LIFE

Called and Ordained - p.5The Gospel Ministry—In the Lutheran Confessions - p.8

Confessing the Name of the Triune God - p.10The Keys: Christ’s Word of Law and Gospel - p.12

Living by Faith - p.14In the Field - p.16

WORLDof the

For the

October 1999. Volume Three, Number Four

F E A T U R E S

3 From the President

4 Letters to the Editor

5 Called & Ordainedby the Rev. Chad L. BirdPastor, St. Paul Lutheran ChurchWellston, Okla.

Those who, in the stead and by the mandateof Christ, absolve, preach, catechize, andcelebrate the Sacrament are His priestlyministers.8 The Gospel Ministry

—In the Lutheran Confessionsby the Rev. Prof. Kurt MarquartAssoc. Professor Systematic TheologyConcordia Theological SeminaryFort Wayne, Ind.The Lutheran Confessions maintain the fullintegrity of the public ministry of the NewTestament.

10 Confessing the Name of the Triune Godby Elizabeth A. FluegelResearch DirectorLCMS Office of Government InformationWashington, D.C.The task of handling eternal things is that ofthe Christian pastor. He is called to preserveand preach unspoiled, undisturbed and undis-torted the image of the Eternal One: the triuneGod, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

12 The Keys: Christ’s Word of Law & Gospelby the Rev. Prof. Lawrence RastAsst. Professor Historical TheologyConcordia Theological SeminaryFort Wayne, Ind.

The keys carry the Gospel, in the broad sense,forward, condemning self-assured people oftheir sin and assuring the contrite of theirforgiveness.14 Living by Faith

by the Rev. Scott KlemszPublisher, For the Life of the World andDirector of Admission & Public RelationsConcordia Theological SeminaryFort Wayne, Ind.

For the men and women of the former SovietUnion, living by faith is more than an act ofpersonal devotion or piety—it is the reality oftheir lives.16 In the Field

by Pam KnepperManaging EditorFor the Life of the World

Features the Rev. David Mumme,Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church,Marseilles, Ill.

FortheLIFE WORLDof

the

PRESIDENTRev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe

PUBLISHERRev. Scott Klemsz

MANAGING EDITORPam Knepper

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 1999. 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.

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CONTENTS

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For the Life of the World2

JULY 1999 3

Dear Friend ofConcordia TheologicalSeminary:

Do you have a good physician? Ourfamily is blessed with a physician who isknowledgeable, capable and personable.What is particularly appreciated is themanner in which he instructs the patientas he talks through every step of a diag-nosis or examination. The respect heaccords the patient conveys a sense thathe has as much time as is needed toanswer questions and be of help. What ablessing when people speak of beingtreated by a physician who seems to berushed in fulfilling the needs of an HMOquota or other demands. The pressurein our culture to reduce a patient to acommodity has been voiced by manymedical doctors.Let me ask a parallel question: Do you

have a good pastor? If there are pressuresto reduce a patient to a commodity, thereare similar pressures to reduce the Christ-ian to a number ( i.e., a religious con-sumer who is to be the object of market-ing and manipulation as intense as anythat Wal-Mart or Wall Street might use).Concordia Theological Seminary is

committed to forming pastors who areknowledgeable, capable and personableand who possess a spirit of integrity, amind with clarity and a heart of charity.This formation can only happen by God’sgrace as the seminarian defines himselfand his calling by God’s gifts of theSacred Scriptures and Holy Sacraments.The good pastor—Scripturally defined—is a shepherd, not a salesman; aneducator, not an entertainer; a pastor nota CEO. The clear and Scriptural doctrine,which he confesses, is, by God’s grace,joined to a heart of compassion and lovefor his people. He visits them in theirhomes, at the hospital and enjoystheir individual histories. Like a goodphysician, he lovingly warns themagainst the deadly thrusts of Satan—sometimes so subtle—and tenderlyencourages them with Christ’s presencein Word and Sacrament.Two texts capture the beauty and the

depth of the relationship between thefaithful pastor and the people of God.First, a beautiful endorsement on “The

Long Pastorate” is cited in John W.Doberstein’s Minister’s Prayer Book(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986, 210-211). While not every tenure can be asthis passage describes, the attitude ofpastor and people is worthy of emulation.“One’s heart goes back from this eager,

restless, ambitious age to the formerdays, and recalls with fond recollectionthe pastor of his youth, who had lived allhis ministry in one place, and was buriedwhere he was ordained—who had bap-tized a child, and admitted her to thesacrament, and married her and baptizedher children—who knew all the ins andouts of his people’s character, and carriedfamily history for generations in hishead—who was ever thinking of hispeople, watching over them, visitingtheir homes, till his familiar figure on thestreet linked together the past and thepresent, and heaven and earth, andopened a treasure house of sacred memo-ries. He prayed with a lad before he wentaway—his mother could almost repeatthe words; he was constantly inquiringabout his welfare, so binding him to hisfaith and home by silken ties; he was inthe house on the day of his return, to seehow it had fared with him in the outerworld. People turned to him as by aninstinct in their joys and sorrows; menconsulted him in the crises of life, and, asthey lay a-dying, committed their wivesand children to his care. He was a headto every widow, and a father to theorphans, and the friend of all lowly,discouraged, unsuccessful souls. Tenmiles away people did not know hisname, but his own congregation regardedno other, and in the Lord’s presence itwas well known, it was often mentioned;when he laid down his trust, and arrivedon the other side, many whom he had fedand guided, and restored and comforted,till he saw them through the gates, werewaiting to receive their shepherd-minis-ter, and as they stood around him beforethe Lord, he, of all men, could saywithout shame, ‘Behold, Lord, thineunder-shepherd, and the flock thoudidst give me’”.The second text is from The Lutheran

Hymnal, hymn 484. Note how thepastor’s calling is defined in Scripturalcategories by the people of God.

We bid thee welcome in the nameOf Jesus, our exalted Head.Come as a servant—so He came—And we receive thee in His stead.

Come as a shepherd; guard and keepThis fold from hell and world and sin;Nourish the lambs and feed the sheep;The wounded heal, the lost bring in.

Come as a teacher sent from God,Charged His whole counsel to declare.Lift o’er our ranks the prophet’s rodWhile we uphold thy hands with prayer.

Come as a messenger of peace,Filled with the Spirit, fired with love.Live to behold our large increaseAnd die to meet us all above.

May God provide each of you with agood and faithful pastor who reflectsthese stanzas in his shepherding. Hewill prove a greater blessing than thealternative models of CEO/administrator,marketer/PR person, therapist, etc. Ourculture seeks to remake its religiousleaders in categories comfortable andcompatible with its prejudices. In such asetting, the church needs pastors whohave the mind of Christ and trust HisWord and Sacrament as they reach outwith a naturaldelight in thepeople whom Godhas redeemed andcompassionatelyconfess Christ tothose who are with-out the living HolyTrinity as the centerof their world.May God give us grace to form such

good and faithful pastors, and may Heprepare God’s people to follow andsupport such shepherds.

