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and for the Earth. The university purposefully integrates the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. With distinctive international programs and collaborative student-faculty research opportunities, PLU helps its 3,100 students from all faiths and backgrounds discern their life’s vocation through coursework, mentorship and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. ###

will ping phones and offer fun facts about the historic theologian. All of the engaging events, including some that have yet to be determined, will build up to the milestone anniversary on Oct. 31, 2017, allowing a community to reflect together on a movement that continues to shape our values today. Challenging Authority Though he had the greatest impact, Luther was not the first to challenge the authority of church leaders. Samuel Torvend, Ph.D. and chair of Lutheran studies at PLU, explained that

Studies, and a Ph.D. in Musicology from Yale University. She held full-time faculty and administrative positions at the University of Michigan and the University of California, Irvine. From 2008–16 Rae Linda served as associate provost for undergraduate education and held the faculty position of professor of music at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. In August 2016, Rae Linda began a new position as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Pacific Lutheran University. Her

her time on The Voice. Guest Contributors Samuel Torvend, Ph.D. Samuel Torvend, Ph.D., is professor of the history of Christianity and currently serves as the university chair in Lutheran studies. As a historian of Christianity, his research focuses on the history of religious responses to poverty and food insecurity. He also teaches courses on religious art and architecture and their role in reforming movements. Among his published works are Luther and the Hungry Poor: Gathered Fragments . Kevin

Lutheran studies at PLU, explained that Luther’s native Germany was already a hotbed of discontent, with many Germans increasingly frustrated with church practices. Torvend said Luther’s path to revolution started with a personal quest to find answers to his own questions about salvation and damnation. He would frequently ask his religious superiors what he needed to do in order to be with God in the afterlife. “That really kind of drove him crazy,” Torvend said. “On the one hand he’s told he can do

members selected from a nationwide pool of applicants. The five- day event was offered by the Council of Independent Colleges and Interfaith Youth Core, a nonprofit organization working to make interfaith cooperation a social norm. Hammerstrom and other educators from various universities learned about engaging students in constructive dialogue. They dealt with case studies that each participant brought to the table, springing from everyday experiences and challenges related to religion. He said