LIFE

Thus Says the Lord—The Study of Holy Scripture - p.4

Church History and Pastoral Formation - p.7

A Matter of Doctrine - p.10

Where God Calls He Equips - p.19

Kramer Chapel and Spiritual Life - p.22

In the Field - p.24

WORLDof the

For the

April 2001. Volume Five, Number Two

Dear Friend of Concordia Theological Seminary:

One of the helpful distinctions that informs our classroom work at ConcordiaTheological Seminary is the difference between knowledge and wisdom.Our age is unparalleled in its dissemination of information and knowledge. Informed

people can surf the internet and gather vast amounts of data with incredible speed. Anacquaintance stated that, with the will and the skill, it is presently possible to download thedesign of nuclear weapons! Think how disastrous such knowledge could become in thehands of the wrong people.

Knowledge, apart from wisdom, can be a deadly matter, whether it be nuclear weaponsor the misuse of simpler firearms. Not a few students of history have pointed out that, inthe late 1930s and the early 1940s, Germany had the most prestigious universities in theworld. Their scientific acumen was unsurpassed. Yet, this knowledge too frequently wasput in the service of National Socialism, and the world suffered its Second World War asa result.In this Lenten season, we celebrate that wisdom and light that radiate from the face of

Christ, our Incarnate Lord. Apart from the light of His holy presence, there is but darkness,no matter how much data is accumulated.What a privilege for the seminary to order knowledge in its classrooms in the light of

Christ’s epiphany. A helpful mural on a major library portrays the learned of all callings—philosophers, astronomers, scientists, mathematicians—in a great circle with Christ at thecenter. From Him come rays of light that illumine and order all true knowledge for God’sworship and the good of our fellow man. Christ in classroom and community makes bothour learning and our lives truly rewarding and meaningful.Surely this truth is behind St. Paul’s admonition to the Philippians. After a sparkling

description of Christ’s person and work in the opening chapters, Paul states: “Finally,brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).Great art. Great music. Great literature. Great science. Great mathematics. All that is

good and beautiful takes its rightful place in the calling to be God’s holy people whom thelight of Christ has illumined.As you read about the academic instruction at the seminary, note how every subject is

ordered to the goal of forming faithful and compassionate pastors who know the differencebetween knowledge and wisdom.By God’s grace, and in His good gifts of Word and Sacrament, their lives will embody

that wisdom which points to Christ as the Alpha and Omega, the Begin-ning and the End, the Light of Light, Very God of Very God. To Himalone be all glory.

Sincerely yours, in Christ’s service,

Rev. Dr. Dean O. WenthePresident, Concordia Theological Seminary

FROM THE

PRESIDENT

2 For the Life of the World

MARCH 1998

F E A T U R E S

3

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FortheLIFE WORLDof

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PRESIDENTRev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe

PUBLISHERRev. Scott Klemsz

EDITORRev. John T. Pless

ASSISTANT EDITORMonica Robins

ART DIRECTORSteve Blakey

For the Life of the World is published quarterly by Concordia Theological SeminaryPress, 6600 North Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825. No portion of thispublication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher of Forthe Life of the World. Copyright 2001. Printed in the United States. Postage paid atFort Wayne, Indiana. To be added to our mailing list please call 219/452-2150 ore-mail Rev. Scott Klemsz at CTSNews. For the Life of the World is mailed to allpastors and congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in the UnitedStates and Canada and to anyone interested in the work of Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

2 From the President

4 Thus Says the Lord—The Study of Holy ScriptureBy the Rev. Dr. Charles A. Gieschen, Associate Professorand Chairman of Exegetical Theology, Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

The primary focus of pastoral formation at ConcordiaTheological Seminary is the words and deeds of God.

7 Church History and Pastoral FormationBy the Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie, Professor andChairman of Historical Theology, Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Christianity bears a special relationship to the study ofhistory, because right from the outset Christianity haspresented itself as a historical religion.

10 A Matter of DoctrineBy the Rev. Dr. David P. Scaer, Associate Professor andChairman of Systematic Theology, Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

The courses in the Systematic Theology Departmentare concerned first in receiving the church’s faith as it iscontained in the Lutheran Confessions, but then has thetask of passing it along to students who, as pastors, willproclaim it to congregations of the Missouri Synod.

19 Where God Calls He EquipsBy the Rev. Dr. K. Detlev Schulz, Associate Professor andChairman of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia Theo-logical Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Ever since its foundation in 1836, part and parcel of ourseminary’s understanding has been to offer assistancetowards the furtherance of faith through the office ofpreaching and teaching.

22 Kramer Chapel and Spiritual LifeBy the Rev. Dr. Arthur A. Just Jr., Dean of the Chapel andProfessor of Exegetical Theology, and the Rev. ProfessorRichard C. Resch, Kantor and Associate Professor ofPastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

24 In the FieldBy Monica Robins

Featuring the Rev. Michael A. Johnson Sr., Pastor ofPilgrim and Prince of Peace Lutheran Churches,Birmingham, Ala.

Most of the artwork pictured in this issue hang in class-rooms, in hallways, and in Kramer Chapel on the CTS campus.

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CONTENTS

page 19

John 154 manete in me et ego in vobis sicut palmes nnisi manserit in vite sic nec vos nisi in me man5 ego sum vitis vos palmites qui manet in metum quia sine me nihil potestis facere6 si quis in me non manserit mittetur foras siet in ignem mittunt et ardent7 si manseritis in me et verba mea in vobis mpetetis et fiet vobis8 in hoc clarificatus est Pater meus ut fructumplurimum adferatis et efficiamini mei dcipuli9 sicut dilexit me Pater et ego dilexi vos man

in dilectione mea10 si praecepta mea servaveritismanebitis in dilectione mea sicuego Patris mei praecepta servavimaneo in eius dilectione11 haec locutus sum vobis utgaudium meum in vobis sit etgaudium vestrum impleatur12 hoc est praeceptum meum udiligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos

13 maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet ut anmam suam quis ponat pro amicis suis14 vos amici mei estis si feceritis quae ego pracipio vobis

4 For the Life of the World

Most higher educational institutions focus on thewords and deeds of mankind. They exposestudents to an immense amount of humanknowledge that spans several centuries of time,

is from far-flung parts of the globe, fills millions of books, and is taught by profes-sors who often take pride in their own intellect. The primary focus of pastoral for-mation at Concordia Theological Seminary, however, is the words and deeds of God.Students are immersed in a limited amount of divine revelation that spans a few cen-turies, is from a small part of the globe, fills sixty-six scrolls that are now bound asone book, and is taught by pastors who passionately impart the wisdom of God. HolyScripture is the foundation for forming future pastors, because in it we have the

words and deeds of God—stretching from His creation, to Hispromise after the fall, to His faithfulness to Israel, to His climacticrevelation in the crucified and risen Christ—recorded by the inspira-tion of the Holy Spirit. With our Lutheran forefathers, “we believe,teach, and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of theOld and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according towhich all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged”(The Formula of Concord). Therefore, the pastors who teach herehave been formed by Holy Scripture in order that, like faithfulprophets of old, the words and deeds of the one true God are ever intheir minds and on their lips: “Thus says the Lord.”This theological education founded upon Holy Scripture begins

long before students come to this campus. The most profound learn-ing about God first took place for many of them and most of us whenwe were mere babes who felt the splash of water and heard the pow-erful words given by Jesus Christ: “I baptize you in the Name of theFather, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” In Holy Baptism, Godcalled us out of the ignorant rebellion of our sin that was leading usto eternal damnation and gave us faith that receives forgiveness. Atthe font, we learned much about the one true God as the Spiritbreathed His life into our sinful corpse and joined us with Christ,

whose righteousness became ours as the Father adopted us as His own sons. The the-ological education that follows, as we hear and read other words of Holy Scriptureand taste the visible Word of the Sacrament of the Altar, is nothing more and nothingless than an unwrapping of God and new life gifted to us in Holy Baptism. Throughthese means, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the “foolishness of God,” especially thescandal of the cross, is wiser than the “wisdom of men” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

By the Rev. Dr. Charles A. Gieschen

Thus SaysThus Says

Theological educationfounded upon HolyScripture begins longbefore students come tothis campus. The mostprofound learning aboutGod first took place formany of them and most ofus when we were merebabes who felt the splashof water and heard thepowerful words given byJesus Christ: “I baptize youin the Name of the Father,and of the Son, and of theHoly Spirit.”

non potest ferre fructum a semet ipsonseritise et ego in eo hic fert fructum mul-

icut palmes et aruit et colligent eos

manserint quodcumque volueritis

mdis-

ete

st etet

ut

ni-

ae-APRIL 2001 5

These means continue to pierce through the lingering fog of our sinful nature, lead-ing us back again and again to the gracious waters of our Baptism where our eyeswere first fixed on Jesus as “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).The seminary continues this theological education by immersing students further

into Holy Scripture. Although all seminary classes draw on the Bible in some man-ner, the courses that consist primarily of the study of the biblical text make up Exeget-ical Theology, one of the four principal curriculum areas. Exegetical Theology focus-es on the exegesis, the “explanation” or interpretation, of Holy Scripture on the basisof the languages in which it was originally recorded: Hebrew/Aramaic (Old Testa-ment) and Greek (New Testament). The study of these languages is difficult for some,yet it always rewards those who persevere. We come to realize that English transla-tions sometimes fail to express, or falsely express, nuances of the Hebrew or Greektext. If pastors are to stand before people and use Holy Scripture to declare “thus saysthe Lord,” it is vital that they read and relate faithfully the words that the Spirit causedto be written. Martin Luther recognized this and urged the study ofScripture in its original languages: “We shall have a hard time pre-serving the Gospel without the languages; they are the sheath inwhich this sword of the Spirit is contained.”In addition to studying Holy Scripture in its original languages,

a second accent of exegetical theology is the broadening of biblicalknowledge while maintaining a respect for the Bible as God’sinerrant Word. Seminary students have the luxury of time andresources, unlike they ever had or will have again, for dedicatedstudy of the historical background and content of Holy Scripture.Students examine the cultural, social, political, literary, and religioushistory of the lands and people found in the Bible. This broad bibli-cal knowledge is a great help in interpreting specific biblical texts.In this process, students are also exposed to the dangers of somemodern scholarship that discredits the historical trustworthiness of the Bible.Although human reason certainly must be used in exegetical theology, it is alwaysreason in service to understanding God’s Word and held captive by faith, rather thanreason reigning in judgment over God’s Word and ruining faith. As Martin Franz-mann has stated, the humble posture of the interpreter is that of “the obedient hearerand the overawed beholder.”A third, and by far the most important, accent of exegetical theology at the semi-

nary is faithful interpretation of Scripture that is centered on Christ. A person canhave a vast knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek text of the Bible and still not inter-pret it properly and profitably if his exegesis does not speak forth Christ and the sal-vation that Jesus has won for the world. The risen Christ recognized this problem in

The Studyof HolyScriptureT the Lordthe Lord

The explicit purpose of theGospel of John is also theimplicit purpose of all HolyScripture: “These things arewritten that you believethat Jesus is the Christ, theSon of God, with the resultthat, because you believe,you have life in his Name”(John 20:31).

