around-the-tower_spring2011

Around the Tower
A Student Publication of Concordia Seminary
Spring Edition - Two Thousand and Eleven
Around
the
Tower
Feature Story
3 Drowning Pastors: The Cost of Seminary
Patrick Gumz
We are drowning men...drowning in our debt. The water is deep and is only getting deeper.
This article proposes radical changes on all levels, from the student to the synod, in order
to foster discussion among our ranks to see that the current system is unsustainable.
Content
8
10
12
15
16
18
21
22
27
31
39
Movie Review: The Social Network
Patrick Fertitta
Music Review: Sanctus Real, “Pieces of a Real Heart”
Chad Elfe
Athletics: Preacher Basketball
Andrew Wilson
Phase One Renovations
Student I.D.
Eric Hutchison
Pro-Life or Life Affirming?
Joe Seifert
Letter from Student Association President
Joshua Errer
Sermon: We Get to Rejoice
Dallas Dubke
Reflections on a Seminary Career
Ted Hopkins
A Piece of Stone History
Dr. Bob Caldwell
The Last Word
Carl Deardoff, Editor
Spring Edition - Two Thousand and Eleven
Drown
THE COST OF SEMINARY
We are drowning men. We have been
thrown into the ocean with stones
tied around our ankles and we are
barely treading water. We are drowning in our debt. The only thing that
keeps us from sinking is a sliver
of wood called the hope of future
employment and benefits. More and
more of us are beginning to realize
that the financial cost of this endeavor is higher than the return investment. All of us know that we did not
enter seminary in order to make the
big bucks. We came to be shepherds
of a lost flock living in a broken
world. We knew before signing the
application that seminary would be
expensive, but we are a group of men
committed to the ministry even if it
results in poverty to some degree.
This article has a two-fold purpose. First to
expose how deep the water is and how it is
only getting deeper. Second is to propose
radical changes on all levels from the student to the synod in order to foster discussion among our ranks to see that the
current system is unsustainable.
Feature Story
ning Pastors
BY PATRICK GUMZ
119 credit hours x $585 an hour =
$69,615
9 qtrs. of tech fee x 105 =
$945
1 year of vicarage tuition and fees =
$11,109
9 qtrs. of double room for single student
@ $2,043/qtr = $18,387
4 years of CHP health insurance =
$10,896
Anticipated books and supplies @
$1,800/year =
$5,400
Total = $116,352
the sake of convenience assume $200 a
month from both for four years which cuts
$19,200. This leaves the single seminarian
to pay $51,319. There are of course other
factors and numbers that can move the cost
up and down. Some districts and home
congregations pay much more than $200 a
month , but some don’t (sorry PSW district
students). There are also scholarships
from congregations within your district
and other parties that can help the overall
cost. For the sake of ease let’s assume that
the cost per year to the single seminarian
is $17,000. That means every year you are
a residential student at St. Louis you are
required to pay at least $17,000 out of your
pocket. That is the amount of money you
are responsible to make with your pre-sem
degree and three months of summer work.
Now, I said it was the cost to all parties
not to the seminarian because we receive a
substantial amount of aid in our four years.
Vicarage year is practically paid for by the
congregation you serve which eliminates
$13,833. The seminary through its grants
and adopt-a-student program covers approximately $32,000. Then there is home
congregation and district aid which for
For the married student and the married
student with children all other costs go up
besides tuition and books. Health insurance, housing, and food costs go up, way
up. Beyond these added expenses students
have travel costs, car payments, and other
living expenses. With all these expenses the
most popular way to pay for everything is to
take out loans.
Let’s start with a single number and break
it down into its parts. $116,352. This is
the approximate amount paid by all parties
to make the lowest cost single student a
pastor. Here is how it breaks down:
3
The average amount of student loan taken
by a seminarian is $26,144 over the course
of 4 years. If you ask many seminarians they
typically take the max amount available
every year which is $20,500 or $61,500 for
the three years here. Over the last four years
the average percent of students taking loans
is a little over 70%. In the last four years we
have sent out 335 graduates with an average
of $26,000 in debt. That is $8,750,000 owed
to the government by the newest pastors in
our synod. These are the same pastors who
are getting married, starting families, and
trying to buy houses.
aid budget by $35,000 this past year. The
economy continues to affect the gifts given
by individuals and groups. Enrollment is
decreasing which causes income for the
seminary to decrease while costs stay high.
It is hard to imagine that the current situation is sustainable for the future, even if the
economy improves.
The debt to future income ratio is also an
area of concern. According to the LCMS
Ministerial Growth and Support website,
they suggest that in order to have healthy
finances it is best to keep
“In the last four years your total debt to income
There is one last number
ratio under 38%. With
we have sent out 335
that is different for each
many districts guidelines
graduates
with
an
person in regards to stusetting the starting salary
dent loans, undergrad. A
average of $26,000 in at approximately $32,000
majority of students here
with other benefits like
debt... these are the
went to a Concordia for
housing and health insurtheir undergrad. Accordsame pastors who are ance, debt repayment
ing to their websites the
getting married, start- may be very difficult. Not
sample cost without finanonly debt repayment but
ing
families,
and
trycial aid of four years of colpurchasing a house with
lege is between $128,000- ing to buy houses.”
a credit score burdened
140,000. It could be even
with copious amounts of
more for those not attending Concordia
educational debt can become strenuous if
schools. It’s hard to assume it is possible for
not impossible. There may also be stustudents to graduate without debt.
dents struggling with credit card debt and
car loans. All of a sudden that percentage
All of these numbers assume the cost of the
begins to get into the 50’s and 60’s and extra
present year extrapolated over time, but
income is necessary, but difficult to acquire
the costs are not staying the same. Underwithout a hard working spouse.
grad continues to become more expensive.
Since 2001 seminary tuition has increased
Now, I am very pleased with the education
seven times and is increasing again next
I have received here and take great pride in
year by five percent. The synod and disthe academic standards at our seminaries.
tricts continue to cut spending. My home
The four year program is great in terms of
district, Indiana, cut their church worker
time spent preparing for the ministry, but
Feature Story
it is time to explore alternatives to this program. Beyond just alternatives, resolutions
and system changes would be required for
any system either current or proposed.
Moving from simple to radical, here are
some suggestions:
1)Uniform or minimum district and
congregational aid. I mentioned the Pacific Southwest District (PSW) earlier for
one reason; it is the most affluent district,
but sends seminarians the least amount of
aid. Having either uniform aid or a bare
minimum would require districts and congregations to properly budget to support
their seminarians.
2)Require all calling congregations to
have a seminary debt fund. If a congregation is planning to call a seminarian in the
future they should budget money to assist
in paying off his education. Every year the
new pastor is there, they receive assistance
in paying their loans off.
