LIFE

The Creeds: Walking in the Faith of our Fathers - p.6The Creed: Defines the Scriptures & Strengthens the Faith - p.8

Creeds: What Are They All About - p.10In The Field - p.12

Bringing Christ to the Sudan - p.14

WORLDof the

For the

January 1999. Volume Three, Number One

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I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under

ascendedintoheavenandsitsattherighthandofGodtheFatherAlmighty.FromthenceHewillcomeagaintojudgethelivingandthedead.IbelieveintheHolySpirit,theholyChristian

Dear Friend in the Faith,

It is no secret that we live in remarkable times. On the one hand, the advances in technology dazzle us daily with ever smaller andfaster computers. There is much to be thankful for in these achievements as they enhance and advance our ability to communicate, totreat those in medical need, and to apply such technology to a myriad of other uses. On the other hand, there is increasing evidencethat such advances do not result in more knowledgeable or virtuous people. Despite the multiplication of degrees, there is growingdata which suggests that the majority of our population is more rather then less ignorant concerning basic grammar, great literature,world history, and fundamental mathematics.

More critical than any measurement of simple knowledge is the growing awareness that there seems no longer to be a consensusin many circles about basic questions of what is right and what is wrong. The killing of the unborn and the elderly ... the casual aban-donment of marriage vows and parental responsibility ... the more public embrace by leaders in business, government and entertain-ment of lifestyles previously regarded as immoral: these developments jolt that part of our population with memories of a differentand more sensitive culture.

What is the church to do in such a setting? While we might be tempted to be discouraged, there are unique opportunities to serveChrist in such a dark epoch. First, of course, is the call to hold up the Scriptural vision with fidelity and clarity. How radically criti-cal the Scriptures are of human pride and pomposity as they empty human life of its significance before the Triune God! How redemp-tive is the Gospel when contrasted with the tottering toys that our culture bows down before! Secondly, we are called to engage in arigorous analysis of the sometimes subtle and sometimes blatant assumptions that undergird our culture’s thinking.

Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS) is devoted to both tasks - to a faithful confession of Christ as He is portrayed in the SacredScriptures and to critical reflection about what forms the minds and habits of human beings at the threshold of the third millennium.In this latter effort, the words of H. Richard Niebuhr in his classic Christ and Culture (1951, p. 131) are still poignant: “The Christ-ian-and any man-must answer the question about what he ought to do by asking and answering a previous question, ‘What is my pur-pose, my end?’” Increasingly people assume that they have no purpose and that death is the end. Period. How tragic!

When the church capitulates to cultural trends at the expense of fidelity to Christ, the tragedy is compounded. This meltdown inChristian truth and confession is movingly chronicled by Thomas C. Oden in Requiem (1995). Oden’s own description of his per-sonal pilgrimage back to Christ’s culture.

What a privilege and high calling the seminary has to serve a church which treasures the Scriptural truth and seeks to share the lightand life of Christ in this dark and dying epoch! Our baptism into Christ’s life, our nurture in His Word of life, and our participation inHis life at the altar all define us as people who have abundant life now and eternal life in Christ. Our purpose and our end are simplyto live in and for Christ until we rest in Him.

Enjoy and benefit from this issue of For the Life of the World. Each article points to Christ and the church’slife in Him. May this ancient prayer define your days, your life, and your end.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,Christ behind me, Christ before me,Christ beside me, Christ to win me,Christ to comfort and restore me;Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,Christ in hearts of all that love me,Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.(St. Patrick’s Breastplate)

Sincerely yours, in Christ’s service,

Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe,President, Concordia Theological Seminary

FROM THE

PRESIDENT

For the Life of the World2

JANUARY 1999 3

F E A T U R E S

2 From the President

4 Letters to the Editor

6 The Incarnational Lifeby Rev. Dr. Arthur Just Jr.Professor Exegetical TheologyConcordia Theological SeminaryFort Wayne, Ind.

Our life in the church is incarnational, for itbrings us into communion with Jesus Christ sothat we might delight in Him.

8 Rituals and theEnactment of the Gospelby Rev. Dr. John W. KleinigLecturer at Lutheran Campus,North Adelaide, Australia

Rituals are important for Christians because theTriune God uses them to establish, sustain andextend the church on earth.

10 Born and Born Againby Debra L. Grime, MDSt. Louis, Mo.

At our physical birth, we receive a name. Atour spiritual birth, God writes His name on usas we are baptized, “In the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

12 Kramer Chapel—The Jewel of the Seminaryby Pam KnepperManaging EditorFor the Life of the WorldKramer Chapel continues to represent thecenter of life at the seminary. For in this houseof worship, students, staff and faculty gather asa community to receive God’s gifts in His Wordand Sacraments. By gathering for worship, theseminary demonstrates the incarnationalcharacter of the Body of Christ—His Church.

14 In The Fieldby Pam KnepperManaging EditorFor the Life of the WorldFeatures the Rev. Rick Milas, Campus Pastorat University Lutheran Church at the Universityof Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.

FortheLIFE WORLDof

the

PRESIDENTRev. Dr. Dean 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 this pub-lication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher of For theLife of the World. Copyright 1998. Printed in the United States. Postage paid at FortWayne, Indiana. To be added to our mailing list please call 219/452-2150 or e-mailRev. Scott Klemsz at CTSNews. For the Life of the World is mailed to all pastors andcongregations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the United States andCanada and to anyone interested in the work of Concordia Theological Seminary, FortWayne, Ind.

page 12page 8

page 14

page 6

CONTENTS

For the Life of the World4

This magazine is WONDERFUL! Thepearl in the crown of an already fantasticseminary. Please tell all your colleagues—including Dr. Wenthe—to keep up thegood work. This is exactly what thechurch is crying for.Rev. John M. BergVermillion, S. D.

In your March 1998 issue, the Rev.John Fiene stated, “We practice closedcommunion.” We find no mention ofclosed communion in the LutheranConfessions, nor do we find it in FranzPieper’s Christian Dogmatics. The 1943synodical catechism mentions closedcommunion in connection with Romans16 and 17. But this is hardly closed com-munion. Holy Communion is, by its verynature and will of Christ who instituted it,certainly not closed. Such a concept ofclosed communion reeks of legalism andan oversimplification of a very deep andcomplex theological issue.Rev. Robert BruecknerCentral Nyack, N.Y.

This letter is in response to the article writ-ten by Dr. Gene Veith in the March issueof For the Life of the World. Dr. Veith felthe needed to rip and back everything hecould to prove himself right about worshipin the LCMS.I choose to take a different approach.

And here it is: “Yet a time is coming andhas now come when the true worshipperswill worship the Father in spirit and truth,for they are the kind of worshippers theFather seeks.” (John 4:23)As you can see,Dr. Veith, Jesus says nothing about theblue hymnal.Danny MathisYorkville, Ill.

Your magazine is done in such a beautifulway, but more importantly, it is so wellgrounded in theWord. We really need thisone and I look forward to the next issue.Thank you so much.Erwin EsslingerFort Wayne, Ind.

Thank you for your recent issue of For theLife of the World which was devoted togiving amuch-needed caution about indis-criminately adopting from AmericanProtestantism worship styles which runcounter to our Lutheran heritage and tradi-tional liturgy. The articles are well-written,insightful and, for the most part, free ofthe polemics and misrepresentationswhich so frequently accompany this kindof discussion.I am looking forward to a future issue

which is devoted to exploring waysLutheran congregations can responsiblyuse liturgies and songs that are not consid-ered traditional. I am sure one article inthat issue would include a much-neededcaution about indiscriminately adoptingpractices, such as emphasizing externals(dress, posture, symbolism) over faith inthe heart; elevating liturgy above preach-ing; assuming that a worship service thatincludes Holy Communion is somehowbetter or more complete than a service ofthe Word.May our gracious Heavenly Father

guide all our discussions on this importanttopic and your magazine’s (and the semi-nary’s) participation in those discussions.Rev. Mark D. BrandtFrankenmuth, Mich.

