The Seminary Explores

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. 

Gettysburg National Military Park Artist-in-Residence Brian Emery joins Katy Giebenhain from Seminary Ridge Review in a conversation about his “experimental documentary” adventures on and around the Gettysburg National Military Park. The FIT photography professor shares from his experiences as an introvert in public spaces capturing voices (including the voices of birds) images and stories from past and current history.

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.

The Gettysburg National Military Park is a stop for artist and art historian Anne Tait on her sabbatical. Hear more about her research and artwork (embroidered, back-lit tondi incorporating headstone imagery) in this interview with Katy Giebenhain from Seminary Ridge Review. Tait is an artist-in-residence at the Park.

Lathan Marstellar, the Artist in Residence and the Gettysburg National Military Park, talks about the worlds of virtual and augmented reality and his work creating a virtualized experience around President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Lathan will be presenting his work March 11th, 2017 from 10am-1pm at the GNMP Visitors Center.

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.

After almost 500 years since the Reformation, Donald McCoid, Bishop Emeritus, Southwest Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA, and staff member on the “Declaration” Commission discusses, Declaration on the Way: Church, Ministry, Eucharist offers an unprecedented series of 32 “statements of agreement” between Roman Catholics and Lutherans. The culmination of 50 years of dialogues, they signal that Catholics and Lutherans are “on the way” to full, visible unity. Approved 931-9 by the ELCA Church-wide Assembly, the full document is available free on-line. A study guide for congregations will soon be released.

“They won the battle, but lost the war” summarizes Mr. Hutchinson’s approach to the Battle of the Little Big Horn and the route of Custer’s troops. The U.S. persisted in a relentless military campaign to drive the natives into reservations under their control, while the remnant under Sitting Bull found that the Canadian “Mounties” who were both policemen and magistrates stressed cooperation, provided they observe Canadian law.

Dr. Christopher M. Bellitto, Professor of History at Kean University and author of Ageless Wisdom: Lifetime Lessons from the Bible asks what lessons we can learn about wisdom and growing older from the Bible. He draws lessons from famous, and not so famous, Biblical stories to learn how we can gather wisdom and appreciate its gifts: blessings and burdens, patience and laughter, and reaping and sowing.

A singer-songwriter from Ohio and a photographer-videographer from Alaska come to Gettysburg via Seattle. Michela Miller-Ferree and George Ferree, the latest artists-in-residence at the Gettysburg National Military Park, have covered lots of territory. They bring a shared sense of adventure and respect for Gettysburg’s history to their month-long residency. They stopped by the Seminary campus for a conversation with Katy Giebenhain from Seminary Ridge Review. Hear Michela perform in a fireside concert at the Visitor Center Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 1:00pm in the Refreshment Saloon. The event is free and open to the public.

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