Each year, Luther Seminary offers an Advent devotional to help congregations and individuals reflect during this season of waiting and prepare for the joyous season of Christmas. This year’s Advent devotional is written by Dirk Lange, associate dean, Graduate Theological Education; professor and Frederik A. Schiotz Chair of Christian Missions.
During the 1980s, as a brother of Taizé, Lange worked with church leaders and many lay people involved with the prayer groups in the Eastern European underground. During the early 1990s, he was engaged with the prayer and songs of Taizé. He studied at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and earned his Ph.D. from Emory.
Lange is currently supporting the Lutheran World Federation as project officer for the ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and as worship coordinator for the Twelfth Assembly. He serves as one of the authors of the common prayer for the joint ecumenical commemoration service to be held in Lund and Malmö, Sweden on Oct. 31, 2016 and led by Pope Francis, LWF President Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, and LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr. Martin Junge.
The Advent devotional will be available for free download at www.luthersem.edu/advent in November. Subscribers to God Pause will also receive the daily devotions throughout the Advent season.