Having just received theMarch 1998 issueof For the Life of the World, I am prompt-ed to drop you a note for a couple of rea-sons. First, may I compliment you and allwho are involved on this publication. Allof the subjects treated are so relative to thechurch today, and I was particularlyimpressed with Dr. Veith’s treatment inThrough All Generations and Dr.Gieschen’s beautiful presentation of FromWhere Do Christian Children Come?I am one of the older generation and

though I admit to a specific attachment tothe traditional worship settings with anattempt at understanding the completerationale behind the focus on the contem-porary, I have seen some of the failedattempts at throwing out so many hymnsin favor of all hymns of praise. I am thelast of the “old guard” here in Lincoln,having been here 57 years in the samecongregation.Andwhile in the new group,who have taken our places in the fifteencongregations in this circuit, we havesome brilliant youngmen. Several of themhave already demonstrated how complete-ly a church service of worship can change.I thank God this does not seem to be in theplans at my own congregation. I do seesome signs, too, of Generations X and Yseeking satisfaction for their spiritual livesthrough the traditional liturgies.Rev. Melvin TasslerLincoln, Neb.

May I join my voice in the chorusof thanks to you for For the Life of theWorld. What a refreshing voice ofconfessing Christianity and the Lutheranconfessional movement today! I continueto look forward to receiving this excitingpublication!Rev. Stephen KruegerPortland, Ore.

Readers share their

LETTERSReaders share their

LETTERS

JANUARY 1999 5

How is it possible to be so discouragedand suddenly so overjoyed upon readingtwo pieces of mail—both received thesame day? Our local Lutheran church’snewsletter reported adopting the newname of Spirit of Joy Fellowship (contem-porary service only, Lutheran not men-tioned) for a mission church in a rapidlygrowing area of our city.In the same mail, your March issue of

For the Life of the World brought renewedhope that finally someone is speaking outacross the miles expressing my feelingsabout the church growth concept that issweeping (brainwashing) pastors andmany members of our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The comment, “Thechurch has deserted us—where do we gonow?” is something I’ve heard far toooften. May the Lord of the Harvest sendforth pastors who will express and boldlyproclaim the faith of Luther.Since I do not want your inspiring new

publication to become a scandal maga-zine, but rather a positive one speaking outin truth, this letter is bring written toencourage you in letting your readersknow that conservative churches are thriv-ing without using the new praise songsand trimmings.Having served with my husband in

India and in Germany, I am not rigid inworship format. However, the trend isleaning so far away from our Lutheranheritage, I had to express myself.Dorothy SmithOoltewah, Tenn.

Dr. Veith’s article, Through All Genera-tions, should be required reading for allclergy in our beloved Synod.As amemberof Generation X, I feel he is right on themoney. Despite sincere efforts to be rele-vant, most contemporary liturgies leaveme feeling empty, and ironically are notvery entertaining either.

I think Lutherans are most effective andattractive to seekers whenwe try to be our-selves, evangelical and catholic, confes-sional and sacramental. My feelings wereconfirmed by your In the Field articleabout Pastor Fiene, whose congregationhas grown admirably by emphasizingWord and Sacrament and using the tradi-tional liturgy. The photos with the articleshow Advent Church’s new sanctuarybuilt in the Victorian Gothic style. Letthose in the church growth movementtake heed.Please keep up the good work. If your

magazine honestly reflects the attitude anddirection of Concordia Theological Semi-nary, then there is hope for our Synod yet.Mr. and Mrs. John WilksSchaumburg, Ill.

I received my copy of For the Life of theWorld and found it interesting and welldesigned with good eye appeal.I also found it interesting that Dr. Veith’s

article began with thoughtful insights intothe changes that have occurred in succeed-ing generations, from the postWWII gen-erations to today’s Generation X. But itended up being an article defending thenotion that only liturgical services andhymns from our Lutheran hymnals offermeaningful worship.Dr. Veith’s article fails in several

respects. First of all, it portrays contempo-rary worship as shallow and self-focused.Since I am not aware of his experiencewith so-called contemporary (I preferalternate) worship, it would be unfair ofme to assume that he has experienced thealternate worship I have experienced.The alternate worship that I have expe-

rienced is theologically sound, uses songsthat emphasize our sinfulness and need ofa Savior, and song that are usually directquotations of the Psalms, the ApostolicWord and the Gospels.

While liturgical worship is meaningfuland enriching, our Synod is surely not sorigid in deciding what is acceptable wor-ship that it moves against the Confessionswhich affirm that a congregation is free touse those forms that if finds helpful andedifying, and that support the mission wehave from God to reach out to people ofall cultures.I may be wrong in assuming such evan-

gelical openness to variant forms of wor-ship. By insisting on our treasured heritagein a rigid manner, we probably have sur-rendered the production of the AfricanAmerican hymnal supplement. Dr. Veithsays that the answer to objections by theolder post WWII to his view of contem-porary service(s) is “not to give them a bigband service. Nor to give Generation X apunk or hip-hop or death metal service.The answer is in the genius of the hymn-book.” Has it occurred to him that many ofour people object to just that solution?I hope that For the Life of theWorldwill

continue to include articles that provokethought and inspire like The GoldenThread of God’s Presencewhich traces thespiritual journey of Helen Kraus. She’sone of our Lord’s real troopers!Rev. Delmar KruegerDanville, Ill.

Your letters arealways welcome.

Please address them to:PamKnepper

6600NorthClinton StreetFortWayne, Indiana 46825-4996

Fax: 219-452-2227E-mail: pam_knepper@ctsfw.edu

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of allthings visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Sonof God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, veryGod of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by

When the word Creed is mentioned, we generally associatewith it a fixed body of statements which were formulatedand accepted at a specific point in time by the Christian

church and transmitted in its history as important articles to whichbelievers continue to pledge their allegiance. Three importantcreeds immediately come to mind, namely the Apostles’ Creed,the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. Upon opening theBook of Concord, wherein all important documents of the Luther-an church are contained, the reader will find these creeds referredto as the “three chief or ecumenical symbols” and placed along-side seven other documents of the Lutheran church: theAugsburgConfessions, its Apology, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise, theSmall and Large Catechism, and finally the voluminous Formulaof Concord. These three creeds enjoy a very special status in theChristian church not only because of their old age but also becausethey are ecumenical in character, that is, they have been acceptedby the Christian church worldwide and not only by a single churchbody. Thereby, they have become for all Christians signs or sym-bols which remind us that fundamental questions were both raisedand decisively answered in the period between the days of theapostles and those of the reformers. Noteworthy, therefore, is thefact that the reformers quoted the Creeds with the specific purposeto prove to their opponents they were not innovating new doc-trines of a church-divisive nature, but shared the ecumenical faithof the ancient church. As a token of acknowledging their reveredstatus, posterity gave the three creeds alone the exclusive titlecreeds whereas all other important documents of the church werecalled confessions.The Creeds Have Their Roots In ScriptureTogether with the other confessions in the Book of Concord, thecreeds share a relationship to Scripture, not as being infallible incharacter, but nonetheless as true explications of Scripture. In fact,they do not only illuminate the Bible’s truemeaning, but they havetheir roots in Scripture from both a phenomenological and histor-ical perspective. If we examine the word Creed etymologically,that is by tracing the origin of the word, we discover that it isderived from the Latin word credere which means nothing otherthan “to believe.” We can say that creeds are statements of whatChristians’ believed at a particular moment in time. Such state-ments of faith are infinite in number in Scripture and very old inorigin. Creeds are as old as the church; yes as old as God’s peopleon this earth. Already the nation of Israel, in allegiance to its GodJahwe, the Creator and Redeemer, expressed its faith in brief state-ments such as “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord”(Deuteronomy 6:4). In the New Testament, believers sharedPeter’s confession that Christ is the “Messiah (Christ), the Son of

