Sweden day 4 & 5

This is almost the full group shot. We realized that two from the group didn't get in...but this is made up from the americans, the swedes and one noreigian. On the far left in the yellow shirt is Runar. He is the prof from Sweden that has helped put this class together. He has changed and challenged me in MANY ways. What an amazing man. He loves the US and the church in the US. He is extremely well respected here in Sweden. I'll write more about Runar later.

Yesterday, we spent the morning at the Stockholm school of Theology. we had fika and chapel with the students here. After lunch, we went down to old town and then onto the Vasa Museum. I went with Marcia, Mark, Aaron, and Benj downtown after the group had spent time at the Vasa museum. We had a great time finding old places, watching the sun set over the water, going to this amazing old place for dinner in Gamla Stan, and singing English karaoke along with this piano player from the Chicago who happens to be here in Stockholm. I haven't sung so many Beatles songs since, well, ever.

Today I am hearing my friend Lotta preach at chapel, then will hang out with friends in the city again. Tomorrow I will be off to Linköping to see my great great aunt or something like that. She is my grandfather's cousin and I believe our American side of the family are some of her only living relatives.

I am still pondering Christian theology and how this relates to the Swedes. Again, I asked a question yesterday while we were with the head of the Swedish seminary that I felt they couldn't answer because as a culture, they haven't had to think in terms like we often do. My question was along the lines of `considering how you as a seminary are going through a new reformational process, what are you hoping are maybe the 3 practical things you are hoping your students will walk away with'? I was looking for an answer along the lines of sending out great pastors who will strive in pastoral care, students that are eager to engage with society and stand up for social justice, or pastors that are equiped to exegete the bible in new and demanding ways. I got anything but this answer. the reason why...theology in Sweden is not a pragmatic type of theology. This is somehting I am still trying to understand....

thoughts to ponder for all.