3) Establish a synod loan fund similar
to the LCEF in which seminarians can
take low interest loans from the synod.
Instead of taking government subsidized
and unsubsidized loans or worse private
loans from Sallie Mae, seminarians benefit
from ultra-low interest loans governed by
their non-profit church.
4)Require a bachelor’s degree in education or other trade skill prior to entering
seminary so that seminarians can earn
money either before entering seminary
or during seminary or after seminary
before taking a full time call. This is not
a worker priest, but someone using a skill
in order to pay off debt prior to serving as a
congregation’s pastor.
5
5)Change seminary program to 5 year
B.A. and M.Div. program without field
ed. and all seminarians serve as assistant
pastors for a few years before taking
other calls.
I want to take some time and discuss proposal #5. This proposal is based off something offered at Purdue University for engineering students. At Purdue an engineer
can take three and a half years earning a
mechanical or electrical engineering degree,
then a year and a half to earn an M.B.A.
This results in two degrees in five years with
minimum debt and higher entering salaries.
What proposal 5 entails is that high school
graduates come to seminary and earn a
B.A. in religious education or counseling
then an M.Div. After completing the five
year program, the student is called to a
congregation to serve as an assistant pastor
in order to complete the forming process
and mature. By doing all five years at one
theological school the student can cover
both languages, introductory and advanced
theological classes from the same professors, have the skills to teach the flock both
young and old and develop communication
skills. This is then followed with in the field
education which allows the student to assess strengths and weaknesses while able to
be ordained and participate in all activities
within the church.
With only five years of education the total
cost to the student is cut drastically and
with immediate employment he begins
making money even sooner. Beyond that if
a student wants to pursue further education
he is not saddled with so much prior debt.
Feature Story
I also think that this cannot be the only
program in the synod. There would be a
need for a second career path and a path for
those entering the ministry with a different bachelor’s degree from other private or
public schools.
The final result of proposal 5 is a young man
coming to seminary and learning pastoral
skills and theology for five years, leaving St.
Louis accruing half the cost, then entering the ministry under an experienced
supervisory or head pastor in which to
hone skills before becoming a sole pastor.
If a weakness is discovered, then there are
the continuing education programs and
distance classes that can help students in
specific areas. Also, if the student finds the
ministry overwhelming or not for him, he
may fall back on his teaching or counseling
degree to continue to serve in the church
instead of only a pre-sem or even worse a
philosophy degree.
We cannot ignore the problem of student
debt and the cost of preparing for the
ministry. It will cripple our financial futures
putting burdens on our families and our
congregations. To continue acting like
nothing is wrong or to allow our synod to
treat us like we have sufficient resources to
pay for seminary will only lead to disaster
and the further drowning of our pastors
and students. If the combined total cost by
all parties for one system trained pastor is
$250,000+ we need to look long and hard
at other options and alternatives and have a
real discussion.
***Numbers and calculations are taken from the Academic Catalog 2010-2011, financial aid information
sheets, and a personal interview with the financial aid
office. Other non-seminary numbers are taken from
various synod, district, and university websites.
These are a few ideas to improve the situation of future seminarians and to expose
current seminarians to the cost and debt
facing them. There are plenty of resources
for current seminarians to better manage
their finances. Student Services frequently
offers courses on budgeting and debt
reduction. They are also willing to discuss
your financial situation. There are websites
like nslds.ed.gov that can help you track
your government loans. There is the debt
to income analysis calculator on the LCMS
Ministerial Growth and Support website
along with the salary guidelines to better
estimate future income, benefits, and plan
for debt repayment.
7
the social network
Patrick Fertitta reviews one of the most successful movies of 2010.
“The Social Network” is a movie that in all
actuality needs no introduction. It’s a memoir
film about Mark Zuckerburg, the founder
of Facebook. As boring as watching a movie
about how another “nerd,” or “geek,” as they
have affectionately become known as today,
takes an idea and turns it into a billion dollars
might seem, “The Social Network” is definitely worth watching.
David Fincher, the man behind such films
as, “Se7ven”, and “Fight Club,” has done a
bang-up job of making you not feel as though
you’re watching the typical linear memoir
film. He creates a very edgy atmosphere with
the use of clever dialogue and flashbacks.
Fincher presents Zuckerburg ( Jessie Eisenburg) as a tragically ironic figure, with an
almost savant-like mentality. His dialogue is
fast-paced, full of quippy remarks, and yet
intelligently strung together. Every word he
speaks fluidly reacts with the others begging
the listener to deeply consider his remarks
especially when they are most condescending. Because of this, what would otherwise
have been a monotonous, plodding two-hour
storyline of legal depositions has come to feel
more like a court-room thriller.
Alongside the brilliant dialogue, Fincher
presents a stunning visual aura as well. The
artistic elements of the film coupled with
the cinematography have worked in concert
Movie Review
providing a mood reminiscent of classic Film
Noir. This serves to further heighten the viewers experience.
Both the dialogue and visual aspects work in
tandem to subtly provide a backdrop for the
exploration of the “dark side” of the social
experience. As a result the film seems to beg
for the engagement of the audience in a têteà-tête about these realities. For this reason,
theologians will appreciate the deeper, silent
conversation “The Social Network” has with
them, furrowing into issues such as greed,
moral responsibility, anger, manipulation, and
ultimately-pride.
Of course the interesting nature of the film
is that it is a “history” about a company, an
individual, and an entire generation that is
still being written today. It offers not only a
look inside of Facebook and Zuckerburg’s
life, but it provides the foundation for a social
commentary on the generation to which we
as theologians have been blessed with the task
of carrying Jesus Christ.
The experience of “The Social Network” is
one that should not be missed. Three and a
half out of five “likes.”
“You know, you really
don’t need a forensics
team to get to the bottom of this. If you guys
were the inventors of
Facebook, you’d have
invented Facebook.”
-Mark Zuckerberg
“We lived on farms,
then we lived in cities,
and now we’re going to
live on the internet!”
-Sean Parker
(Founder of Napster)
Sean Parker: “You don’t
even know what the thing
is yet. How big it can get,
how far it can go. This
is no time to take your
chips down. A million dollars isn’t cool, you know
what’s cool?”
Eduardo: “A billion dollars.”
9
Chad Elfe reviews
SANCTUS REAL’s latest cd,
“Pieces of a Real Heart.”
In 2010 the band Sanctus Real quickly
hit the top ten charts with songs from
their new album release, “Pieces of a
Real Heart.” It was a bold new step for
the band as they sought to re-energize
their music while holding strong to their
deeply Christian lyrics. This album in
some ways reverted back to their early
days with a “pop rock” style and catchy
rhythms. Their devotion to Christ is
evident in songs like “Forgiven” where
the band paints the picture of the struggle
against sin in this life. “Forgiven” is very
much the confession of one who knows
the sin that plagues his past. The lyrics provide a comforting declaration of
grace in the line “I don’t have to carry the
weight of who I am, cause I’m forgiven.”
