Swanson, Tom

Tom Swanson and his wife Donna both grew up in the Covenant Church of Stambaugh, Mich., attended North Park College and are retired teachers/coaches living in Lowman, Idaho. Tom has a new book published, Graduation: “So What Just Happened?”

On becoming a Pietist (Spring/Summer 2013)

At one time it can be assumed there were no “Pietists.” Did the first Pietists set out to form a movement? How did these pilgrims determine their next moves? Was there such a thing as some organizational “road map” moving them forward? How could, or did, they determine whether they were making progress or success?

With joy and gladness (Spring/Summer 2014)

Been thinking, just wondering. What really is joy and where does it come from? Can we willfully manufacture joy on our own? Is joy available to everyone? Does joy come from active or passive behaviors? How unique is our Christian joy, and do I really understand the phrase “the joy of the Lord”?

Defining ‘ecstasy’ (Spring/Summer 2016)

Words are tools for thinking and communicating. Words define words. Wordsmiths fuss and struggle to get it “just right.” The serious authors and translators keep reworking their words with the skill and desire of a highly specialized surgeon.