In our Christianity and Western Culture program at Bethel, we refer frequently to the biblical image of being surrounded by “so great a cloud of witnesses.” In my experience, few witnesses have been greater than the Dutch-born writer known as Erasmus (1466?-1536). In class yesterday I mostly presented Erasmus as exemplifying how the “Catholic Reformation” … More The Education of a Christian President
150 years ago today, the courts-martial of over 300 Dakota warriors came to an end with convictions for murder and rape. While Pres. Abraham Lincoln commuted most of the sentences, the day after Christmas 1862, thirty-eight were hanged in Mankato, Minnesota. In commemoration, here’s a post on the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 that I originally … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: “All have sinned”
Here • I’m really not looking for a new occupation, but if I were… Apparently, here’s where I should invest my energies. • How my denomination is continuing its long tradition of partnering with others in missions, this time with World Vision in the country rated 187 out of 187 by the UN Human Development … More That Was The Week That Was
I’m normally a pretty optimistic person, but when I go in the other direction, I can plot out nightmare scenarios with the best/worst of them. So while I’ve already gone on record as disdaining “sky is falling” pronouncements about the future of American higher education, some friends and I are nonetheless prone to a kind … More If Being a History Professor Doesn’t Work Out…
“Mission Friends.” That’s what my ancestors in what’s now the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) originally called themselves, and it’s a winsome phrase I’ve always enjoyed. It reflects our foundational understanding that Christians are called “to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ – evangelizing the lost, ministering to those in need, and seeking … More Covenant Kids Congo
Some more Reformation Day fun… A few of my favorite — and not-so-favorite, but significant or revealing — quotations from Martin Luther: On Faith Faith is God’s work in us, which transforms us and by which we are reborn from God. By faith the old Adam is crucified. Faith makes us entirely different in heart, … More The Quotable Luther
Wondering how to celebrate the 495th anniversary of Martin Luther posting his 95 theses? Well, if you happen to study or work at Bethel University (or live in the area), you could stop by my office for our department’s “Reformation ‘PUN’ Day” (10:00-12:00) and enjoy a diet of (gummy) worms. Otherwise… Remember that the original … More Reformation Day Reflections from Around the Web
Ninety-four years today, the Armistice of Mudros ended the First World War in the Middle East. It was signed aboard a British battleship harbored at a Greek island, by an English admiral and a minister of a government that would cease to exist within four years, an indirect result of the armistice he signed. That … More Ottoman Nostalgia
While I catch up on grading some overdue midterms… Enjoy one of the reflections I wrote after reading Lauren Winner’s Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis this past summer. As you might guess from the title, Lauren Winner spends plenty of time alone with her thoughts in Still, but it doesn’t usually take more than … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: The Potluck Church
Here • Thanks to G.W. Carlson, professor emeritus of History and Political Science at Bethel University, for paying tribute to Paul Wellstone on the 10th anniversary of his death. • This week also saw the death of another liberal Midwestern senator. Unlike Paul Wellstone, however, George McGovern did run for president (three times, I think). … More That Was The Week That Was
The Pietist Schoolman 