Yours, in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, PresidentConcordia Theological Seminary

FROM THE

PRESIDENT

Greetings!!While I have expressed concern lately

that I see a tendency toward “liturgicallegalism” at Ft. Wayne in the past fewyears (which I still believe is a concern),I think that while criticism should bepart of a critique, so also shouldbe praise.Your last issue on Baptism was

excellent. Kudos. Wonderful. I am nota “cradle Lutheran,” but am a Lutheranby choice, Baptist (licensed minister)by upbringing. Thank you for this lastissue. Please keep issues like thatcoming. I think all LC-MS congregants,whether “high church,” “low church,” or“in-between” (where I think most are)benefit from issues such as this. Thanks!By the way, I’d like to see those who

hold to the “only German, only highchurch view” (heavy cynicism implied)read Luther’s “Against the HeavenlyProphets” in Luther's Works, Churchand Ministry Vol. II and critique it.Perhaps Luther was wrong and weshould only be a “high church” church).Who knows, maybe either Karlstadt orthe papists were right … but I don’tbelieve that.Randy KeyesLansing, Michigan

The best way to show how shockinglyextreme and far from the mission of ourLord is the language in the letter fromPastor Richard S. Cody (July 1999, Vol.3, No. 3) and to respond to it is to returnto the Word.St. Paul defended ardently and

fiercely the undiluted purity of thekerygma of the Gospel of God’s gracein Jesus.“Even if we or an angel from heaven

should preach a Gospel other than theone we preached to you, let him be eter-nally condemned! As we have alreadysaid, so now I say again: If anybody is

preaching to you a Gospel other thanwhat you accepted, let him be eternallycondemned! ... The Gospel I preachedis not something that man made up. Idid not receive it from any man, norwas I taught it; rather, I received it byrevelation from Jesus Christ” (Galatians1:8-12).This same St. Paul declared, “I have

become all things to all men so that byall possible means I might save some”(I Corinthians 9:2).That is what the eternal Son did in

becoming flesh, suffering, dying, andbeing raised for us. Dare we beunwilling to do the same?“A student is not above his teacher,

nor a servant above his master. It isenough for the student to be like histeacher, and the servant like his master”(Matthew 10:24-25).Russell W. LaPeerOcala, Florida

The danger of Missouri becomingsomething other than distinctly Lutheran(The Rev. Richard S. Cody, For theLife of the World, July 1999) struck araw nerve.One congregation with which I am

acquainted is served by a charismaticwho slipped through the cracks of thecolloquy program. Several life-longLutherans have left this church and theMissouri Synod, feeling abandoned bydistrict and synodical officials whoseemingly do not believe that our doc-trine shapes our practice. If those whoare called to maintain purity of doctrine,preaching, liturgy, and churchly life arenot willing to discipline those charismat-ics who seem intent upon destroyingwhat is distinctly Lutheran among us,who will?I have been led to believe that some

clergymen from other denominationswho apply for admittance to the clergy

roster of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod through the colloquyprogram are not required to completeany courses at our seminaries.If we believe, as Martin Luther did

and the Lutheran Confessions teach, thatpurity of doctrine and the pure preachingof the Word and administration of theSacraments are essential marks of thechurch, are we not short-changing thepeople of God by allowing clergymenfrom other denominations to bypasstraining at a Lutheran seminary beforebecoming eligible for a call to one ofour congregations?Absent such training, are not

“Lutheran talk, substance, practice,theology, (and) churches” bound tobecome adversely affected?Connor L. Corkran Jr.Morganton, North Carolina

4

Your letters arealways welcome.

Please address them to:Letters to the Editor

6600 North Clinton StreetFort Wayne, IN 46825-4996

Fax: 219-452-2227

Readers share their

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LETTERS

For the Life of the World

&

JULY 1999 5

CalledOrdained&CalledOrdained

By the Rev. Chad L. Bird

It is common for Lutheran pastors to bereferred to as priests… but only bystrangers who suppose them to be RomanCatholic clergy. Venerable titles such aspastor, preacher, and minister are ordinar-

ily used by Lutheran laity. Pastors shepherd,preachers proclaim, and ministers serve: thetitles correspond to the holy tasks carried out byChrist through His called and ordained men.Raised eyebrows and wrinkled foreheads,

however, are the characteristic reactions to thesuggestion that the Office of the Holy Ministryis also a priestly vocation whose occupants mayrightly be called priests. Centuries of heated

polemics against Roman Catholicism plus a misconstrual of the Scriptural doctrine ofthe royal priesthood of the baptized (1 Pet 2:9) have unhappily stolen from modernLutherans the exceedingly salutary perception of the pastor as priest of Godwho stands in stead of the High Priest, Jesus Christ, to distribute the mostholy gifts of His sacrificial atonement on the fiery altar of the cross.

The Old Testament PriesthoodAt the covenantal marriage of Israel with Yahweh at Mt. Sinai, the Lordproclaimed His Bride to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” (Ex19:6). Within this sacred royal priesthood, however, Aaron and his maledescendants were set apart by divine mandate to serve as priests beforeYahweh, assisted by their tribal brothers, the Levites. Theirs was an officeof mediation, in which they represented the people before Yahweh andYahweh blessed the people through them; they embodied Israel before Godand through their bodies God ministered to Israel. The priests taught theWord of God; offered sacrifices on the temple altar; prayed for the nation;and placed the holy, saving name of Yahweh on the people through theAaronic benediction. Through Word and through blood imbued with thedivine presence, the priests transmitted purity, peace, forgiveness, and wis-dom to the saints of old. They, by faith alone, perceived every burnt ani-mal, every priest, and every blessing as a foretaste of the sacrifice to come, the priestto come, and the benediction to come in the incarnate Messiah of God.Into this sacerdotal office theAaronic priests were called and ordained; they did not

take the honor upon themselves (Heb 5:4). The modern mantra, “Everyone a minis-ter,” was condemned not only vocally but violently by the God of Israel. When theLevite Korah and his fellow cronies jealously challenged the exclusivity of theAaronic priesthood, the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up Korah and hishousehold; then the raging wrath of divine fire cremated 250 other rebels (Num 16).Although all Israelites were holy and the nation a kingdom of priests, not all werecalled to be priestly ministers through whose hands and mouths Yahweh blessed thepeople with the sacrificial means of grace.

The New Testament PriesthoodThe Messiah Jesus is the Priest of the New Testament. Although the Aaronic priest-hood foreshadowed the priesthood of Jesus, He was ordained a priest according to thesuperior order of Melchizedek (Heb 7). In the divine body of Jesus, the temple, priest-hood, sacrifice, veil, and mercy seat of the Israelites coalesced, was perfected, andfulfilled for the life of the world. He, and He alone, is the “great Priest over the houseof God,” (Heb 10:21), that is, the Church.Not citizenship in Israel but baptismal incorporation into the priestly body of Jesus

makes Christians priests (1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6). This regal priesthood, orig-inating in the Font, reaches its Sabbath apex at the Altar, where saints step into theunveiled Holy of Holies to consume perpetually the body and blood sacrificed onceand for all. In faith towards God and in fervent love for one anoth-er, the priests of the New Testament, filled with the sacrificial fruitsof Jesus, then offer up their bodies `and all that is theirs as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1).Just as under the old covenant, however, from within the royal

priesthood certain men are set aside by divine mandate to serve aspriestly ministers before God. The temple now Christ’s flesh, theblood of God spilled, the veil covering the Holy of Holies rent intwain, the atonement of humanity accomplished, God instituted theOffice of the Holy Ministry (cf. Augsburg Confession, V) that menmay obtain faith in this work of redemption. Although the outwardduties of the vocation have changed, the priestly ministers of theNew Testament, like those of the Old Testament, still bless God’speople through Word and through blood—the Word of the Gospel

6

Although the outward duties

of the vocation have changed,

the priestly ministers of the

New Testament, like those of

the Old Testament, still bless

God’s people through Word

and through blood—the Word

of the Gospel and the blood of

the Eucharist.

For the Life of the World

and the blood of the Eucharist. St. Paul links the Old Testament and New Testamentpriestly minister in 1 Cor 9:13-14, “Do you not know that those who perform sacredservices eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar havetheir share with the altar? So also the Lord has directed those who proclaim theGospel to get their living from the Gospel.” As the Apology of the Augsburg Con-fession (XIII 9) succinctly states, “Thus priests are not called to make sacrifices thatmerit forgiveness of sins for the people, as in the Old Testament, but they are calledto preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments to the people,” (cf. Ap XXIV 34,48, 58-59). The High Priest Jesus beckons His baptized people into the sanctifiedsphere of His divine presence to feed them through the mouths and hands of thosewhom He has called and ordained to give out His gifts.For the comfort, assurance, and welfare of His Church, Christ has maintained the

uncompromising division between those baptized into the royal priesthood and thosecalled and ordained into the priestly ministry. This is not a barrier of the Law but ablessing of the Gospel, for the saints of Christ must know whose mouth and whosehands the great High Priest has sanctified to bestow His gifts. The Old Testamentanathema against the “everyone a minister” falsehood remains in force; it behoovesus to remember Korah.