6 For the Life of the World

two Jews who were on their way to Emmaus and corrected it through a Christologi-cal interpretation of the Old Testament: “And beginning with Moses and all theprophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”(Luke 24:27). Even though they knew the Old Testament, it remained a “closed” bookuntil Christ opened it up and showed them that it was about Him: “Did not our heartsburn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scrip-tures?” (Luke 24:32). Such Christological interpretation was also the central core ofLuther’s exegesis: “Therefore he who would correctly and profitably read Scriptureshould see to it that he finds Christ in it . . . if I do not so study and understand Mosesand the prophets as to find that Christ came from heaven for the sake of my salvation,became man, suffered, died, was buried, rose, and ascended so that through him I enjoyreconciliation with God, forgiveness of all my sins, grace, righteousness, and life eter-nal, then my reading of Scripture is of no help whatsoever to my salvation.” This Chris-tological interpretation is also the dominant accent of the exegetical theology taught atthis seminary. Therefore, the explicit purpose of the Gospel of John is also the implicit

purpose of all Holy Scripture: “These things are written that youbelieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, with the result that,because you believe, you have life in his Name” (John 20:31).Even though the study of Holy Scripture at seminary has an aca-

demic flavor (yes, there are rigorous assignments and difficultexams), it is never purely a learning process that enlightens the mind.The study of exegetical theology is meant to be of spiritual benefitto the seminary student as his mind and heart are formed by theWordof God to be a shepherd of Christ’s flock. The Holy Spirit not onlyworks through the Word publicly proclaimed in Chapel and private-ly pondered in devotions, but He also powerfully works through theWord discussed in the classrooms and dissected in a study carrel tonurture the heart that “burns” with faith in Christ.This study of exegetical theology is not only for personal edifi-

cation, but is also meant to benefit a sinful and dying world. Once abiblical text is interpreted, its message must be proclaimed andapplied to others. This truth is powerfully expressed in Holy Scrip-ture through the portrait of the prophet eating the scroll given him bythe Lord (Ezekiel 2 and Revelation 10). The scroll tasted sweet in hismouth, but then became sour in his stomach because it contained a

message of both God’s judgment and grace that had to be shared with others. Exeget-ical classes offer the scrolls of God’s Word to students in order that they inwardlydigest them with the result that, like the faithful prophets Ezekiel and John, they arecompelled to let this ingested Word come forth from their lips as a message of bothcondemning Law and comforting Gospel to the world: “Thus says the Lord.”The study of Holy Scripture is the foundation of pastoral formation because in it

Christ offers Himself to us and with it we offer Christ to the world. The well-knownCollect for the Word aptly expresses the approach to exegetical theology at the sem-inary: Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learn-ing, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digestthem that by patience and comfort of Thy holy Word we may embrace and ever holdfast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our Savior JesusChrist, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, worldwithout end. Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Charles A. Gieschen is Chairman and Associate Professor of theExegetical Theology Department at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Even though the study ofHoly Scripture at seminaryhas an academic flavor(yes, there are rigorousassignments and difficultexams), it is never purelya learning process thatenlightens the mind. Thestudy of exegetical theologyis meant to be of spiritualbenefit to the seminarystudent as his mind andheart are formed by theWord of God to be ashepherd of Christ’s flock.

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7APRIL 2001

Any religion or philosophy that seeks to explain life’sbig questions will have an impact upon one’sunderstanding of the past. But Christianity bears aspecial relationship to the study of history, because

right from the outset Christianity has presented itself as a historical religion. If oneconsiders just the Apostles’ Creed, in the second article he comes across that littlephrase, “under Pontius Pilate,” a phrase that marks the intersection of eternity withtime, for this is a reference to a real person who lived at a particular time and placeand through whom God accomplished His redemptive purposes. Thus, Christianity isnot a set of disembodied truths or precepts. Instead, it is basic to the Christian faiththat God has acted in time and space for the salvation of people. Take away historyand you take away Christianity.Indeed, most of the New Testament documents present themselves either as eye-

witness accounts or as accounts once removed from the eyewitnesses of what Godhas accomplished once and for all in history by means of a real human being—andmuch more than a human being—Jesus of Nazareth.Furthermore, those same documents assume that, although God’s activity in Christ

was unique in human history, Jesus’ coming was the culmination of many previousdivine interventions in time and space as documented by the Old Testament. In fact,large sections of both testaments present themselves as history—sacred history, but

and Pastoral Formationand Pastoral FormationBy the Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie

Christianity is not a set ofdisembodied truths or precepts.Instead, it is basic to theChristian faith that God hasacted in time and space forthe salvation of people. Takeaway history and you takeaway Christianity.

8 For the Life of the World

still real history; narratives of men and women who once lived and breathed, walked,and worked upon this globe as much as any other historical figures or as much as anyof us. The fundamental documents of the Christian religion are filled with history, andto be a Christian means, among other things, to confess a certain history.But Christianity also offers reasons for studying post-biblical history. First of all,

through its doctrine of Providence, the idea that God is guiding human affairs, the Chris-tian religion maintains that there is some sense to what happens, that there is significanceto what human beings do. Christians do not believe in a universe governed by random-ness or chance, but in a God who governs the universe for the sake of His people.Moreover, under God’s guidance, history is going somewhere; and we are in the

midst of a narrative that has a beginning (creation), a middle (redemption), and willhave an end (the judgment). Therefore, what historians investigate is a part of a storythat makes sense. This is not to say that historians are trying to read the mind of God.No, historians study “secondary causes,” the means that God employs to carry out Hiswill among men, everything from the weather to the business cycle; and by arrang-ing events into sequences of cause and effect, historians offer explanations of the pastthat they study. Such explanations are not complete—the story is not over yet—norare they always right, as historians make mistakes. But the Christian view of historyprovides a framework for attempting to understand history in the first place. There isa story to tell.Besides the doctrine of Providence, Christianity also teaches human responsibili-

ty. This doctrine encourages the historian to study the past from the perspective ofthose individuals who have made the decisions, fought the wars, forged the peace,built the cities, and done everything else—not like robots at the hands of impersonalforces, but people like us; people who respond to circumstances, moral agents whochoose between right and wrong, individuals whose actions are subject to the judg-ment of others and, ultimately, the judgment of God, but in the meantime, the judg-ment of historians.

But what can we actually learn from history and why should futurepastors in particular study it? First of all, we should probably admit thatchurch history may not be immediately relevant, i.e., it may not providea list of ideas for boosting church attendance or for increasing per capitagiving. But it is relevant at a deeper level, in that church history helps theclergy to maintain a proper perspective about themselves and their min-istry. It provides a set of glasses through which to look more clearly at thechurch and society in which pastors and parishioners live and work.

For example, history helps ministerial stu-dents to understand the context in which theywill minister—the multiplicity of social andecclesiastical forms, theologies, and world viewsthat they will confront daily not just in society,

but even in their churches. History demonstrates the origins, devel-opment, and motivations for everything from the conversion of Con-stantine to the Church Growth movement, from liturgical renewal to the“battle for the Bible”; and thus, it fosters understanding of today’ssocial and ecclesiastical milieus, and this understanding provides afoundation for more effective ministry.

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Today’s Christians have verymuch in common with previousgenerations of God’s people: thechallenges, failures, hopes, anddreams of today are often thesame as those of yesterday, sothat one can learn in part fromhistory to distinguish the triedand true from the silly and super-ficial and also to see how Godkeeps His promises of preservingHis flock in all times and places.

9APRIL 2001

But besides helping future pastors to understand their context of ministry, churchhistory also aids in identifying continuities between this and previous generations ofChristians. Today’s Christians have very much in common with previous generationsof God’s people: the challenges, failures, hopes, and dreams of today are often thesame as those of yesterday, so that one can learn in part from history to distinguishthe tried and true from the silly and superficial and also to see how God keeps Hispromises of preserving His flock in all times and places. In fact, for most of thosewho study it, church history is a powerful reminder that the communion of saintsexists not just in the here and now, but also stretches back through time to the begin-ning, as well as forward to the consummation of history in the ultimate fulfillment ofGod’s promises at the end of this present age.Furthermore, while looking backwards, we should also note that church history

enables voices from the past to take part in the conversations of the present. Many ofthe issues the Church faces today are similar to those addressed by previous genera-tions; and as Christians today seek to deal with those issues faithfully and effective-ly, it is good to hear what others have said about them and to see what they have doneabout them in the past.Luther, for example, spoke to liturgical questions; Walther to communion prac-

tices; and Augustine to new translations of the Bible. Of course, this does not meanthat in our times Christians must say exactly the same things on questions like theseor do the same things as previous generations. Our forebears were sinners as well assaints (like us), and we can learn from their mistakes as well as their triumphs. But itis the height of foolishness not to consult those of our faith and commitment whohave had to deal with situations similar to our own. And church history is the disci-pline that best permits us to have these conversations with the past.Of course, systematic theologians can also say that they converse with theologians

of the past when they read the works of Luther orWalther orAugustine; and that’s true.But systematic theology tends to ignore the personalities—it abstracts theology fromthe theologian and emphasizes the truth that is confessed rather than the one who con-fesses it. Church history puts flesh on the bones and revels in the personalities. It doesnot let us forget that the Church has always consisted of real, flesh and blood peoplewith all of their faults, flaws, and weaknesses—real people who confessed their faith,built their institutions, and put their Christianity into practice at particular times andplaces. And ultimately, this truth is very encouraging, for it demonstrates that Godworks to accomplish His good purposes through people like us. He does not let humanfaults and frailties deter Him from keeping the promises of His Word.Finally, just as stories are more appealing than essays and drama more interesting

than lectures, history can move us as well as challenge us, inspire us as well asinstruct us. The Christian faith is not just an intellectual system, but a way of life thatderives from particular historical events. When we study church history, we can seehow the events surrounding the coming of Christ—His death and resurrection—con-tinue to ripple through time in the lives of real people—people like us—because Godis at work keeping His Word on behalf of His people now, in the past, and until theend of time.

The Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie is Chairman and Professor of the HistoricalTheology Department at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Church history puts flesh on thebones and revels in the personal-ities. It does not let us forgetthat the Church has always con-sisted of real, flesh and bloodpeople with all of their faults,flaws, and weaknesses—realpeople who confessed theirfaith, built their institutions, andput their Christianity into prac-tice at particular times andplaces. And ultimately, this truthis very encouraging, for it demon-strates that God works to accom-plish His good purposes throughpeople like us. He does not lethuman faults and frailties deterHim from keeping the promisesof His Word.

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10 For the Life of the World

Since its founding,The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has placedthe belief that the Bible isthe inspired Word of God

and the theology of Lutheran Con-fessions at the center of the church’slife. In a reaction against the GermanRationalism of the 1700s and early1800s in which the Synod’s founderswere educated for the ministry, theywere determined to establish congre-gations in America and throughoutthe world that were committed toScriptures and the Lutheran Confes-

sions. They want-ed to be realLutherans, and thismeant maintainingMartin Luther’s the-ology. Our churchnot only takes theolo-gy seriously, but itinsists that our pastorsand congregations allconfess the same faith.Very few churches areas insistent on doctrineas we are. They mayinsist on certain formsof church govern-ment, but theyallow for lati-tude in whatpastors preachand teach and

what the peoplebelieve. For years,Lutherans have exist-ed under all kinds ofsystems of govern-ment, but they haveinsisted on unity of doc-trine. Things havechanged for the majorityof Lutherans, who inrecent ecumenicalalliances with Reformed,Episcopal, and RomanCatholic churches, havecompromised basic Lutheranteaching doctrines. Theserecent, unfortunate develop-ments in world Lutheranismmean that the Missouri Synod hasan even more challenging job inmaintaining the unity of faith amongits members. Here is where systemat-ic theology plays a vital role.Systematic theology may simply

be called dogmatics or dogmaticaltheology. Its courses may also becalled theology, though this wordmay be applied to everything taughtat a seminary or, more specifically, tothat one part of dogmatics in whichthe Trinity and the divine essenceand attributes are discussed. Thecourses in our department areconcerned first in receivingthe church’s faith as it is con-tained in the Lutheran Con-

Since circumstances in the worldand with other Christians andLutherans are constantly in flux,in order to maintain the Lutherandoctrine, the focus of courses inthe Department of SystematicTheology must continuallyadjust to address new views andopinions that threaten our faith.Thus, if it is rightly said thatto maintain the Lutheran faithsystematic theology preservesthe church’s past, it is also truethat of all the disciplines at aseminary systematic theology isthe most contemporary.

AMatterof

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By the Rev. Dr. David P. Scaer

fessions, but then has the task of passing it along tostudents who, as pastors, will proclaim it to congrega-tions of the Missouri Synod.Since circumstances in the world and with other

Christians and Lutherans are constantly in flux, inorder to maintain the Lutheran doctrine, the focus ofcourses in the Department of Systematic Theologymust continually adjust to address new views andopinions that threaten our faith. Thus, if it is rightlysaid that to maintain the Lutheran faith systematictheology preserves the church’s past, it is also truethat of all the disciplines at a seminary systematictheology is the most contemporary. Courses in his-torical theology trace the two-thousand-year historyof the church and how its theology developed inresponse to false doctrines. Systematic theologymakes use of the historical development of churchdoctrine, particularly the theological vocabulary andmeaning of theological terms. While depending onpast definitions, systematic theology, in preservingand defending the church’s faith, has a contempo-rary interest in responding to the most recent theo-logical developments. In the last half of the twenti-eth century, systematic theology has responded tothe ‘God-Is-Dead’ theology, process theology, andfeminism. Defining the church’s faith also includesdefending it against teachings that are contrary tothe Bible and our confession in Christ. Unless sys-tematic theology is up to date, it is not adequatelyperforming its task. Old problems must be remem-bered and new ones addressed.At the present time, the required courses in the

Department of Systematic Theology consist of two inthe Lutheran Confessions, which concentrate on thechurch’s ancient creeds and historic Reformationfaith, and five in dogmatics, which present biblical

teachings within the contempo-rary scene. These five dogmaticscourses cover such topics as howtheology is done, also known asprolegomena; the divine charac-ter of the Scriptures, whichinclude biblical inspiration andinerrancy, sin, God, Christ’s per-son and work, grace, faith, justi-fication, sanctification, the Sacraments, the church,and the end times. An additional course surveys thebeliefs of other denominations in America, a scenethat is always changing with the creation of newchurch bodies and the merging of older ones. Elec-tives in this department take up special topics likeapologetics, process theology, and the sixteenth- andseventeenth-century theologians who are responsiblefor the traditional Lutheran character.Systematic theology depends on the church’s

doctrinal heritage as it is elucidated in historical the-ology. Sola scriptura is presented in the light of thechurch’s confessions. Systematic theology does notstart off from scratch, but it builds on the church’sfaith as preserved by the apostles in the Scripturesand passed on by faithful men and women of Godfor centuries. Seminary students will soon discoverthat their knowledge of the biblical languages andtheir knowledge of the Bible taught in the Depart-ment of Exegetical Theology are invaluable for whatthey learn in systematics. The Greek New Testamentis the Bible of choice in dogmatics courses.Systematic theology stands at the center of the

seminary curriculum, because it brings what is taughtat the seminary together in preparation for what apastor does in preaching, teaching, and caring for hiscongregation. Seminary students who will soon stand

Systematic theology standsat the center of the seminarycurriculum, because it bringswhat is taught at the seminarytogether in preparation forwhat a pastor does inpreaching, teaching, and caringfor his congregation.

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NE

12 For the Life of the World

in the pulpits of Lutheran congregations must be per-sonally convinced that our Confessions are the prop-er interpretation of the Scriptures. In standing beforetheir congregations, pastors must have the convictionthat the Scriptures that rest on the lectern as theypreach are the Word of God. Within a Lutheran con-text, this theological heritage concentrates particular-ly on the faith embodied in the ancient creeds andReformation documents collected into the Book ofConcord of 1580. The Apostles’ and Nicene Creedsare still used in the public worship of our congrega-tions. Even the much longer Athanasian Creed isrecited on Trinity Sunday as a testimony to our ortho-dox faith. Luther’s Small Catechism, which is theshortstop of our sixteenth century Confessions, stillremains the standard textbook in preparing childrenand adults for full church membership through Bap-tism and/or Confirmation. In many cases, our mem-bers still know Luther’s Catechism because of theteaching of faithful pastors. Courses on the Lutheran

Confessions survey these docu-ments and provide a historiccomponent to systematic theolo-gy. Seminary students learn thecircumstances in the first fourcenturies when the creeds devel-oped into the forms in whichthey are used in the church, andfamiliarize themselves with theevents of the sixteenth centurywhen Luther and the other con-fessors prepared the LutheranConfessions. Courses taught inthe Department of HistoricalTheology provide a further back-ground. With this knowledge,Lutheran pastors are prepared tolead the members of their con-gregations in regular worshipservices and in classes of Christ-ian instruction using Luther’sSmall Catechism. Thus, at everyjuncture the two courses in theLutheran Confessions are practi-cal because pastors in their min-istry will be relying on the faithpreserved in the creeds and Con-fessions.Dogmatics courses on Bap-

tism and the Lord’s Supper pro-vide the rationale for the pastor’ssacramental service among thepeople. He will know why chil-

dren should be baptized and the faithful shouldreceive Christ’s body and blood. All of these coursesprepare the pastor to address the theological ques-tions raised by the people, and pastors will need toaddress some of these concerns from the pulpit.At the present time, the Department of Systemat-

ic Theology has the most global membership withits professors coming from Germany, Africa, Asia,the former Soviet Union, and, of course, the UnitedStates. In addition to teaching in these countries,they have also taught in Australia, Haiti, Latvia,Lithuania, Kazakstan, and others. Three membersreceived all or part of their theological educationfrom German theological faculties, and all have acompetence in foreign languages. This is especiallyvaluable in accessing the Lutheran Confessions,whose official version is in German and Latin. Thus,our professors, quite literally, have hands-on experi-ence on how theology is done throughout the worldand are trained to address different situations. Twodepartment members are authors of volumes in theConfessional Lutheran Dogmatics series, anotherhas written two books in biblical theology, and allhave written scholarly and popular articles. They arepart of the theological life of the world and are con-stantly making contributions to it by lectures, arti-cles, and full-length books.Upon graduation from the seminary, students,

who have now become candidates for the Holy Min-istry, are required at their ordination to subscribe tothe Lutheran Confessions, because these documentsare in full agreement with the Holy Scriptures.Though dogmatics is often seen as a static disci-

pline, it is the most contemporary of all the theolog-ical disciplines in addressing situations that thechurch is now facing. Most Lutheran seminaries inthe United States list dogmatics along with coursestaught in church history or historical theology. Inother seminaries, courses in dogmatics are marginal-ized or are not included in the theological curricu-lum at all. In the first dogmatic courses at ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, a seminary stu-dent hears and learns that particular vocabularywhich make up the content of the theological. Thesecourses set the tone of the pastor’s ministry for therest of his life.