the living God,” which was his answer to Jesus’ question, “Butwho do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16: 15-16). In similar fash-ion also the eunuch in his desire to be baptized by Philip declaredhis faith with the words, “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God”(Acts 8:37).Confessing The Creeds May Lead To PersecutionYes, to affirm one’s trust and allegiance in Jesus Christ as Lordwas without doubt both a very personal and audible expression inwhom salvation is believed to be found. As we are told by Paul,“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord andbelieve in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you willbe saved” (Romans 10:9). However, in doing so, the believer veryoften puts his own life on the line. Stephen, the martyr, may serveas the most placid example where his bold and outspoken beliefcost him his life. In fact, this may explain why in the time of per-secution in the early church, Christians chose the symbol of thefish to express their faith in this cryptic form. For if spelled out,the letters for a fish, I CH TH YS, stood in for the abbreviatedGreek words, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. To this day,inscriptions of this symbol can be seen in the catacombs beneaththe city of Rome where the remains of many a Christian’s torturedand mutilated body rest in peace.The Creeds Are StructuredAccording To The Faith In The Triune GodIt was not only the one person, Jesus Christ, who stood in the focusof the Christians’ faith.At times, God the Father and the Son wereconfessed together (Romans 4:24) in what we identify today inscholarly terms as bipartite structured statements. On other occa-sions, all three persons of the Trinity were confessed in the formof tripartite structured statements as can be found in the GreatCommission (Matthew 28:19) or in what we call the Pauline pul-pit blessing, “Grace and peace be with you from God our Father,the Son and the Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians 13:13). Naturally, theCreeds themselves were a direct outflow of these brief confessionsto the Triune God but of a more elaborate structure and content.The Creeds Versus The Privacy Of FaithIn conducting a comparison between such brief expressions offaith in the Bible and the long and elaborate statements of the ecu-menical Creeds, the fixed and rigid formulations of the latter hard-ly seem to reflect the personal and spontaneous character of theformer. This may give rise to a number of objections so commonto this day and age. Without doubt, many a Christian’s battle crycan be heard, “The Bible, the bible only is the religion of usLutherans” and not some later formulas passed by the church.Others might place greater demands on a person’s ethical expres-

For the Life of the World6

Walking intheFaithof ourFathWalking intheFaithof ourFaththeCreeds:theCreeds:

sions where what you do becomes the hallmark of true Christian-hood rather than what is confessed and believed, particularly suchformal statements as the creeds. Others, while finding the settingand statements of the creeds from a historical perspective appeal-ing, reject their validity for today’stime and situation.Opponents to the creeds, such asthose mentioned above, seem to beoblivious of the basic claim of theecumenical creeds. They never wantto represent a movement away fromthe personal and brief statements offaith in Scripture, but rather a radicalreturn to their deepest meaning andimplications as these were openedafresh by controversial and problem-atic attacks. Indeed, it may be saidthe ecumenical creeds are once againsuccessful attempts at findinganswers to the fundamental questionJesus asked Peter, “Who do you sayI am?” in a given context. Faith isnever confessed in a vacuum, butrelates to important events and chal-lenges within a Christian’s life.The Creeds Must RemainPersonal Statements Of FaithThe three ecumenical creeds willnever be relegated to antiquity.According to the motto, “There isnothing new under the sun” (Ecclesi-astes 1:1), they may be used as animportant yardstick to address con-temporary questions and problemswhich are often not so new after all,but mere repristinations of formerold heresies. This advice applies inparticular to young churches in themission field who may be relievedin having these creeds in their pos-session to combat new controver-sies on the Triune God. But, we too,must include the creeds in the per-sonal expression of our faith as we continue to seek answers to thequestion, “Who do you say I am?” The most apparent evidence ofour commitment to the creeds, apart from having received them

into the Book of Concord, is that they are given a special seat inthe liturgy of our church. The Apostles’ Creed is confessed mostoften in the worship service be it at baptism or after the reading ofthe Gospel. The Nicene Creed is reserved for important church

festivals or Sundays. Unfortunately,the Athanasian Creed has been rele-gated to near obscurity. Though hard-ly confessed in the church, it fortu-nately has found a special seat inTrinity Sunday with which thelengthy Trinity season begins. Thisshows that the creeds are still verymuch in use today. Their importantseat in the liturgy of the Christianchurch has always included theirvalue for pre-baptismal catecheticalinstruction and confirmation.The Creeds Belong To FaithAs Light Does To FireIn view of the creeds, two further rea-sons may justify their validity fortoday. There is the saying “the personwho belongs to God also understandswho God is” and that “a church with-out a past has no future.” The creeds,were for the Christians, a means toopenly publicize their faith in the Tri-une God to the outside unbelievingGrecian and Roman worlds. Just asthe quality of a trumpet depends onits clear sound, so too, our faith maykeep nothing back of the truth aboutGod, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,who has set us free. All Christians“are chosen to tell about the excellentqualities of God” (I Peter 2:9). In thisway, our faith and the creeds belongtogether just as fire and light areinseparable from each other. Maythey again become for us a means ofinstructing our erring neighbors andenlightening the faith of the unbeliev-ers.

The Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz is Professor of Pastoral Ministry &Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

7JANUARY 1999

It may be said the ecumenical creeds are

once again successful attempts at finding

answers to the fundamental question Jesus

asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” in a

given context. Faith is never confessed in a

vacuum, but relates to important events and

challenges within a Christian’s life.

ourFathersW ourFathers By the Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in JesusChrist, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born ofthe virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and wasburied. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He

For the Life of the World8

"In the morning when you get up (and in the eveningwhen you go to bed), make the sign of the holycross and say: In the name of the Father and of theSon and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then, kneeling orstanding, repeat the Creed and the Lord's Prayer."

These instructions, to "the head of the family" in the DailyPrayers section of the catechism, teach us that the SmallCatechism is much more than a textbook, it is also a prayer-

book. The Creed is taught by pastor and parents so that it can beused daily in the life of a Christian. It was Martin Luther's inten-tion in his instructions for daily prayer that the Creed would be aconstant companion for the Christian and the Christian home.Through faithful, daily use of the Creed in prayer, the head of thehousehold could teach his children how to understand the Wordof God and listen to it faithfully. He would be able to teach hischildren how to pray with a faith that was anchored in what Godhad done and promised rather than in the Christian's own efforts.Through the clear, sturdy words of the Creed, the head of thehousehold and every member of the family would find solidground upon which to stand and find help when the sins and trou-bles of their life together would crowd in around them.What is the Creed?The Creed faithfully confesses what the Word of God teaches.

