Two Worlds starts with a simple truth Augustine understood well: Christians live in the tension between the world we see, and the world God promises. Our daily journey includes responsibilities, relationships, and challenges, yet our deepest identity belongs to a kingdom still unfolding. That pull between the temporal and the eternal shapes how we read Scripture and how we live. This blog grows out of that space. The ELCA follows the Revised Common Lectionary, which shapes our daily and Sunday readings. Two Worlds is a weekly guide to the readings for the upcoming Sunday.
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Author Bio
Paul Rykken was baptized into the American Lutheran Church in 1957 and raised in a family long engaged in ministry. His grandfather, Thorvald Rykken, served as a missionary among Indigenous communities in Wisconsin in the 1920s before pastoring in rural North Dakota, and both he and Paul’s father—also named Thor—were graduates of Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Paul grew up in several of the seven parishes his father served over more than fifty years. Rykken graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead in 1979 with a BA in history and a coaching minor and went on to a 41‑year career as a teacher and coach in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. He now teaches First Nations History through UW–Green Bay’s Early College Programs and continues to coach distance runners.
Rykken is a member of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Black River Falls, part of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin (ELCA). He leads adult study opportunities for the congregation and regularly consults with Pastor Jen Hatleli as he develops new materials. Two Worlds began in 2023 as an extension of an introductory Bible study course and is shaped by his interest in how scripture and lived experience inform one another. His recent work reflects a growing commitment to using digital tools to enhance learning across classroom and congregational settings.
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Disclaimer
Two Worlds draws upon texts and themes from the Revised Common Lectionary, developed by the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT). All scripture quotations are sourced from the Bible Gateway website (New Revised Standard Version), with appropriate permissions where applicable. This content is intended for educational and devotional purposes, and no part of it is intended to infringe upon copyright held by the CCT or any affiliated organizations. Any insights, reflections, or commentary provided are the author’s interpretations and should not be seen as official doctrinal statements or endorsements. Images used in this blog are sourced primarily from Wikimedia Commons, where they are available under open or public domain licenses.
