I am excited for the church when I talk with our students. I hear their passion for sharing the gospel; I hear their commitment to learn the bible, theology and pastoral ministry so they may share God’s promises with folks who are unchurched or done with church. We describe in our vision statement that “… we will be a learning community where sound Christian scholarship meets creative practices addressing the traumas of our times and witnessing to the new creation in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). I marvel at what God is doing through the power of the Holy Spirit as our students bear witness to Jesus Christ in a world so divided with harsh rhetoric and hopeless narratives of decline.
Several of our students from Nigeria and Tanzania shared with one of our donors, who has faithfully supported students from Africa for decades, how God is at work in their lives as they study here and imagine the ways they can share what they are learning as they transition into leadership in their home countries.
Another student, Suzanne How, proclaimed a powerful word as she preached in chapel. The Pew Research in August of this year noted that, “When searching for a new congregation, Americans value quality of sermons (83%) and feeling welcomed (79%).” Luther is a powerhouse in providing resources through our “Working Preacher” website with strong engagement with the Word of God in the sermon brainwave and text study resources. Our students are preparing themselves to be faithful preachers of God’s word.
I am hopeful for how we bear public ecumenical witness to God’s reconciling work as the seminary community participated with our local bishops and with the Roman Catholic Archbishop Hebda as we prayed together and watched the livestream broadcast on Reformation Day of Pope Francis, Bishop Munib Younan, The Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation and Archbishop Antje Jackelen of Sweden and other Lutherans and Catholics worldwide (you can watch the recording of the service here). For the first time in 499 years, the Pope and global Lutheran leaders gave public witness that our future is brighter than our past. The depth of shared faith among Roman Catholics and Lutherans bear witness that, “it is possible to move from conflict to communion and to undertake this journey jointly and in hope and also that a painful history does not exclude a bright future.” (From “Together in Hope: The Joint Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration of the 500 Years of Reformation” by His Eminence Kurt Cardinal Koch, president, Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, general secretary, The Lutheran World Federation.)