ConclusionThe priestly character of the New Testament ministry is rooted in and flows from thepriestly office of the One who speaks and acts through those called and ordained.Because Jesus is the Priest of God, those who, in the stead and by the mandate ofChrist, absolve, preach, catechize, and celebrate the Sacrament, are His priestly min-isters. They do not mediate between God and the people; rather, they beckon peopleto the temple of theAbsolution, the Font, theAltar, and the Pulpit, in which the priest-ly Mediator, Jesus Christ, has located Himself.Levites and priests in holy days of yore,Upon the altar sacred blood did pour.Oxen and sheep killed by the priestly knife,Pointed ahead to Him who gives man life.Upon the altar of the cursed tree,Hung God’s High Priest, whose blood has set us free.That holy Lamb lay on the Mercy SeatFilling with God all those who His flesh eat.Behind the altar, holy and bloodstained,Minister priests whom Christ called and ordained,Beckoning baptized saints unto the FeastIn which the food and drink are God’s High Priest.

The Rev. Chad L. Bird is Pastor ofSt. Paul Lutheran Church in Wellston, Oklahoma

7OCTOBER 1999

Because Jesus is the Priest of God, those who,in the stead and by the mandate of Christ,absolve, preach, catechize, and celebrate theSacrament, are His priestly ministers. They donot mediate between God and the people;rather, they beckon people to the temple of theAbsolution, the Font, the Altar, and the Pulpit,in which the priestly Mediator, Jesus Christ, haslocated Himself.

TThe topic of the Gospel Ministry is unfoldedin the progression from Article V throughArticle XIV toArticle XXVIII of theAugs-burg Confession. Many people think thatArticle V of the Preaching Office deals only

with Gospel-functions, not with the Gospel-pro-claiming office. But this is a mistake.What is divine-ly instituted here is the one office of “ministry ofteaching the Gospel and administering the sacra-ments” (Latin). The office exists for the Gospel. Thatis its sole purpose. This is the glorious evangelicaldistinctiveness of the church of the Augsburg Con-fession. In both Rome and Geneva, the ministry isheavily Law-dominated. By contrast, it is typical ofour Confession to see the pastor as the personal rep-resentative of Jesus the friend of sinners—come toseek and to save the lost. This means that the Gospel(including the sacraments) does not receive itspower or validity from the office holders, fromchurch bureaucracies, or from proper transmissionor ordination rites. Quite the contrary—the ministryreceives all of its power from the Gospel itself,which alone is the power of God for salvation.Article XIV tells us very tersely how one gets into

that Gospel-preaching office, namely, by way of aproper call, that is, by a call from God through thechurch. Since the church consists of hearers andpreachers together—not one set without the other—hearers and preachers act together in calling a quali-fied man into the office. Is ordination divine orhuman? That depends on whether one means theo-logical substance or ritual form. Since the office isdivine, putting a man into it is part of the divineinstitution. This is the theological substance of theact, which is normally a process that includes sever-al facets. These can include the candidate’s fitness,his selection, and his investiture for his field of ser-vice in a public service of the church. In this sense“call” and “ordination” are synonyms.And to under-score the divinity of the Gospel-preaching office—

8

TheGospelIn theLutheran ConfeTheGospelIn theLutheran Confe

By the

For the Life of the World

Our Lutheran Confessionsmaintain the full integrityof the public ministry of theNew Testament, and guard thisevangelical highway, as it were,against the ditches of Romanpriest-craft and hierarchicalismon the one hand, and of popularProtestant mob-rule and seculardemocratism on the other.

as opposed to thehumanly inventedorder of mass-sacrifi-cers—Apology XIII is pre-pared to call ordination into thatholy office a “sacrament.” But there is nodivinely prescribed ritual by which such entryinto the ministry is accomplished. The laying onof hands is an apostolic custom with rich OldTestament background, and should on no accountbe omitted; but it is not as such a divine institutionor a sacrament.Finally,Article XXVIII spells out the proper work

of pastors or bishops. The power of the keys or ofthe church or of bishops (these terms are used inter-changeably) is exercised only by preaching, teach-ing, absolving and retaining, and administering thesacraments. There is no divinely established chain ofcommand or pecking order here. Christ rules Hischurch by the Gospel, and His and His church’sministers are the divinely appointed bearers of thatGospel. That bishops “may make regulations” forgood order, which ought to be kept for the sake ofpeace and unity, must be understood in contrast tothe princely pretensions of the Roman bishops. Inthe evangelical context there is no place for a lordlyimposition of decisions by the pastor, from on high,as it were, on a purely passive flock. Neither, ofcourse, may the flock tyrannize the pastor. In mat-ters neither commanded nor forbidden in the Wordof God, both pastor and people are free, and neitherhas any right to command or prescribe anything tothe other. Everything here must be done in mutuallove, consent, and accommodation. “Love isempress in ceremonies,” said Luther.The most detailed discussion of the ministry in the

Confessions is that of the Treatise of the Power andPrimacy of the Pope. Two important truths areenshrined here. One is that the Keys of the Kingdombelong not to particular persons or to

pastors only, but to the church as such, “originallyand immediately.” The church is the Bride of Christ,and therefore the rightful owner, together with HerDivine Husband, of all spiritual treasures. The min-isters administer the treasures, which the churchowns. The second corresponding truth is that Christbuilds His church on this Gospel and these sacra-ments preached and administered by His appointedministers. This Gospel-preaching-and-confessing,not St. Peter as a person, is the Rock (Par. 25). Thenext paragraph interprets the “ministry” of Eph-esians 4:12 as belonging to the apostles, prophets,evangelists, pastors, and teachers—not as in moderntranslations where pastors are supposed to “equip”the laity for “ministry.”All in all, our Lutheran Confessions maintain

the full integrity of the public ministry of the NewTestament, and guard this evangelical highway, as itwere, against the ditches of Roman priest-craft andhierarchicalism on the one hand, and of popularProtestant mob-rule and secular democratism onthe other.The Rev. Prof. Kurt Marquart is AssociateProfessor of Systematic Theology at ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

9

MinistryI essions

MinistryI essions

Rev. Prof. Kurt Marquart

OCTOBER 1999

10 For the Life of the World

Confessing theNameTHETRIUT

he typical American citizen does notknow the names of his two U.S. senatorsand one U.S. representative. Even thosewho can identify their elected officials byname, know little about the members

themselves and still less about their positions onissues such as abortion or imposing sanctions onnations that systematicallypersecute Christians. In otherwords, just because someoneknows the names of his mem-bers of Congress does notmean he knows anythingabout them or their views onpublic policies.There is one name that is

familiar to almost everyAmerican—the name “God.”Our money says, “In God WeTrust.” We pledge allegianceto “one nation under God.”Our president and other publicofficials often end theirspeeches with the words “Godbless you.” But as LutheranChristians, we mustnever equate the words“In God We Trust” onour money or a politi-cian’s words “Godbless you” with a con-fession of the Christianfaith (or an assurancethat he is a true believ-er). The early churchunderstood this pointwell—what one saysabout God matters.When compelled by their own rulers to confess afalse creed about God, they refused. Some Chris-tians paid with their lives for confessing the firstcreed of the church, “Jesus is Lord.”

The 1998 synodical convention adopted Resolu-tion 2-05A, which encourages “the Synod and itsmembers to work to promote and protect freedomof religion and religious expression both at homeand abroad.” The members of Synod may havebeen justified in adopting this resolution in light ofthe dramatic increase in the occurrences of dis-

crimination against—not to beconfused with the persecutionof—Christian citizens andagencies (and those of otherreligions) in our society today.But here, too, Lutheran Chris-tians must not confuse efforts toensure the free practice of reli-gion, of all religions, with theproclamation of the Gospel.Those who passed Resolution2-05A clearly did not makethat error.Alexander Solzhenitsyn once

wrote, “The meaning of exis-tence was to preserveunspoiled, undisturbed andundistorted the image of eterni-

ty with which each per-son is born.” Those whowish to make America aChristian nation seem tothink that the state hasthe duty to point mantoward eternity. TheAugsburg Confessiondisagrees: “Temporalauthority is concernedwith matters altogetherdifferent from theGospel. Temporal power

does not protect the soul, but with the sword andphysical penalties it protects body and goods fromthe power of others” (Tappert, p. 82).