The Rev. Dr. David P. Scaer is Chairman andProfessor of the Department of Systematic Theologyand holds the David P. Scaer Chair of Systematicand Biblical Theology at Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Though dogmatics is oftenseen as a static discipline, itis the most contemporary of allthe theological disciplines inaddressing situations that thechurch is now facing. In thefirst dogmatic courses atConcordia Theological Seminary,Fort Wayne, a seminary studenthears and learns that particularvocabulary which make up thecontent of the theological. Thesecourses set the tone of thepastor’s ministry for the rest ofhis life.

APRIL 2001 13

How are pastors to be trained? Are they to be shaped by the canons of thesocial sciences, equipped to be members of the “helping professions”with techniques and approaches proven in clinical settings? Are they tobecome skilled administrators apt to coordinate the programs of a grow-ing voluntary organization? Concordia Theological Seminary is commit-

ted to preparing pastors for the church who are servants of the Word and shepherds ofGod’s flock. It is not enough that future pastors be equipped with an academic under-standing of theology and particular pastoral skills and techniques. It is essential thatthose who will serve Christ’s people acquire what our fathers referred to as the habi-tus practicus of the Lutheran pastor—the ability to think and act theologically.This habitus, Luther contended, was formed by oratio, meditatio, and tentatio.

Prayer, meditation, and temptation make theologians. Oratio is prayer, like the petitionprayed by David in Psalm 119 as he implored God to instruct him, to correct him, and

to guide him. This is the prayer so wonderfully described by Dietrich Bonhoefferas not being based on the poverty of the human heart but on the richness ofGod’s Word. Then there is meditatio-meditation. This is not the meditationof the mystic that is turned inward, but the meditation that is anchored inthe externum verbum—the external Word of God. So Luther says, “ForGod will not give you his Spirit apart from the external word. Be guid-ed accordingly, for it was not for nothing that he commanded that hisWord should be outwardly written, preached, read, sung, and spoken”(quoted inMinister’s Prayer Book edited by John Doberstein, FortressPress, 288). Finally, there is the third part of this triad, tentatio-temp-tation. Tentatio is testing under the cross. Luther identifies the cross asone of the identifying marks of the church: “…the holy Christian peo-ple are externally recognized by the possession of the sacred cross” (AE41:164). Luther defines this sacred cross as the hardship and persecu-tion that come upon a man because he adheres to the confession ofChrist and His Word.As Luther’s oratio, meditatio, and tentatio are the touchstones for

the life and work of the faithful pastor, so must they be characteristic ofseminaries where such pastors are being formed.WilliamWillimon writes,

“In a culture of omnivorous need, all-consuming narcissism, clergy whohave no more compelling motive for their ministry than ‘meeting people’s needs’

are dangerous to themselves and to a church that lacks a clear sense of who itis”(Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life, Abingdon, 24). Resistingthe pressures of our pragmatic culture, Concordia Theological Seminary is commit-ted to preparing pastors whose character and calling are defined not by the ability tomeet felt needs, rather by the discipline of oratio, meditatio, and tentatio for the sake ofChrist and the joyful edification of His holy people.

The Rev. Prof. John T. Pless is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Mis-sions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne and Editor of For the Life ofthe World.

What Does This

MEANWhat Does This

MEANConcordia Theological Seminaryis committed to preparingpastors whose character andcalling are defined not by theability to meet felt needs, ratherby the discipline of oratio,meditatio, and tentatio for thesake of Christ and the joyfuledification of His holy people.

For the Life of the World

�� Yes, we are interested in becoming an Affiliate Guild. Please send more information to

Name ____________________________________________________________

Organization ______________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

City ____________________________ State: ______ ZIP: ________________

�� We are enclosing a donation payable to Concordia Theological Seminary Guild, Box 403, 6600 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825-4996.

Affiliate Guild Registration

The Guild’s Role: “Lord, what will You

have me do?”

Our vision, by God’s grace, enables us to pray, encourage men in our congregations for the ministry, support the seminary, and help

provide for the spiritual and physical needsof the seminary and her students.In the building of God’s kingdom, each

member is offered an opportunity to be oneof His servants. No effort is more basic thanencouraging future pastors to respond to His call. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matthew 9:38)Collectively, sisters in the family of God

can, by grace, accomplish what could not bedone single-handedly.The Mission Resource Center has

become an important meeting place for students to grow in their understanding ofGod’s Word reaching the farthest corners ofthe world. However, the area needs to beupdated and redecorated. We have decided totake on this project and give it our specialattention. Perhaps you, too, would be interested in helping us renovate the area bycontributing funds to the project. We needapproximately $5,000 to begin.

Please prayerfully consider supportingus in our efforts to create an inviting placewhere children of God can come and learnabout how the Gospel is being sharedaround the world. Your donations aremuch appreciated. Mail check to:

Concordia Theological SeminarySeminary Guild, Box 4036600 N. Clinton StreetFort Wayne, IN 46825-4996

For more information contact Janet Hamman at (219) 493-2754 or write to theseminary at the above address in care ofthe Seminary Guild. Thank you.

Introducing Two New Seminary Advancement Team Members

APRIL 2001 15

SPECIAL PULL OUT SECTION

LIFECHURCH

of the

For the

Mrs. Deborah Rutt:

Deborah Rutt has joined theCTS staff in the Office forInstitutional Advancement as

Assistant Vice President. She comesto us with considerable experiencein development work. She previous-ly worked as Development Directorof Provident Counseling, the largestand oldest social service agency in

St. Louis, Missouri. She was also Director of Devel-opment for Concordia Middle School in inner-citySt. Louis, where she built a development programvirtually from ground-zero due to the newness of theschool. “It was a real challenge to build support for anew middle school in the heart of an inner-cityneighborhood. But when we were able to help peo-ple understand the mission of Concordia MiddleSchool, people from all around the St. Louis areacaught the vision and became involved.”Deborah’s education and background are exten-

sive. Besides being the mother of five children, Deb-orah has earned her Bachelor’s degree in Manage-ment Communications from Concordia University,Wisconsin, as well as her Master’s degree in ClinicalPsychology from Vermont College of Norwich Uni-versity in Montpelier, Vermont. Deborah’s husband, Dr. Douglas Rutt, is Associ-

ate Professor in Pastoral Ministry and Missions andActing Supervisor of the Missiology Program at CTS.Deborah brings a fresh and innovative approach to

the development task. “We realize how important it isto the people of our church that their children andgrandchildren have pastors,” Deborah says. “We wantto connect their vision to our mission. We want themto see Concordia Theological Seminary as an impor-tant part of the solution to the pastoral shortage. As

we better fulfill our donors’ need to be connected tothis vision and mission, they, in turn, fulfill the semi-nary’s desire to provide well-trained confessionalpastors for the church.”“What we want is to meet people where they are,

people who support us because they love us and feellike they are part of us. When folks take ownershipof that vision and mission of providing pastors forfuture generations, a real bond—a partnership thatlasts for a lifetime—is formed.”

Rev. Thomas Zimmerman:

The Rev. Thomas Zimmerman recently returnedto the CTS Advancement Department as a calledDirector of Alumni and Church Relations. His

primary responsibility is to share the story of CTSwith congregations around the LCMS. He and hiswife, Marsha, have four children.He has served as a parochial school teacher and

as a Director of Christian Education, and also servedas a parish pastor in Illinois and Michigan. Workingwith the members of Zion Lutheran Church, Mt.Pleasant, Michigan., and by the Spirit’s guidance, thecongregation was able to help re-establish the vitali-ty of the campus ministry of Christ the King Chapelat Central Michigan University.Rev. Zimmerman sees his new position as critical

to the mission of the seminary. Hesaid, “The Church needs to hear ofthe impending shortage of pastors.Who is going to go and tell of theneed to support the sound, confes-sional education of men for the min-istry? Someone has to do it!”

For the Life of the Church16

Larry King retired as a Division Manager at theAluminum Company of America (ALCOA).With his wife of 45 years, JoAnn, Larry moved

from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania., to Tyler, Texas.Recently, Larry shared some thoughts regarding hisexperience in the area of charitable giving, particu-larly the considerable benefit of corporate matching

funds.“As ALCOA transferred me around the country,”

Larry writes, “the vast majority of my giving wascentered on the local congregation where the needwas great. By 1991, I had been transferred back toPittsburgh and was in a congregation that gave 30%of its budget to missions and was still saving a fewthousand dollars a year.“In November 1991, I had $1200 remaining on my

planned giving for the year and I started looking for amore urgent need. I knew of the ALCOA FoundationEducational Gift Matching Program, but had not con-sidered using it for the seminary. A little light turned onand a call to the Foundation revealed that they woulddouble match up to $5000 per year to any four-yearschool. As a result, I sent my $1200 plus the ALCOAmatch to Concordia Theological Seminary, FortWayne, and joined the Student Adoption program.“I have now retired and live in Tyler, Texas,

where we are members of Trinity Lutheran Church.While the paychecks have dropped somewhat withretirement, JoAnn and I have continued to make the

gifts to CTS our number one charitable priority.”

“I have been blessed with good, steady employ-ment over the years and with excellent benefits. TheALCOA two-for-one match to CTS has to rank at thetop of the benefits list. I have always favored puttingthe gifts to work immediately verses setting up anendowment. I figure if I help take care of the present,God will take care of the future.”

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

“FreeMoney!”That’s what one of the faithful laymen who sup-

ports Concordia Theological Seminary callsCorporate Matching Gifts. This long-term sup-

porter of CTS, who prefers to remain anonymous,has established The Dow Chemical CompanyEndowment to take advantage of “free money.”Through the corporate match of donors in Michi-

gan, Indiana, and Texas, the Dow Chemical Compa-ny Endowment has grown in a short time to over$130,000. This endowment is generating funds thatwill provide for support of the preparation of pastorsfor the church.This humble Christian felt conscience bound to uti-

lize the gifts that God has given him, especially toencourage others to receive the same satisfaction ofusing God’s gifts to further Christ’s mission. He feelsthat it is just not right to leave financial hurdles in thepaths of those who are preparing for the ministry. Whenhe is able, he is willing to help put men into pulpits.This retired Dow employee also calls on other

fellow active and retired employees of Dow to con-tribute to the D.C.C.E. Hopefully these brothers andsisters in Christ will be able to establish a Dow Chairof Theology at CTS. These gifts will keep on giving!“Free money, let’s use it!” That is his call to the

Church. The gifts of active and retired employees ofthe Dow Chemical Company have been doubled.Why not consider your use of “free money.” Manycompanies match active and retired employee’s con-tributions to educational institutions like the semi-nary. Check with your human resources departmentor call the Seminary Advancement Office at877-287-4338, ext. 2212.