The song communicates the theologi-
Music Review
cal truth that we are all a “treasure in the
arms of Christ” as he is the one that
grants forgiveness.
The song “Lead Me” is a great example
of the struggle to be a devoted husband.
Lyrics like “Father, give me the strength
to be everything I’m called to be … show
me the way to lead them” and “Lead me
cause I can’t do this alone” are a personal
prayer for the eternal Father’s guidance
in fulfilling the vocation of husband and
father. It’s a solid message targeted to
men, encouraging them to be strong
devout fathers who do not run from the
troubles of family life, but instead rest in
the “strong hands” of God to lead them
and their families.
Like many of their prior albums, the
men from Sanctus Real are not afraid
to put their hearts on the line, no pun
intended. “Pieces of a Real Heart” is truly
a confession of the heart and soul of this
group. As you listen to the album you are
brought into the imperfection present
in the lives of the band itself. The lyrics
invite you to consider your own sin and
earthly struggles while rejoicing in the
promises of Christ. Many recent “Christian” bands have slipped into more “positive” lyrics to embrace secular culture,
but with unapologetic lyrics Sanctus Real
invites their audience to place their trust
in Jesus Christ who can “keep our hearts
alive.” By no means does this album contain perfect “Lutheran” doctrine, but it
does present a clearly Christian message
that speaks to our own Real Hearts.
SANCTUS REAL
Lyrics for “Lead Me”
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling, but on the inside
I can hear her saying...
“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”
I see their faces look in their innocent eyes
They’re just children from the outside
I’m working hard I tell myself they’ll be fine
They’re in independent, but on the inside
I can hear them saying...
“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams but what about us?
Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”
So Father give me the strength
To be everything I’m called to be
Oh Father show me the way
To lead them
Won’t You lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can’t
Don’t want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing things that I could give up
I’ll show them I’m willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me ‘cause I can’t do this alone
Father lead me ‘cause I can’t do this alone
11
Preacher Basketball
By Andrew Wilson
Another entertaining Preachers’ basketball
season is in the books. The season included
yet another two victories over northern rival
Fort Wayne CTS.
The second matchup between the two rivals
capped off a memorable night of basketball
during the annual Preacher Classic at Pederson Fieldhouse in January. A season-best
crowd of over 300 energetic fans watched
as the Preachers took down the Kingsmen
of Fort Wayne 59-44. With the two wins
this season, the Preachers haven’t lost to the
Kingsmen in over 20 contests.
“The Fort Wayne game is our March Madness,” said Concordia’s starting point guard
and athletic director Wil Stelzer. “It’s when we
play with a higher amount of adreneline due
to the band, number of fans and activities. It’s
nice to see that our fans respect our commitment and dedication to being the best team
and people we can be and genuinely want us
to excel.”
The event featured much more than just the
showdown between the two seminaries.
The big-game atmosphere of the evening
was enhanced by a full Preacher Pep Band
complete with complimentary brass sections
and even some drums, and a bass guitar. The
Preacher cheerleaders showed their support
for the team throughout the game and led
cheers for the Preachers at the half. Seminarians got to burn off some of their own excess
energy during halftime as various intramural
Athletics
teams competed in a spirited Tug-of-War
contest. The fun didn’t end at the final buzzer
either. After the Preachers’ victory, Stelzer
entertained the crowd for an awe-inspiring
15 minutes of dribbling tricks, juggling skills,
and all-around thrilling basketball display
from “Wil the Thrill.” All put together it’s
what CSL fans have come to expect from a
trip to the Preacher Classic.
“For the seminary in general, it is a time to
come to together in support of the team and
grow as a community,” Stelzer shared. “People
of all ages and walks of life intermingle, laugh,
yell, and have a good time regardless of the
outcome.”
Fourth-year players Matt Gonzalez, Joshua
Keinath, Ben Vogel, Scott Yount and Justin
Sponaugle all depart for their calls this spring,
just as second-year players will be away next
year on their vicarage, but next season still
promises to be another exciting ride.
“The basketball team is above all a family of
brothers that grow through good times and
hard times,” Stelzer said. “We learn the values
of teamwork, learning one’s role, humility,
and finding the right balance of being competitive but making sure that our competitiveness does not detract from the joy of playing
the game.”
Preacher basketball workouts for the 20112012 season will begin in the fall quarter.
2010-2011 Preacher Roster
Doug Bender
Harry Smith
Tim Fraker
Wil Stelzer
Joshua Keinath
Matthew Gonzalez
Ben Delin
Andrew Bayless
Ben Vogel
Clayton Sellers
Bart Rall
Justin Sponaugle
Andrew Schlund
Jason Swan
Matthew Lane
Quincy, IL
Waco, TX
New Braunfels, TX
Long Island, NY
Seymour, IN
Bronx, NY
Littleton, CO
Carroll, IA
Shawano, WI
College Station, TX
Lakeville, MN
Booneville, MO
Great Falls, MN
Lakewood, CO
St. Paul, MN
10
12
14
15
23
24
25
34
35
44
45
50
51
54
55
Coach Timothy Saleska
13
Preacher Superfan Profile
One CSL student who witnessed more Preacher
games this past season than any other was “CSL
Superfan” Benjamin Seidler. The second-year
seminarian from Merrill, Wisconsin didn’t miss
a home Preacher game this season and he even
made it to several road contests. Decked out in
yellow from head to toe, it’s hard to miss Seidler
and his enthusiasm at Preacher games, as he
leads the home crowd in cheers and sign-waving
support of the players on the court.
“My voice never gets tired cheering for the
Preachers,” Seidler said. “I made it to every
home game this year, and made it to three or
four away games, there is no stopping the Superfan from going to the away games.
Like many CSL fans, the Preacher Classic
stands out as a season highlight to Seidler.
“It was the biggest crowd that I have seen in the
fieldhouse in my two years here, it was great to
see everyone come out for that game.”
Athletics
By Andrew Wilson
Seidler and some of his friends take it upon
themselves to make signs for each game of the
season. The colorful signs are often fashioned
around the team the Preachers are playing that
night. When Concordia played the St. Louis
College of Pharmacy, Seidler sported a sign that
read “Jesus is our Prescription.” Seidler designed
a special sign for the showdown against Fort
Wayne. “My sign making crew and I came up
with a sign this year that had a green and yellow
basketball bouncing off of the chapel at Fort
Wayne right in to the basket,” Seidler explained.
“It was representing that we were going to just
bounce right on past them and move into the
championship game.”