The Apostles' Creed, often called the children's creed or the bap-tismal creed, does not contain a word or phrase that is not fromthe Bible. The Apostles' Creed is not found in any single chapterand verse of the Bible because it is a summary of everything thatthe Bible teaches for our salvation. The Christian who believes inwhat the Creed teaches, believes in Christ and has eternal life.How is the Creed to be used? The Creed is not simply to be

memorized, confessed in a church service, and quietly set asideuntil the next service. It is intended to be used daily in the life ofthe Christian and the Christian family for the purpose of faithfulmeditation upon the Word of God and as medicine to help theChristian against the ravaging disease of sin which infects his life.The Creed in Meditation.Christian meditation is different from all other kinds of medi-

tation in eastern religions or the new age movement. Christianmeditation does not focus inwardly, drawing upon a power orunderstanding within the self. Christian meditation fixes the mindand heart upon a Word of God outside of the self. The Christiandoes not meditate upon the Word of God by asking the question,”What does this mean to me?” The sinful heart is always apt toturn inward upon itself and away from Christ. Rather, Christianmeditation begins with that which is known to be true from God.

The Creed anchors meditation in what is true, not for the selfalone, but for every Christian for all time. Self-centered medita-tion leads the Christian to place his faith, not in theWord of God,but in his own works, piety, understanding or strength of faith.The Creed stands as a grid or framework through which the

text of the Scriptures is to be properly understood. It is the faith-ful witness of what the Scriptures teach and what the Church hasalways confessed on the basis of the Word of God. The Creedguards us against flights of fancy and phony conclusions in inter-preting what God'sWord says. It does this, not because its author-ity is greater than the authority of the Scriptures, but because it isthe faithful witness by the Church of what the Scriptures havealways taught. The Creed is not the private interpretation of anyone individual. It is the confession of the Church and every Chris-tian in every time and place. It also provides a common languagefor Christians to use in discussing the faith among themselves andin confessing it before the world.When, for example, the Christian hears a passage of Scripture

that he thinks is telling him to rely upon himself for the certaintyof salvation, he can safely reject that idea because it is denied bythe Creed. The Creed says, ”I believe in God the Father almightyand in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord and in the Holy Spir-it.” The Creed does not say, ”I believe in God and in myself andwhat I have done for my salvation.” Because we are sinners, thereare many things which can adversely effect our understanding ofthe Bible, including sinful human reason and the lies and deceitof the devil. The Creed provides safety for the Christian againsthimself, the world, and the devil.This is why Luther provided brief explanations to each of the

three articles of the Creed. Each explanation clearly articulatesthe teaching of each of the three articles in a way which is per-sonal and devotional. Luther's explanations are like mini-sermonswhich proclaim all that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit havedone for me and for my salvation from sin, death, and the devil.These explanations, like the Creed itself, can be returned to againand again in prayer and meditation to help us understand theScriptures and to strengthen faith.The Creed as Medicine.Through the words of the Creed the Holy Spirit preaches to me

to strengthen my faith in Christ. In his personal prayerbook,Luther speaks of using the Ten Commandments, the Creed, andthe Lord's Prayer every day in prayer. Prayer and meditation uponthese texts has a specific goal in mind. We use the Ten Com-mandments so that we learn our need for God's saving help. Wepray the Creed because it proclaims what God has done to rescueus. We pray the Lord's Prayer because the Holy Spirit has placedour faith in the Word and promises of God's grace in Christ. In

DefinestheScriptures&theCreed:theCreed:

other words, the Ten Commandments diagnose our spiritual sick-ness. The Creed contains the medicine we need for our sickness,so that faith in Christ is renewed.And faith receives the medicineof the Word and clings to it for life and salvation in the Lord'sPrayer.Understanding that the Creed is medicine for faith against sin,

Satan, and death is very important. The Creed is the proclamationof the Gospel. The Gospel creates faith in Christ and saves usfrom our sin. Before it ever became my confession of faith, theCreed was, first of all, the proclamation of what God had done forme and all Christians before me. Reciting the Creed out loud is ofbenefit to me spiritually, particularly when I do not feel like pray-ing and my faith is troubled with doubts or a bad conscience. Thewords of the Creed immediately direct my faltering and trem-bling faith outside of myself towhat God the Father, Son, andHoly Spirit have most assuredlydone for me.The Creed is, therefore, like a

sermon which preaches theGood News of God's grace to mein Christ again and again. Assuch, the Holy Spirit uses theCreed to strengthen my faith andground it in the promises of God.The Small Catechism picks upon this theme in each of the threeexplanations to the Creed.The First Article proclaims to

me the comforting certainties ofmy creation and preservation byGod: ”God has made me He hasgiven me my body and soul andstill takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, foodand drink, house and home, wife and children He richly and dailyprovides me with all that I need He defends me against all dangerand guards and protects me from all evilAll this He does only outof fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or wor-thiness in me.”Notice the language of gift! Grace is the motivation for all that

God has done and continues to do for me. Faith rests upon thesepromises: He has made me. He gives me all that I need. Hedefends me against all danger. He does all of this because Heloves me. The assertions of the Creed, not only invite us to trustin God, they are the Words and promises of God through whichthe Holy Spirit actually creates and strengthens faith.The Second Article proclaims to me the comforting certainties

of my salvation in Christ: ”Jesus Christ is my Lord, who hasredeemed me, a lost and condemned person with His holy, pre-cious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I maybe His own.”Notice the language of the Gospel! Christ redeemed me. Christ

paid the price for my sin. Christ purchased mewith His blood thatI may be His own. I belong to Him because of what He has donefor me, not because of what I have done for Him! His everlastingrighteousness, innocence, and blessedness are my salvation. I livemy life under Christ by the forgiveness of sins. His Word of for-giveness frees me from condemnation and a bad conscience.The ThirdArticle proclaims to me the comforting certainty that

it is the Holy Spirit who has brought me to Jesus Christ, my Lord,and bestowed upon me all the gifts of salvation in His name: ”I

cannot by my own reason orstrength believe in Jesus Christ,my Lord, or come to Him; butthe Holy Spirit has called me bythe Gospel and kept me in thetrue faith In the same way Hecalls the whole Christian churchon earth, and keeps it with JesusChrist in the one true faith Inthis Christian church He dailyand richly forgives all my sinsOn the Last Day He will raiseme and all the dead, and giveeternal life to me and all believ-ers in Christ.”

Notice the language of cer-tainty! The Creed makes asser-tions! This is what the HolySpirit has done and continues to

do for me! The Word of God gives what it says. Faith is createdby this Word, sustained by this Word, and believes this Word.It is only through the cultivation of a love affair with these texts

that their richness and power for strengthening faith and com-forting the Christian can be realized. First, learn them by heart.Second, recite them out loud when you pray each day. Third,allow the words of the Creed and its explanations to become thewords of your own petitions to God as you call upon Him inevery need.

The Rev. Peter Bender is pastor of Peace Lutheran Church,Sussex, Wis.

JANUARY 1999 9

& Strengthens theFaith

The Creed stands as a grid or frameworkthrough which the text of the Scriptures is tobe properly understood. It is the faithfulwitness of what the Scriptures teach andwhat the Church has always confessed on thebasis of the Word of God. The Creed guards usagainst flights of fancy and phony conclusionsin interpreting what God's Word says. It doesthis, not because its authority is greater thanthe authority of the Scriptures, but because itis the faithful witness by the Church of whatthe Scriptures have always taught.

By the Rev. Peter Bender

Orthodox.The standard def

Whoever will be saves shall, above all else, hold the catholic faith. Which faith,except everyone keeps whole and undefiled, without doubt will perish eternally.And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in three persons and threepersons in one God, neither confusing the person nor dividing the substance.