Our money says, “In God We Trust.” We pledgeallegiance to “one nation under God.” Ourpresident and other public officials often endtheir speeches with the words “God blessyou.” But as Lutheran Christians, we mustnever equate the words “In God We Trust” onour money or a politician’s words “God blessyou” with a confession of the Christian faith.

OCTOBER 1999 11

The task of handling eternal things is that of theChristian pastor; and it would be better said that heis called to preserve (and preach) unspoiled, undis-turbed and undistorted the image of the EternalOne: the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.This, too, the Augsburg Confession speaks clearlyabout: “Our teachers hold that according to theGospel the power of the keys or the power of bish-ops is a power or command of God to preach theGospel, to remit and retain sins, and to administerthe sacraments. For it is not bodily things that arethus given, but rather such eternal things as eternalrighteousness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life.These things cannot come about except through theministry of Word and sacraments. Inasmuch as thepower of the church bestows eternal things and isexercised only through the ministry of the Word, itinterferes with civil government as little as the artof singing interferes with civil government. Forcivil government is concerned with other thingsthan the Gospel. The state protects not souls butbodies and goods from manifest harm, and con-strains men with the sword and physical penalties,while the Gospel protects souls from heresies, thedevil, and eternal death” (Tappert, p. 81-82).Synod has not spoken on the specific issue of

prayer in the public schools for almost twodecades, and did then only through its Board forParish Services. That board opposed state-spon-sored prayer in the public schools because “Chris-tians cannot join with non-Christians in addressingGod in circumstances that deny Jesus Christ asSavior and Lord.” Notwithstanding Synod’s 1998resolution encouraging us to work for the protec-tion of religious freedom, Lutheran Christians mustremember that it is not the state’s job to nurture orto “protect souls,” which can be done only throughthe proclamation of the Gospel and the properadministration of the sacraments, but neverthrough generic religiosity.

The pastor most frequently carries out the min-istry of the Word and sacraments in the Sundaymorning worship service. He speaks the Word ofGod and the people of God respond in the liturgy.The introduction to Lutheran Worship states thistruth beautifully: “Our Lord speaks and we listen.His Word bestows what it says. Faith that is bornfrom what is heard acknowledges the gifts receivedwith eager thankfulness and praise—Saying backto Him what He has said to us, we repeat what ismost true and sure. What is most true and sure isHis name, which He put upon us with the word ofour baptism. We are His. This we acknowledge atthe beginning of the divine service. Where Hisname is, there is He” (pp. 6-7). This is also wherean important distinction between the pastor and thepeople of God immerges. For the pastor must seethat the Gospel is spoken and that all that is saidand sung about God here is true.The last Missouri Synod pastor who began Con-

gress’ day with prayer did so in the name of JesusChrist. Tragically, many Christian ministers do not.We live in a pluralistic society. That means thatonly in the gathered community of believers willthe triune name of God be confessed and knownand loved as that of the only true God. Yes, one day“at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, inheaven and on earth and under the earth, and everytongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to theglory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11), butnot yet. Not until the return of the Eschaton Him-self. “Come Lord Jesus!”Elizabeth A. Fluegel is Research Directorat the LCMS Office of Government Information,Washington, D.C.

Name ofT UNE GOD

ByElizabeth A. Fluegel

The horrible abuse and misunder-standing of the precious keys isone of the greatest plagueswhich God’s wrath has spreadover the ungrateful world. It has

increased so greatly in Christendom thatalmost nowhere in the world do we find atrue use and understanding of the keys”(LW 40:325). Luther’s comment from“The Keys” certainly applied to theunfortunate situation in the medieval

Roman Catholic Church. Rome obscuredthe gracious work of Christ on the crossby making its efficaciousness dependenton human obedience—repentance wasturned into a human act that earned God’sforgiveness. But by the time Luther wrote“The Keys” in 1530 he was aware of dan-ger on another front. “Remember that thekeys or the forgiveness of sins are notbased on our own repentance or worthi-ness … Such teachings are entirely Pela-

gian, Mohammedan (Türkisch), pagan,Jewish, like those of the Anabaptists,fanatic, and anti-Christian” (LW 40:364).Rome was certainly in error—as wereany who compromised the certainty offorgiveness centered in Christ’s cross.What was at stake? For Luther it was

the keys of the kingdom—the bindingand loosing message of Law and Gospel.Through the keys Christ Himself con-demned sin and unbelief, as well as free-ing condemned and lost sinners. “Thekey which binds is the power or office topunish the sinner who refuses to repentby means of a public condemnation toeternal death and separation from the restof Christendom. And when such judg-ment is pronounced, it is as a judgment ofChrist himself … The loosing key is thepower or office to absolve the sinner whomakes confession and is converted fromsins, promising again eternal life. And ithas the same significance as if ChristHimself passed judgment” (LW 40:372).The keys carry the Gospel, in the broad

sense, forward, condemning self-assuredpeople of their sin and assuring the con-

trite of their forgiveness.The binding key, however,is for Luther only a means toan end. The ultimate aim of thekeys is the forgiveness of sins.The loosing key, like baptism,creates new life. The keys areefficacious because of their

christological character. “For Christ hasnot ordained authorities or powers orlordships in His church, but ministries, . .. For in [baptism and penance] there is alike ministry, a similar promise, and thesame kind of sacrament” (“The Babylon-ian Captivity of the Church,” Three Trea-tises [Muhlenberg, 1960], 208). Thus,the application of the loosing key isGod’s act, which delivers the life-givingforgiveness of sins won by Christ. Assur-ance stems from the application of theloosing key. “A simple trusting heart can

12 For the Life of the World

TheKeys:Christ’sWord

of Law&Gospel

TheKeys:Christ’sWord

of Law&Gospel“

By the Rev. Prof. Lawrence R. Rast

boldly rely on God’s action. And in timesof deep distress, with our conscienceaccusing us, we may say: Well then! Ihave been absolved of my sins, howevermany and great they may be, by means ofthe key, on which I may rely. Let no oneremind me of my sins any longer. All aregone, forgiven, forgotten” (LW 40:375).In the 17th century, certain heirs of

Luther began to question whether theproclamation of the loosing key had notbecome too easy and free. “Should wenot put a greater emphasis on seeing thenecessary fruits of repentance before weproclaim the word of absolution?” theyasked. “Is mere confession of sinsenough?” For instance, Johann Arndt(1555-1621) outlined his understandingof the relationship between faith andrepentance as follows: “Have I notpreached to you out of which forgivenesscomes? Where is your repentance?Where is the true living faith? Where isthe renewal of your mind, the church oflife? It is there where forgiveness of sinsis” (True Christianity [Paulist Press,1979], 114). Later, Philip Spener wouldextend Arndt’s theology and note: “Howmany there are who live such a manifest-ly unchristian life that they themselvescannot deny that the Law is broken atevery point, who have no intention ofmending their ways in the future, and yetwho pretend to be firmly convinced thatthey will be saved in spite of all this! . . .They are sure of this because it is ofcourse not possible to be saved onaccount of one’s life, but they believe inChrist and put all their trust in Him, thatthis cannot fail, and they will surely besaved by such faith.” Such a faith, saysSpener, “leads many people to damna-tion” (Pia Desideria, 64).Spener believed that people trusted too

much in the reception of the sacraments,and did not stress good works enough.Thus, concluded Spener, it was the pas-tor’s responsibility to determine who wasand was not a true believer, for it was totrue believers alone that forgiveness wasto be preached. “This is also true of con-fession and absolution, which we hold tobe an effective means of evangelicalcomfort and the forgiveness of sins. It isthis, however, to none but believers. Whyis it, then, that so many, who do not havethe slightest bit of that aforementionedtrue faith, confess and have themselves

absolved even while they remain unre-pentant, as if their confession and absolu-tion would be of benefit to them simplybecause they have performed an act, spo-ken a confession, and received absolu-tion?” (Pia Desideria, 67).The contrast between Luther and Spen-

er is clear. Where Luther underscores thenecessity of both keys, Spener slipstoward an emphasis on the binding key.In other words, Spener limits the procla-

