Author Archives: profbartling1

A SIBLING’S CELEBRATORY REQUIEM: Balancing Sadness and Gladness

Funeral service of Holy Communion  for Victoria Ruth (nee Bartling) Bouman  was observed on the Fifth Day of Christmas, December 29, 2011, at Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois.  My sister Victoria, eldest of six siblings,  was born  January 14, 1923 and died early morning Christmas Day. How to frame a eulogy for my sister?  Really, very simple andContinue reading “A SIBLING’S CELEBRATORY REQUIEM: Balancing Sadness and Gladness”

FAMILY PHOTOS – MEMORIES – CHRISTMAS (2007), 2011

December 21, 2011 One of my daughters wishes to give her nephew her Christmas table yule log. Our daughter inherited this from her parents who in turn had inherited it from her grandparents (my folks). Did I have information, she inquired, regarding the origins of this family treasure? My wife knew how and when we acquiredContinue reading “FAMILY PHOTOS – MEMORIES – CHRISTMAS (2007), 2011”

POLK – THE MEXICAN WAR – BACKGROUND TO CIVIL WAR

December 14, 2011 Robert Merry’s ,  A COUNTRY OF VAST DESIGNS   is a political biography of President James K. Polk, the Mexican War (1846-1848), and  the conquest of  the American  Continent.  Preparing lectures in American history particularly stimulating for me was the Ante Bellum period, partiularly 1830 to 1860, and raising issues serving as prime causation forContinue reading “POLK – THE MEXICAN WAR – BACKGROUND TO CIVIL WAR”

BUCKLEY – INDIVIDUALISM/CHRISTIANITY

A recent op ed  written by Carl Bogus (Startribune, 11/30/11) arrested my attention.  Bogas’ article is titled:  “Why all black and white,  no gray? For GOP it all starts with Buckley.”  The writer suggests the modern conservative movement began 60 years ago when Buckley published “God and Man at Yale”  Yale was criticized for two things,

SURPRIZED BY JOY – NEW MATH OF GRACE

Is there anything unique about Christianity? The incarnation of god’s appearing in human form or religious accounts of return from death are shared by various religious traditions. The respected author, C. S. Lewis when asked what is Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions he replied:  “Oh, that’s easy.  It’s grace.” 

LOCKEAN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND PARTISAN GRIDLOCK

The bipartisan committee of twelve lawmakers appointed by party leaders to trim $1.2 trillion of the national runaway debt over the next decade on the day their report is due have crumbled. Failing to reach a compromise  just how to lower the federal deficit is resulting in the gridlock  blame trading game. political parties  accuse one another forContinue reading “LOCKEAN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND PARTISAN GRIDLOCK”

RESPECTFUL ECUMENICITY

Something I always tried to teach my students and remind  myself is the following ( blog readers know I harp on this):  “that of which you are most certain – of that be most critical”. That should suggest that even though I am a committed Christian with a discreet worldview does not imply one should not be open toContinue reading “RESPECTFUL ECUMENICITY”

FRED’S THANKS FOR FREDSTOCK – “Student – Teacher: Knowledge and Meaning Dialogue”

November 3, 2011 Ruth and I wish to express our thanks for the wonderful cooperative effort by so many making Fredstock a successful and fun evening. Academy lads from 1962-1968, especially the class of 1966 who suggested the scholarship with the  leadership of  their classmate Dr. Daniel Kriefall.  The Alumni Office served most helpfully in fielding captains who contactedContinue reading “FRED’S THANKS FOR FREDSTOCK – “Student – Teacher: Knowledge and Meaning Dialogue””

AUGUSTINE’S IMPACT ON WESTERN THOUGHT

October 30, 2011 An influential idea in Western thought is that history has a goal and is puposeful.  This idea altered the Greek-Roman notion that history and time revoved in meaningless circles with no ultimate goal. With the fall of the Roman Empire to Germanic invaders in 431 AD  Augustine, theologian and philosopher, wrote The City of God. Continue reading “AUGUSTINE’S IMPACT ON WESTERN THOUGHT”