http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.htmlI loved this video–it is a little long [around 20 minutes], but Ken Robinson is really funny, and the argument is very interesting. He argues that we need to do much more to faciliate creativity in education, rather than trying to make everyone conform to one specific outcome, using only one type of curriculum. Here is the part that I especially liked: …… Continue reading More dance, less math!
Author: happylutheran
I am the president at Wartburg Theological Seminary, my beloved alma mater. I am an inveterate optimist, runner, vegetarian, and harp player. I love Mary Oliver and Gerard Manley Hopkins, and like them, I'm continually delighted by all the surprising and wonderful ways God shows up in the world.
Woman Caught in Adultery
We’ve asked the students in the Religion & Media course to post an image of Jesus for our discussion on Friday–either a favorite, or one that is provocative in some way: don’t you wish you could be there?!I thought I would post my favorite image of Jesus–it’s from the Chinese artist He Qi:Do you recognize…… Continue reading Woman Caught in Adultery
Flesh-eating Bodies
Victoria Larson, one of our outstanding students, preached in chapel today, and it was a really fabulous sermon. In honor of our hard-working Greek students, she started with some Greek that gave them hope that there are some interesting discoveries waiting for them as they become more familiar with the language. Did you know that…… Continue reading Flesh-eating Bodies
Sacred Wonder in a Darth Vadar Costume
I want to take five minutes and say how much I am enjoying the Religion & Media class I am teaching with my colleague from Luther, Mary Hess. I am learning so much, and really, really enjoying the conversation–the students are great!What I am most appreciating is the way we are discussing deeply how theology…… Continue reading Sacred Wonder in a Darth Vadar Costume
Happy Trails!
My summer is officially over: tomorrow I begin teaching a new course–the keynote course for the Religion and Media concentration in the MAR program. I’m so excited–not only because I still LOVE the beginning of a new school year, but also because this is going to be such a great course: my wonderful colleague, Mary…… Continue reading Happy Trails!
What an Image of God!
It was roughly just past the midpoint of the Olympic games that this year was declared “the year of the woman.” http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetorch/2012/08/10/158570021/year-of-the-woman-at-the-london-games-for-americans-its-trueSeveral laudable statistics were proffered: this year, every participating country included at least one woman on its team–Brunei, Qatar [pronouned “cutter,” if anyone is interested], and Saudi Arabia for the first time; this year,…… Continue reading What an Image of God!
The Role of Questioning in Faith
I can’t stop thinking about a recent article I read in The New York Times, titled “Nuns Weigh Response to Scathing Vatican Rebuke” [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/us/us-nuns-weigh-response-to-scathing-vatican-critique.html?pagewanted=all]. Maybe you have been reading for the past year or so about the growing estrangement and tension between the Vatican and women religious, particularly American nuns. Here is the quote from…… Continue reading The Role of Questioning in Faith
This Vast Similitude
I have been in San Diego all week, and at the top of my lists of sights has been watching the sun set over the ocean. In fact, I have been pretty enchanted and entranced by the ocean all week–and I say this as a staunch mountain girl: make no mistake, I would choose the…… Continue reading This Vast Similitude
Forgiveness, Part Two
Joe Paterno statue, like others, symbol of idolizing false godsLiving in Pennsylvania, it is impossible to escape the terrible, tragic Joe Paterno story that is unfolding day by day: What did he know? When did he know it? What should we think about him now? I’m an athlete and I love sports news, so I…… Continue reading Forgiveness, Part Two
The Happiness of Lent?
I just read this very interesting editorial in The New York Times, titled “Don’t Indulge. Be Happy.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/opinion/sunday/dont-indulge-be-happy.html?smid=pl-shareThe authors point out that making more money and buying more stuff doesn’t actually make us happier [once we are at a certain level of comfort, of course–the authors identify this as $75,000.] What does make us happier…… Continue reading The Happiness of Lent?
Happy Lutheran 