With fans like Seidler, the Preachers know they
have a strong support when they take the floor.
“I would like to say thank you to the whole team
for their effort in playing again this season, and
thanks to everyone who showed up to cheer on
the team,” Seidler said. “It was great to see their
team spirit. Go Green and Gold!”
“CSL Superfan” Ben Seidler alongside fellow stormtrooper show
their support for the Preachers.
DOCTOR OF DEMOLITION
On Friday, March 18, 2011, Dr. Dale Meyer
demolished a wall to clear the way for the
beginning of the Phase One renovation
project. For more information about how
the campus of Concordia Seminary is
changing, project details, and artistic renderings, visit, http://phaseone.csl.edu.
Phase One
15
Where are you from?
Originally I am from Arlington Heights, IL, a
northwest Chicago suburb.
What is your educational background?
I originally went to college to study piano
performance, but that did not pan out, due
to many different circumstances. Roughly
two years later I would go back to college in
Issaquah, WA (outside of Seattle) at Trinity
Lutheran College (formerly, a Lutheran Bible
Institute). I would complete a 4-year B.A. in
Biblical Studies.
What is an interesting fact I should know about
your life?
I came to faith while living and studying at
a Christian Community / Study Center /
Retreat Place called L’Abri (french for “the
shelter”) in southwest Switzerland. This
Christian community was founded by the late
and great Dr. Francis Schaeffer, an evangelical
pastor, teacher, and writer. That experience
would lead me (i.e. God did lead me) later to
a house church in Portland, OR which was
also a very important formative experience
for my faith.
How were you involved in your church?
As an adult convert, I was involved in a charis-
Student I.D.
matic house church (for lack of
a better/”Lutheran” phrase!),
then went to a Lutheran-based
Christian college. We attended
different types of churches,
including Assemblies of God,
Evangelical-Free, and others,
but while at Trinity Lutheran
College was led by God’s good
grace to join the LCMS. We
joined a church on Mercer
Island, WA roughly 2 years before Seminary. Those two years gave me some
preparation, guided by my late Pastor Bill
Clements, for the ministry. I did not preach
much, but helped to lead worship and music
and Bible Study a bit.
How did this activity influence your decision to
apply to the Seminary?
The activities that led me towards seminary
were leading worship, preaching, and community life at my college. As well, my experience
in a house church taught me that all of life was
“ministry” per se. So I always planned to serve
others and live out my faith in whatever ways
I could. But all of my service, a leadership
steadily affirmed my feelings, my gifts, and my
desires to be in ministry.
Who were some of the main influences in your
decision to aspire to the Ministry?
The main leaders of the house church in
Portland, particularly one couple. Their passion, their knowledge, their love was lived in
tangible ways. They supported me with lots of
time and prayer and fellowship and I wanted
to live life like he (and they) did. Passionate
Christian worship leaders such a Keith Green
and Rich Mullins also influenced me (despite
some of their non-Lutheran ways!). Seeing
people with such passion to serve and reach
the lost inspired me to have a faith life that
was vibrant and influential to/for others.
Why did you come to Concordia Seminary?
Quite simply, when I felt sure that God was
leading me towards seminary, I had studied
enough and learned enough about church
history, Lutheran theology, etc. that I could
not have considered any other seminary/denomination with which I could truly partner
and submit to.
What is the most challenging aspect of
seminary life?
For me, spiritual life and growth is the most
challenging, but not because the Seminary
does not foster this. Rather, the responsibility
and weight of becoming a spiritual leader is
the most challenging reality of training for the
pastorate.
How do you continue to grow in faith amid the
rigors of Seminary study?
For me personally, I have been intentional
about seeking help and fellowship from other
students and friends. Daily prayer and worship and daily involvement with my family is
crucial. Having regular times to read Scripture
and pray is important to my day to day life.
Also, making time for my vocation as father
and husband is effective, making the rest of
life and my duties more pleasant.
The Profile of
Eric Hutchison
17
PRO-LIFE
or
LIFE
AFFIRMING?
by Joe Seifert
One thing I have learned throughout my
seminary education is the importance of
language and how we use it. Whether I am
endeavoring to tackle the challenging art of
translating Greek and Hebrew, looking for the
right words to effectively proclaim God’s Law
& Gospel in a sermon, or searching for what
to say when my wife asks me how a particular
outfit makes her look, the words I choose
make a huge difference! So why are the words
I choose so important? Word choice makes
a difference because of the wide spectrum
of conceptual signifieds people receive from
them of course. (Thank you, Dr. Voelz!)
In my hermeneutics class here at the seminary I learned that when someone hears and/
or reads a word it evokes different characteristics (conceptual signifieds) for each individual. For example, I remember Dr. Voelz
talking about using the metaphor of a rose.
If I were to call my wife a rose I would hope
that the conceptual signified that she received
was that she is beautiful or at least that she
smells pleasant, rather than the conceptual
signified that she is sharp and thorny. The
difficult problem we face is that no matter
what language we use we cannot control the
conceptual signifieds people have because
every person has different memories and
experiences that affect the way they hear or
read things.
Life Team
Creating a desire
not only to defend
the unborn but to
lift up all aspects of
life ministry
the pro-life arena. So when I read in the daily
So why have I spent the last couple of
announcements that a group was going to a
paragraphs talking to you about conceptual
local Planned Parenthood to pray for those
signifieds and hermeneutics? Well let me
involved with abortion and
ask you, when you hear the
“Let
me
ask
you,
when
help convince women to
term, ‘pro-life,’ what conkeep their children my interceptual signifieds come to
you hear the term,
est was piqued. Needless to
your mind? What images do
‘pro-life,’ what concep- say, that Saturday morning
you think this term evokes
I had quite the experience. I
for others? Hold onto those tual signifieds come
did not expect to be so overthoughts and we will come
to your mind? What
whelmed by emotion, but as
back to this later.
I faced the reality of families
images do you think
bringing their children into
Now the reason I am writing
this term evokes for
that building to be slaughthis article is that I would
others?”
tered I remember shedding
like to let you know a little
a few tears and experiencing
more about the life group
a great deal of sadness and compassion. From
that has been present on this campus for the
that time on, I got more involved with the
past several years and the future plans it has
pro-life group on campus.
for life ministry as it transitions into a life
team. Here is my short story of how I became
You may not know that such a group exintroduced to the seminary life group. Before
ists on campus, or if you do there is a good
I came to the seminary, I was a pro-life
chance that what you are most familiar with
advocate. I believed that abortion was wrong
is that the group has been involved with these
and that it killed an innocent human being.
