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ST. PETER, Minn. (AP) — A private college in Minnesota has renamed its arboretum that honored an 18th-century Swedish botanist who has been criticized for classifying humans in a way now seen as racist, school officials said Tuesday. The popular greenspace at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, located about 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of the Twin Cities, has been known as the “Linnaeus Arboretum” since 1988. It recognized Carl Linnaeus, who popularized a system of classifying living things and divided them into the animal, plant and mineral kingdoms. Recently, though, Linnaeus has been criticized for his 18th century...

A feminist organization at a Minnesota college recently invited students to batter a Donald Trump effigy during a school-wide recruitment fair. The Gustavus Adolphus College “Womyn’s Awareness Center” (the misspelling is intentional) erected an effigy of President Trump alongside its recruitment table Wednesday, encouraging passers-by to unleash their political anger on a replica of the new president.

Archaeologists have started unearthing human remains from a mass grave near the German town of Lützen, a find that dates back to the Thirty Years' War. "We estimate that there are at least 75 dead, who were buried very close together in several layers," archaeologist Susanne Friederich said on Friday. The Battle of Lützen, which took place in 1632, pitted Swedish soldiers against those under the command of German Roman Catholic general Albrecht von Wallenstein. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the Thirty Years' War, with an estimated 6,500 to 10,000 casualties. The Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus was...

- Perhaps, but Northern Europe didn't get rich by adopting policies resembling what Obama today is doing to the US.

There is actually nothing to be afraid of here in life. But most people act like disorganized creatures running around recently having their necks cut off. Prior to Gustavus Adolphus, monarch of tiny Sweden, decided to break the backbone of Catholicism in the 17th century, he told his troops; "Fear not, O little flock, the foe Who madly seeks your overthrow; Dread not his rage and power; What though your courage sometimes faints, His seeming triumph o’er God’s saints Lasts but a little hour. Be of good cheer; your cause belongs To Him who can avenge your wrongs; Leave it...

If we are to believe the wisdom received by early medieval (southern) European scholars, the northernmost parts of the continent prior and after the fall of the Roman Empire was not only cold, barbaric and uninviting. It also was inferior. Pretty much like people of today not having visited Scandinavia and Finland would describe it. In fact, certain Romans and Arabs did actually pay visits to frozen, godforsaken "Thule". What did they meet with? Although they were not all that impressed with certain aspects of Nordic culture, like eating habits, they understood the Vikings had developed forging, warrior code and...

Too few school children of today grow up knowing what Gustavus Adolphus - the Lion of the North - accomplished in his lifetime. Northern Europe, especially Scandinavia, of today is nothing like "Trainspotting". Northern Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Britain of today disposes of more industrial plants, more of well reputed universities and more of well educated workers than any other comparable part of the planet. Why? In one word: Protestantism. Regardless of the differences between the largest Lutheranist church on Earth, the Church of Sweden, and the Church of England which understands itself to be both Catholic and Reformed,...

Islam is, undeniably, a major source of inspiration for terrorism, oppression and barbarism. Many would even say the very nature of Islam is nothing but sheer evil and among these gainsayers of Islam we find plenty of well educated and highly literate individuals. Personally speaking, I can't say that I've grown more tolerant of Islam the more educated I've become. But could Muslim nations that today are run by advocates of pure evil eventually be transformed into well functioning democracies? Will Iran ever become a true democracy? Will Iraq? Will Saudi Arabia? - Or will Islam hinder such a development?...

The US is like France. A scattered nation that refuses to bow down to the concept of true national discipline, even when confronted with uttermost evil. The European countries of today are no better. But have a look at French and/or American history and you'll find out both France and USA have a great tradition of standing up, as one man, for the cause of independence - even though Vichy France cooperated with the Nazis and an American company like Standard Oil sold vast amounts of fuel to the Luftwaffe. I'm Swedish and soldiers from my country recently have died...

It's a shame that in the largest Protestant country on Earth, as well as in many other Protestant corners of the world, people who call themselves Protestants usually know very little about the history of our faith. On the 6th of November 376 years ago, military genius and sole defender of the Lutheran faith, Gustavus Adolphus or Gustavus The Great, died at the battle of Lützen fighting the military forces of Catholicism and the Holy Roman Emperor under the command of Wallenstein. Gustavus died but Wallenstein was utterly defeated. However, the Thirty Year's war went on for decades. Thanks to...

World history, as most Westerners interprets it, very much revolves around nations like France, Russia/Soviet, Britain, Italy and USA. These corners of the Earth, undeniably, have played major roles in the development of mankind. BUT, there seems to be a gap in the historical knowledge of several, otherwise well educated, Westerners concerning what took place during the period of approximately 1620-1720 on European soil. A lot of people seem aware that Britain at that time was not really, yet, the world's leading power and that France, Spain, Austria and Holland excersised much of influence over world affairs. However, during this...

On the 6th of November, Sweden – and Gothenburg in particular – remembers perhaps its most famous and successful King: Gustav II Adolf, who reigned from 1611 until his death in 1632. Monday will be the 374th anniversary of his death (aged just 37) on the battlefield in Lützen in Germany during the Thirty Years War. He is the only Swedish King to have been honoured with the title “The Great” (“Den Stora”) and the anniversary of his death is an official Swedish flag day. Related Articles 'Swede's body found' in Ireland 3rd November 2006 Viking treasure found on Gotland...