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The annual Christensen Symposium is made possible through the Christensen Endowment, which was established by alumni and friends of Augsburg to honor Bernhard M. Christensen. As the president of Augsburg College and Seminary from 1938 to 1962, Christensen was a central figure in drawing Augsburg fully into the study of the liberal arts.

The Symposium is designed to reflect and reinforce the principles to which Christensen showed such deep commitment: academic integrity, the Christian Gospel, and a mutually supportive relationship with the church. In addition, it serves as a vehicle for the Augsburg community to explore and apply the five lessons that are Christensen’s legacy:

— Christian faith liberates minds and lives.

— Diversity strengthens vital communities.

— Interfaith friendships enrich learning.

— The love of Christ draws us to God.

— We are called to service in the world.

The Food Fight: Dispute in Biblical Testimony, Sept. 26-27

Monday, Sept. 26 lecture, 5 p.m., Hoversten Chapel

Accumulation: The Lust for Domination and Monopoly

This presentation will consider biblical models, beginning with Pharaoh in the book of Exodus, of the drive for acquisitiveness that destroys community and turns neighbors into threats or pawns. Brueggemann will connect those ancient witnesses to the contemporary force of acquisitiveness among us and the ideology of domination that skews neighborhoods and distorts policy initiatives in our society.

Tuesday, Sept. 27 convocation, 11 a.m., Hoversten Chapel

Community: Food Practiced as Astonished Gratitude

This presentation will consider an alternative trajectory of food in the Bible beginning with the manna narrative and culminating in the Eucharist. This trajectory is grounded in God’s gift of abundance that makes generous community possible. Brueggemann will probe the ways in which this ancient counter-narrative provides a ground for contemporary neighborly practice and for contemporary policy formation that eschews the scarcity enacted from anxiety.

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King became interested in the story of these diplomats after seeing a photo exhibit about their lives. He worked with noted British historian Sir Martin Gilbert, who had just completed a book about common people who saved Jews during the Holocaust and with Stephanie Nyombayire, a Rwandan anti-genocide who lost 100 members of her family to genocide. His research led King to descendants of the diplomats and to survivors of the ordeal as he uncovered stories largely unknown before this time.

“As I did this work, I felt something incredible about these individuals,” King says. “There was no marching band, no parade, no career advancement, and no light put on them for their courageous action.”

King says his work on the film opened his eyes to the “mystery of goodness.” Though presenting these stories and shedding light on a dark subject was difficult, King says, “Sometimes you have to face evilness to understand how goodness can make the world a better place.”

In addition to his chapel talk, King screened his 2008 film Rapping with Shakespeare and spoke with Augsburg’s jazz band members about the role of music in film. King was invited to Augsburg by assistant music professor Ned Kantar; at a recent ceremony, Kantar’s local synagogue honored King for his work on the film.

King hopes that his work on “The Rescuers” will open viewers’ eyes to the opportunities they have to make the world a better place. “At the end of the day, this film will make you want to reach out to your families, to the community, and to the world.”

Go to the documentary to learn more about King and The Rescuers, to find opportunities to view the film, and to meet the diplomats featured.

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