The Seminary Explores

Mr. Evan Boyd, Library Director and Archivist for United Lutheran Seminary, discusses the role of the theological library in theological education. He noted changes that are beginning to be made as well as changes for the future needs of such a library system.

• Ebooks for theological education
• Support of faculty and students
• Outreach to pastoral/church leaders in the community
• Preparation for theological librarianship
• Library as a living room

Dr. Jill Titus, Associate Director, Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College and the author of Brown’s Battleground suggests that we often misunderstand historical monuments, thinking they are “history” when they are really interpretations of history. As such, they become opportunities for conversation, study, communication and reflection. When deciding the fate of such monuments, context is critical. The New Orleans monument was clearly offensive, but many others should be retained as markers of our self-understanding as Americans.

The producers would like to note that this episode was recorded on July 7^th 2017, a month before the tragic events in Charlottesville, Virginia surrounding the Robert E. Lee statue and related protests and counter protests. 

United Lutheran Seminary expresses deepest sympathy for the those killed and injured in Charlottesville.  Please take a moment to read the written response to the events in Charlottesville. 

We also encourage our listeners to revisit the episode titled “Not waiting for the Hero” to hear an example of a unique form of non-violent counter protest that was carried out 10 years ago under similar circumstances. 

Dr. Nelson Strobert, Professor Emeritus of Christian Education, Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary, and author, Daniel Alexander Payne, distinguishes between a tourist and a traveler, and cites three travelers of color who journeyed to Paris to round out their education, and discovered “liberty, equality, and fraternity” as they had not in America.

Artist Brandi Martin Yu and Katy Giebenhain get ‘metacognitive’ in their conversation on installation art, language, research, Walt Whitman and the special opportunity to be one of the artists-in-residence at the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Dr. David Crowner, Professor Emeritus, Gettysburg College and Co-Chair, Project Gettysburg-Leon, describes how charitable organizations can avoid simple charity, if this means patronizing those they serve, and making them dependent; and instead aim for sustainable development. In other words, they help people help themselves. Project Gettysburg-Leon has established eight criteria for this process. Most import is the need to listen and build partnerships.

Pastor Yehiel Curry of Shekinah Chapel describes his own path to ordained ministry, and his work with the Lutheran Church in developing a relevant, exciting ministry, geared toward Black men and their families in Chicago. He is dynamic, passionate and wise, and you will love his story!

Gerald Christianson celebrates his 40th year as a host of the “Seminary Explores” with this interview of Amanda Garner. She maintains that literacy is not only a scandal, it’s an epidemic. About 800 million persons world-wide and 93 million Americans are functionally illiterate; that is, they read below a fourth-grade level, leading to job loss, poverty, unproductivity. With a limited budget, she depends on trained volunteers who can relate to persons and work with their needs.

Artists Chantelle Dinkel and Tanya Ortega talk with Katy Giebenhain from Seminary Ridge Review about the expanding role of arts in the national parks, current projects, and the Gettysburg residency experience. Dinkel is a Swiss-Canadian representational painter trained in Italy at The Florence Academy of Art. Ortega is a photographer and sculptor with a background in forestry, geology and environmental sciences. She is the Founder of the National Parks Arts Foundation.

Photographer Robert Beech discusses the process, challengesand rewards of wet plate photography. During his tenure as Artist in Residence at the Gettysburg NationalMilitary Park, Robert recreated some of the most famous photographs of thebattle using the same technology used by the photographers of the time.

Read Robert Beech's Blog