Orthodox.The standard definition is “right teachingor right belief.” However, a closer exami-nation of the word indicates that this is aderived meaning. The word actuallymeans “right splendor or rightpraise.” While it may appear thatwe have mistranslated the word ormisunderstood the word, the realityis that right praise and right teach-ing and belief go together. They arejoined and really cannot, or oughtnot be, separated. The joining ofright praise and right belief is, per-haps, best seen in the use of the

creeds of the church, specifically inthe Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.Both of these creeds, used in the

Divine Service, speak of the trueScriptural faith that we believe andconfess and the true praise of Godin which we join. What we believeand confess cannot be separatedfrom the true praise and thanksgiv-ing of the Lord expressed in theDivine Service of Word and Sacra-ment. They belong together and ought beinseparably joined together.It may seem strange to congregations of

1999 to suggest that the proper rendering

of the creeds in the service is that they besung. Sing the creed? The didactic text ofthe creeds do not seem to lend themselvesto singing. Yet, when the great composersof the church, including J. S. Bach, pre-pared music for the Divine Service, they

set the Kyrie (“Lord have mercy”), theGloria in Excelsis (“Glory to God in thehighest”), the Creed, the Sanctus (“Holy,Holy, Holy”), and the Angus Dei (“Lambof God who takes away the sin of the

world”) to music. The music for the creedwas invariably provided and invariablysung.The close connection of the creeds to

singing and praise was something thatwas retained at the time of the Reforma-

tion with many settings of the creedsbeing composed. Dr. Martin Lutherprovided hymn settings for the ver-sified form of the Apostles’ Creed,We All Believe in One, True God.Even the 1948 The Music for theLiturgy for The Lutheran Hymnalsupplied a simple chant line andmusical accompaniment for both theApostles’ and Nicene Creeds. As

late as the mid-twentieth century westill acknowledged that in the creedsboth right belief and teaching werelinked to the right praise of the Lord.

If we examine the Divine Ser-vice we discover that creed andpraise of the Lord do go together.The service is an exposition orexpansion of the creed, or put anoth-er way, the creed summarizes what

we have been singing and prayingthrough the entire Divine Service. “In thename of the Father and of the Son and ofthe Holy Spirit.” With the words of the

10 For the Life of the World

What Are They AllWhat Are They AlltheCreeds:theCreeds:

for the Divine Service, they set the Kyrie

(“Lord have mercy”), the Gloria in Excelsis

(“Glory to God in the highest”), the Creed, the

Sanctus (“Holy, Holy, Holy”), and the Angus

Dei (“Lamb of God who takes away the sin of

the world”) to music. The music for the creed

was invariably provided and invariably sung.

It may seem strange to congregations of

1999 to suggest that the proper rendering of

the creeds in the service is that they be sung.

Sing the creed? The didactic text of the

creeds do not seem to lend themselves to

singing. Yet, when the great composers of the

church, including J. S. Bach, prepared music

JANUARY 1999 11

baptismal formula we begin the service.Those baptismal words are a shorthandform for the entire Apostles’ Creed, thecreed that summarizes the Christian faithin the Rite of Holy Baptism. What is thefaith, the belief, the teaching into whichthe candidate is being baptized? Here it issummarized in the Apostles’ Creed. It isimposed and given in the dominicalwords, “In the name of the Father, of theSon, and of the Holy Spirit.’ With thosecreedal words the service begins.The litany form of the Kyrie (“Lord

have mercy”) expresses several parts ofcreed in the language of praise. “For thepeace from above and for our salvation,let us pray to the Lord.” Those words takeus to the middle of the Nicene Creed,“Who for us men and for our sal-vation came down from heaven... “ Here the work of redemptionis expounded.The litany continues, “ ... for

the well-being of the Church ofGod ... “ propelling us into thethird article and the work of theHoly Spirit who fills the “one,holy, Christian and apostolicChurch” with His power andpresence. That same thought iscontinued in the next petitionwhich prays for the local assem-bly of believer, that is, “this holy houseand all who offer here their worshipand praise.”It is in the Gloria in Excelsis (“Glory to

God in the Highest”) that we see thewelding of creedal expressions of praiseand thanksgiving. In the Gloria the workof salvation is presented to us in the formof thanksgiving as it reflects the creeds ofthe church. The work of the Father as theCreator/King is expressed in one shortphrase, “Lord God, heavenly king,almighty God and Father.” As the NiceneCreed says it, “I believe in God the Father,almighty maker of heaven and earth.” Just

as the creeds move quickly from the firstarticle expounding the work of the Fatherto the work of God the Son, so the Gloriamove quickly into the praise of the Lordfor our salvation. Christ our Lord is theonly Son of the Father. It is He who takesaway the sin of the world and having doneso sits at the right hand of the Father. Theimport of the teaching of our creeds onsalvation is expressed in this summarymanner. Again, the person of the HolySpirit is set forth in praise as He is linkedto Jesus Christ in the glory of God theFather. The teaching of the creedsbecomes confession and praise on our lipsin the words of the Gloria.While the Proper Prefaces in the Ser-

vice of Holy Communion focus on vari-

ous aspects of our Lord’s saving work forus, the expressions of our praise are inwords that echo and re-echo the languageof the creeds. Witness these examples:mystery of the word made flesh; beingfound in fashion as a man; on the tree ofthe cross you gave salvation; has takenaway the sin of the world; in their sightwas taken up to heaven; poured out onthis day as He had promised the HolySpirit. In the confession of the only trueGod, we worship the Trinity in person andUnity in substance. Here creed and praisefuse into one song of thanksgiving tothe Lord.

As the Service of Holy Communionculminates in the consecration and recep-tion of the Lord’s body and blood for theforgiveness of our sins, careful readers ofthe creeds will point out that there is noth-ing about the Sacrament of the Altar inour creedal formulations. How could suchan important teaching of our faith byignored by omission? It is suggested bysome scholars of the creeds that our Eng-lish translations may have led us in awrong direction. When we confess, “Ibelieve in the holy Christian Church, thecommunion of saints ... ” we may in factbe speaking about the sacraments. Whilewe let the scholars argue about masculineor neuter gender, we understand that theWords of Institution take us back to the

second article and summarizeChrist’s saving work for us.

The service began withthe baptismal formula summaryof the creeds, “In the name ofthe Father and of the Son and ofthe Holy Spirit.” The serviceends in a similar fashion. Ittakes us back to the Old Testa-ment to the very words that theLord gave to Aaron the firsthigh priest with which he was tobless the people of Israel. Weclose with those same words of

blessing, a triple-fold use of the Lord’sname. “The Lord bless ... the Lord make... the Lord lift up His countenance andgive you peace. Amen.” Amen, so be it.At the end of the creeds we shout thatsame word, Amen. So be it! So webelieve. So we worship. Orthodox—right praise which leads us to right beliefand confession.The Rev. Dr. Roger D. Pittelko is AdjunctProfessor of Pastoral Ministry &Missions at Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., and formerDistrict President of the English Districtof the LCMS

About?About? By the Rev. Dr. Roger D. Pittelko

If we examine the Divine Service we discover

that creed and praise of the Lord do go

together. The service is an exposition or

expansion of the creed, or put another way,

the creed summarizes what we have been

singing and praying through the entire

Divine Service.

