Rochester undergraduate program, spoke May 8 in Muskegon, Mich., about the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a fervent resister during World War II of the Nazi movement. Matthews, past president of the International Bonhoeffer Society, delivered the 33rd Annual Charles H. Hackley Distinguished Lecture in the Humanities and that was sponsored by the Friends of the Hackley Library. Matthews is a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley. Read “Teachings of Nazi Resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer subject of Hackley Distinguished Lecture.”

$10 million gift to Augsburg College will launch new academic building

Gift from 1965 Augsburg College alumnus is largest in College’s history

BOR 05_06_11.inddAugsburg College is honored to announce that it has received an unrestricted $10 million philanthropic gift from a 1965 alumnus.

The donor’s generous contribution will support a new academic building that will house a number of the College’s academic programs including biology, business, chemistry, computer science, math, physics, psychology, and religion.

“This tremendous gift will make possible our continued commitment to academic excellence, to the hands-on learning that is one of the hallmarks of the College, and to the continued best-use of our 23-acre campus,” said Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow. “Augsburg is a 143-year-old anchor institution in the heart of Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. This gift puts Augsburg on the path of being a college for the 21st century, and one that continues to deliver academic excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies.” Continue reading “$10 million gift to Augsburg College will launch new academic building”

Short-term study abroad: a credit and an amazing experience

shortterm_abroadDuring the winter break, several students and faculty were busy learning abroad on short-term faculty-led programs through Augsburg Abroad and the Center for Global Education.

Winter faculty-led programs were:

History of Cuban Music in Cuba with Professor Bob Stacke, Music

Students experienced the fascinating culture of Cuba and its history, politics, and religion by exploring the way Cuban music has contributed to Afro-Caribbean music as a whole. Students also explored how music is used as a means of expressing cultural difference and social realities. Continue reading “Short-term study abroad: a credit and an amazing experience”

A reflection from Namibia

katelyn_abroadKatelyn Danelski ’12 [right] spent the fall semester studying at the Center for Global Education center in Windhoek, Namibia. The following is her reflection on the experience, written after her return to Minnesota.

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“How was your trip,” people ask me. “I hope you had a good time,” they say.  This past semester spent studying abroad in southern Africa with 14 other university students was so much more than just a “trip” or a “good time.” It was a life-changing set of experiences. Homestays, speakers, traveling, classes, and conversations all took me and others to new places and perspectives on spiritual, geographical, and personal levels. Continue reading “A reflection from Namibia”

For the love of learning: Austin Smith ’14 at Cambridge

austinsmithImagine spending all day with intelligent, thoughtful, inquisitive people, listening to lectures and having discussions over tea, pondering the ethics of space exploration, the avenue to true knowledge, and the question of what makes humans human. Except for the tea and the space exploration, it sounds a little Aristotelian. To those who love learning, it sounds like a dream.

This is how Austin Smith ’14, a religion and computational philosophy major from White Bear Lake, Minn., spent part of his summer. Smith was accepted to the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion’s one-week course titled “Science and Religion in Dialogue in 2011.”

The course, held at St. Edmund’s College in Cambridge, covered topics at the intersection of science and religion and featured internationally renowned speakers in areas including astrophysics, theology, neurology, nuclear science, biology, and ethics. Continue reading “For the love of learning: Austin Smith ’14 at Cambridge”

Faculty retirements: Lynne Lorenzen

lorenzenAs part of our continuing series on faculty retirements, Lynne Lorenzen shares her experiences and plans for the future.

My name is Lynne Lorenzen, and I retired from Augsburg College after teaching here for one year part-time and twenty-two years full time. Over these years I have taught many classes in the religion department including introductory courses in theology and Bible, plus upper division courses in religion and politics with Andy Aoki and feminism and Christianity in the Women’s Studies program. I also chaired the religion department for six years and was director of the women’s studies program for three years. Continue reading “Faculty retirements: Lynne Lorenzen”

Learning about war and peace in El Salvador

elsalvadorDuring the January “winterim” break, several Augsburg students traveled with Religion professor Bev Stratton to Central America for REL 480: Vocation and the Christian Faith: El Salvador. First-year Katelyn Danelski reflects below on the group’s experiences.

We met with several speakers and visited different places, such as churches, a university, and a rural community, in hopes of learning more about their culture, history, and people. We primarily learned about their civil war (1979-1992) and about the roles faith and identity play in the midst of social injustice, oppression, and conflict. Continue reading “Learning about war and peace in El Salvador”