SPECIAL PULL OUT SECTION

CORPORATE MATCHING FUNDS

From TwoPerspectives

Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne 17

MEET

Paul BeiselWhen I enrolled at Concordia Theological Sem-

inary in the Spring of 1997, 1 had alreadyaccepted the fact that the days of accumulat-

ing debt were not quite finished. Accruing over$25,000 in Stafford and Parent Plus loans got methrough four years at Concordia, but the loan pay-ments would have to be deferred for a few more years.Like many other students in my situation, Stafford hadbecome a household name and the routine of fillingout the Federal Application for Student Aid hadbecome second nature. For most of us “traditional”students who hopped into the seminary immediatelyafter college graduation, extreme debt has become anexpected reality just as one expects the sun to rise inthe morning and set at night.Imagine my surprise, therefore, when the news

came out during my first year that the following acad-emic year the seminary would be offering free tuition.The generous donations given to the seminary hadaccumulated to the point that students would be able toreceive grants in the amount that they could not coverthrough help from home congregations, personalfunds, scholarships, and other resources. Immediately,thoughts flashed through our heads. No more loans!No more debt! By the end of our first year we wereexcited at the prospect of finally being able to getthrough a year of school debt free.September came, and so did the bill. Youthful

naivete in financial matters had blinded many of us tothe facts of life. There were still books to buy, roomand board, student fees, activity fees, and other fees. Itwas back to the Financial Aid Office, filling out ourStafford loans, hoping congregations would not mindcalling a candidate who had accumulated thousands ofdollars of debt so we could become their pastors. Itwas back to reality. While we were extremely thankfulthat the deficit of tuition not covered by family contri-butions, home churches, and scholarships had beenmade up by the CTS grants and gifts, we couldn’t hideour frustration from our financial aid officers whoworked feverishly to come up with a workable systemthat saved both us and the seminary money. While grants and donations have not yet succeed-

ed in healing the wound, they have certainly stoppedthe bleeding. My loan debt from first year to secondwas cut almost in half. Adopting congregations in thearea and beyond have been exceedingly generous infinancial support. What many of the congregationsoften may not know is how their money is spent. Wecan use what money is left in our student accounts

after the bills have been paid to purchase books forclass, supplies, and even clerical collars which wewear for fieldwork or liturgical duties on campus.This money from adopting congregations oftenappears unexpectedly, and we receive notificationthat our accounts have been credited with $50, $150,or more.I am also extremely indebted to my former field-

work congregation which has given more than enoughsupport, both in school and even on vicarage.The countless names of donors who

give their support generously to the sem-inary often go unnoticed by those of uswho receive the benefits. We do notalways recognize when Christ hasserved us, but it becomes more evidentwhen we see a CTS grant for $3000 onour student bill. If seminary professorscannot teach us what Jesus means whenHe says, “Whatever you do for the leastof these My brethren, you have done it toMe,” then perhaps faithful laity can.In other words, my gratitude goes out

to all who support me and this seminaryand its task, and my indebtedness to thefederal government is replaced only byindebtedness to these people. Preparingmen for the Office of the Holy Ministryis an arduous task and one that does not come withouta price. Professors are spread thin, administratorsreceive pressure to abandon theology for the sake ofpopularity, and donors to the seminary are rarelyrewarded for their service to the church. Nevertheless,as selfless donors continue to provide gifts for theseminary students and congregations pool theirresources to send students through seminary, the Lordcontinues to preserve His church by making it possiblefor men to go to the seminary and learn the mysteriesof the kingdom. The need for donations will remain as long as

there are students who come out of seminary withdebt to the federal government. That may not be doneaway with while I am at seminary, but perhaps therewill be a day when a placement director does nothave to ask in a placement interview what a seminar-ian’s debt is before certifying him. Thanks go to allmy donors and all those who support the seminary.Keep up the good work!

FOR THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

Please accept my gift of: � $25 � $50 � $75 � $100 �Other ______

Payment Options�My check is enclosed.� Please charge my credit card.

�VISA �Mastercard Exp. Date:________ Card No: _____________________________

Office of Development � Concordia Theological Seminary � 6600 N. Clinton St. � Ft Wayne, IN 46825 Ph: 877-287-4338 (toll-free) � Fax: 219-452-2246 � E-Mail: Development@mail.ctsfw.edu

One day a man was walking alongthe beach, reflecting upon his life.He was experiencing many trials

and was becoming very frustrated. In thedistance he noticed a small black shapemoving up and down. It seemed to remainin the same place yet there was consistentmotion.

As the man moved closer to the shape,he was able to make out a small boy.Closer still he could see that the boy waspicking up some of the thousands ofstranded starfish that littered the lengthof the beach and was throwing them intothe water.

“What are you doing?” asked theman of the boy. “I am throwing thestarfish back into the sea” replied theboy. “Why? Look at this beach; it’s cov-ered with starfish. Even if you stayed hereall day throwing them back, it wouldn’tmake any difference.”

The man looked at the boy who continued to bend down, pick up astarfish, and return it to the ocean.

“True,” said the boy as he tossedback another, “but it sure made a differ-ence to that one!”

I’m sure many of you have read orheard this touching story about how oneperson CAN make a difference.

I’ve seen it used by many charities intheir printed material and on many web-sites. As touching as this story is, though, itpaints a clearly secular picture of man andhis “I can do it myself”mentality. The boy,alone, strives to help those he can, knowingthat most of the starfish will perish, butseems satisfied to make a difference foreven a small handful of the many starfish.Let’s look at the story again, this time

from a Christian perspective We are not the skeptical man on the

beach; we are not even the small boy. Weare the starfish. Not just a handful, but billions of tiny, helpless creatures, each lov-ingly rescued by our Lord and Savior, JesusChrist. We are saved individually—one byone—as He calls us each by name. We areredeemed when He reaches out and picksus up off of the sandy beach of the world,where we would surely die. We are reborninto life everlasting when He pours outupon us in our Baptism the very Water ofLife. Saved, that we might bring His savingWord to others. Loved, that we, too, mightreflect His love throughout all theworld.United in Christ, we are strong.Apart from Him we are nothing, and all ofour good works avail us naught. But in Him and through Him we do

make a difference, because one Man didmake a difference, when He sacrificed His

very life to ensure that we would live.We, as Christians, are never alone in our

endeavors, but part of a larger body—theBody of Christ. Our prayers, gifts, and actions are

magnified as EACH ONE OF US, workingtogether, fulfills Christ’s greatest commandment—”to love one another as I have loved you.”

Did you know...Last year, the seminary received

over $165,000 in matching grantmoney from Aid Association forLutherans and Lutheran Brother-hood. These matching funds were

made possible by nearly 2,000 giftsof just $25-$100. Some people think that a gift of

$25 won't make a difference—thatit is insignificant next to the tremendous need for pastors and the $40,000 cost to train each candidate. We praise God that nearly 2,000

people realized the impact that theirgift, combined with those of theirbrothers and sisters in Christ, wouldmake in the lives of our studentsand families. We thank God for the blessing of

each additional worker He has sentinto His harvest! Each of these precious gifts was

made by an individual—just likeyou. You, too, can be a part ofspreading the Gospel message tothe next generation. Please, pray for the seminary and

her mission faithfully to train andprepare pastors, and, as you areable, financially support that vitalmission by sending in your gifttoday! Thank You!

In Good Measure is a regular feature discussing the principles of biblical stewardship with application for Christians today.

In Good

MeasureIn Good

Measureby the Rev. Dean C. Wachholz,

Vice President for Institutional AdvancementConcordia Theological Seminary

Fort Wayne, Ind.

by the Rev. Dean C. Wachholz, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Concordia Theological SeminaryFort Wayne, Ind.

For the Life of the Church

Extend your gift through gift matching:� I am a member of Aid Association for Lutherans. � I hold a policy with Lutheran Brotherhood.� Please see if my employer will match my gift. I am an � employee � retiree of _____________________________________

Name: ____________________________________ Phone: (________) __________________Street Address: _________________________________________________________________City: ________________________________ State:_______ Zipcode: _______________ 1FL2

Together in Christ, we CAN make a difference!

APRIL 2001

19

At a seminary book sale, I was fortunate enough to acquireWalther’s Pastoraltheologie, aseminal work for generations ofpastors in the Synod and for

Lutherans beyond. My new acquisitiondelighted me, but even more so the glossaries added there-in by some committed pastor. “Pastoral theology is sancti-fied common sense”; “Work yourself to death in the vine-yard of the Lord”; “To rest is to rust”; “Don’t let it be said:‘The best passage in the entire service was the pastor’s pas-sage from the pulpit to the vestry’”; “You get the water oflife for nothing; you only pay for the piping”; “Dic: curhic? (Say when asked why you are here), To save souls”;“Hell is the truth discovered too late”; and “Where sinrules, the pastor’s office begins.” Certainly, helpful apho-risms for a pastor in the pastoral ministry which, thoughsimply put, are indicative of our department’s task. We, too,convey principles and offer advice to the student about thenature of his future ministry so that all its functions are per-formed according to God’s design. John Fritz in his Pas-toral Theology of 1932 puts it more scholarly: “PastoralTheology is especially designed to be a guide to the pastor,or minister, of the church, in the faithful performance of hisofficial duties.”Some of those who are familiar with our seminary and

who read this article might sug-gest the use of the acronym PTMfor “Practical Theology and Mis-sions” instead of our use of PMMfor “Pastoral Ministry and Mis-sions.” After all, Fort Wayne hasbeen known as the “practical”seminary. Why then should wenot pay homage to this traditionwith a specific choice in nomen-clature: Practical Theologyinstead of Pastoral Ministry? Hereour seminary’s mission statementmay assist us: “Concordia Theo-logical Seminary is an institutionof theological higher education of

In the Old and New Testamentsthroughout the history of thechurch to this very day, God’sintent is to save mankind. God’spurpose is to guide and nurtureall believers through His meansof grace, and to bring thosemeans of grace to the unbelievingworld. To this end, He callsincumbents into His service whoare willing to be servants to Hissalvific will in the capacity ofpastors and missionaries.