mation of the Gospel to those whom he isconvinced show the satisfactory fruits offaith. Works of the Law become the stan-dard by which the presence of faith isjudged. Luther will not abide those whopersist in manifest, public sin. On theother hand, he rejects the notion that theLaw can engender good works. Rather,the fruits of faith will flow from theapplication of the loosing key. “The

intention of the key which binds is thatwe heed its threatening and thereby cometo fear God. He who believes the keywhich threatens has satisfied it before andwithout performing any works. The keydoes not demand any other work. After-ward such faith will indeed performworks” (LW 40:375).For Luther it is a matter of assurance

for the contrite—one’s works only lead touncertainty and, ultimately, to despair.Christ is displaced with self. While Spen-er continually examines the character ofan individual’s repentance from the per-spective of the binding key as evidencedby works, Luther stresses the fact of theindividual’s sinfulness that has been cov-ered by the blood of Christ applied in theloosing key. For the voice of the pastorspeaking the absolution is Christ’s voice.In 1531 Luther composed a short order ofconfession and absolution, which wasappended to the Small Catechism. At thepoint of absolution the pastor is to state:“Do you believe that this forgiveness isthe forgiveness of God?” After the con-fessor answers in the affirmative, the pas-tors continues: “Be it done for you as youhave believed. According to the com-mand of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgiveyou your sins in the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.Amen. Go in peace” (Book of Concord[Fortress, 1959], 351).In our time people run from one

“prophet” to the next, seeking desperate-ly to hear God’s voice. What they nor-mally hear is a Spenerian application ofthe binding key. “Change your life,accept Christ and He will accept you.”What a blessing we have in the LutheranChurch—Missouri Synod! For here, Godhas graciously maintained the keys. Andthrough the keys, faithfully administeredpublicly by the Office of the Holy Min-istry and privately in the “mutual conver-sation and consolation of the brethren”(Book of Concord, 310), Christ speaks.And where Christ speaks, His keys effectHis promise—to “recover for you theinnocence you received in baptism. Youwill be born anew as a real saint, forGod’s Word and the keys are holy”(LW 40:375).The Rev. Prof. Lawrence Rast isAssistant Professor of HistoricalTheology at Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

The keys carry the Gospel,in the broad sense, forward,condemning self-assuredpeople of their sin andassuring the contrite oftheir forgiveness. Thebinding key, however, isfor Luther only a means toan end. The ultimate aim ofthe keys is the forgivenessof sins.

13OCTOBER 1999

This past July I was invited to par-ticipate in a number of seminarsheld in the former Soviet Union.Given the task of teaching the chil-dren who attended these seminars, Iwas also able to spend time with thepeople, interview them, and writedown their stories. The following isthe first in a series of stories thatwill detail these experiences. Thesestories will appear in future issues ofFor the Life of the World.

For the men and women ofthe former Soviet Union,living by faith is morethan an act of personaldevotion or piety—it is

the reality of their lives.. Stripped ofthe security of their former politicaland economic systems, living byfaith has become the center of theirlives. They demonstrate this faithto the world by showing that it isnot something that can bemanufactured by personal piety ordiscipline, but rather it is forged bythe lack of necessity of everydaygoods and resourcesIt would be wrong to say that the

people are lacking. In fact, they havemuch more than many because theirtrust and faith can only come fromGod, not from their own efforts. Inthe town of Belarus, Russia, I met ayoung man who had recently fin-ished college. Unable to find any meaningful employment andliving on less then $20 a month, he had dedicated his time to thechurch and the spreading of the Gospel. Asked about his life andfuture, the young man’s reply was quite simple, “I live by faith.”

For these people, the reality ofthe presence of Christ in the DivineService-the place where heavenmeets earth-is a real and constantcompanion to their everyday life.Praying the liturgy is the placewhere their souls respond to thepresence of Christ. It is in theseprayers that you find the heart of thepeople. The prayers are not filledwith chatter about the weather,instead they are filled with petitionsfor the hearts of the lost, for thosewith less then they, and for thespreading of the Gospel.No two-dimensional view on the

television news or a photo spreadin a magazine can give a person acomplete picture of this world. Itwould be flat and miss the vitality oflife. The third dimension is foundand offered in the churches that Ihad the opportunity of visiting.Their vitality comes from Christ’spresence. Christ who comes to givelife to the world.The Lutheran churches of the for-mer Soviet Union are filled withRussian men and women, not trans-planted Westerners or Germans.Their language and life is differentthan ours, yet the church and herculture permeates them as the sameculture envelops our gatherings. Theculture of life found in the church,

versus the culture of death found in the world.The country of Belarus has the heart of a young child. Only inthe beginning stages of forming their synod, the churches workin a loose conference with a commitment to the confessions and

For the Life of the World14

FAITHLiving by

FAITHBy the Rev. Scott Klemsz

OCTOBER 1999 15

Scriptures. This small band of churches struggles to build andsurvive in the harsh reality of a post-Soviet economy. Today,they often meet in homes or rented halls, pray the liturgy, pro-claim the Gospel and partake of heavenly food. Many of theplaces that they meet cannot hold the number of people attract-ed to the Gospel. Caught between the Lutheran Confessions thathave reawakened them and the liberal rule of vast state church-es, they struggle in their work. The people of Belarus wait forGod to present their future to them through His own interventionand with the help and generosity of others. This growing body ofbelievers continues to find their hope in Christ.For the young people in Eketerinburg, Russia, the groundwork

is in place to begin building a congregation where Christ will beproclaimed to a world that was closed to the west until 1993.Western Pentecostalism and Baptist theology are major forces inthe growing Christian movement. Growing hostility is evidentbetween the nationalist movements tied to the Russian OrthodoxChurch and those who want further freedom in the state and thechurch. In addition to Christian movements, cult activities aregrowing at an alarming rate. Tolkienism, based on the writingsof J.R.R. Tolkien, has become a religion that claims severalthousand members. In it, hobbit-like creatures are believed toinhabit the region with wisdom and comfort for the faithful.Another movement is based on a book about a fairy princessnamed Anastasia who lives in the woods. She is thought to givepeace, guidance, and tranquility to those who trust in her power.These often bizarre and destructive groups flourish because ofthe sudden opening up of a region that had no access to the out-side world for such a long time.Novisibirsk, Russia, is the site of Concordia Theological College

, a school whose main mission is to train men for the pastoralministry. The college’s existence was assisted by the Russian

Project. Concordia Theological Seminary’s Russian Project ishelping the Lutheran church in Russia and neighboring countriesto teach men the Lutheran Confessions after suffering 70 yearsof persecution. They are taught both in Russia and on the FortWayne campus.Bible Lutheran Church in Novosibirsk hosted a weeklong

seminar in July for over 100 people from all over Siberia. TheRev. Vsevolod Lytkin, pastor of Bible Lutheran Church, worksthroughout Siberia. He often travels hundreds of miles tooffer the Sacraments to those who hunger. Bible LutheranChurch would be the envy of many in the West with the averagemember in their 20’s and close to 100 people worshiping eachSunday. Why? The young people find comfort in the liturgy andhope in their Lord as He comes to them through the Means ofGrace. And because of this reality Russian homes and familieswith Christ at their heart are being created and nurtured bythe church.Nearly four weeks of travel and countless hours of conversation

still flood my senses as I look back at the pages of my journal.God provided me with an opportunity to enter into a world thatis foreign to that found at the Fort Wayne seminary. The peopleof the former Soviet Union have found life in what so many inour church finds as boring repetition. The liturgy of the church,baptismal water, and our Lord's body and blood nurture them-inthat they find their faith and hope. My sadness in leaving waslike the sadness of those that are left behind who marvel at thepeace of those who have entered heaven. In the same way, I sitas one left behind as these people have entered into heaven onearth in a land far from Indiana.The Rev. Scott Klemsz is Publisher of For the Life of the Worldand Director of Admission and Public Relations at ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

For the men and women of the former Soviet Union,living by faith is more than an act of personaldevotion or piety—it is the reality of their lives.Stripped of the security of their former politicaland economic systems, living by faith has becomethe center of their lives.

