WEBVTT 1 00:00:15.420 --> 00:00:17.620 Welcome to Concordia Theology. 2 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:18.220 Org. 3 00:00:18.220 --> 00:00:22.420 My name is Travis Scholl, I'm the managing editor of the Theological 4 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:26.220 Publications here, Concordia Seminary and the editor of Concordia 5 00:00:26.220 --> 00:00:26.920 Journal. 6 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:31.320 And that we have another Zoom conversation here. 7 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:38.120 And our topic today is a book just this past summer 8 00:00:38.120 --> 00:00:44.320 we published "Let the Gospel Lead Essays and Sermons, in honor of Dale, 9 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:50.420 A. Meyer. And it was our chance to surprise Dale with something to honor 10 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:51.720 his life, 11 00:00:51.720 --> 00:00:55.820 his ministry. his career as he was retiring as our president. 12 00:00:55.820 --> 00:01:00.020 And so we we wanted to do today was just to be able to talk 13 00:01:00.020 --> 00:01:03.820 a little bit about the book and what's in it 14 00:01:03.820 --> 00:01:08.420 and the interesting ideas. I think one of the things that was a 15 00:01:08.420 --> 00:01:09.720 challenge as Erik 16 00:01:10.820 --> 00:01:13.720 and Doug and Chuck. 17 00:01:13.720 --> 00:01:17.920 Arand, who is also involved had as we were trying to put this 18 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:25.020 together, was how to sort of signify all the aspects of Dale's career. 19 00:01:25.020 --> 00:01:31.520 And so it's cut into three sections sections of essays that reflect 20 00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:37.020 both on Dale's scholarly career, and his work as a leader in 21 00:01:37.020 --> 00:01:43.120 theological education. Then some analysis by his fellow 22 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:43.320 homelticians 23 00:01:44.220 --> 00:01:48.920 in the department of practical theology here at the Seminary. Analyzing 24 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:53.820 Dale's own sermons as he was known as a preacher throughout the 25 00:01:53.820 --> 00:01:57.320 church, especially from his time as Speaker of the Lutheran hour and 26 00:01:57.320 --> 00:02:04.320 then additional sermons from fellow faculty that, in one way, reflect 27 00:02:04.320 --> 00:02:09.420 how Dale was always adamant about the worship life of our seminary 28 00:02:09.420 --> 00:02:15.820 community, as well as his own preaching, and teaching of preachers. 29 00:02:15.820 --> 00:02:21.520 So that's a basic overview, but I guess I'd like to include Erik 30 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.320 Herrmann & Doug Rutt here. 31 00:02:23.320 --> 00:02:26.920 Doug, as I recall this book was your idea. 32 00:02:26.920 --> 00:02:31.020 You were the one who first raised it up as a possibility, and then, 33 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:33.020 and then we all just sort of ran with it from there. 34 00:02:33.020 --> 00:02:37.220 But could you talk a little bit about serve the origin story of this? 35 00:02:37.220 --> 00:02:40.020 Sure. Yeah, thank you. 36 00:02:40.020 --> 00:02:43.920 Well I guess, you know, as we started to talk, 37 00:02:44.220 --> 00:02:51.120 how do we celebrate the legacy that Dale Meyer has left here 38 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.820 at the Seminary as president serving as President 39 00:02:53.820 --> 00:02:59.420 also serving as a faculty member, it just seemed the right thing to do 40 00:02:59.420 --> 00:03:01.020 knowing that he has 41 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:06.720 he has produced so much in terms of sermons and speaking and preaching 42 00:03:07.220 --> 00:03:10.920 through the years. So that I I just thought it was the appropriate thing 43 00:03:10.920 --> 00:03:11.220 to do. 44 00:03:11.220 --> 00:03:15.420 But then as we met and started talking about it, we we 45 00:03:16.920 --> 00:03:30.220 had to think a little bit about what, threre is something, and 46 00:03:30.220 --> 00:03:34.620 I think that's for me, I think we came up with a good plan here to 47 00:03:34.620 --> 00:03:37.820 take a look at some of the other real significant work you did as a 48 00:03:37.820 --> 00:03:41.120 Lutheran Hour speaker, which was the number of years and had a big 49 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:42.320 impact there. 50 00:03:42.320 --> 00:03:44.720 And I work there myself for 8 years 51 00:03:44.720 --> 00:03:48.220 I'm still remember you with great fondness, Dale without a doubt 52 00:03:48.220 --> 00:03:50.420 the people there at Lutheran Hour. 53 00:03:50.420 --> 00:03:53.720 And but then also some of the other aspects of one that was 54 00:03:53.720 --> 00:03:57.420 particularly interesting to me was missions in theological education, 55 00:03:57.420 --> 00:04:02.320 in the interrelationship between the two. And I guess in a sense Dale 56 00:04:02.320 --> 00:04:06.620 all you kind of done something in a way like I have your your career 57 00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:12.520 has been really in both camps in a field work as a pastor as well as 58 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:13.220 a missionary. 