Where God Calls

HeEquipsWhere God Calls

HeEquipsBy the Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz

For the Life of the World20

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod dedicated primarily to the preparation of stu-dents for the pastoral ministry and missions of the LCMS. Its programs and servicesoffer an understanding of the Christian faith that is biblically centered, confessional-ly Lutheran, and evangelically active.” Yes, ever since its foundation in 1836, partand parcel of our seminary’s understanding has been to offer assistance towards thefurtherance of faith through the office of preaching and teaching. Our understandingis that the church of Christ is, and will always be, in demand of pastors. They are notan arbitrary component in the structure of the church, but representatives of a min-istry that the church cannot do without. A suggestion of anything other than “pas-toral” would be tantamount to Brutus’ denial of Caesar.And yet, our seminary is practical in focus, and our department supports it whole-

heartedly. From the outset, though, I should dismiss one false notion that might con-sider us as practical in the sense of “testing” or “experimenting” our theology, or per-haps being a boot camp, which for the sake of expediting the education process com-promises the need for a good education. All this would imply that we are pragmaticrather than practical. Instead, we should establish the practical character of our sem-inary from the very nature of our theology. Theology is the study of God not just onwho He is but also what He does. This means that we are fully aware that God Him-self has a practical aptitude or a soteriological purpose. This theological insightserves not only as the backbone to our department, but to all departments and theirdisciplines as well: in the Old and New Testaments throughout the history of thechurch to this very day, God’s intent is to save mankind. God’s purpose is to guideand nurture all believers through His means of grace, and to bring those means ofgrace to the unbelieving world. To this end, He calls incumbents into His service whoare willing to be servants to His salvific will in the capacity of pastors and mission-

aries. In agreement with the very nature of God and theology, weare compelled to find and train bearers of the tools of God, thosewho administer them by divine right to the people, to the church,and the world beyond. God is practical, and we on campus are,therefore, endemically clerical and missional.By virtue of the above said, we must maintain further that God

Himself sets the standard and the qualification for the candidacyin His office. In Scripture, it is He who invokes the student withthe solemn words: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Perse-vere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself andyour hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Training future pastors is seriousbusiness. If done wrong, it adversely impacts the message of sal-vation itself and the life of the believer in the pew. In line with theimportant words in 1 Timothy 3:2-7; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Titus1:5-9, we hope to entrust the student with spiritual and ethical pre-rogatives: 1. Sincerity in confession (confessionis sinceritas); 2.Dexterity in teaching (docendi dexteritas); 3. Integrity of charac-ter and of life (morum integritas). Luther puts it similarly: A the-ologian must engage in prayer (oratio), endure the temptation offaith and flesh (tentatio), and meditate over Scripture (meditatio).And yet, in all teaching and training resides a sober realism. Per-

Training future pastors is seri-ous business. If done wrong, itadversely impacts the messageof salvation itself and the life ofthe believer in the pew. In linewith the important words in 1Timothy 3:2-7; 2 Timothy 2:24-26;Titus 1:5-9, we hope to entrustthe student with spiritual andethical prerogatives: 1. Sincerityin confession (confessionis sinceritas); 2. Dexterity in teaching(docendi dexteritas); 3. Integrityof character and of life (morumintegritas). Luther puts it similarly:A theologian must engage inprayer (oratio), endure the temptation of faith and flesh(tentatio), and meditate overScripture (meditatio).

APRIL 2001 21

fection eludes us all: Where God calls He equips. He worksthrough seeming contradictions, as Paul himself was told by Godwhen bemoaning his own apparent weakness: “My grace is suffi-cient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2Corinthians 12:9). It is good that we refrain from any modernforms of Donatism (the Donatists were a fourth Century, NorthAfrican Christian sect that had extremely rigorous views con-cerning purity and sanctity) which, in the quest for finding perfectincumbents of the office, have deflected the power of God fromHis Word to the person himself. As much as the focus is on God and His Word, there is also

the context that beckons and influences the department’s agenda.We might call it its bipolar character. State of art media and tech-nology are now used for the training in pastoral skills. In this con-nection a famous theologian is often quoted as saying: “A pastoris in need of two books: the Bible under one arm and the news-paper under the other.” We respond to the questions asked in thefield. In fact, the life of the church, configured around its funda-mental expressions of worship, organization, outreach, care,shepherding, and instruction, demands our reply. For this reason,our department offers sub-disciplines with which we hope tocover the following life expressions: worship, liturgy, preaching,mission, catechesis, pastoral care, and counseling. With hardly any two congregationsagreeing on the nature of the pastoral ministry, it is in these areas that the pastor’sskills must prevail most. What is particularly in demand is active duty. As a called andordained shepherd of the church, he is not a mere facilitator or motivator for action;he is given a specific charge: to shepherd the flock through the means of grace. Bipolarity means that our department must correspond the demands of the Word

of God with the claims of the context, a difficult task indeed. Being conscious of con-text, we are denied a speculative or purely academic character. Unarguably, though,what was often thought of as the “truth” from the Word of God has, in fact, in con-text, lost its normativity. Individual cups have replaced the common cup, discussionson roles of women have led to their suffrage, simple uniformity in worship haschanged to diversity, the nurture of denominational distinctiveness has ceded to opencommunion (and plurality of belief), and pastoral issues have been democratized.Indeed, pastoral theology is done in view of the context, and caution must prevail. Allthe more, therefore, we are demanded to seriously consult the Word of God and theLutheran Confessions. False intransigence of both pastor and members on issues willhurt the church, but equally, also, unhindered libertarianism. Only faithful resilience,nourished by Scripture and our Confessions, and coupled with prayer and a good doseof realism, will provide the answers on campus and in challenging environments.

The Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz is Chairman and Associate Professor of theDepartment of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary,Fort Wayne, Ind.

Our department offers sub-disciplines with which we hopeto cover the following lifeexpressions: worship, liturgy,preaching, mission, catechesis,pastoral care, and counseling.With hardly any two congrega-tions agreeing on the nature ofthe pastoral ministry, it is inthese areas that the pastor’sskills must prevail most. What isparticularly in demand is activeduty. As a called and ordainedshepherd of the church, he is nota mere facilitator or motivatorfor action; he is given a specificcharge: to shepherd the flockthrough the means of grace.

For the Life of the World22

One building stands out on the campusof Concordia Theological Seminary:Kramer Chapel. Rising over one hundred feet above the Upper Plaza,

Kramer Chapel is the physical and spiritual center of the campus.Theological formation begins in the chapel and is centered there.Every weekday the seminary community gathers in the chapel toreceive the gifts of life and salvation, pray, sing and make musicto the Lord. It is in the chapel that the seminarian is shaped as achild of God, and it is where future pastors learn to worship, leadthe liturgy, sing, and preach.

The Liturgical Life of Kramer ChapelThe seminary’s liturgical life revolves around the weekly

celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The Divine Service offers thegifts of Christ’s presence in hearing the Gospel read and pro-claimed, and in receiving the very body and blood of Christ.

Each week, a different pastor serves asour Celebrant, whose parish is our spon-soring congregation. The seminary prays daily for Church

and world. The services of prayer atKramer Chapel follow the simple patternof the synagogue liturgy: “Instruction inthe Word, praise of God, and commonprayer.”1 The Liturgy of the Hours tells thestory of salvation, praises God for Hismighty saving acts, and petitions theFather through the Son by His Spirit in itscommon prayer. From the very beginning, Christians set

aside certain hours for prayer. The rhythmof prayer is associated with the passion ofJesus (the third, sixth, and ninth hours), thedeath and resurrection of Christ (prayer at

sunrise and sundown), and the last things (prayer before bedtimethat is eschatological). This simple recognition of the hours ofprayers is the origin of our Matins and Vespers, our Morning andEvening Prayer, our Compline. Luther embraced the Liturgy ofthe Hours as the prayer services of the whole church, laity andclergy alike. He returned the reading of Scripture to its originalplace as the major part of the liturgy from which flowed thepsalms, hymns, and prayers of the Daily Office. Luther used theDaily Office as the foundation for his devotional life and hisprayers.The following summary statement of our Lutheran perspec-

tive on the Liturgy of the Hours was adopted by the North Amer-ican Academy of Liturgy to describe the purpose and function ofthe liturgy of the hours.