For the Life of the World16

In the

FIELDInthe

FIELD by Pam Knepperby Pam Knepper

A Strong Pastoral PresenceFor the Rev. David Mumme a strong pastoral presence was the key ingredient in his

decision to become a pastor and spend his life serving the people of God.Born into a large farming family in rural Minnesota, Rev. Mumme spent his childhood

growing up near St. James, Minn. The family attended St. John’s Lutheran Church in thenearby community of South Branch. It was here that the Rev. Mumme was firstintroduced to a pastoral presence. He found it in the late Rev. Arthur Drevlow, whomhe held in the highest regard.

“You never forget the pastor that confirmed you and for me that was Rev. Drevlow,”said Rev. Mumme. “During my childhood years he always remained a strong andconstant presence for me.”

While he was still in high school, that presence changed for Rev. Mumme when theRev. Douglas Rutt was called to replace the retiring Drevlow.

“Just like my relationship with Rev. Drevlow, I soon gained a great deal of respect forRev. Rutt,” explained Rev. Mumme. In fact, it was he who initially mentioned that Rev.Mumme should think about becoming a pastor.

“When I was in high school I wanted to become a pilot,” said Rev. Mumme.Knowing that Rev. Rutt had once been a pilot, he went to talk to Rev. Rutt about how toaccomplish his goal. “Rev. Rutt told me that he would be happy to talk to me aboutpiloting, but that he didn’t think I would ever become one. Rather, he said, ‘I think thatyou will be a pastor.’”

Like so many young men, at first Rev. Mumme didn’t give much thought to hispastor’s words.

Rev. Mumme went off to attend college at Concordia University in River Forest, Ill.Entering as a computer science major, his interests would change when he decided totake a Latin class.

“My mother loved Latin when she was inhigh school and encouraged me to take itwhile I was in college,” explained Rev.Mumme. “So when the chance presenteditself, I signed up for the class. Little did Iknow it at the time, but that class wouldend up leading me down an entirely dif-ferent career path.”

As it came to be, Rev. Mumme was theonly student in the class who wasn’t a pre-seminary student.

“I didn’t realize that Latin was thenatural lead in for Greek,” explainedRev. Mumme. “As I got to know thepre-seminary students I found myselfthinking seriously about the ministry forthe first time and began to consider attend-ing the seminary.”

As was the case in previous situations,Rev. Mumme found himself turning to his

“When I was in high school I want-ed to become a pilot,” said Rev.Mumme. Knowing that his homepastor had once been a pilot, hewent to talk to him about how toaccomplish his goal. “Rev. Rutttold me that he would be happy totalk to me about piloting, but thathe didn’t think I would everbecome one. Rather, he said, ‘Ithink that you will be a pastor.’”

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

OCTOBER 1999 17

pastoral presence for advice.“I talked with Rev. Drevlow and Rev. Rutt about going to sem-

inary,” said Rev. Mumme. “They were both very encouraging andtold me that if I did indeed decide to enter seminary, I shouldattend Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.”

Rev. Mumme explained that Rev. Drevlow had attended theseminary when it was still located in Springfield, Ill., and Rev.Rutt had gone to the Fort Wayne campus.

“Both mentioned the fact that they were very impressed withthe faculty at Fort Wayne, in particular Professor Kurt Marquartand Dr. David Scaer,” explained Rev. Mumme. “To help alleviatemy fears about supporting myself and my future wife, Rev. Ruttassured me that the Clothing and Food Co-ops had been atremendous economic help for him and his family while theywere at the seminary.”

Having received such encouragement, Rev. Mumme decided toattend Concordia Theological Seminary. He began his studies inthe fall of 1993 after graduating from Concordia University, RiverForest, that previous spring with a degree incomputer science/mathematics and a minorin physics.

“I absolutely loved my time at theseminary,” remembered Rev. Mumme.“Rev. Drevlow and Rev. Rutt were notkidding when they had said the faculty wasimpressive. I thoroughly enjoyed my classesand having the chance to really get to knowmy professors.”

Another aspect of seminary life that Rev.Mumme and his wife Glenda particularlyenjoyed was their church.

“Right after we moved to Fort Wayne,Glenda accepted the position as youthdirector at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church indowntown Fort Wayne,” explained Rev.Mumme. “The people at St. Paul’s instantlymade us feel welcome and over timebecame a second family to us.”

As is the case with all students, Rev.Mumme spent a year of his seminarytraining in a Lutheran church serving as avicar. He was assigned to a dual-parish, OurSavior Lutheran Church in Crookston,Minn. and First English Lutheran Church in Eldred, Minn.

“My vicarage year was a very good experience for me,” saidRev. Mumme. “My supervisor, the Rev. David Sherry, wasgracious enough to allow me to do a little bit of everything.”

Graduating in 1997 from the seminary, Rev. Mumme’s first andcurrent call was to Trinity Lutheran Church in Marseilles, Ill.

“Marseilles is a town of 5,000 people and Trinity has about 200members,” explained Rev. Mumme. “The church has been inthe community for 133 years and has a good mix of life-longmembers and newer members.”

Rev. Mumme has particularly enjoyed the opportunity to focushis time and attention on sermon preparation, preparing and teach-ing Bible classes, and visiting the sick and homebound.

“Since this is a relatively small congregation, I have been ableto spend a lot of time preparing and conducting Bible studies forthe congregation,” explained Rev. Mumme. “Currently we offer

classes on Wednesday mornings, Thursday evenings, and Sundaymornings. It has been very gratifying because the people aregenuinely interested in learning what God’s Word says and whatwe believe as Lutherans.”

Another advantage of pastoring this congregation has been theopportunity for Rev. Mumme to offer adult catechesis classes ona one-to-one basis.

“I have found that since I am able to spend one-on-one timewith new members, they really learn what our church believes andare much more likely to remain faithful members,” said Rev.Mumme. “My hope is that I can become the strong pastoralpresence to my people that has always been so constant inmy life.”

The Rev. David Mumme and his wife Glenda are the parents ofthree children, Hannah, Eleonore, and Baby-On-The-Way. Theyreside in Marseilles, Ill.

“Since this is a relatively small congregation, I havebeen able to spend a lot of time preparing andconducting Bible studies for the congregation,”explained Rev. Mumme. “Currently we offer classeson Wednesday mornings, Thursday evenings, andSunday mornings. It has been very gratifying becausethe people are genuinely interested in learning whatGod’s Word says and what we believe as Lutherans.”

For the Life of the World18

President Represents the Seminaryaround the World

Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, President of ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Dr. RogerPittelko, Fourth Vice President of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, represented the LCMS at a meeting of theInternational Lutheran Council in Cambridge, England,August 7-14. In attendance were the presidents of Lutheranchurches throughout the world which have historic ties withthe LCMS—the Lutheran Church Canada, twoSouth African Lutheran Churches, the Lutheran

Church of Australia, the Lutheran Church of Brazil, as well asthe Lutheran Churches of Japan, New Guinea, Nigeria, Ghana,Denmark, Germany, France, Argentina, Venezuela and Chile.The conference was hosted by the Evangelical LutheranChurch of England. Papers were delivered and responsesgiven on two topics of common interest: church fellowshipand woman’s ordination. The keynote address was written by

President Alvin Barry of the LCMS anddelivered by Dr. Pittelko, his representative.

President Dean O. Wenthe also attendedand delivered a paper at the annualmeeting of the North American LutherAcademy in Helsinki, Finland, September2-5. The academy is an association ofconfessional pastors and theologians fromDenmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.“It was a great pleasure to meet and to

visit with these men who have remainedfaithful to Sacred Scripture and the Lutheran Confessionsunder the most difficult of situations,” President Wenthe said.“It is our prayer that Concordia Theological Seminary can bea resource and help to the valiant confessors of Christ.”

President Represents the Seminary around the World

.com

www.

LIFE WORLDofthe

Internet for the Christian Family

Having the world at your fingertips through the Internet doesn’t always meanyou get what you want or need. Concordia Theological Seminary gives youan alternative way to access the World Wide Web, www.LifeOfTheWorld.com.Daily Scripture, meditations and insightful articles about Christ, coupled withnews, weather and sports, give you a single site for information. Take a lookand see the difference. Make it your new home page.

