Luther Seminary - Bockman Hall

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Bockman Hall

Luther Seminary Campus

Bockman Floor Maps
Bockman Slide Show

Bockman hall is the oldest building on campus (except Old Muskego Church, which was built in Wisconsin and moved here later). Originally, it was the place where all students lived, studied, ate and worshipped. Now it is one of the buildings where single students live and is also home to several classrooms, a computer lab, and several faculty offices. When Bockman Hall was built in 1902, the planners chose this hill on busy Como Avenue. The architecture is borrowed from the Greek temples—many of which still stand today. The message was, “the Church is an important and permanent part of the community.”

In front of Bockman is a Celtic cross. It is a replica of the oldest cross in Norway, dating to around 1000 A.D. When a Viking chose to become Christian, he or she would erect a cross of stone to mark the spot of decision or baptism. After that, they would gather there with other Christians for worship until a church was built. These crosses still stand in Norway.

What are the inscriptions on the Celtic cross? On the top, the "Chi-Rho," the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek, and the "theta" from Greek word for the world gives us, "Christ as the light of the world". On the left arm, the "I" is from "ICHTHUS" or "fish" in Greek, an early Christian symbol, and "Alpha and Omega," Christ as the beginning and the end. The "VDMA" on the right arm is Latin for "Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum," or "The Word of God Remains Forever".