Saturday morning vigils at Planned ParentHowever, I had never been really involved in
19
hood. However, through the leadership of
me back to my thoughts on the language of
Renee and her husband, Dr. Jeff Gibbs, the
being pro-life.
group here has put on many life events such
as adoption workshops, post-abortive healing
The term ‘pro-life’ carries a lot of baggage.
seminars, bioethics classes led by our own
When people hear this term, many conjure
Dr. Weise, roundtable discussions, and many
up images of angry protesters who are violent
others. The Gibbs have and
and judgmental. Often
“We desire to engage when one hears this term
continue to do some wonderful service regarding life in life ministry not out their mind jumps straight
issues here on campus and
to the narrow definition of
of anger or guilt, but
in our community. Howanti-abortion. Our life team
ever, through the wisdom of out of joy for the abun- hopes to break these kinds
fellow Presbyterian Pastor
stereotypes by changing
dant life that Jesus has of
and President of Churches
our language from pro-life
for Life, Rev. Doug Merkey, already given to us.”
to life affirming. We desire
they have decided to transto engage in life ministry
fer the leadership to the students and other
not out of anger or guilt, but out of joy for the
seminary community members in order to
abundant life that Jesus has already given to
best sustain the ministry. Rev. Doug Merkey
us. And we desire not only to defend the unhas assisted us in forming what he calls a life
born from abortion, but to lift up all aspects
team. Renee and Dr. Gibbs have now taken
of life ministry whether that means donating
on advisory roles and our life team has just
diapers or educating people about sexual
recently established its officers:
purity, adoption, or parenting.
Life Team President-1st year seminarian,
James Conrad (wife Katie)
Life Team Vice President-Patti Martinal
(husband Tim 1st year seminarian)
Life Team Secretary-Sonja Weber (husband
Chris 2nd year seminarian)
God has assembled a team that has some
amazing gifts and talents and I am excited to
see what ministry God has in store for the future. Not only has Pastor Merkey helped give
our life team more organization, but he has
also given us an opportunity for new direction and guidance. As I am writing this article
we are currently in the process of coming up
with a mission statement. As we fine tune this
mission statement one thing is for sure, our
ministry will be Gospel-driven, which brings
Life Team
And finally, the seminary life team wants to
be a team, not a lone ranger outfit. Therefore,
we invite you to come to one of our meetings,
and if you are interested take the life team
training and become a team member. We
invite you to participate in the events that we
host and we invite you (especially those of
you who are going out to be pastors) to use
the seminary life team as a resource as you
consider inviting the church you serve to start
a life team and become a church for life. The
life team has already been a real blessing in
my life, and I hope to take what I have learned
and experienced with me as I enter into God’s
life affirming ministry.
If you have any questions about the seminary
life team please contact our President, James
Conrad, [email protected].
Dear Concordia Seminary,
As we enter the Spring Quarter, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some
of what the Student Association has done so far this year.
First, we have been actively pursuing our goal of facilitating community development on
campus. Under the leadership provided by the Social Cultural Committee, we were able to
celebrate a well-attended Oktoberfest, have had great fellowship at Prof-n-Stein, laughed
and applauded at the Green and Gold Follies and through it all, been able to learn a bit more
about each other in the process.
Second, our Spiritual Life Committee has helped support the Evening and Early Morning
Chapel services, facilitated campus wide Bible Studies, sponsored several inter-faith dialogue
events with the Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, revived the Opus Dei speaking series, and prepared the Advent and Lenten Devotion books.
Third, we have continued to serve as advocates before the administration on behalf of the
students. After receiving a series of concerns regarding single life on campus, the student
representatives and I participated in a series of meetings designed to answer questions and
pursue solutions to the concerns that were raised. We are happy to report that the Seminary
Administration responded to these concerns and were very interested in making sure that
student life on campus is the best it can be.
Fourth, as you may have noticed by reading this letter, we have revived the publishing of the
Around the Tower newspaper on a regular basis. We hope that you have found this beneficial
and enjoyed reading the articles prepared by your fellow students.
While this is not an exhaustive list, I hope it provides you with some idea of what we have
been doing this year. As we look ahead, do not forget that the Springfest celebration is on
May 6th this year and we hope to see you all there.
May God bless you in this new quarter.
Joshua Errer
Student Association President
Letter from the President
21
We get to
Text: Matthew 9:14-17
14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How
is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples
do not fast?”
15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will
come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;
then they will fast.
16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an
old garment, for the patch will pull away from the
garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do men
pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the
skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into
new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
New International Version 1984, ©1984 (NIV1984)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God
our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
Long gone are the days when you felt the
newness of the year, the newness of the
quarter, and you might be finding yourself in
the same old situation. You resolved at the
beginning of the Spring quarter that you were
going to have a new start with all the things
that you’ve gotta do…gotta pay better attention in class, gotta quit that bad habit, gotta be
less critical, gotta stop procrastinating, gotta
pay more attention to the family, gotta do better at Seminary, gotta, gotta, gotta!
Fellow fourth years, after coming back from
vicarage, you know about the same old
situation. Same old cafeteria, dorm or “The
Chapel of St. Timothy and Titus
Rejoice
by Dallas Dubke
Woods” and the same old gottas. Second
well with the Pharisees who insisted that
years, you’ve now fallen into the routine…the
you’ve gotta avoid unclean things. From
newness of Seminary has long since faded,
their perspective, Jesus wasn’t doing what
and now you’re focused on what needs to
you’ve gotta do… avoid sinners. Then John’s
get done. First years, you’ve tasted the Sem
disciples came up to Jesus and asked him why
alright, drinking through the proverbial fire
he wasn’t fasting like they and the Pharisees.
hose, and now having more than a mouthFrom their perspective it was about the “gotful, you’ve got a plethora of “gottas” on your
tas,” and from their perspective, Jesus, was
plate. It’s the same old list of
just another teacher who was
“Jesus proclaims that going to add to their list of
gottas… gotta parse, parse,
parse… gotta go to class, do He is something new, “gottas.” The answer Jesus
homework, go to field work.
gave them wasn’t what they
Oh yeah, then you remember and he brings a new
expected.
that you really gotta do a bet- perspective.”
ter job of getting outside of
Jesus said in 9:16, “No one
the “seminary bubble” and stay in touch with
sews a patch of un-shrunk cloth on an old
the world somehow…gotta check the news
garment, for the patch will pull away from
more often, gotta get out more. Perhaps your
the garment, making the tear worse.” My
perspective has become…that old familiar
mom tried to patch a pair of my sister’s old
phrase, “I’ve gotta.” Can you relate? I believe
jeans one time. She sewed the new patch of
we all can! It sure would be nice to be free
jean material over the hole, but when she put
from all of the same old list of “gottas.” It sure
them in the wash, the jean material shrunk,
would be nice to experience something new
and the tear wasn’t fixed at all! Just as a new
and different! A new perspective perhaps?
cloth doesn’t fit with the old garment, Jesus is
something new that can’t merely be added to
The Pharisees and John’s disciples knew about
the old system of the law.
the “gottas.” The Pharisees were especially
Jesus brings a new perspective. Not another
keen on making sure the “gottas” got done.