Online

Not everything onthe informationhighway is road kill.

Concordia SeniorCollege GraduatesReturn to Campus—Concordia Theo-logical Seminary (CTS)welcomed 115 graduates

and 22 faculty & staff mem-bers of Concordia Senior College (CSC),August 6-8. The Senior College was locat-ed on the current CTS campus from 1957to 1977.“It was a golden weekend recalling a

golden time in our lives,” said the Rev.Richard M. Koehneke, a graduate of CSCand Chairman of the Reunion Committee.“Everything went so smoothly at thereunion that God’s guiding hand was veryclearly in evidence. Thanks be to God!”Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, President of CTS,

had this to say about the reunion. “As a1967 graduate of CSC, it was an honor tohave a number of its professors and stu-dents gather to celebrate its excellence inpreparing future seminarians for theologi-cal education. For many, CSC embodiedthe rigor and substance of a liberal artseducation at its best—a gift to be trea-sured and used by every graduate in theservice of Christ and the church.”The reunion began with “Faculty

Follies” where former college facultypresented a stage show. The rest of theweekend was filled with discussionsabout graduates’ impact on the churchand society, recaps of the best pranks,group reunions for each separategraduating class, worship services,and opportunities to socialize.Dr. Edgar Walz, CSC professor emeri-

tus and member of the Reunion Commit-tee, said that the basic purpose of CSCwas to prepare able ministers of theNew Testament.“From the time it registered its first

student in September 1957 until it issuedits last bachelor's degree in June 1977,more than 3,000 people went forth fromits campus to serve the Lord,” explainedDr. Walz. “The CSC reunion was anexcellent time for graduates and formerfaculty to share memories and to thankGod for their past experiences together.They’ve returned to their homes deter-mined, more than ever, to live on as ableministers of the New Testament.”

Seminary to Host AmericanSign Language Class—Concordia TheologicalSeminary (CTS) will hostan American Sign Languageclass for beginners fromSeptember 14 to November16. The class will beheld on Tuesdaynights from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. and willmeet in RoomW-3 on the seminarycampus.Offered by the

Church InterpreterTraining Institute(CITI), the class isopen to active mem-bers of all Christiandenominations. CITItrains church interpreters who are com-mitted to bringing the Gospel of JesusChrist to the deaf and hearing-impaired.The cost is $50 per person. Participants

will need to purchase their own textbook.Gail Quick will be the instructor forthe class.

Admission Counselor AcceptsCall to the Parish—The Rev.Todd Peperkorn, Admission Counselor atConcordia Theological Seminary (CTS),has accepted a call to Messiah LutheranChurch in Kenosha, Wis. His last day as anAdmission Counselor was September 3rd.“The Rev. Todd Peperkorn has done

a superlative job as a recruiter forConcordia Theological Seminary,” saidDr. Dean O. Wenthe, President of CTS.“His theological depth and focus haveattracted many young men to considerthe pastoral office. He will be a trueshepherd to the flock at Messiah Luther-

an Church. The seminary family wisheshim and his musically-gifted wife,Kathryn, every blessing as they leave foranother portion of Christ’s Kingdom.”After attending Concordia Teachers

College in Seward, Neb., and completingthe degree of Bachelor of Arts in pre-seminary studies and history in 1992,Rev. Peperkorn matriculated at ConcordiaTheological Seminary in 1992. Hebecame active in the Seminary Kantoreiand student government. He served aspublications chairman for one year,which included the editing of the firsttwo of the Concordia Student MonographSeries. His fourth year he was the Presi-dent of the Student Association and theSacristan of Kramer Chapel.Rev. Peperkorn completed his Master

of Divinity in May 1996 and the Masterof Sacred Theology in May 1999. Histhesis title was, “The Use of C. F. W.Walther’s Kirche und Amt in the LutheranChurch-Missouri Synod to 1947.” Toddhas worked in the Admission Office sinceJune 1996. Rev. Peperkorn ismarried to Kathryn (nee Brandt) formerlyof Dallas, Texas.“I’ve spent my life preparing, and

then encouraging men to study for theHoly Ministry. I am overjoyed at theopportunity to preach God’s Word andadminister His Sacraments to a dyingworld,” said Rev. Peperkorn. “It’s hardto leave CTS. This has been my home formany years, andwe have becomevery close to thefaculty andstudents here.”

OCTOBER 1999 19

Campus

HappeningsCampus

Happenings

For the Life of the World20

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

In Good

MeasureIn Good

Measureby Rev. Dean C. Wachholz,

Director of DevelopmentConcordia Theological Seminary

Fort Wayne, Ind.

by Rev. Dean C. Wachholz,Director of Development

Concordia Theological SeminaryFort Wayne, Ind.

How precious in today’s hectic andbusy world is God’s gift of time! Weare all given 24 hours each day, and

are called to use these precious moments inways pleasing to our Lord. Whatever ourtask or occupation, we are instructed to doour work “as unto the Lord.” In this way,we are all His servants and may further HisKingdom on earth.

Our seminary’s Food and Clothing Co-opsdepend on gifts of time and talent – not justfrom our students and families but also fromour many dedicated friends across the nationwho take the time to organize food andclothing drives, sew quilts or help organizeand staff the Christmas emporium eachDecember.

I would like to share the story of a specialgroup of people from the Michigan District.This summer marks their 13th year of donat-ing goods to the seminary Food Co-op. Thefirst donation, in 1985, was a truckload ofpotatoes, amounting to about 1000 lbs. Thefollowing year, they raised $3000 and sentone truckload of food.

Dick Hallgren, who organized the trip,was somewhat discouraged with the effort,and organized a statewide network to betterpromote the need and efficiently collectdonations. “We send a mailing, with a poster,to every LCMS church in the district, andhave divided the state into eight quadrants,”Dick relates. “Donations from each quadrant

are collected into acentral pick-up area.In Bay City, we useEarl Wegener’s barn.In Portage, FerdMachalz lets us storefood in his garage.Churches alsodonate space – ourpick up in Franken-muth is at St. Lorenzchurch.” Donationsfrom each quadrantare brought back toa central location,where the food isrepackaged andloaded onto thetrucks. Hallgren’sgroup of about 50volunteers logs over

100 hours in collecting, packaging and deliv-ering the food to Fort Wayne. This year’sdelivery, weighing in at 15 tons and fillingthree Ryder trucks, will provide about 30%of the non-perishable food needs for thecoming year.

We at the seminary would like to offerspecial thanks to those who help throughoutthe year to make this annual donation offood possible, especially the volunteer dri-ving teams: Ron Gerds and Harold Orrell;George Ceto and Carl Gerds, all from St.

Peter’s Lutheran Church, Eastpointe, Mich.,and Tom Renkert (also from St. Peter’s); andJohn Solan from St. Stephen’s LutheranChurch, Detroit, Mich.

Leadership for promoting and organizingthis year’s donation came from Dick Hall-gren, Rosanne Penzien and Jenny Kane, whoare already working on next year’s trip. Iasked Dick for some parting words of wis-dom and advice. His reply, “Believe in whatyou are doing – don’t take something on as a‘cause.’Work together and be committed towhat you are doing – if you come to theLord, He will give you what you need.”

How are you using God’s gift of time inyour life? Do you have talents that couldbenefit your church or community? Thosewho volunteer in every vocation report thatthey “get back more than they give.” If youalready give generously of your time,encourage others to join you. If you are “toobusy” with family commitments, bring yourfamily with you! Age is no barrier to givingof yourself, and children learn best by doing.If you are interested in replicating the Michi-gan model to benefit the seminary Food Co-op or to start a bank for the needy in yourown state, please be in touch. Dick and hiscrew would be pleased to share their experi-ences with you, and give you a workingmodel that you can fit to your needs.

Please contact the Development Office(toll-free) at 877-287-4338.

Please accept my gift of:� $10 � $25 � $50 � $100 � Other _______

Please use my gift to help prepare men for the ministry!