12 For the Life of the World

In the

FIELDInthe

FIELD by Pam Knepperby Pam Knepper

God had other plansUnlike many called and ordained men

who have always known that they wantedto be a pastor, Rev. Wiley Smith dreamedof flying jets in his youth. But as is thecase with many people’s dreams, God hadother plans for him.Born in St. Louis, Mo., Rev. Smith spent

the early years of his life in this Midwest-ern city sporadically attending Methodistand Presbyterian churches. When he waseight years old, his family moved to theWest Coast town of Albany, Ore. It was inOregon that Rev. Smith was first intro-duced to Lutheranism.“After graduating from the University

of Oregon, I met my bride, Alise. She wasthe brightest light I had ever seen and sheinvited me to her church, Trinity Lutheran

Church, in Bend, Ore.,” Rev. Smithexplained. “It was in the Divine Service atTrinity that I was first subjected to theGospel in all its fullness and, though I hadno conception of it, began my journeytoward the ministry.”Having graduated from the University

of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. with a bache-lor’s degree in psychology, Rev. Smith stillhad no clear career direction and thedream of “going fast” remained, so hedecided this was the time to the join theNavy. He began the process by taking theNavy’s entrance exam for admittance intothe Aviation Officer Candidate School(AOCS).“I am not much of a mathematician,”

said Rev. Smith. “So I was a non-select.”Anxious to enter the Navy regardless of

his test score, Rev Smith decided to enlistfor a four-year commitment.“The naval recruiter told me that if I

received a good evaluation and theendorsement of my commanding officermy chances of being admitted into AOCSwould be good,” explained Rev. Smith.“Surprise! This ended up not being thecase. But by the time I found out that I hadbeen deceived, it was too late. I was anenlisted flunky swabbing hangar decks.”Stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar

in San Diego, Calif., Rev. Smith and hiswife settled in Escondido and transferredtheir membership to Grace LutheranChurch. It was here that he began to real-ize that God was calling him into the min-istry and not a cockpit.Rev. Smith became quite passionate

about Lutheran theology and active inBible studies and other church activities.

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

Overlooking the San Bernardino

mountains, Christ the King wor-

ships around 130 members each

Sunday and is the home to one of

the largest preschools in the Mis-

souri Synod, with an attendance

of 300 children.

13JANUARY 1999

“My pastor, Rev. James P. Young, sawthat I was very interested in the doctrine ofthe church and he began to encourage metoward the HolyMinistry.As a graduate ofConcordia Theological Seminary, PastorYoung told me all about life at the semi-nary,” said Rev. Smith. “He told me aboutthe professors, the wonderful Lutheranchurches in Fort Wayne, and how semi-nary life is so fulfilling for students andfamilies alike. By the time I applied in1988 and was accepted, I felt like it washome before I even got there.”Committed to finish his four year

assignment with the Navy, Rev. Smith didnot begin his studies at the seminary untilthe Fall of 1991. Describing his seminaryeducation, Rev. Smith mirrors it to theassembling of a mosaic.“As I began to learn more, the depth and

richness and clarity of Christ’s sacrificeand His ongoing work in the church grewand intensified in my mind,” Rev. Smithexplained. “Between the glorious worshiplife in Kramer Chapel and the teachingprowess of Professor Marquart, Dr. Scaer,Dr. Just, and Dr. Weinrich, all the piecescame together perfectly. Now I help myparishioners to see the mosaic of a suffer-ing and triumphant Christ in our Liturgy,the Sacraments and the Holy Scriptures.”Along with his years on campus, Rev.

Smith also credits a wonderful year of vic-arage under the sainted Rev. Dr. MartinRudolph Taddey at Trinity LutheranChurch in Palo Alto, Calif., in preparinghim for the Ministry.Graduating in 1995 with his M.Div.

degree, Rev. Smith decided to stay on foran additional year to serve as the graduateassistant for the pastoral ministry depart-ment and to begin working toward hisMaster of Sacred Theology (STM) degree.

“I absolutely loved my STM yearbecause it gave me a chance to discusstheology more in-depth with my profes-sors and classmates,” explained Rev.Smith. “I feel as though I could not havepossibly been better prepared to heraldthat Good News, to shepherd a flock,under any circumstance. When I left theseminary I was a race car, totally revvedand ready to go.”In the Spring of 1996, Rev. Smith

received his first and current call to Christthe King Lutheran Church in Redlands,Calif.Overlooking the San Bernardino moun-

tains, Christ the King worships around130 members each Sunday and is thehome to one of the largest preschools inthe Missouri Synod, with an attendance of300 children.“Being around so many young people

keeps me on my toes and chapel is alwaysinteresting,” said Rev. Smith. “Throughthe year they become familiar with partsof the liturgy, the Lord’s Prayer and theCreed.”Christ the King is firmly grounded in a

Word and Sacrament ministry.“At Christ the King the ministry is

established around our Lord and His life,”explained Rev. Smith. “By following thechurch year and expounding on the depthof our liturgical practice we pattern therhythm of our lives on the life of ourLord—the head of the body. Through thisministry, we too have sent a son of thecongregation, seminarian James Rice, toConcordia Theological Seminary.’The Rev. Wiley Smith and his wife

Alise are the parents of Madison andWiley the 5th. They live in Redlands,Calif.

“At Christ the Kingthe ministry is established

around our Lord and His

life,” explained Rev. Smith.

“By following the church

year and expounding on

the depth of our liturgical

practice we pattern the

rhythm of our lives on the

life of our Lord—the head

of the body.”

“Whosoever therefore shall con-fess me before men, him will Iconfess also before my Fatherwhich is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32

Jesus warned his disciples that itwould be difficult to confessHim before men. Though weproclaim free salvation in JesusChrist, many will reject Him and

us. They prefer to remain in their sins. Theencouraging news is that Jesus promisedto be with us as we live in Him and to con-fess us before His Father in heaven.As challenging as it is to proclaim the

Gospel clearly and courageously in ourown country, some seminarians fromother parts of the world have known evengreater difficulties for their confession.This year, Concordia Theological Semi-nary is pleased to have among its studentsMr. Andrew Mbugo Elisa Kitogbere.Andrew is from the Sudan in Africa.Perhaps for some of us, the Sudan is lit-

tle more than a faceless word from thenewspaper. ForAndrew it is home and theplace where he labors to bring God’s wordto people in tremendous need. There ismuch suffering in the Sudan. For sixteenyears, their country has been ravaged bycivil war, the complexities of which mostof us are not able to grasp. The predomi-nantly Muslim north is in conflict with thepredominantly Christian south. The ten-sion is ethnic, political and religious.Andrew estimates that 1.5 million peoplehave been displaced within the Sudan bythe fighting. Another one million peopleare refugees. Over 500,000 people are

starving to death. It is to these preciouspeople that Andrew is determined toannounce the blessings of Jesus Christ.Born into an Anglican family, Andrew

grew up and became very involved inchurch work as a layman. He studiedcommunications briefly at Daystar Uni-versity in Nairobi, Kenya and beganworking as a newspaper reporter. In 1989,he was recruited to be the press secretaryto the Anglican Archbishop in the Sudan.He soon came to hold a variety of posi-tions and was given additional responsi-bilities including being sent by his Angli-can Communion as their representative tothe World Council of Churches CentralCommittee.

In 1993, Andrew met Lutheran pastorsfrom neighboring African countries andwas impressed with their teachings andtheir zeal for evangelizing the lost. Aftercareful study he determined that his desirefor a church that professed sound Biblicaldoctrine was fulfilled in Lutheranism. IITimothy 4 became increasingly meaning-ful to Andrew. “Preach the Word; be pre-pared in season and out of season; correct,rebuke and encourageówith great patienceand careful instruction. For the time willcome when men will not put up withsound doctrine. Instead, to suit their owndesires, they will gather around them agreat number of teachers to say what theiritching ears want to hear. They will turntheir ears away from the truth and turnaside to myths. But you, keep your headin all situations, endure hardship, do thework of an evangelist, discharge all theduties of your ministry.” The EvangelicalLutheran Church of the Sudan (ELCS)was born.From the start, Andrew received coun-

sel and support from the EvangelicalLutheran Church in Kenya, the EthiopianEvangelical Church Mekane Yesus andthe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tan-zania. He began to meet many importantLutheran leaders. In March 1994, the Rev.Dr. Robert Preus, the late president ofConcordia Theological Seminary, arrivedin Nairobi to attend the Second Interna-tional Lutheran Confessional Conference.Andrew’s acquaintance with confessionalLutheranism was strengthened. The Rev.Dr. Anssi Simojoki, a Finnish scholar andmissionary in Kenya, provided needed

By Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer

Over half a million people arestarving to death in the Sudan.

