North Park Seminary has honored the Rev. Dr. Richard W. Carlson by dedicating a room in Nyvall Hall to the late professor, a lifelong learner who spent his life fighting racial injustices.
The space is called Richard’s Renaissance Room, a nod to Carlson’s devotion to a variety of pursuits, from history to baseball, Civil Rights, poetry, and biblical scholarship. Carlson’s wife, Jolene Bergstrom Carlson, said her husband also loved spending time with his children and spent his life fighting against societal hatred and violence.
“Richard especially had a head and heart for racial justice, lamenting over racial injustices until his final moments,” Jolene said. “To Richard, all people belonged and had worth.”
The Richard Renaissance Room, designed as a place to read, pray, and connect with others, is being furnished by $30,000 in private donations to the Seminary. The money also provides tuition assistance via the Richard and Jolene Carlson Scholarship Fund to a seminarian whose studies focus on justice issues.
“Richard was brilliant, but he never used his mind as anything but a tool to encourage his students to engage with the complexities of faith and life through thoughtful questions and readings,” Jolene Carlson said.
The dedication took place Jan. 24, during the ECC’s Midwinter Conference.
To donate to the fund, visit https://connect.northpark.edu/give, select “other” and include “Richard Carlson Memorial Fund” in the comment box to designate your giving. You may also mail checks to North Park University’s Development Office:
North Park University
Development Box 6
3225 W. Foster Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625.