It’s the season in northern climates when the leaves change colors and the air turns crisp. Something about this time of year always strikes me as profound—a reminder that while change is constant, it can also be the source of tremendous vibrancy.
This is something we’re experiencing here at Luther Seminary. Our learning community is in the process of changing and transforming. Classes are in full swing, shifting students’ perspectives as they engage deeply in the study of scripture, theology, history, and leadership. We are stretching in our work to advance diversity, inclusion, and equity to reflect the vibrancy of God’s people in our life together. We’re reimagining what theological education looks like in the 21st century to help leaders and everyday disciples discover disciplines and practices that shape Christian faith in a world where it is no longer assumed.
And change is complex. There are stops and starts, failures and successes. Just as we don’t control when and how the leaves change colors, the work of change in Christian community is fundamentally the work of the Holy Spirit. It happens by an act of God’s grace, sometimes in spite of our efforts.
Henri Nouwen, Dutch Catholic priest and writer, said, “We cannot change the world by a new plan, project, or idea. We cannot even change other people by our convictions, stories, advice and proposals, but we can offer a space where people are encouraged to disarm themselves, lay aside their occupations and pre-occupations and listen with attention and care to the voices speaking in their center.”
That is the kind of vibrant community we’re praying for here at Luther Seminary—and in the church as a whole. A place where people can come together and open themselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit and to one another. May it be so, by the grace of God!