Reading and Movies

Co-Founder and President of Walden Media, Michael Flaherty, discusses focusing on grace in storytelling; how to grow a mission-guided company. May 5, 2010  [Audio]

Day of Common Learning 2009: Transformational Leadership

The Day of Common Learning is a campus in-service day during which faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate together in a learning community outside of traditional classrooms.

Keynote Address: Transformational Leadership Ronald C. White. Emeritus Professor of American Religious History at San Francisco Theological Seminary. [Video]

Abraham Lincoln: Classical Orator Assistant Professor of Classics Owen Ewald and Associate Professor of Communications William Purcell consider Lincoln in the context of the tradition of classical oratory. [Audio]

Civil Discourse in a Coarsening Culture Ronald C. White, Emeritus Professor of American Religious History at San Francisco Theological Seminary, and Doug Strong, Professor of the History of Christianity and Dean of the School of Theology, address how Lincoln can be a guide for wisdom and witness. [Video]

From Just Paying the Bills to Intentional Living: Leadership Transforming the Off-Campus Housing Experience Associate Director of University Ministries Matthew Koenig and Sharpen Ministry Intentional Living Core students discuss the demographic changes at SPU which find more and more students commuting and how groups of students are responding through innovative forms of Christian community. [Audio]

Lincoln and the Lilacs Professor of English and Director of the Center for Scholarship and Faculty Development Susan VanZanten examines how Walt Whitman captured both Lincoln’s magnificence and American grief. [Video]

Lincoln and the Possibilities of Prudential Politics Assistant Professor of Old Testament Bo Lim and Assistant Professor of Political Science Caleb Henry examine why prudential politics is so difficult. [Audio]

The Lincoln/Douglas Debate The SPU Debate Team recreates part of the Lincoln / Douglas debates that helped propel Lincoln onto the national stage. [Audio]

Lincoln on Education Professor of Education Chris Sink explores Lincoln’s views on education in light of contemporary perspectives. [Audio] [Video]

Lincoln’s Use (and Abuse?) of Presidential Power Professor of History Bill Woodward asks the audience to judge both Lincoln’s actions and parallel instances today with regard to five transforming ways Lincoln wielded presidential power. [Audio]

Ode to Joy: Tragedy, Triumph and Transformation in the Life and Music of Beethoven Professor of Music Wayne Johnson looks at how adversity can help create qualities of determination, character and transformative leadership. [Video]

Transformational Leadership: In Practice and in Progress The John Perkins Center and Student Volunteer Coordinators introduce the John Perkins Center model of student leadership development and share stories of growth and engagement from student leaders currently serving in volunteer programs and at various stages along the leadership development continuum. [Video]

Transforming Leadership and the Power of Service Professor of Nursing Kathy Stetz and Assistant Professor of Journalism Rick Jackson discuss how Paul Farmer’s journey offers insight for everyone, inside and outside medicine, on how real leadership arises from service anchored in vocation. [Audio]

Transforming Self to Transform Others: Lessons from the Prodigal Father Professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology Margaret Diddams walks through the practices necessary to become a transformational leader and the unique types of changes that transformational leaders are most likely to make possible. [Audio] [Video]

U2 and the Future of Transformational Leadership Associate Professor of Christian Ministry Jeff Keuss looks at how U2 provokes leaders of the free world to reconsider everything from immigration policy to debt relief. [Audio] [Video]

Day of Common Learning 2008: Theme of Beauty

The Day of Common Learning is a campus in-service day during which faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate together in a learning community outside of traditional classrooms.

Keynote Address: Beauty, Love, Justice, and Worship Professor Emeritus of Yale Divinity School Nicholas Wolterstorff explores the base commonality between issues of beauty, love, justice, and worship. October 15, 2008. (33:29) [Audio] [Video]

The Psychology of Physical Beauty: Characteristics, Consequences, and Costs Associate Professor of Psychology Margaret Marshall discusses the characteristics of physical beauty, the social consequences of physical beauty, and the psychological costs of the modern obsession with physical beauty. October 15, 2008. (38:54) [Audio] [Video]

Beauty and the Beasts: How Our Ideas About Appearance Affect the Way We Relate to God’s Creatures Professor of Geography Kathleen Braden challenges how our ideas about appearance affect the way we relate to environmental conservation. October 15, 2008. (29:29) [Audio]