“gotta perspective” but a perspective that
Right before Jesus was questioned by John’s
gives reason for rejoicing! Jesus proclaimed
disciples, the Pharisees were disgusted that
himself to be the promised bridegroom of
Jesus didn’t follow their list of “gottas.” Jesus
Israel, the one who would lay down His life
was eating a banquet with Matthew the tax
for his people, his bride. Weddings are joyous
collector along with his tax collector budoccasions, and from his perspective, this was
dies and sinners, and that banquet didn’t sit
a time when people get to rejoice, not a time
23
for adding to the list of burdensome “gottas.”
Jesus proclaims that He is something new,
and he brings a new perspective.
Jesus’ brings a whole new perspective causing
rejoicing! Earlier in chapter nine of Matthew,
we see this rejoicing! Jesus gave people reason
to rejoice as they witnessed life from a new
perspective. As a paralytic was brought before
Jesus in Matthew 9:1-8, he was laid out on
a mat…helpless…likely discouraged…not
having much reason for rejoicing. Jesus didn’t
give the man a list of a bunch of the same old
“gottas”. Instead, he gave the man a new perspective! As that paralytic left that place, he
left jumping and dancing, sins forgiven with
reason to rejoice! Jesus gives more reason to
rejoice in verses 9-12. Instead of giving Matthew and his tax collector and sinner friends
a lecture on the “gottas,” he spends time with
them. God is dwelling among people in the
flesh, sent to save His people.
Right after Jesus finishes speaking with John’s
disciples who asked him about fasting, he
encounters a bleeding woman (verses 20-22).
As she approached him, she was suffering,
but as she walked home that day, she walked
home with a new perspective, free from her
bleeding, having met the Bridegroom, given
reason to rejoice! In verses 23-26 when Jesus
walked into the house of Jairus, he and his
family were staring death in the face. They
especially had no reason to rejoice in the face
of death. But before Jesus left that place, Jairus
and his family were rejoicing, for the Bridgroom had come and raised his little girl from
the dead. She was alive once again, and there
was rejoicing!
Instead of some kind of teacher of the law
who gives a list of more “gottas,” Jesus is the
bridegroom who brings forgiveness and healing, a new perspective and reason to rejoice.
We are His blood bought bride because He
took all the “gottas” upon Himself on the
cross. He did what He had to do, and you and
I get a whole new perspective! Because the
Bridegroom is risen from the dead, you and
I have new life and a new perspective. A new
life of “GET to’s” instead of “gottas.”
In Matthew 9:17, Jesus talks about new wine
and wineskins, saying that the new doesn’t
fit with the old. Wineskins were often made
of goat skins. As the wine fermented, it
would expand. While a new goat skin was
able to stretch with the wine, the old wine
skin couldn’t stretch much more and would
burst. The new couldn’t just be added to the
old. They didn’t mix. Jesus introduces new
wineskins for new wine, as we are given a
new perspective for a new life. Jesus changes
our perspective from the gotta to the GET
to. Because of Christ, you get to study His
word in class. You get to help out at fieldwork.
You get to visit that person and tell them
about Christ. You get to attend vicarage or
placement meetings in preparation for the
adventure of proclaiming God’s word with
others. You get to have the privilege of helping out with the music, the maintenance, or
the spreading of the message of God’s love.
Sure, there are times when in the middle of
the tasks that we know need to get done,
you and I can lose that joy and fall into the
perspective of the “gotta.” Nevertheless, God
is still at work in our midst, and He continues
to transform our lives and our perspectives.
I remember a time when I was tired after
being up late on a Saturday, and I thought
that I might skip Bible class and just go to
church during the late service, but somewhat
reluctantly, I still decided to go, with a “gotta”
Chapel of St. Timothy and Titus
attitude. But, while I was there, I learned
some wonderful insights, and the Lord used
his word and my fellow brothers and sisters
in Christ to change my perspective. Though
I went reluctantly, I left glad that I got to go.
Now, we know that it doesn’t always happen
this way. Sometimes we are still reluctant,
but nevertheless, God is still always at work
through His word, transforming our perspectives.
Perhaps you’re headed off to field work,
knowing that you’ve “gotta” go, maybe in
a bad mood because you’ve got a lot of
homework that you know needs to get done.
Then you get to the church, and you hear
a devotion or a sermon that touches your
heart, and God gives you a new perspective.
Jesus changes the “gotta” to the GET to! You
may have come with the “gotta “perspective,
but you leave with the “get to,” rejoicing that
you’ve heard God’s word and received His
forgiveness.
Perhaps you make that hospital visit knowing
that you’ve “gotta,’ but an elderly parishioner
facing terrible difficulties demonstrates their
faith in the Lord, and touches your heart.
Your perspective changes from the “gotta”
to the “get to.” You walk out of that hospital
room humbled and excited that you “get to.”
“I get to go visit that person! What a privilege!”
Perhaps you go to a vicarage meeting, a placement, faculty or staff meeting knowing that
you’ve “gotta” attend, but then after hearing
about some of the exciting possibilities for
serving the Lord, you realize what a privilege
it is that you GET to serve Him. You thought
about skipping devotions, class or chapel
knowing that you’ve “gotta” go, but then in
25
the course of a Bible reading, lecture or a
sermon, the Lord spoke to you through His
word, and he changed your perspective from
“gotta” to “get to.” You walk out the doors of
the room, classroom or chapel, rejoicing because you get to hear God’s word. True, it may
not always happen exactly in those ways, but
nevertheless, God continues to work in your
life through His word and sacraments, offering you forgiveness and new life in Christ,
your bridegroom.
In the middle of this Spring quarter, in the
middle of life, you and I GET to rejoice. No,
we don’t “gotta” rejoice, we GET to rejoice,
because the bridegroom has come, has risen
and will come again to join in the heavenly
banquet feast full of rejoicing! Yes, there will
be struggles in this life, and we can’t always
change the challenges that we face. But, in the
midst of all this, even in the midst of the darkest sorrows, Jesus, your bridegroom gives you
and me new life, a new perspective and reason
to rejoice. When you come to chapel, you
GET to hear God’s word and on Eucharist
days, receive His body and blood, that you
may leave with rejoicing, as God continually
forgives your sins and changes your perspective from the “gotta” to the “get to.” There is
much reason to rejoice! New wineskins for
new wine. All for Jesus. You GET to rejoice
because of your Bridegroom! Amen.
