Rock Island Today

Augustana College and the Rock Island Library are teaming up to present a lecture series that takes a detailed look at the legacy of religious reformationist Martin Luther.

The library is hosting the lectures from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays from Oct. 24 through Nov. 14 in the Community Room. Free coffee and cookies will be provided.

Augustana associate professor of religion Jason Mahn was slated to deliver the first lecture, focusing on "The Reformation and its Legacy." This overview takes a look at the changes brought by Luther's posting of his 95 Theses, an act credited with helping to start the Protestant Reformation. Mahn has a doctorate from Emory University and taught full time at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for three years.  

On Halloween, assistant professor of communication studies Carolyn Yaschur will help celebrate the 500th anniversary of Luther's rebellious posting by going over how the act changed the worlds of communication and information access.  Yaschur is an award-winning photojournalist, and as a professor her research centers on the effects of visual and multimedia journalism.

Assistant professor of physics Joshua Dyer will give the Nov. 7 lecture, looking at the connection between the Reformation, the Renaissance and the scientific revolution.  Dyer holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and master's and doctorate degrees from Michigan State University.

For the final lecture, assistant professor of business administration Hyeong-Gyu Choi will discuss the "Reformation of Privacy," focusing on how the Reformation led to developments in privacy unseen by people of the medieval times.  Choi's research involves marketing and social media.

All of the lectures are free, and no registration is required.  They part of the Frieze Lecture Series, created by the late Ruth Evelyn Katz, a former library board member, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Rock Island Library.