For the Life of the World14

BringingChrist to theSudan

BringingChrist to theSudan

initial instruction in the teachings of Mar-tin Luther’s Small Catechism. Dr. Simo-joki, incidentally, is working with theLutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF) ontheir project of translating the Book ofConcord into Swahili. This connectionwith the LHF has been extremely benefi-cial to the new Lutherans in the Sudan.Rev. Robert Rahn, Executive Director ofthe LHF, has provided the ELCS withfunding, office equipment, hymnals, cate-chisms and other religious books. Aseven-day orientation in the AugsburgConfession and Luther’s Small Cate-chism was organized and financed by theLHF. The Lutheran doctrine was takingdeeper hold in the Sudan. LHF funds arealso helping to make it possible forAndrew to study theology at ConcordiaTheological Seminary.By God’s grace there are now over

1,000 Lutheran Christians in the war-tornSudan. They are organized into three con-gregations and one mission start with yetanother mission in its infancy. They haveno ordained pastors of their own and relyupon the Church in Kenya to offer minis-terial services. Andrew is the de factoleader of these congregations. His studiesat Fort Wayne will prepare him to returnand be called to serve as bishop and pas-tor to the Lutherans there.Andrew’s people ask us to pray for

peace in the Sudan. Pray that the God ofpeace may be known and trusted by all.Pray that the Triune God may be con-fessed there clearly and without fear.

Pray that the Christians may be strength-ened and invigorated through the stead-fast preaching of the forgiveness of sinsand that the sacraments may be rightlyadministered.The plans of the ELCS are bold and

courageous. Their hope is to establishLutheran congregations throughout theland, especially in the south where theChristians move most freely. Manybelievers live now in the Muslim northbut this is only because their villageshave been destroyed in the conflict. It isexpected that they will return to the southwhen peace is regained. The churchknows that it must be prepared for thatday. The long civil strife has left thou-sands of young people without education.The church plans, with the help of God,to open a number of kindergartens andprimary schools. They believe that Chris-tian schools can serve as an avenue foroutreach and teaching the confessions ofthe church. One of their greatest needs isfor well-trained workers. The goal is toeventually have a strategy for the prepa-ration of pastors, teachers, deaconessesand other kinds of lay-workers.In a report to LCMS representatives,

the ELCS states its position withoutequivocation. “As a young church, it isimportant for us to accept the true teach-ings of Martin Luther and avoid whatmay divert our stand from the realGospel. Our stand is to be confessionalLutherans and to teach Lutheran doctrineas expressed in the Book of Concord.”Our brothers and sisters around the worldneed our love and encouragement. Let usalways be mindful of their struggles. TheLutherans in the Sudan can teach usmany things about carrying the cross ofJesus Christ.Concordia Theological Seminary is

honored to haveAndrew as a student. Forthe months that he is in the United States,he leaves his family at home in the Sudan.Andrew and his wife, Linda, have threedaughters ages 9, 7 and 5. May God blesshis studies at the seminary and use him asHis instrument in the Sudan to bring theTruth to those that know Him not.The address for the EvangelicalLutheran Church of the Sudan is P.O.Box 11902, Khartoum, Sudan.Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer is an AdmissionsCounselor at Concordia TheologicalSeminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

JANUARY 1999 15

Andrew Mbugo Elisa Kitogbere, his wifeLinda and their daughters.

What is theLutheran Heritage Foundation?

The foundation grew out of the glob-al vision and the personal contactsof the late Dr. Robert Preus, who

also was its first chairman.The aim of the foundation is to support

a genuine, biblically and confessionallyfaithful witness worldwide. The specialcontribution of the Lutheran HeritageFoundation (LHF) has been, and contin-ues to be, the provision of translations ofimportant literature. For example, thefoundation has published a provisionalversion of the first Russian translation ofthe Book of Concord, together with manyother Russian books and shorter works.A Ukrainian translation is on its way orhas already appeared. Latvian, Estonian,and Lithuanian versions of the Book ofConcord are also well underway. Of highpriority also is the work in Africa, withthe first Swahili edition of the Book ofConcord being prepared by Dr. Simojokiof Nairobi. Work is also being done inthe Sudan, Nigeria, and elsewhere. TheLHF will also support the burgeoningwork in Haiti. The importance of theavailability of good theological literaturecan hardly be overestimated.The foundation is supported by mis-

sion-minded confessional Lutherans ofseveral conservative Lutheran churches.Headquartered in Detroit, Mich., LHF isin the process of acquiring its own officebuilding. The president is Mr. RichardHallgren and the Rev. Robert Rahnserves as the foundation’s indefatigableexecutive director. The foundation hasapplied for Recognized Service Organi-zation status with the Missouri Synod.For further information, please write tothe Lutheran Heritage Foundation at P.O.Box 46, Sterling Heights, MI 48311.

Professor Kurt Marquart, ChairmanLutheran Heritage Foundation

A timeto grow.

6600 North Clinton Street � Fort Wayne, IN 46825-4996

We recognize the need to occasionallyretreat from the schedules and tensionsof everyday work and life, and arehappy to offer our beautiful campus,our rich worship life and a schedule ofoutstanding teachers for your retreat.In this relaxed and quiet setting youcan study subjects that are of interestto you without homework and tests.You will sit at the feet of some greatteachers of the faith, but without anyof the normal academic pressures. Youwill also join the faculty and seminari-ans as they gather around altar and pul-pit, as they sing liturgy and hymns asas they, too, grow spiritually. Welcometo Concordia Theological Seminary.Retreats are open to all. $125 perregistration includes all meals, hous-ing, and instruction. Please note thatsome retreats follow a Thursday, Fri-day, Saturday schedule & others Fri-day, Saturday and Sunday.Elderhostels are five days of beingimmersed in seminary campus life.$360 per registration includes allmeals, housing, tours, receptions andinstruction. The schedule will includea variety of activities both on and offcampus in addition to the classroomstudy.Youth Retreats follow their own,more relaxed schedule. Each partici-pant pays only $30; the balance of $60has been underwritten by a grant toSeminary Continuing Education.A limited number of grants are

available for clergy, seminary studentsand students from synodical schools

to attend theretreats. Con-tact SeminaryCon t i n u i n gEducation formore informa-tion.