Now may the peace of God which surpasses
all human understanding guard, guide and
keep your hearts and minds in the one true
faith until you rejoice with all the saints at the
Heavenly banquet celebration of the Bridegroom. Amen.
Chapel of St. Timothy and Titus
Reflections
on a
Seminary
Career
by Ted Hopkins
After four years of seminary, I certainly
cannot say that I have learned everything I
need to know about God and the Church. If
anything, after four years of seminary training, I feel like I can honestly speak Socrates’
dictum, “The one thing I know is that I know
nothing.” What I have learned more than anything is how inadequate my words are, how
little I understand the things of God, and how
often I myself try to play god.
Four years ago, I came to Concordia with
high hopes for theology. The problem with
the church, I thought, was poor teaching
and preaching – bad theology. I thought that
theology had all the right answers about God,
about evil, and about suffering. I didn’t say
it like that, but looking back, I believed that
getting theology right would make a big difference. Churches would grow, non-believers
would believe, and the angels in heaven would
sing. After four years as a student of theology,
I feel more like Qoheleth than Melanchthon.
I have spent twenty plus hours working to
make that sermon great, with only a few ‘nice
sermon’s at the end. I have worked my tail off
trying to write confirmation lessons that are
relevant and informative to middle-schoolers
only to have them pull out their cell phones in
the middle of class. Even for those of you who
still think very highly of theology, I am willing
to bet that you have days when you wonder
about your effectiveness, even when you wonder about the point of it all. On nights like
that, one question creeps into my mind over
and over again, “Does theology matter?”
We have spent long days, long quarters, and
even long years assuming that it does, and
that what we do here at the seminary makes
all the difference. We drop good paying
Above photo: The Main Quad prepared for graduation ceremonies.
27
engineering jobs, move from the warmth of
Southern California, and uproot our families
and children in order to come to this place
and study theology. You’d think that after four
years of this education, I’d be able to answer
definitely in the affirmative, but it isn’t quite
that easy. The question continues to haunt us,
“Does theology matter?”
Bible classes include only the pure Lutheran
teachings. The kingdom of God doesn’t grow
because we pastors are the best theologians,
the best preachers, or the best teachers. God’s
reign comes through the proclamation of his
word, through telling his story, even when it
comes from the mouths of infants and babies.
This creates a kind of tension that is inherent
in being theologians.
The problem, I think, is not theology, but you
and me. Theology is important, but it’s only
Theology does matter, but it doesn’t matter
important within its limits. Theology cannot
in an ultimate sense. Theology matters only
do everything; theology cannot fill our empty
in a penultimate sense. Of course, what we
pews; theology cannot entice our people to
practice in our churches, what structures we
witness more or live the sanctified life. Theoluse in our sermons, and what we know about
ogy can only do so much, but sometimes, we
the Book of Concord do matter. Sometimes,
want theology to do more.
these things make the differ“We
may
think
that
if
The problem, however, is
ence between credible faith
not with theology; it’s a
our theology and prac- and dead speech. We can
problem with you and me.
never forget, however, that
I told you before that I have tice are top notch then these things are significant
this tendency to want to
only in a penultimate sense.
that will guarantee
play god, and this is just
that our churches will The best preaching, the
another one of these cases.
grow, and that Chris- best teaching, and the best
Ultimately, I don’t want to
rely on God to bring people tianity will come back worship will fail us. We may
into the Church; I don’t
think that if our theology
strong in America.”
want to rely on the Holy
and practice are top notch
Spirit to motivate and move
then that will guarantee that
Christians to do good works; I don’t want to
our churches will grow, and that Christianwait for Christian people to begin to mature
ity will come back strong in America. But
in their faith. I want to say the right words and
these will fail us because even theology has
to do it all. The problem is my own. I want
its limits. When we forget about these limits,
God to work on my time table, using my tools
our trust moves away from God and toward
(theology).
ourselves, our worship, our preaching, and
our teaching. And ultimately, I am convinced,
Only God doesn’t do that! God doesn’t
God doesn’t save his people because of our
save his people because we have the right
great theology but despite it. Theology does
theology. God doesn’t bless our ministries
matter, but we need to keep its significance
because our narrative sermon structures are
in perspective. Our ministry and our faithfultop-notch (no-offense to Dr. Schmidt!). The
ness depend on it.
kingdom of God doesn’t increase because our
Reflections
Laughter from Above
The most difficult task for an editor is writing breath-taking
headline copy. We at “Around the Tower” strive to write
headlines that grab the reader’s attention and refuse to let
go. (We’ve even experimented in subliminal messaging, but
due to our professional standards of ethics, and the fact that
President Meyer wouldn’t let us, we won’t stoop to that level.)
The following headlines were all seriously considered to grace
the cover of this issue, but after much deliberation, we thought
“Less is More” and went with the current title. The following
are alternative titles that did not quite make the final cut.
Professor Offers Practical Advice for Drowning Seminary
Student: “Learn to Breath Under Water” (at least you’re
baptized)
We are all beggars, this is true.
Desperate Seminary Student Sells Kidneys to Survive
Seminarian tries to raise money by writing best seller, “The
Real Purpose Driven Life” (This is just asking for a law
suit…sorry Rick.)
“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You raised my tuition.
Prepare to die!” (Classic movie…but a little violent.)
Seminary Raises Money by Partnering with CBS to produce “Survivor Seminary.”
Seminarian Questions: “Do I Really Need My Liver?”
Gollum Comments on Tuition Raise: “Sneaky, tricksy
little hobbitses.”
Seminary Offers “FREE CANDY! FREE CANDY TO
ANYONE WHO WANTS IT!”
$$$Ka-ching$$$ Cashing in on a Seminary Education by
Landing a Mega-Church
Books: $1800 a year, insurance $3500, housing $5000,
tuition $18,000. The opportunity to learn and grow in faith
at Concordia Seminary – priceless. Mastercard, we’ll give
you a credit card at 20 % interest to help you pay for it. (A
little lengthy, but after a little polishing, could be a beaut!)
Seminarian Runs out of Body Parts to Sell in Black Market.
29
A Piece o
By Bob Caldwell, Ph.D.
Not long after he took office, Seminary
President Dale Meyer checked out master
keys and conducted himself on a tour of every nook and cranny of the campus. On his
journeys he ran into a strange item in the
basement of Wyneken: a triangular stone
carving about five feet across the bottom
and just under three feet high in a packing
crate.
Carved into the face of this hitherto unknown object was a relief of the log cabin in
which Concordia Seminary was originally
housed with a reference to its founding in
Perry County in 1839 [photo on the right].
Clearly, it belonged to the seminary, but
from where did it come?
Eric Stancliff, Public Services Librarian
and Art Curator, did not find a picture or
description of this monolith in any of his
records. Neither is it mentioned in any of
the books describing the architecture of
this campus. At this point, I was put on the
hunt.
