Out and About
Paul Holmer, Søren Kierkegaard, and the University of Minnesota
February 16, 1994
A delightful winter gathering on the 4th Floor of Wilson Library on the West Bank Campus of the University of Minnesota (U of M) was the most recent event of a chain of events that began on a winter day more than 60 years earlier. On that long-ago winter day, Professor David Swenson of the U of M chanced upon Concluding Unscientific Postscript by Søren Kierkegaard in the Franklin Avenue Public Library in Minneapolis.
Professor Swenson took up and read that Danish volume. He was moved and inspired by it. He read and studied more writings by this Dane, and along the way he was instrumental in introducing Kierkegaard’s writing to the United States and the English-speaking world.
On this winter day, a number of people were privileged to attend the “Reception To Celebrate the Acquisition Of Professor Paul L. Holmer’s Library Of Materials By And About The Danish Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.”
Paul Holmer, distinguished scholar, philosopher, theologian, and Christian, was a student of Professor Swenson and of Søren Kierkegaard. During his lifetime as a scholar and teacher, Dr. Holmer acquired books and materials by and about SK; and on this occasion he donated them to the U of M Library.
Thomas Shaughnessy, University Librarian, was the host. Minnesota President Nils Hasselmo gave a warm greeting and expressed appreciation to Professor Holmer on behalf of the U of M for this gift. Professors Gene Mason and Jasper Hopkins, of the Department of Philosophy, and Professor Poul Houe, of the Department of Scandinavian Language and Literature, each spoke briefly.
Professor Mason expressed his pleasure that the University Library had an interest in this collection. He gave credit to Thomas Shaughnessy for his initiative in the matter. Mason lifted up the value of this collection for its capacity to instruct, arrest, and evoke a response in the reader. These attributes are not always regarded, he observed, as being of value in this day of the “information explosion,” in which it becomes common to call libraries “information centers.” A collection like this helps avoid that sad limitation.
Professor Hopkins stated four reasons why the Department of Philosophy welcomes this collection. First, it helps sustain breadth of interest within the Department of Philosophy. Second, it meets a need for maintaining a balanced conception of rationality by giving voice to a philosophy of life that recognizes paradox and dialectic. Third, it helps keep alive the inspirational aspect of learning and inspires daily living. Fourth, the profundity of Kierkegaard’s thought (Professor Hopkins noted that Wittgenstein considered SK the most profound thinker of the 19th century) helps keep us humble as philosophers and as human beings.
Professor Poul Houe reminded us that Kierkegaard was a Danish writer who proudly wrote in Danish. He likened the American attitude about SK to a story about some Germans who insisted that Shakespeare was written in German and an Englishman who responded: “Yes, but the English translations are wonderful.” The Danish “translations” of SK, Professor Houe informed us, are wonderful as well; and he suggested that Kierkegaard scholarship needs to include a text linguistic dialogue.
Paul Holmer was the main man of the hour. He told us that, as a student at Minnesota in the 1930s, he was one of about six members of the Philosophy Club. They heard that Bertrand Russell was in Chicago, and they contacted him. They offered Russell $25 to come to Minnesota to meet with their club and with the philosophy professors. Twenty-five dollars and transportation on the Milwaukee Railroad did the trick. Russell came. Professors and students were on their best behaviour, but “it did not go very well,” said Holmer. Someone asked Russell what he thought of Thomas Mann’s recently translated Joseph in Egypt. “I think it was taken care of quite well in the book of Genesis,” Russell responded.
Professor Holmer paid tribute to David Swenson and expressed his deep appreciation for the impact Swenson had on his life. Paul also acknowledged the importance, for him, of Kierkegaard’s intellectual finesse and pathos. Kierkegaard made caustic remarks about professors and about the prevalent historical approach to every subject; and, Holmer noted, it was a bit strange that his collection of SK has a historic flavor and is in the hands of professors.
Paul Holmer agreed with Kierkegaard that historical knowledge is not necessary for one to get to truth and faith. He likened this to the story of the man who came to the chasm. Deciding to make the leap of faith, he backed way up so he could get a good run at it. He came full blast to the edge, only to find himself too pooped to jump.
In For Self-Examination, Kierkegaard compares reading the Bible to reading a love letter from one’s beloved. To make the comparison more precise, SK asks us to imagine that the letter is written in a foreign language. To read the letter, the lover must translate it. To translate it, he must consult dictionaries. A friend who has heard about the arrival of the letter comes by. “Oho! There you sit reading the letter you got from your lady-love,” says the friend. “Are you out of your senses?” the lover exclaims. “Is this what you call reading a letter from a lady-love? . . . You are mocking me. No, thank God, I shall soon be through with the translation, and then, ah then, I shall get to the point of reading the letter from my lady-love — that is an entirely different thing.”
