News Archives - 1997

Augsburg College's 1997 Christensen Symposium (Sept. 15-16) will focus on how people of different faith traditions can talk and listen to one another in ways that will respect differences while also being honest about that which separates them.

In an event that is free and open to the public, Michael Roan, director of the Tandem Project and one of the founders of the Peace Prize Forum, will give a speech on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. titled "World Religions and World Peace." Roan will give his speech on campus in Hoversten Chapel, located in the Foss Center at the corner of 22nd and Riverside Avenues South.

Also free and open to the public is an 11 a.m. convocation on Sept. 16. The convocation will feature a 10-minute drama performed by the Augsburg theatre department that will introduce an address by Dr. Roland Miller titled "Listening Across Differences: What I Have Learned From People of Different Faiths." Miller, professor of world missions at Luther Seminary, has served many years as a missionary in India.

The public is also invited to a free film, "Islam in America," that will be shown at 2 p.m. on Sept. 16 in the Lindell Family Library and Information Technology Center on campus. The library is on 22nd Avenue South, across from the Foss Center.

The general public is also welcome to make reservations to attend a luncheon ($5 cost) at 12:15 p.m. on Sept. 16 that will feature a panel discussion between Christians and Muslims. Panelists will include Miller, local Muslim leader Matthew Ramadan, Augsburg student Nabila Abu-Mayyaleh and Augsburg faculty member Amin Kader.

The luncheon will be in the East Commons of the Christensen Center, located at 720 22nd Ave. S. To make reservations, call Shar Hauer at 330-1613.

Chapel services throughout the week at Augsburg will feature speakers from different Christian denominations. Regular chapel services, which are free and open to the public, are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:20 a.m. and Thursday at 11:20 a.m.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS -- Roan is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Luther Seminary. He helped found the Peace Prize Forum, which began in 1987 and is now an annual event for 2,000 students and faculty in the Upper Midwest. Roan is currently the director of the Tandem Project, a human rights organization devoted to the protection of religious freedom.

Miller is a graduate of Concordia Seminary and the Hartford Seminary Foundation. He served for 25 years as an ordained Lutheran minister in India. Miller is currently a professor of world missions at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. He is an internationally known Islamicist and the author of numerous books, the most recent of which is "Muslim Friends: Their Faith and Feeling. An Introduction of Islam."

CHRISTENSEN SYMPOSIUM HISTORY -- The annual Christensen Symposium--first held in 1990--is made possible through the Christensen Endowment, which was established by alumni and friends of Augsburg to honor Bernhard M. Christensen, who served as the college's president from 1938 to 1962. It is designed to reflect and reinforce Christensen's commitment to academic integrity, the Christian Gospel and a mutually supportive relationship with the church community.

The Christensen Symposium Year-by-Year

1990 -- Our Calling: A Symposium on Christian Life and Faith

1991 -- The Inward Journey

1992 -- Christian Faith and Public Life

1993 -- How Can a Christian College be Diverse?

1994 -- Discipleship and Life: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

1995 -- Surprised by Faith: The Spiritual Journey of C.S. Lewis

1996 -- The Liberating Arts: Hildegard of Bingen

1997 -- Listening Across Differences

Calendar of Public Events (All free except luncheon)

Monday, Sept. 15
7 p.m. -- "World Religions and World Peace" Public lecture by Dr. Michael Roan in Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center

Tuesday, Sept. 16
11 a.m. -- "Listening Across Differences: What I Have Learned From People of Different Faiths," Address by Dr. Roland Miller, public convocation, Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center

12:15 p.m. -- Luncheon ($5) and Panel Discussion featuring Christians and Muslims, East Commons, Christensen Center, call Shar Hauer at 330-1613 to make reservations

2 p.m. -- Film, "Islam in America," Lindell Family Library and Information Technology Center