The Lutheran
Writers Project

a home for writers and readers influencing and influenced by Lutheran traditions

2007 Lutheran Festival of Writing


Called to Create: A Lutheran Festival of Writing was held at Luther College in November, 2007. This was an historic gathering of leading Lutheran writers from the United States and Canada. Over 250 people from 27 states attended this event, which was sponsored by Luther College and the Luther College Sense of Vocation Program.


Luther College is currently planning another festival for 2010.  We will post details of that festival here as they become available. 

2007 Festival Schedule

Friday, November 2
Keynote address:

  • Walt Wangerin, Jr.

Open mike for students

Saturday, November 3
Panel: The Climate for Christian Publishing

  • Jill Peláez Baumgaertner, Poetry Editor, Christian Century
  • Gloria Bengtson, Augsburg Fortress Publishing Company
  • Kate Elliott, Lutheran Woman Today
  • Dan Lehmann, The Lutheran

Readings:

  • Gracia Grindal, poetry and Robert Schultz, fiction
  • Jill Alexander Essbaum, poetry and D’Arcy Fallon, memoir

Panel: The Climate for Religious Writers

  • Jim Bodeen
  • Robert Cording
  • Jill Alexander Essbaum
  • Amy Weldon
  • Gracia Grindal

Readings:

  • Paul Shepherd, fiction and Rebecca Wee, poetry
  • Eunice Scarfe, fiction and Joyce Sutphen, poetry

Panel: Fiction, Faith, and Form

  • Lauri Arvid Anderson
  • Gloria Sawai
  • Eunice Scarfe
  • Robert Schultz
  • Walt Wangerin, Jr.

Readings:

  • Jill Peláez Baumgaertner, poetry and Gary Fincke, memoir
  • Nancy K. Barry, memoir and Patrick Hicks, poetry

Featured Reading:

  • Marilyn Nelson

Panel: Bringing the Word to the Public Sphere

  • David Crowe
  • Katie Hanson
  • Mark Mustian
  • Paul Shepherd

Readings:

  • Lauri Arvid Anderson, fiction and Jim Bodeen, poetry
  • Carol Gilbertson, poetry and Gloria Sawai, fiction

Sunday, November 4
Panel: Seeking Freedom In and Out of Form

  • Carol Gilbertson
  • Patrick Hicks
  • Marilyn Nelson
  • Joyce Sutphen
  • Rebecca Wee

Panel: The Graceful Shapes of Memoir

  • Nancy K. Barry
  • Anne Basye
  • D’Arcy Fallon
  • Gary Fincke

Reading:

  • Robert Cording, poetry and Amy Weldon, fiction

Worship Service

  • Preacher: Rev. Heidi Neumark

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