1999 Retreat ScheduleJune 12-14, 1998College Men’s Retreat on the Holy Min-istry

Sept. 17-19, 1998The Sermon on the Mount:The First Step in Catechesis

Sept. 18-20, 1998A Biblical Study ofAngels

Sept. 25-27, 1998Altar Guild Retreat

October 16-18, 1998UnderstandingBach’s Massin B Minor

Oct. 22-24, 1998Fathers of theChurch: Pastors,Martyrs, Confessors

Oct. 22-24, 1998Teaching the SmallCatechism

June 12-14, 1998College Men’s Retreat on theHoly Ministry

Sept. 17-19, 1998The Sermon on the Mount:The First Step in Catechesis

September 18-20, 1998A Biblical Study of Angels

Sept. 25-27, 1998Altar Guild Retreat

October 16-18, 1998Understanding Bach’s Massin B Minor

Oct. 22-24, 1998Fathers of the Church: Pastors,Martyrs, Confessors

Oct. 22-24, 1998Teaching the Small Catechism

September 18-20, 1998A Biblical Study of Angels

October 16-18, 1998Understanding Bach’s Massin B Minor

Oct. 22-24, 1998Fathers of the Church: Pastors,Martyrs, Confessors

For more information or toreserve your space (at least oneweek in advance of start date)please call Michele Williams at

(219) 452-2191

JANUARY 1999 17

New Professor Joins CTSFaculty— The Rev. Dr. Klaus DetlevSchulz has accepted a call to serve as anassistant professor in the Department ofPastoral Ministry and Missions at Con-cordia Theological Seminary (CTS), FortWayne. He will begin his duties Fall1998.Before accepting the call, Dr. Schulz

had worked since 1994 as a missionary inSerowe, Botswana for the LutheranChurch Mission of S.E.L.K. (LutheranChurch in Germany). He also served as aguest lecturer at CTS during Fall Quarter1997.In 1987 Dr. Schulz earned his M.Div.

degree from Lutherische TheologischeHochschule, Oberursel, Germany. Hethen served as a vicar in Heidelberg, Ger-many, from 1990-92 through the Luther-an Church Mission. During that time heearned an S.T.M. from Concordia Theo-logical Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. In1994 he earned a Th.D. in Systematicsand Missions from Concordia Seminary,St. Louis, Mo.Dr. Schulz and his wife Cornelia are

the parents of two children.

1998 LCMS Youth Gathering— The 1998 LCMS Youth Gatheringwill be held in Atlanta, Ga., July 25-29.With 30,000 youth expected to attend theevent, Rev. Scott Klemsz, Rev. ToddPeperkorn, and Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer,all admissions counselors from CTS, willbe on hand to answer any questionsyoung people may have about CTS andlife as a seminarian.

Open House for Alumni andFriends — Alumni and friends ofCTS are encouraged to attend a specialopen house that will be held during the1998 LCMS Convention, July 11-17 inSt. Louis, Mo. CTS will host the specialevent on Monday, July 13 from 8 to 10p.m. at the Marriott Hotel. A cash bar andhors d’oeuvres will be provided.

CTS Hosts Spring InvitationalCampus Visit — The AdmissionsOffice at Concordia Theological Semi-nary (CTS), Fort Wayne, hosted an Invi-tational Campus Visit (ICV) on Fridayand Saturday, March 20 and 21. Attract-ing a record number of participants, theannual event brought visitors to the cam-pus from all over the United States.Held every year in the spring and again

in the fall, the ICV is an opportunity forprospective students to tour the seminarycampus; visit professors, attend chapeland sit in on classes; meet students andtheir wives; find out about housing, jobopportunities and city schools; experi-ence the seminary’s theological, intellec-tual and pastoral climate; and obtainanswers about financial aid and theadmissions process.The next ICV will be held Friday and

Saturday, Oct. 16-17, 1998. To register orfor more information, call 1-800-481-2155.

New Baptismal Font andPaschal Candlestand Installedin Kramer Chapel—A new bap-tismal font and paschal candlestand wereinstalled at Concordia Theological Semi-nary (CTS) in Kramer Chapel on March6. The font and candlestand were placedat the entrance to the nave, located in thecenter of the baptistry.Weighing 3,000 pounds, the font was

formed out of a single block of Indianalimestone. The font was paid for by giftsfrom people throughout the LutheranChurch-Missouri Synod.The new font will serve as a focal point

for daily Matins, Vespers and Complineoffices as a reminder of the central rolebaptism plays throughout the life of aChristian.The paschal candlestand, like the font,

was also formed from Indiana limestone.The candlestand was given as a gift to theseminary from the Class of 1997.Each piece was designed by local

architect Richard Terwillinger andsculpted by artisan William Galloway ofNashville, Ind.A special service to dedicate the new

font and paschal candlestand took placein Kramer Chapel on March 25.

Campus

HappeningsCampus

Happenings

Concordia Theological Seminary is excited to introduce a newopportunity for you to spend time exploring Christian sites around the world. Thisspring we will launch CTS - Tours with our inaugural trip tracing the footsteps ofSt. Paul. CTS - Tours will give you an opportunity to travel the world with faculty,pastors and students of the seminary as you trace the many wonderful places thathave been impacted by Jesus Christ and His followers. If you'd like an organizedtour, we've combined the efficiency, economy and comfort of group travel with

the intimacy and adventure of independent travel, CTS and Luther Tours have tai-lored this program for you. The goal of CTS - Tours is to get you off of the tour

bus and into the world you have come to explore and discover.Join the seminary on May 30, 1999 for a two week adventure of a lifetime as we experience the footsteps of St. Paul. You'll visit the historic

sights of the famous underground city and Rock Churches in Cappadocia,pass through the Cilicia Gate used by Alexander the Great and the Cru-saders and see St. Paul's birthplace in Tarsus. Travel to Antakya and theSyrian Gates, visit Sariseki, the Church of St. Peter, Seleucia ad Pieriea.

The ancient city of Perge, the Seven Churches of the Revelation, Ephesus,Pergamum, Troy and Istanbul round out a truly fascinating itinerary.

CTS - Tours has limited the number of people that will be ableto join us on this tour so please make your reservations early.Price for *Footsteps of St. Paul Tour is $2399. The Optional

**Greek Isle Cruise is $700. Cost includes breakfast & dinner eachday while on tour, and breakfast, lunch & dinner while on the cruise.

Call Luther Tours at1-888-458-8486 or the seminary at1-800-482-2155 for full tour information and join us for this

Experience of a Lifetime.

FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PAUL*ITINERARYDay 1 - DepartureDeparture from USA to Europe.Day 2 & 3 - IstanbulBascilica of St. Sophia, the Blue Mosque,The Hippodrome and theUnderground Cistern.Day 4 - NiceaThe Museum of St. Sophia.Day 5 - AnkaraThe Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.Day 6 - CappadociaVisit most unique of the 3,500 areaRock Churches.Day 7 - KonyaVisit a well preserved SeljukCaravanserai. Lystra & Derbe.Day 8 - Antioch, PamukkaleSite of Paul’s first recorded sermon,hot springs & Roman baths & ruins.Day 9 - Laodicea, Ephesus &KusadasiTheatre where Paul defended himself andmarble streets where he walked.Day 10 - Ismir & IstanbulShopping, sightseeing or independentexploration time.Day 11 - Istanbul & USAMorning departure from Istanbul to arrive inUSA during the evening.

OPTIONAL EXTENTION**GREEK ISLAND CRUISE - ATHENS

Day 10 - Greek Isles Cruise - PatmosIsland of Patmos, Grotto of the Revelation,Monastery of St. John.Day 11 - Greek Isles Cruise - RhodesIsland of Rhodes.Day 12 - Greek Isle Cruise - HeraklionCity of Heraklion, the Palace of Knossos,Island of Santorini.Day 13 - AthensAthens, the Acropolis, the Parthenon and theAgora. Also Mars Hill, the House of Parli-ment, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier &the Presidential Palace.Day 14 - Mycenae, Corinth & AthensMycenae, ancient Corinth &Athens.Day 15 - DepartureMorning departure from Athens to arrive inUSA during the evening.

"Out of the entire tripthe moments I remember mostare the quite places on the sideof the road. The small ancientchurch and a quite moment

of prayer."

Note: Fall ‘99 Luther Site Tour of Germany information is also available. Tentativedeparture date is June 8th. Please call for an itinerary at 1-888-458-8486 or 1-800-482-2155.

EDUCATIONAL — INSPIRATIONAL