The mystery of God in Christ is the center of the liturgy ofthe church. By celebrating the Liturgy of the Hours at cer-tain times of the day which recall creation and re-creation,

KramerChapel&SpiritualLifeKramerChapel&SpiritualLife

APRIL 2001 23

the church, gathered together in the Holy Spirit, hears thelife-giving Word of God and in response to it voices thepraise of creation, joins the songs of heaven, shares inChrist’s perpetual intercession for the world. This cycle ofpraise and prayer transforms our experience of time, deep-ening our understanding of how day and night can pro-claim and celebrate the paschal mystery. Thus, the dailyLiturgy of the Hours supplements and contrasts with thecentrality of the Sunday Eucharist in the life of the church,edifying the one holy people of God until all is fulfilled inthe kingdom of heaven.2

Morning Prayer and Matins celebrate the newness of themorning that shows the triumph of light over darkness as Christtriumphed over the grave in His resurrection. Evening Prayerand Vespers remember that Christ has conquered death anddarkness by going into the tomb for us. We celebrate in theevening what we celebrated in the morning—that Christ is thelight of the world. The natural rhythm of light and dark, of cre-ation and re-creation in the Liturgy of the Hours continuallyreminds us of our re-creation in Christ through the waters ofHoly Baptism. This pattern of nature provides the frameworkfor our praise and prayer. The chapel offers a rhythm of readings and prayer in the Daily

Offices. These offices reflect the normal practice of the earlychurch and the consistent practice of the Church through theReformation era until this very day. These services at KramerChapel expose seminarians to the wealth of liturgical and hymnicresources available in the three official worship books of TheLutheran Church—Missouri Synod: The Lutheran Hymnal(1941), Lutheran Worship (1982), and Hymnal Supplement 98.The seminary also serves the church as a test site for materialsbeing developed by the Commission on Worship for the newhymnal scheduled for 2007. The daily services provide opportunities for students to con-

duct the liturgies and observe their professors acting as models ofthe Gospel in the preaching and leading of the liturgy. This shapesa liturgical and devotional life that is centered in Holy Scripture,in the historic liturgy as it is reflected in our worship books, andin the rich texts of the church’s hymnody, both ancient and mod-ern. Psalms are also prayed daily and the entire Psalter is usedannually several times. Prayer requests are received daily at theChapel Office or by the chapel staff. Private confession is heardby a pastor in the prayer chapel in the undercroft of KramerChapel on days when Holy Communion is celebrated. All of this provides some of the most important learning that

future pastors do while they study at the seminary. The seminaryoffers the following services:

7:30 a.m. Matins8:30 a.m. Private Confession

(Communion days)10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer and other offices

(Divine Service on Tuesday or Wednesday)

4:00 p.m. Vespers10:00 p.m. Evening Prayer and Compline

(Tuesday & Thursday)

Music as a Servant of the WordMusic as a good gift of God is, according to Luther, “the

handmaiden of theology and second only to theology.” As such,music in the church serves God’s Word by appropriately carryingtruths to the hearts and minds of the church. Such music is a well-ordered discipline that truly helps the church “breathe the air ofheaven” (Athanasius), by actually lifting her to that which is holy,“separate.” Music then becomes an integral part of the confessionof the faith through hymns, liturgical music, and choral music—all proclaiming Christ by means of this good gift.This glorious realm of sacred music is very much in evidence

and a part of everyday life at Concordia Theological Seminary.Some Sundays at 7:00 p.m. the public is invited to join us forChoral Vespers, in which the seminary choirs lead us in specialChristmas, Epiphany, Passion, and Easter commemorations. Thefinest in sacred instrumental and choral music from every period ofmusic history is offered regularly in Kramer Chapel services. TheSchola Cantorum, the Chapel Choir, and the Seminary Kantoreioffer the Lutheran heritage of music as proclamation in chapel ser-vices and in Choral Vespers services throughout the year. A typicalyear includes everything from major works like the “St. MatthewPassion” by Johann Sebastian Bach, to motets by Praetorious,Reger, Distler, Proulx, Hillert; also everything from handbell choirsto brass choirs, from guest children’s choirs to guest internationalorganists. Our Seminary Kantorei has commissioned new worksalmost every year of its twenty-year history. In fact, this well-known and well-traveled choir has perhaps commissioned moretwentieth century music than any other synodical school.The seminary’s Kramer Chapel is an acoustically extraordi-

nary space for worship and making music. Every day the studentbody and faculty are very much aware of this great blessing asthey gather to sing the unaccompanied and accompanied officesin the presence of God. Concordia Theological Seminary ishappy to be able to offer to its students, to the community, and tothe church-at-large this ongoing feast of liturgy and sacred musicwhere music is indeed servant and Christ is proclaimed.

Arthur A. Just Jr., Dean of the ChapelRichard C. Resch, Kantor

KramerChapel&SpiritualLifeKramerChapel&SpiritualLife

1 James White, Introduction to Christian Worship (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1980), 116.2 P. Pfatteicher, Commentary on the Lutheran Book of Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress), 340-341.

24 For the Life of the World

With a varied spiritual back-ground that included a Baptistupbringing until age eight,then time as a Muslim until

age 16, and a father who is a Baptist min-ister, the Rev. Michael A. Johnson Sr.appreciates Lutheran doctrine all the more.After attending an interdenominational

seminary, Pastor Johnson was not satisfiedwith the education he’d received. Withstrong influences from two CTS Admission Counselors at that time, theRev. Roosevelt Gray and the Rev. S. T.Williams, and from the Rev. Ulmer Mar-shall of Trinity Lutheran Church, Mobile,Ala., he began taking seminary coursesthrough the Distance Learning Leading toOrdination (DELTO) program in Selma,Alabama. He took four classes from Con-cordia Theological Seminary’s satelliteprogram in Selma over a year’s time whilecontinuing to operate an engineering andconstruction business that he owned. Hethen moved his wife and three children toFort Wayne, Indiana, where he studied onthe Concordia Theological Seminary cam-pus for two years, after which he served asvicar to two parishes, Prince of PeaceLutheran Church and Pilgrim Lutheran

Church, in Birmingham, Alabama. “Seminary training at Selma, and then

at CTS, was outstanding,” commentedPastor. Johnson. “The community struc-ture on the Fort Wayne campus was suchthat the struggle of moving and changingcareers was minimized. We were all menwho were devoting ourselves to God, andwe learned to appreciate God’s plan for us.The direct relationships with professorswere also a real benefit. I especiallyenjoyed the tutelage of Prof. Lane Burg-land, Prof. Larry Rast, Prof. John Saleska,Prof. Kurt Marquart, and Dr. Arthur Just. Iremember saying to some of these menthat I hoped for the same zeal that theydemonstrated in the enjoyment of theircalling and the passion that motivates themto love what they do.”Pastor Johnson continued, “I praise

God for our seminaries because we comein one way, and we leave in a whole dif-ferent way . . . much like when we came tothe Baptismal font as sinners and left withthe gift of God, salvation. I recognize thatGod is accomplishing great things in menduring their pastoral formation. We learnto appreciate what Christ has done for ussinners and we welcome the opportunity

Inthe

FIELDInthe

FIELD by Monica Robins

In the Field is a special feature section that focuses on the life andministry of a pastor within The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

“I praise God for ourseminaries because wecome in one way, and weleave in a whole differentway . . . much like we cameto the Baptismal font assinners and left with the gift of salvation. I recognize that God isaccomplishing great thingsin men during their pastoral formation.”

by Monica Robins

Pligrim Lutheran Church

APRIL 2001 25

that He offers sinful men: to preach hisWord and to administer His sacraments.This is certainly a privilege.”After completing his year of vicarage,

Pastor Johnson had successfully com-pleted the Master of Divinity programand graduated from the seminary in May1999. He was subsequently called toserve his two vicarage parishes as pastor,and he can still be found shuttlingbetween Prince of Peace and Pilgrim.“I have seen an increase in attendance

at both congregations,” commented Pas-tor Johnson. “I believe that the reason forthis is that, by God’s grace, word gotaround that there is a pastor who is com-mitted to stay at both congregations, andthat pastor is preaching the Word and dis-tributing the Sacraments.”When Pastor Johnson began his min-

istry at these churches, Prince of Peacehad an average of 17 attending membersand Pilgrim had an average of 26. Now,they have an average of 35-47 at bothcongregations on Sundays. Pastor John-son is hopeful and says that the congre-gations are excited about the change inspiritual growth. Each congregation isstill growing at a healthy rate.

Pastor Johnson relates that it was dif-ficult at first to be the called pastor tothese congregations, as each had beenvacant for several years—Prince ofPeace for seven years and Pilgrim forfour. “They had to learn who I am, and I,likewise, had to learn who they were. Asis typical for congregations with long-term vacancies, they had their own infra-structures in place, and didn’t have anappreciation for the pastoral role.Through catechesis in the Word andSacraments, we have moved to a pointwhere they understand the unique rolethat pastors are called by God to fulfilland have incorporated the Office of theMinistry into their structures. We’realways transitioning from one phase toanother, but we are now moving as onebody and coming together to do theLord’s work.”While serving in Birmingham, Pastor

Johnson says that he’s had good mentorsto help him along the way, especially theRev. Ivory Cameron and his circuit coun-selor, the Rev. Thomas Noon of St. Paul’sLutheran Church, Birmingham. The men-toring helped Pastor Johnson learn how toeffectively minister to shut-ins.

Pastor Johnson indicates that he’s had21 deaths at the two congregations com-bined, and regularly visits 16-20 shut-inson a monthly basis. “I bring them the giftsof God, and I think it’s me who is bless-ing them, when in reality, it is they whobless me. It’s exciting to see God’s peoplerespond positively to the Gospel.”The Birmingham area represents a

diverse community with many Muslimsand unchurched people. When PastorJohnson began as pastor of these congre-gations, Sunday school and Bible studies,Sunday school, confirmation, and out-reach programming were not offered,whereas both congregations now offerthem. Prince of Peace now has an audioand video outreach program, and Pilgrimwill offer something similar very soon.Prince of Peace is just beginning to offera child care development program, andPilgrim has a 77-year-old school thatserves 83 children from kindergartenthrough the fifth grade.Prince of Peace Lutheran will offer a

six-week ENRICH (Enhance NeededResources Increase Children’s Horizons)program that features tutorials and life lessons for over 40 young people.This summer will mark the third year that they’ve participated in the ENRICHProgram.“When I first began here, many con-

gregation members wondered if ‘theseold, dry bones would live,” recountedPastor Johnson. “I told them that Godwill bring them back alive, and that’sexactly what we’re seeing. The Gospel isbringing us to life.”Said Pastor Johnson of his ministry, “I

love this work! God has placed a passionfor the ministry in me. I love preachingthe Word and how the Word changes peo-ple. The Law and Gospel preaching iswhat it says it is: the Law condemns andthe Gospel saves. The joy of knowing thatthe Gospel saves and draws the people ofGod is deeply satisfying.

