What does it mean to live well when danger, loss, and grief are never far away?

Kate Bowler talks with theologian, pastor, and writer Patrik Hagman, whose life has been shaped by profound loss—including the death of his father, his young son, and later his wife. Raised in Finland and now living in Sweden, Patrik brings a distinctly Nordic perspective on happiness—not as constant joy or self-optimization, but as contentment, trust, and gratitude that survives close proximity to fragility.

This is a conversation about living with fewer explanations and more honesty. About faith that refuses easy answers. About the strange clarity that comes when life gets very small and very bright at the same time. And about learning to be less surprised by tragedy—and more surprised by goodness.

If you’re trying to hold grief and gratitude at once, this episode is for you.

SHOW NOTES

Babettes Kulturhus (Linköping, Sweden) – community space for conversation, fika, and culture
Stanley Hauerwas – theologian often referenced in the conversation
Patrik Hagman – theologian, pastor, writer, and translator of Stanley Hauerwas’s work
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Watch the live conversation on YouTube
Join Kate Bowler on Substack for the season of Lent: katebowler.substack.com

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What If Happiness Isn’t What You Think It Is? with Patrik Hagman