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

� VISA � MastercardCard No: _______________________Expiration Date:____________

Please send information about:� Organizing a Food Drive in my area� Gift Matching Opportunities� Estate Planning� Gifts of Stocks and Securities

Name: _____________________________________ Phone: _______________Street Address: _____________________________________________________City: ___________________________ State:______ Zipcode: ______________How to reach us: Office of Development � Concordia Theological Seminary

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OCTOBER 1999 21

Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS) officially beganits 154th school year on Sunday, Sept. 12 with a specialservice in Kramer Chapel that welcomed the newest classof men who will be preparing to study for the Holy Min-istry. The Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, President of CTS,gave a sermon based on II Corinthians 6:1-10, entitled “AHoly and Cruciform Calling.”“In choosing Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort

Wayne, these men have committed themselves to a com-munity that believes, teaches and confesses the savingpower of Christ’s Word and Sacraments. They will becomegrounded in them theologically in the classroom and rootedin them in our vibrant chapel life,” said the Rev. ScottKlemsz, Director of Admissions and Public Relations atCTS. “We are thrilled to have them as part of our growingcommunity and we look forward to the day that God willcall them into the parish to serve His people.”This newest class represents the second largest in the

past 10 years at CTS. Rev. Klemsz went on to say that “init we see the continuing trend of men choosing the FortWayne seminary for their training and the pastoral ministryfor their vocation.”During the service, the installation of one new professor

also took place. The Rev. Timothy Sims, President of theIndiana District, installed new homiletics professor, theRev. Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher II. Dr. Fickenscher joins thePastoral Ministry and Missions Department at the seminary.“Concordia Theological Seminary begins its 154th acad-

emic year with a deep sense of gratitude as we receive oursecond-largest entering M.Div. class of the last decade andinstall Dr. Carl Fickenscher II as Assistant Professor in theDepartment of Pastoral Ministry and Missions,” said Dr.Dean O. Wenthe, President of CTS. “Our first-year classbrings a rich variety of talents from equally diverse back-grounds. Dr. Fickenscher brings a unique credential to thefaculty—a Ph.D. in Homiletics as well as many years inthe parish ministry. God’s grace is bountiful and abundantas it manifests itself in these concrete gifts.”

1 9 9 9 - 2 0 0 0 S C H O O L Y E A R

SEMINARYBEGINSANOTHERYEAR

22 For the Life of the World

Concordia Theological Semi-nary (CTS) will once againhost its annual symposia, Jan.18-21, 2000. Held every yearon the Fort Wayne campus, pre-sentations on Exegetical Theol-ogy, the Lutheran Confessions,and Lutheran Liturgy will high-light the four-day event.Celebrating its 15th year, thetheme for the Exegetical Theol-ogy Symposium is “BiblicalEschatology for the New Mil-lennium.” Speakers include Dr.Charles A. Gieschen, AssistantProfessor of Exegetical Theolo-gy (New Testament), ConcordiaTheological Seminary, FortWayne, Ind.; Dr. Dean O. Wen-the, Professor of ExegeticalTheology (Old Testament),Concordia Theological Semi-nary, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Dr.James C. VanderKam, John A.O’Brien Professor of Theology,University of Notre Dame,South Bend, Ind.; Dr. James G.Bollhagen, Professor of Exeget-ical Theology (Old Testament),Concordia Theological Semi-nary, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Dr. Walter A. Maier III, AssociateProfessor of Exegetical Theology (Old Testament), ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Dr. Daniel L. Gard,Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology (Old Testament),Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Dr. Dou-glas McC. L. Judisch, Professor of Exegetical Theology (OldTestament), Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne,Ind.; Dr. Walter A. Maier II, Professor of Exegetical Theology(New Testament), Concordia Theological Seminary, FortWayne, Ind. A paper sectionals will also be held during theExegetical Theology Symposium. Dr. Gregory J. Lockwood,Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., will be one ofseveral presenters.The 23rd annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessionsand the 13th annual Symposium on the Lutheran Liturgy havechosen “At the Dawn of the Third Millennium: Fanaticism,

Eschatology and Death” and“250th Anniversary of thedeath of Johann Sebastian Bach1750-2000” respectiviely astheir theme. Speakers includeDr. William C. Weinrich, Acad-emic Dean and Professor ofHistorical Theology, ConcordiaTheological Seminary, FortWayne, Ind.; Dr. Carter Lind-berg, Professor, Boston Univer-sity, Boston, Mass.; Dr. RobinLeaver, Westminster ChoirSchool, Princeton, N.J.; Profes-sor Lawrence R. Rast, Profes-sor of Historical Theology,Concordia Theological Semi-nary, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Dr.David P. Scaer, Chairman ofthe Department of SystematicTheology, Concordia Theologi-cal Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.;Professor Kurt Marquart, Asso-ciate Professor of SystematicTheology, Concordia Theologi-cal Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.;Dr. Arthur A. Just Jr., Professorof Exegetical Theology, Con-cordia Theological Seminary,Fort Wayne, Ind.; and the Rev.

Larry Nichols, Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church,Greenville, R.I.Along with presentations, there will be a matins servicewith music by the Seminary Kantorei and a Bach Cantata bythe Schola Cantorum. The annual symposia reception andbanquet will be held on Thursday, Jan. 20, 1999 in the GrandWayne Center.Registration for symposia is $110 per person, which includesadmission to symposia, chapel services, and a ticket to thereception and banquet. Meals are an additional expense.Housing will not be available on campus. A list of areahotels will be available in the Symposia brochure.All fees have been waived for pre-seminary students who areconsidering attending CTS.The deadline for registration is Jan. 12, 2000. To registeror for more information, please contact Marge Wingfield bycalling 219-452-2247.

A N N U A L E V E N T C O M I N G T O S E M I N A R Y

2000 SYMPOSIA

23OCTOBER 1999

For your free subscription, please send your name, address, city, state and zipcode to: For the Life of the World, 6600 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825.Pastors may subscribe their entire congregation, at no charge, by submitting a

membership list (including members’ name, address, city, state and zip code). Listssubmitted to the Public Relations office will not be used for other solicitations.For those congregations that do not wish to provide a membership list, bulk sub-

scriptions are available for $5.00 per subscription/per year with a 50 order minimum.To order a bulk subscription, send the name of the church, address, city, state

and zip code to the address mentioned above. Bulk subscriptions will be billed ata later date.If you would like to see For the Life of the World on the World Wide Web, go to

web site: www.ctsfw.edu/admissions/ftlotw/. The current issue, as well as previousissues, can be found at this new site.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTSEventsOOkkttoobbeerrffeessttOctober 2-10, 1999(219) 452-2256

FFaallll IInnvviittaattiioonnaall CCaammppuuss VViissiittOctober 13-16, 19991-800-481-2155

MMiissssiioonn CCoonnggrreessssOctober 24-27, 1999(219) 452-2100

22000000 SSyymmppoossiiaa SSeerriieessJanuary 18-21, 2000(219) 452-2247

SSpprriinngg IInnvviittaattiioonnaall CCaammppuuss VViissiittMarch 22-25, 20001-800-481-2155

VViiccaarraaggee PPllaacceemmeenntt SSeerrvviicceeApril 11, 2000Kramer Chapel

CCaannddiiddaattee CCaallll SSeerrvviicceeApril 12, 2000Kramer Chapel

Worship and MusicAAllll SSaaiinnttss’’ EEvvee CChhoorraall VVeessppeerrssOctober 31, 1999, 4:00 PMKramer Chapel

AAddvveenntt CCaannddlleelliigghhtt CChhoorraall VVeessppeerrssDecember 12, 1999, 7:00 PMKramer Chapel

EEppiipphhaannyy LLeessssoonnss aanndd CCaarroollssJanuary 16, 2000, 7:00 PMKramer Chapel

PPaassssiioonn CChhoorraall VVeessppeerrssApril 9, 2000, 4:00 PMKramer Chapel

EEaasstteerr CChhoorraall VVeessppeerrssApril 30, 2000, 4:00 PMKramer Chapel

RetreatsEEllddeerr’’ss RReettrreeaatt ttoo tthhee SSeemmiinnaarryyNovember 5-7, 1999(219) 452-2247

HHiigghh SScchhooooll RReettrreeaatt ttoo tthhee SSeemmiinnaarryyNovember 19-21, 1999(219) 452-2247