Talk of the historical approach and what Holmer called the “about mood” reminded me of this passage. Through the years, Paul Holmer has continued to remind university students, professors, and Sunday School classes of this.
All who were present on this winter day applauded and expressed their thanks to Dr. Paul Holmer for what he has contributed to our lives and what he, in this hour, contributed to our state. In addition, the music provided by “The Troll Quartet” was superb and the treats were delicious.
Founders’ Weekend, 1994
Covenant Founders’ day is celebrated annually in the Twin Cities, and, for many years, the scene of the celebration has been Salem Covenant Church in New Brighton. An important event was added to Founders’ Day this year, making the term Founders’ Weekend more accurate. David Hawkinson, a skilled and passionate teacher, had observed that Founders’ Day had nothing in it for children. He was inspired by Moses, who told the children of the Israelites about their history and God’s covenant as they were about to enter the promised land. The story he told the children is found in what we call the book of Deuteronomy.
Thus inspired, David set about to make a place for children in the Founders’ Day activities. He enlisted the support of a group of Twin Cities pastors who have met with David as teacher for the past nine years to study the pericope texts. As a result of their efforts, Twin Cities Confirmation Classes gathered at Salem on Saturday morning to study and learn of the tradition and of the Founders.
“Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive this day” (Deut. 5:3) said the huge banner in the meeting room. Zenos Hawkinson and Glen Wiberg were the featured elders. David organized, orchestrated, and led the study. Susan Hawkinson and son Karl prepared sub sandwiches for lunch, and Curtiss Johnson, veteran elder from Salem, videotaped the event. Work prevented me from spending the morning, but I was able to stop by for a few minutes, a cup of coffee, and a doughnut or two. A young girl entered the church at the same time I did. She was asked at the door if she was there for basketball (Salem has a gym) or confirmation. She responded: “For Founders’ Day.” She knew why she was there.
Founders’ Day Service
Zenos Hawkinson taught history at North Park College for 34 years. He retired in 1986 — officially that is. He continues to teach in many contexts and has taught courses at North Park since his retirement. In spite of his comment that he retired because “History was accumulating faster than I could teach it,” I suspect that he continues to teach because it is his love and his calling. Professor Hawkinson was at his best on the night of February 20 and many of you know how good that is.
We are, he said, quoting the Apostle Paul, “Clay pots filled with treasure from God.” That treasure includes the gift of memory and the mysteries of beginnings and of continuings and the mystery of being present on this evening. And, I suppose, the mystery of reading this journal.
Zenos told us about the snowy evening 109 years ago in the city of Chicago. After a “long and bitter” discussion among the 50 or so men who were gathered in the balconey of the old tabernacle on 30th and LaSalle, F.M. Johnson preached from Psalm 119:63: “I am the companion of all them that fear thee.” This became the basis for these representatives of the congregations to bind themselves together in a covenant.
“God’s glory and neighbor’s good” has been the vision of our spiritual forebears, said Professor Hawkinson. He told us stories of ways our predecessors sought God’s glory and neighbor’s good. The concern for neighbor’s good has often been tangibly executed through care for children. For example, Herman August Franke in the late 17th- and early 18th-centuries, started a school in his home for poor and orphaned children which soon became a model school in Germany. And, a widow in Vall, Sweden, Maria Nilsdotter, later known as “Mother in Vall,” started a school for orphans in her home. She was C.J. Nyvall’s mother and David Nyvall’s grandmother.
Dr. Hawkinson spoke of other persons and actions and challenged us to find our own ways to promote God’s glory and neighbor’s good. We plan to print the complete text of Zenos’ address in the next issue or in a special printing so that you can read it for yourself.
Ted Franklin was as effective introducing the speaker of the evening as he has been in the past in calling for the offering. He reminded us that Zenos had been an officer in the Navy and that he was President of the North River Commission in Chicago. Franklin said that according to the author of How to Speak Minnesotan only 1% of our conversation is about religion and politics. Although most conversation is about weather, cars, and the like, Franklin guaranteed that when our speaker of the evening was through, more than 1% of our conversation would be about religion. He was a true prophet.
The anthems of the Twin Cities Combined Choir resounded under the direction of Judy Blomgren, and Cindy Reents filled the sanctuary with the sounds of the Salem pipes. As for the treats report, excellent again. — PJ