Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and founder of the Philadelphia-based faith community The Simple Way, will speak at Gustavus Adolphus College at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, 2009.
Claiborne’s free public address, titled “Another World is Possible” will take place in Alumni Hall, located in the College’s O.J. Johnson Student Union.
In the heart of Philadelphia, Claiborne created The Simple Way, which has come to be known as the Potter Street Community. This faith community, and others like it throughout the world seek to follow Jesus, to rediscover the spirit of the early Church, and to incarnate the Kingdom of God — a way of life standing in stark contrast to the world of militarism and materialism.
In Philadelphia, projects include feeding the hungry, doing collaborative arts with children, running a community store, enjoying fellowship with neighbors, and planting gardens.
Claiborne is also the author of several books including “The Irresistible Revolution” and “Jesus for President.” In “Jesus for President,” Claiborne and co-author Chris Haw attempt to awaken the political imagination of Christians by encouraging a new kind of campaign, a different kind of political party, and a different kind of commander in chief, casting a vision for what the Christian Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus, instead of American institutions.
Claiborne graduated from Eastern University and did graduate work at Princeton Seminary. His ministry experience is varied, from a 10-week stint working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta, to a year spent serving the wealthy mega-congregation of Willow Creek Community Church outside of Chicago.
Claiborne’s appearance is sponsored and coordinated by the Center for Vocational Reflection and the Chaplains’ Office. Claiborne’s appearance is made possible in part by a grant Gustavus received from the Philip N. Knutson Endowment in Lutheran Campus Ministry, which provides special funding for programs, exhibits, and conferences that address timely life issues and concerns facing Christians in higher education.
For more information about Claiborne’s appearance at Gustavus, contact the Center for Vocational Reflection at 507-933-7169 or go online to gustavus.edu/vocation.
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