Acton Institute’s Interview with Uwe Siemon-Netto

The most recent volume of the Acton Institute’s journal, Religion & Liberty, features an intriguing interview with Lutheran journalist and theologian, Uwe Siemon-Netto.  Past scholar in residence at Concordia Seminary, Siemon-Netto reflects on history, society, Luther, and the vocation of journalism. Especially interesting are his reflections on the military conflicts from the latter half of the 20th century, gleaned from his own experiences as an international journalist.  A fuller account can be read in his recent published memoir, Triumph of the Absurd: A Reporter’s Love for the Abandoned People of Vietnam   (or if you would rather read the German version: Duc, der Deutsche: Mein Vietnam. Warum die Falschen siegten).

The importance of Luther’s insights on vocation is offered as a remedy for what Siemon-Netto coins as today’s cultural “narcissistic epidemic.” A deeper sense of God’s calling and work through vocation invites us to move beyond the self and pursue a life oriented to love of the neighbor. While particularly central in Lutheran spirituality, Siemon-Netto sees the doctrine of vocation as a wellspring of renewal for all of Christianity and society.

Uwe Siemon-Netto is also author of the book, The Fabricated Luther: Refuting Nazi Connections and Other Modern Myths (CPH: 2007).