Forming the Christian Imagination Through Literature
Includes Multiple Live Events. The next is on 05/12/2026 at 7:00 PM (CDT)
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Register
- Non-member - $150
- Member - $150
May 11 - June 19, 2026, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. CST
Intended for anyone interested in literature and faith, this course will introduce participants to a selection of short stories and poems that address a world that is beautiful, broken and redeemed. Each session will explore a particular theme—attention, love, grief, compassion, joy—and how specific works of literature give voice to the human condition in both its frailty and its salvation through Christ. The course will encourage participants’ close reading skills and allow for reflection, discussion and application of what it means to read well and imagine well.
Course Objectives:
- Encounter a curated selection of literature, in both short story and poetic forms.
- Strengthen literary connection and understanding via the practice of close reading.
- Consider dispositions that shape the way we read and imagine: openness, attentiveness, and creativity.
- Appreciate the goodness of God through the integration of literature into the life of faith.
Individuals affiliated with eligible preferred partner organizations receive exclusive tuition discounts for Concordia Nebraska Studia Vitae courses. Please visit cune.edu/partnerdiscount to view a list of current preferred partners and verify your membership to receive your discount code.
Dr. Hannah Kroonblawd (Moderator)
Assistant Professor of English
Concordia University, Nebraska
Dr. Hannah Kroonblawd is an assistant professor of English at Concordia University, Nebraska, where she also serves as the university archivist. As a poet, she writes about familial grief, collective belief and personal geographies. Her teaching expertise includes creative writing, composition and literature.
Dr. David Schmitt (Moderator)
Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Professor of Homiletics and Literature and Professor of Practical Theology
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. David R. Schmitt is the Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Professor of Homiletics and Literature, and professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he has been a faculty member since 1995. His interests and areas of expertise include preaching, the intersections of faith and culture, particularly literary culture, spiritual autobiography and the devotional life.
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