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

For the Life of the World26

First-year seminarian Scott Johnson grew up in Colorado,and is living out of state for the first time. Scott and histwo younger siblings were raised by deaf parents in Lake-

wood, Colo., so Scott came to CTS with a unique background. He attended Colorado State University for three years, and

then took some time off because he found himself not wantingto have anything to do with Business Administration, which washis major. During the following two years, Scott worked andwas an active member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Glen-

wood Springs, where he taught Sunday school for 5th through 8th grade and enjoyedhimself immensely. It was through his experience at this congregation and learningfrom Pastor Allen Anderson that Scott was inspired to come to CTS.In order to be accepted at the seminary, Scott needed to finish his degree. He

returned to CSU and earned a B.A. in Business Administration, and then came directlyto Fort Wayne for summer Greek. Greek went well, and he’s now almost finished withhis first year of seminary study. “I am really enjoying seminary so far, especially the worship life and the sense of

community that there is between professors and students,” commented Scott. “I wouldencourage any man that is considering coming to the seminary to trust that everythingwill be provided. As Pastor Anderson says, ‘Let go and let God!’”

Cumulative UndergraduateGPA of Incoming Class

Called to

SERVECalled to

SERVEBusiness Admin.-NOT!

0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

Enrollment� Incoming Class� Total Enrollment

Lutheran Membership

Lifelong LCMS Membership55%

45%Raised Outside of the LCMS

1st Career Occupations

• Medical Doctor • Lawyer• CPA • Military• Military • Cabinet Maker• Management • Chemist• Law Enforcement• Computer Programmer• Lutheran Teacher of the Year

Total Class 3.296

1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01

328344

388381

416

48

7598

8293

APRIL 2001 27

The Food and Clothing Co-ops at CTS are open to all seminary families. People andchurches throughout the country donate all of the household goods, clothing, andgrocery items. Seminarians can use the Clothing Co-op free of charge, and also

receive free “points” to spend at the Food Co-op each month, the number of pointsbeing determined by the size of the family. To give you anidea of how much these points go: one box of cereal is twopoints, a gallon of milk is two points, a small can of soupis one point, and two rolls of toilet paper cost one point.What a blessing these resources are to seminary families!

10 Reasons to Come to Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne:

1. Centrality of Worship2. Engaging Faculty3. International Programs4. Missionary Focused5. Diverse Student Body 6. Schola Cantorum7. Classroom 20008. Low Cost of Living9. Remodeled Dorms

10. 155 Year Tradition

Co-ops Serve Sems

Top 6 Districts� Michigan � South Wisconsin� Rocky Mountain � Indiana� Pacific Southwest � Central Illinois

Housing in Fort Wayne is veryaffordable. Homes within walk-ing distance of the seminary sell

for anywhere between $60,000 and$300,000. Here are two homes currentlyavailable for sale for less than $75,000!

28 For the Life of the World22

Sign Language Training Available at Seminary

Founded in 1985 by the late Dr.George Kraus, a professor at CTS andinstructor of Deaf ministry, the ChurchInterpreter Training Institute (CITI) trainsits graduates to serve in a variety of ways.These include interpreting worship ser-vices, church meetings, Bible studies,Sunday school, teaching sign languageclasses, and being supportive and an advo-cate for the Deaf. Geared only to train persons for work

inside the church context, CITI is locatedon the Concordia Theological Seminarycampus, and will begin its sixteenth yearJune 30, 2001. CITI, directed by Rev.David S. Bush, is a four-week intensiveprogram that trains pastors and lay peopleto interpret into American Sign Languagethe Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is present-ed in the Divine Service. There is a Teen course (ages 14-18) for

one week beginning July 15th, a two-weekclass beginning June 30th for ages 18 andabove, and the traditional, four-week CITIalso begins June 30th.For more information about this

unique program, you can send e-mail tociti@mail.ctsfw.edu, you can click onDeaf Ministry at www.ctsfw.edu, or youcan call the CITI office at (219) 452-2197.

Rev.NaomichiMasaki JoinsSeminaryFaculty

ConcordiaTheo log i c a lS e m i n a r y(CTS) ispleased to wel-come the Rev.N a o m i c h iMasaki to its

faculty as an Assistant Professor of Sys-tematic Theology and Pastoral Ministryand Missions.Rev. Masaki most recently served as a

teaching assistant in the graduate studyprogram at Concordia Seminary, St.Louis, while he worked toward a Ph.D. inDoctrinal Theology. His educational back-ground includes a B.A. (1985) and anM.A. (1987) in Social Work from Kwan-sei Gakuin University, and an M.Div.(1991) and an S.T.M. (1997) from Con-cordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne,Ind. He served as Missionary-at-Large forthe New Jersey District of the LCMS andis currently serving on the Board for Con-gregational Services and the Liturgy Com-mittee of the Lutheran Hymnal Project forthe Commission on Worship.“Prof. Masaki brings a breadth of pas-

toral and mission experience to our facul-ty. His in-depth knowledge of Asian cul-ture and religions, his linguistic ability, butespecially his robust commitment toLutheran theological clarity and integritywill provide wonderful resources for ourstudents’ formation and education,” saidDr. Dean O. Wenthe, President of CTS. “Icount it a great blessing that he has joinedthe seminary family.”“As an alumnus, I am bound to thank

the Lord for Concordia Theological Semi-

nary, Fort Wayne, for catechizing methrough the teachings of the dedicatedprofessors and the daily liturgy at thechapel,” said Rev. Masaki. “They notonly pointed me to the means of grace,but also nourished me with the gifts of theGospel and the body and blood of theLord. I am very excited to be a lowestpart of the team that is entrusted by theLord through His church to raise Hisfuture instruments. I am looking forwardto serving Him here at the seminary,which has such a confessional vitality.”

Students from Both SeminariesEngage in Dialogue

The Student Association Officers fromConcordia Theological Seminary, FortWayne, and Concordia Seminary, St.Louis, have begun a tradition that theyhope will foster open communicationbetween the seminaries and encouragecontinuing dialogue well into the future.In January, the seven officers of the

CTS Student Association traveled to St.Louis with the CTS basketball team.While in St. Louis, our officers met withthe St. Louis officers to get to know themand visited a class or two to get to knowthe professors.On April 8, 2001, the two associations

arranged for an open forum between thetwo seminaries using the distance learninglabs at each campus. There were over 30students from each seminary that partici-pated, and the discussions were frank,honest, and engaging. To begin theevening, Professor John T. Pless of CTSand Professor Ronald R. Feuerhahn eachhad ten minutes to address the issue,“Liturgy and Pastoral Care,” after whichthe students had opportunities to ask ques-tions of each other. Another discussion isscheduled for April 26th.The seven officers of the St. Louis

association visited the CTS campus onApril 9, 2001, where they had time to visitclasses, have lunch with Dr. Wenthe andthe CTS Student Association, and enjoythe typical Friday afternoon social time inthe Commons and a movie that was pre-sented on campus. Saturday morning, thetwo associations met to discuss goals forfuture interactions.

Campus

HappeningsCampus

Happenings

EventsVicarage Placement ServiceApril 23, 2001Kramer Chapel, 7:00 p.m.

Candidate Call ServiceApril 24, 2001Kramer Chapel, 7:00 p.m.

GraduationMay 18, 2001Kramer Chapel, 6:00 p.m.

Grand Ol’ Lutheran Fellowship Golf Outing(GOLF)May 13, 2001(219) 452-2249

Teen Sign Language CampJuly 15-July 20, 2001(219) 452-2197

Two-week Intensive Inter-preter Training ProgramJune 30-July 13, 2001(219) 452-2197

Intensive InterpreterTraining ProgramJune 30-July 27, 2001(219) 452-2197

RetreatsLutherHostel IApril 11-15, 20011-877-287-4338 (ext. 1-2204)

Altar Guild RetreatMay 4-6, 20011-877-287-4338 (ext. 1-2204)

“The Wisdom of Solomonand the Pilgrimage of Life”June 1-3, 20011-877-287-4338 (ext. 1-2204)

MusicOrganist Workshop IJune 4-8, 2001(219) 452-2191

Organist Workshop IIJune 11-15, 2001(219) 452-2191

ChapelEaster Choral VespersApril 22, 2001Kramer Chapel, 4:00 p.m.

For your free subscription, please send yourname, address, city, state, and zip code to:For the Life of the World, 6600 N. Clinton

St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825. Pastors may subscribetheir entire congregation, at no charge, by submitting a membership list (including members’name, address, city, state, and zip code). Lists sub-mitted to the Public Relations Office will not be used for other solicitations.For those congregations that do not wish to pro-vide a membership list, bulk subscriptions areavailable for $5.00 per subscription/per year with a50 order minimum.

You can support this magazine through a $20.00yearly donation to the following address: For the Life of the Worldin care of Public Relations, Concordia Theological Seminary, 6600 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825. Please make checks payable to CTS.If you would like to see For the Life of the Worldon the World Wide Web, go to web site:www.LifeOfTheWorld.com. The current issue, as well as previous issues, can be found at this interactive portal.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

APRIL 2001 29

For the Life of the World

This year’s Christ Academy, geared for high-school menwho have expressed an interest in learning more aboutthe Office of the Holy Ministry, will be held June 17-30, 2001.

Each summer, Concordia Theological Seminary sponsorsthis two-week program for high-school-aged men. The cur-riculum includes classes on the three divisions of seminaryeducation: history, systematics (doctrine), and exegesis; timeto worship and do community service work; opportunities toplay sports; and an opportunity to visit an amusement park innearby Sandusky, Ohio.The cost of Christ Academy to participants is $250, which

includes tuition, room, board, and activity fees. Attendees willneed extra money for books, snacks, and optional activities.Students stay on campus and attend classes part of the day, doservice projects part of the day, and relax part of the day. For more information about Christ Academy, or to get an

application, please contact the Office of Admission at 1-800-481-2155. The deadline for applying is May 1, 2001.You can also find information in the Events section of the sem-inary’s web site, www.ctsfw.edu.

I’d like more information about Christ Academy 2001. Please send an applicationform to the following address:

Name ____________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

City ____________________________ State: ______ ZIP: ________________

Phone Number _____________________________________________________

Year in School _____________________________________________________

Home Congregation ________________________________________________

Return to Office of Admission, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN 46825.

Christ Academy Information

Christ Academy 2001will be held June 17-

30, 2001. Please contact the Office

of Admission at (800) 481-2155 or

admission@mail.ctsfw.edufor more information.

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