A week in Fort Wayne: Part I
Last week was super fun. I went with some pre-sem guys to Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN for the annual Theological Symposia. Symposia is a big lecture/conference for pastors and laymen with a bunch of amazing profs and visiting theologians presenting papers on the selected topics for that year. There are two sections: Exegetical Theology and the Lutheran Confessions. The Exegetical section was on that classic and all-important doctrine of Justification, and the Confessions section was on the Holy Spirit and His gifts of grace. There were some really good lectures, but after all these profs from CTS are geniuses and the visiting pastors (some Lutheran, others not) were also incredibly intelligent. Some of the best lectures were:
Rev.Dr. Just (CTS Exegetical prof) on Justification and our Incorporation into Christ and Christ's dwelling in us incarnationally.
Rev.Dr. Weinrich (CTS Historical prof who looks like Dick Cheney-but we like him!) on the Holy Spirit's role in the redemption of man.
Rev. Philip Max Johnson (ELCA but really confessional and probably has more in common with us than many LCMS pastors)on the Church being the instrument and external form of the Holy Spirit.
Rev.Dr. Marquart (CTS Systematic prof who has a really cool English accent) on the Holy Sacraments and their use (or misuse) in the LCMS today.
Rev.Dr. John Nunes (LCMS pastor from Chicago)on Africa as home of classical Christianity.
But what else was fun? The car trip there. Myself and three other guys (Sam, James, and Orlando) left Saturday afternoon and spent the night at Sam's house in Bremen, IN. Sunday morning we went to Mass at Emmaus Lutheran Church in South Bend and we got to meet the wonderful Rev. Dr. Stuckwisch. This man is great and I really love that church now. Then later Orlando, James and I went on to Fort Wayne (Sam would be following later). On the way we saw lots of Amish and it was very exciting because James and Orlando had never seen Amish before. After getting lost four times on stupid Indiana roads we made it to Fort Wayne and hung out with friends for the evening. James and I stayed in Marcus's room (guy who graduated from CURF last year). Orlando left the next morning and went back to shool but James, Chris, Sam, and I would be here for a whole week!
Monday, James and I followed Marcus to some of his classes. That night Angie came over and we all hung out for awhile. It was so nice to see her again but I will tell more later. I've got to go. Meanwhile, school pretty much sucks a lot.
Rev.Dr. Just (CTS Exegetical prof) on Justification and our Incorporation into Christ and Christ's dwelling in us incarnationally.
Rev.Dr. Weinrich (CTS Historical prof who looks like Dick Cheney-but we like him!) on the Holy Spirit's role in the redemption of man.
Rev. Philip Max Johnson (ELCA but really confessional and probably has more in common with us than many LCMS pastors)on the Church being the instrument and external form of the Holy Spirit.
Rev.Dr. Marquart (CTS Systematic prof who has a really cool English accent) on the Holy Sacraments and their use (or misuse) in the LCMS today.
Rev.Dr. John Nunes (LCMS pastor from Chicago)on Africa as home of classical Christianity.
But what else was fun? The car trip there. Myself and three other guys (Sam, James, and Orlando) left Saturday afternoon and spent the night at Sam's house in Bremen, IN. Sunday morning we went to Mass at Emmaus Lutheran Church in South Bend and we got to meet the wonderful Rev. Dr. Stuckwisch. This man is great and I really love that church now. Then later Orlando, James and I went on to Fort Wayne (Sam would be following later). On the way we saw lots of Amish and it was very exciting because James and Orlando had never seen Amish before. After getting lost four times on stupid Indiana roads we made it to Fort Wayne and hung out with friends for the evening. James and I stayed in Marcus's room (guy who graduated from CURF last year). Orlando left the next morning and went back to shool but James, Chris, Sam, and I would be here for a whole week!
Monday, James and I followed Marcus to some of his classes. That night Angie came over and we all hung out for awhile. It was so nice to see her again but I will tell more later. I've got to go. Meanwhile, school pretty much sucks a lot.