Dr. Seuss and the Poetics of Beauty: Why the Grinch, Sneetches, and Lorax Matter Today Associate Professor of Christian Ministry Jeff Keuss highlights Dr. Seuss’ aesthetics influence for many children and how these images address deep questions of belief and realism. October 15, 2008. (47:28) [Audio]

Beauty and the Bible Instructor of Biblical Studies Sara Koenig and Professor of Christian Scriptures Rob Wall explore images of physical beauty in the biblical narrative and a theory of aesthetic guidelines in the formation of the New Testament canon. October 15, 2008. (41:56) [Audio]

Beast…and The Beauty Communications Specialist Jeffrey Overstreet explores the attraction between the beast and the beauty as found in fairy tales, poetry, science, and modern stories and the redemption found therein. October 15, 2008. (54:50) [Audio] [Video]

Leading Beautifully: Practicing the Art of Leadership SPU Faculty Margaret Diddams, Joey Collins, Robert McKenna, and Paul Yost facilitate envision beautiful leadership as an unfolding, interdependent partnership by which leaders co-create the future with the people they lead. October 15, 2008. (51:41) [Audio] [Video]

We Gotta Get Outta Here | Latreia | Thanksgiving

Recent Features:
“We Gotta Get Outta Here” – How Tolkien, Lewis, and L’Engle Help Us Hope Communications Specialist Jeffrey Overstreet talks about growing up with fantasy and fairytales as a source of spiritual truth-telling in a realistic world. 2007 Day of Common Learning. October 24, 2007. (42:53) [Video] [Audio]

Latreia: Worship Through Service SPU Latreia provides opportunities for students to connect faith, action, and community building through one-time service projects. Watch SPU students in action as they participate in Latreia’s November 2007 service day. November 3, 2007. (5:25) [Video]

SPU Classics:
Thanksgiving Gathering: Sharing Our Stories Senior Events Coordinator Rebecca (Webb) Wilhite, Professor of Theater George Scranton, and SPU Student Kim Proctor share their personal stories of thanksgiving. November 21, 2006. (18:12) [Audio]

God is not blind | Be intelligent in our work | Healing

Recent Features:
Homecoming Chapel: 2004-2005, “God Is Not Blind” 2005 SPU Alumna of the Year Marilyn Meberg shares a humorous story of her automobile breaking down on the road and the unexpected help she received, reminding listeners that God is always in charge, providing for our every need. February 3, 2005. (25:46) [Audio]

The Moral Obligation to Be Intelligent in Our Work SPU Alum and lawyer Skip Li calls listeners to actively use their minds to break free from the surrounding culture, utilizing the film Shawshank Redemption to illustrate his point. April 12, 2005. (23:03) [Audio]

SPU Classics:
Healing: Who? How Much? How Far? And When? Goodwill Rehabilitation Counselor and Chaplain Roy Murdock charges listeners to make spiritual healing a primary concern when it comes to personal wholeness. October 29, 1973. (29:47) [Audio]

Justice and Reconciliation | Murray Marshall

Recent Features:
Justice and Reconciliation at SPU: 1942 and 2004 Associate Director of the SPU Career Development Center Susan Lane and SPU Graduate Katie Stalley share the story of a Japanese-American SPU student who spent time in a Japanese-American internment camp during WWII. February 1, 2005. (38:05) [Audio]

SPU Classics:
Romans 12:1,2: A Living Sacrifice Pastor Murray Marshall interprets the phrase “a living sacrifice” as the call to be holy and open to serving God. October 4, 1972. (30:27) [Audio]

SPU Faculty | The Van Duzers | Many stories = one story

Recent Features:
Faith in the Lives and Work of SPU Faculty Professor of Christian Scriptures Frank Spina, Assistant Professor of Sociology Jennifer McKinney, and Professor of Art Laura Lasworth discuss the role of faith in their scholarly work and personal lives. April 18, 2006. (48:33) [Audio]

Beloved in the Wilderness Dean of the School of Business & Economics Jeff Van Duzer and Former SPU Chaplain & Spiritual Director Margie Van Duzer examine Luke 3:21-22 & 4:1-13, emphasizing that our identity comes from God and he delights in who we are. November 1, 2006. (22:27) [Audio]

SPU Classics:
Many Little Stories = 1 Story Emeriti Professor of English Joyce Erickson encourages students to use times of doubt about their faith as opportunities to grow, recognizing that their story is part of God’s larger story. May 11, 1983. (20:39) [Audio]