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Karl Anliker’s Hein-Fry presentation Oct. 28

October 13, 2020

Karl Anliker, a senior MDiv student, represents LSTC in the annual Hein-Fry lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 2:30 p.m. Central time.

Each year, one student from each ELCA-affiliated seminary is invited to create a class, encounter, or series for people steeped in biblical texts, as well as those unfamiliar with them, and report their learnings. This year, four students will give their presentations online. Susan Briehl, Spokane, Wash., will serve as online host and emcee for each, moderating a panel of thee academic and church leaders as they interact with each student following their presentations.

The Hein-Fry Book of Faith Challenge (HRBFC) seeks to enliven the biblical engagement of the whole church by encouraging the development of faithful, innovative and effective ways of teaching and learning Scripture. It is sponsored by seminaries of the ELCA, the Hein-Fry planning team and the Book of Faith Initiative. This year’s theme is “The Bible—Word Not Weapon.”

Karl conducted his four-session Bible study focusing on women of the Bible via Zoom while on internship at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hinsdale, Ill. He says the study was inspired by Professors Linda Thomas and Esther Menn and their teaching in the Women in Genesis class. “In that class we wrote blessings for the women of Genesis, a practice I directly adopted in this congregational study,” he said.

His description of Look for the Women: A Virtual Bible Study in Search of Hope asks, “Have you ever heard the announcement, ‘Word of God. Word of Life’ at the end of a reading in church and been destabilized or confused? The Bible contains stories of violence, destruction and evil. To provide readers of the Bible with a tool to read difficult stories, this study draws upon the wisdom of Rachel Held Evans and her final book Inspired. She wrote that the stories of women in the Bible, when sought out, offer a more complex story, help us to confront evil systems of violence and patriarchy, and are instructive for people who want to build a better world.

“In that spirit, this study set out to find women (prophets, slaves, concubines and unnamed characters) to see how their stories might be instructive for us. Miriam, Hagar, Sarah, Lot’s Wife, and Rizpah. Each of their stories contains immense tragedy but these women are prophetic and resilient. This study utilized art, scholarship and poetry. The main goal was to empower people with a specific hermeneutic (looking for the women) to aid their study of scripture.”

Karl grew up in Indiana with parents who are scientists and faith-filled Lutherans. His faith was nurtured by Christ Lutheran Church of Zionsville, near Indianapolis, and his journey in ministry was formed by outdoor camp experiences and a Lutheran Volunteer Corps position with All Peoples Church in Milwaukee, Wis.

“It was under the beautiful night sky at summer camp and at protests and revivals with All Peoples Church that I experienced the call to serve the church,” he said. “While studying at LSTC, I joined my passion for ministry with a passion for community organizing, uncovering our shared stories and building the better world we all need, together.”

Karl and his wife Charlotte live in Hyde Park.

Register for the event at www.bookoffaith. There is a separate registration for each of the four students (events).

Contact

Julie Sevig

Content and Social Media Manager

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

773-294-5840 mobile

julie.sevig@lstc.edu

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