There are some numbers on the packing
crate, so I took them to Dr. Martin Noland,
then-director of the Concordia Historical
Institute. It is CHI, not the seminary, that
Campus History
of Stone History
President Meyer discovers a piece of the Old
Seminary that sends Dr. Caldwell on the hunt.
actually owns the log cabin replica on the seminary grounds, so it was possible
that they may have had this piece in their system at some point. Dr Noland took
me deep into the bowels of CHI to search the old card records, but no number like
this was in their catalogue.
Suspecting that it originally belonged to the Jefferson Avenue campus, the next
step was to comb through unsorted boxes of photos and newspaper clippings
related to the seminary at CHI. A presumably pre-construction drawing of the
seminary showed a triangular shaped object just above the archway that contained
the main front doors [photo 1, next page]. This object has some type of relief to it,
though no detail can be seen.
31
Photo 1
Photo 2
>
Two photos, one taken straight-on [photo
2] and one from an angle [photo 3], again
show the triangular shape with a small cross
right above it. Both photos seem to indicate
that something was in the shape, but no
detail can be seen.
The final photo [photo 4] is of the building
just before its demolition in 1934. It is clear
that this piece would fit exactly in that triangle above the door. Eric Stancliff and Dr.
Meyer were convinced by the photos that
the strange piece is a pediment that came
from the Jefferson Avenue building.
If so, a mystery remains. Where was the
pediment between the time it was removed
and the time that Dr. Meyer found it? Dennis Crowell, the former Environmental
Services Director, remembered being part
of the crew that put it in the Wyneken basement in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, he
did not know from where it was moved.
Could it have been stored at Holy Cross, the
church which now owns the property? Unfortunately, the long-time church historian
passed away a few years ago and the current
staff didn’t know anything about it. However, Milton Gaebler, a long-time trustee of
Campus History
the church who remembers playing in the
abandoned building as a boy, is still living.
He said that he never saw it anywhere in
Holy Cross during his time. He was told
that when the seminary relocated to the
present campus in 1926, they left behind
the bell and the statue of Luther. He claims
that the church had to remind the seminary
to come get them before they tore down the
building.
So perhaps the pediment was moved to the
Clayton campus at or near the time that
the statue and bell were brought over and
stored somewhere. Or maybe someone
had it at their home for safekeeping and
brought it to the seminary when cleaning
up. Either way, the crating around it is probably not much older than the early 1980s.
Regardless of where it has been, the next
question is what to do with it. It was suggested by a recent graduating class to have it
placed as a monument somewhere on campus, but the cost was deemed to be too high.
So for now, it continues to collects dust as it
has for more than seventy years.
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 4
33
&
The
Green
Gold
Follies
Campus Culture
Werner Auditorium - January 28, 2011
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Campus Culture
Winter Revisited on March 26, 2011.
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About this Issue
This issue features art from around the campus of
Concordia Seminary, particularly, the stained glass
windows. This includes portions from the grandiose stained glass windows in The Chapel of St.
Timothy and St. Titus, the chapel in Luther’s Tower,
The Welcome Center, Wartburg and Koburg Hall,
The President’s Room, and other various locations
around the tower. As the stained glass window in
The Chapel of St. Timothy and Titus does so well,
these windows serve as a constant reminder to
point our lives and ministry to the Lamb of God Jesus Christ.
Contributors
Special thanks go out to the writers and photographers who made the 2011 spring issue of “Around
the Tower” possible. This year, the publication had
a very restricted budget and the release of this issue
would not have been possible without the cooperation, effort, and support of the following people:
Patrick and Kami Gumz, Patrick Fertitta, Chad
Elfe, Andrew Wilson, Eric Hutchison, Dr. Bob
Caldwell, Joe Seifert, Dallas Dubke, Ted Hopkins,
and Dr. Wally Becker.
Upcoming on-campus events
April 11-15
April 17
April 24
May 4
May 6
May 8
May 11
May 13
May 20
May 23-27
Upcoming Events
Interim Ministry Workshop
Bach at the Sem Concert
Easter Brunch
Call Day
SpringFest
Mother’s Day Brunch
Day of Homiletical Reflection
Seminary Guild Meeting
Commencement
Christian Law Enforcement
Chaplaincy
The Last Word
Letter from the Editor
Carl Deardoff
There are approximately 10,254 words in this
issue of “Around the Tower”…but who’s counting anyway? This little “bacon bit” of information shouldn’t be to surprising since this was a
“mega-issue” encompassing the winter and spring
quarters at Concordia Seminary. If a picture was
worth 1,000 words, then the number jumps to
76,000 words in this issue! But, since that math
comes from a figurative saying - let’s stick with
10,000.
A lot can be said in 10,000 words. Some authors
use strong, vibrant, and powerful words that
strike your heart and leave you asking for more.
While other authors use weak, bland, and boring
words that miss the mark and leave you asking,
“What’s the point?” Where would a magazine be
without words? Where would our lives be without words? How else could we communicate our
thoughts, needs, and feelings? Words are truly
excellent and language is a gift from God.
Still, words are not enough. Popular sayings,
such as; “Put your money where your mouth
is,” and “Actions speak louder than words,” help
convey this simple truth. Sure, you love God and
Jesus and all that stuff, but how have you shown
it lately? What does faith produce? St. Francis
of Assisi famously said “At all times preach the
gospel and when necessary use words.” This saying effectively captures the need to put our words
into motion for the spread of the gospel, but still
comes up short. Clichés aside, let’s consult the
ultimate source of truth. Jesus constantly used
comforting words of the Gospel to save people,
but he said it best with his most powerful expression of love.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ
laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay
down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother
or sister in need but has no pity on them, how
can the love of God be in that person?
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Dear children, let us not love with words or
speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3: 16-18
Just as words without meaning are pointless, so
is love without action. How can we follow Jesus’
example at Concordia Seminary? How can we lay
down our lives for our brothers and love in action
and in truth? This could be as simple as taking
time to listen to the struggles that your friend is
going through. Perhaps, you could volunteer at
one of our social events, in the re-sell it shop, or
the food bank. Participating in Chapel is an everyday opportunity to be there for your brother.
As you continue in your studies this spring
quarter I hope you take time to place people over
papers and strengthen your relationships with future colleagues in the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod. God has blessed this institution with an
abundance of talented individuals that are here to
support one another in their academic endeavors.
Take the time to talk to a student you haven’t met
before, or a professor you haven’t had in class yet.
Who knows? You might just learn something. So,
as I finish this article and add a few more words
to the 10,000, I hope your life is pointed to the
son of man who taught us what real love is. And
he is the last word.
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Around the Tower