Honorable Mention: Lutheran Heritage Chair Kit Kleinhans

Last updated on: October 30, 2013 at 2:11 pm By Caryn Riswold

Today is Reformation Day, when Lutherans mark a moment when the good Dr. Martin Luther himself posted his Ninety-Five Theses, “A Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences,” on the door at Wittenberg in 1517. At Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, they are marking a new era in Lutheran studies and the college’s commitment to this heritage and their mission: Wartburg College will bestow a new distinguished chair during a Reformation Day celebration Thursday, Oct. 31. The Mike and... Read more

Doing Something Real: The #ICHairRaiser

Last updated on: October 31, 2013 at 11:16 am By Caryn Riswold

I tweet-captioned this photo “At #IllinoisCollege we just might give you the hair off our heads!” This week, faculty, staff, and students where I work are donating hair to Beautiful Lengths, Pantene’s partnership with the American Cancer Society to make real-hair wigs for women battling cancer. Three of us went under the scissors together yesterday, and at least three others have also done so (we’re still gathering all the pics). It’s the kind of service that makes sense to me. ... Read more

Maybe You Shouldn’t Marry Him

Last updated on: October 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm By Caryn Riswold

I was almost as uncomfortable as Simone Jhingoor this morning. But I was safe at home on my stationary bike watching The Today Show, while she stood in Rockefeller Plaza live on television having her work undermined by her now-fiancee. Jezebel summarizes: Al Roker was about to do the weather when he took a detour and introduced a woman who works at a non-profit. Simone Jhingoor was prepared to talk about the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation — which sounds great... Read more

Oprah, Atheism, & How Not To Be An Ally

Last updated on: October 22, 2013 at 10:02 am By Caryn Riswold

Oprah loves teaching us about ourselves. This month, it’s a great example of exactly what NOT to say to someone who is different than you. Chris Stedman describes the exchange that took place between the talk-show-host-network-mogul and Diana Nyad: A few days ago Winfrey interviewed long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad on Super Soul Sunday. Nyad identified herself as an atheist who experiences awe and wonder at the natural world and humanity. Nyad, 64, who swam from Cuba to Key West last month,... Read more

Why Affordable Care Matters for Women

Last updated on: October 15, 2013 at 10:18 am By Caryn Riswold

Given that the Affordable Care Act remains a political football more than three years after it was signed into law, I thought I’d share easily understandable information about how and why it has been described as “the single biggest advancement in women’s health in a generation.” I’ve written about why this law is important for women before, and discussed some of the religious and political opposition to it last summer: And yet, the bishops are unhappy. Because they’ve not yet... Read more

Teaching With Meaning: The LFP Family

Last updated on: October 15, 2013 at 9:36 am By Caryn Riswold

I’m travelling to the University of Scranton today to attend a board meeting, administrators workshop, and the national conference of the Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts. Last year at this time I described the program and some of my involvement in it over the years, from a postdoctoral teaching fellow to faculty representative and now a member of the National Network Board: The LFP has been an integral part of my own development as a teacher and... Read more

“Women Breaking Silence”

Last updated on: October 11, 2013 at 2:13 pm By Caryn Riswold

What follows here is part of a ritual for domestic violence awareness, one of several campaigns ongoing throughout the month of October. It is written by Diann L. Neu and distributed by for October 2013 by WATER, the Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual. Background Information Women and girls of all ages, economic status, race, religion, nationality, and/or educational backgrounds are at risk for domestic violence. This willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behaviors perpetrated... Read more

A ChildFull Life

Last updated on: October 10, 2013 at 10:28 am By Caryn Riswold

Today is the third anniversary of Owen’s baptism. In the two previous years, I have written about it in these ways: In 2011: On 10/10/10, he was the fifth child with whom my husband and I stood, alongside his parents, and made promises: To care for him, to teach and instruct him, and to love him. The first time we were present for another godson’s baptism, it was eighteen years ago, as the presiding minister prayed for “the spirit of... Read more

“… and I Would Like to Listen”

Last updated on: October 9, 2013 at 10:44 am By Caryn Riswold

On Saturday, October 5, 2013, two church bodies faced significant moments in the history of their inclusion of women. Rev. Elizabeth Eaton was installed as the first woman presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, something I’ve already written about. And on this same past Saturday in Salt Lake City, Mormon women held a day of action to request admission to the priesthood session of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The request was simple: Kate... Read more

It’s My Birthday! … & Other Awareness Events

Last updated on: October 6, 2013 at 1:10 pm By Caryn Riswold

October seems to be full of things of which you should be aware, only one of which is my birthday today. Here are a few others that you should check out: Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15): Have you been watching Latino Americans on PBS? Check it out … I have it DVR’d. Then, read why Latina Feminista has a problem with Hispanic Heritage Month. LGBT History Month: Yes, there is a history and no, you might not... Read more