Speakers

Who:
Dr. Erik J. Hammerstrom, Professor of Religion PLU

Bio: 
Erik Hammerstrom has had a deep affinity with Buddhism since he was young and has spent his entire adult life in its study. At PLU, he teaches a variety of classes that all touch on Buddhism in some way, including courses on the history and religions of East Asia, and Asian American immigration history.

In his research, he has published books and articles on the intellectual and institutional history of Chinese Buddhism during the early twentieth century, focusing on Buddhist responses to elements of modernity, such as the discourses surrounding both religion and modern science.

When not engaged in the edifying pursuits of teaching and study, he supports his local Buddhist community and enjoys indie and mainstream tabletop role-playing games. He has also undergone extensive training as an interfaith chaplain.

Who:
Lieutenant Colonel Kerstin Hedlund, U.S. Army Chaplain and Lutheran Pastor

Bio: 
Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel) Kerstin Hedlund joined the Army through ROTC in 1999. She commissioned as an Intelligence Officer for a short time before she transferred to the Chaplain Corps in 2005. She had planned to serve as a civilian pastor after completing her military obligation but instead was thrilled for an opportunity to combine her military and ministry vocations in the Chaplain Corps.

Her Reserve assignments include Battalion Chaplain 90th Sustainment Brigade; Installation Support and Prison Chaplain, Joint Base Lewis-McChord; Brigade Chaplain, 330th Medical Brigade; Instructor at the US Army Chaplain Center & School; Mission Support Element Chaplain, 416th Theater Engineer Command; Deputy Command Chaplain, 76th Operational Response Command; currently in the Accessions & Recruiting Division of the Army Chief of Chaplains Office. She served an active assignment as an Installation Chaplain at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area and Moffett Field in Palo Alto, CA.

Her civilian education includes Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary; a Master of Theology from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago; and she is completing a PhD in Theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Her military education includes Clinical Pastoral Education at Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio; Chaplain Officer Basic Course; Chaplain Career Course; Command & General Staff College; Operational Religious Senior Leader Course.

As a civilian she has served as a parish pastor, and she currently serves in Contextual Ed at Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University. She has two young children.

Who:
Chaplain Major Somya Malasri, Senior Chaplain, U.S. Army South Central Chaplain Recruiting Team

Bio: 
CH (MAJ) Somya Malasri is a native of Burriram, Thailand. He immigrated to the United States in June 2001, he attended Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University in Bangkok, Thailand, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies. He earned a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Chaplaincy from University of the West in Los Angeles, California. Malasri received his ordination as a Buddhist Monk in Thailand in May 1991 and later transferred to Korean Buddhist Taego Order American & European Parish. He enlisted in the US Army in March 2005. In October 2010 he was commissioned to active-duty service as a United States Army Chaplain.

Chaplain (Major) Malasri serves as Senior Chaplain of U.S. Army South Central Chaplain Recruiting Team in Grand Prairie, TX. His previous assignments include Battalion Chaplain of the 7450th Medical Operational Readiness Unit in Aurora, CO; Battalion Chaplain of 88th INF Brigade UMT Section Fort Stewart, GA; Field Hospital Chaplain of 121 Field Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade, USAG Humphreys, South Korea; Battalion Chaplain of 68th CSSB, 4SB Fort Carson, CO; Field Hospital Chaplain of 121 CSH Fort Hood, TX; Clinical Pastor Education Student Chaplain Fort Belvoir Community Hospital fort Belvoir, VA; Battalion Chaplain of 593rd STB, 393rd SB Fort Lewis, WA.

He has one operational deployment to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Faithful Patriot (2018) and one deployment to Kuwait (2015).

His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal (Four Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (Three Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Third Award), Humanitarian Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal.

Chaplain (MAJOR) Somya Malasri and his wife – Waan have one stepson Brook (20). Brook is studying bachelor’s degree in pharmacy at Siam University in Bangkok, Thailand.

Who:
Dr. Marit A. Trelstad, PLU Chair of Lutheran Studies and Professor of Constructive and Lutheran Theologies at PLU

Bio: 
Marit Trelstad is Professor of Constructive and Lutheran Theology at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Her scholarly work combines feminist, process and Lutheran theologies and has focused on Christology, theological anthropology, the doctrine of God, and science and religion (including economics, geoengineering and ecology). As a contributor and editor, she published Cross Examinations: Readings on the Meaning of the Cross Today (Fortress, 2006) and contributed to Transformative Lutheran Theologies (Fortress, 2010) and Lutherrenaissance: Past and Present (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2015) along with several other journals and books.