59 00:04:13.220 --> 00:04:16.820 And I'm thinking they're especially about your work with Lutheran 60 00:04:16.820 --> 00:04:21.020 Hour which is bringing Christ to the nations of course and then also 61 00:04:21.020 --> 00:04:24.920 the the long tenure you that you had in the area of the theological 62 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:29.520 education. And I've had kind of a similar trajectory that I've worked 63 00:04:29.520 --> 00:04:31.520 in both camps, I would say by 50/50. 64 00:04:31.520 --> 00:04:35.820 So that's I think it came out really well and I'm really thankful that 65 00:04:35.820 --> 00:04:39.820 we then came up with a good plan and everybody that we asked was very 66 00:04:39.820 --> 00:04:41.720 happy and willing to participate, 67 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:48.620 so. If I may Travis, I was totally surprised when this was announced to 68 00:04:48.620 --> 00:04:55.620 me. My sarcastic side said, well, you guys really lowered the bar for a 69 00:04:55.620 --> 00:04:59.120 fiestshrift but my 70 00:05:00.320 --> 00:05:06.520 seep self was it was was was very humbled humbled by it and it was 71 00:05:06.520 --> 00:05:07.820 interesting in hindsight. 72 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:13.920 To see that, you know, well Dale did this, and Dale did that, and I 73 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.020 hadn't thought about it but that is absolutely true. 74 00:05:17.020 --> 00:05:21.920 Now, in retirement, my main focus is I'm doing a little teaching, 75 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.020 thank you to the faculty for the invitation. 76 00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:29.920 My main focus is a commentary on 1st Peter so I can't be scattershot. 77 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:33.920 I'm more focused than I have been for for decades. 78 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:41.620 So the Jack of all trades and master of none caused me to reflect, but 79 00:05:41.620 --> 00:05:46.520 I'm honored. You it's not a traditional festschrift in that sense. 80 00:05:46.520 --> 00:05:50.220 And I think one of the fun things is it's not really written for 81 00:05:50.220 --> 00:05:52.920 traditional frestschrift and Erik it 82 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:55.220 would be interesting to hear your thoughts because you worked on 83 00:05:55.220 --> 00:05:56.820 traditional festschrift. 84 00:05:57.020 --> 00:06:02.720 Where it's it's a scholar who has a really specialized field of work 85 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:05.720 that and so everybody sort of drilling down. 86 00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:10.420 And so they become very technical and written for the guild, 87 00:06:10.420 --> 00:06:11.120 so to speak. 88 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.720 Where this really a general reader could pick this up and read the 89 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:17.320 sermons in the essays and get a lot out of it. 90 00:06:17.320 --> 00:06:21.320 And so it isn't it traditional festschrift in that sense, is it Erik. 91 00:06:21.320 --> 00:06:22.920 No, it's not. 92 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:30.520 I mean, it's reflects kind of the broad Churchmanship of Dale and 93 00:06:30.520 --> 00:06:31.620 the variety of areas. 94 00:06:31.620 --> 00:06:34.720 Like you said, I think there's certainly it's there's a lot of 95 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:39.720 theology in here and good theology, but it is sort of a reflecting a 96 00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:41.120 broad, a scheme. 97 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:44.420 And it also is not like a typical festschrift in that 98 00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:50.020 I think we did record time and producing it. Not only was Dale 99 00:06:50.020 --> 00:06:53.920 surprised but we were all surprised when Doug said why don't we through 100 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:54.120 together a festschrift. 101 00:06:54.120 --> 00:07:00.520 And I've edited one and that's taken years to get all those essays 102 00:07:00.520 --> 00:07:00.920 together. 103 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.520 So, as we were thinking about it 104 00:07:04.520 --> 00:07:05.420 you know what 105 00:07:06.220 --> 00:07:08.920 do people have on their cutting floor, what do people, but it ended up working 106 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:13.820 out in such a way that we were able to ask a different folks to write 107 00:07:13.820 --> 00:07:16.820 essays that reflected different areas. 108 00:07:16.820 --> 00:07:23.320 We had Maxwell, write a piece on translating Cyril and some of the 109 00:07:23.320 --> 00:07:27.020 challenges of that Cyril of Alexandria. 110 00:07:27.020 --> 00:07:33.020 And again that's her reflects Dale's work in Lutheran, Bible 111 00:07:33.020 --> 00:07:37.320 Translators, that sort of all area of his, and American Bible society 112 00:07:37.320 --> 00:07:40.320 and Kloha as well. 113 00:07:40.320 --> 00:07:45.220 Also as now the curator, Head Curator Vice President over at the Bible 114 00:07:45.220 --> 00:07:50.020 Museum was able to talk about some unique aspects to the American 115 00:07:50.020 --> 00:07:50.320 Bible. 116 00:07:50.320 --> 00:07:55.020 And I just thought that the Dan Aleshire piece was a really interesting 117 00:07:55.020 --> 00:07:59.020 piece and kind of I think it'd be helpful for it was helpful for me to 118 00:07:59.020 --> 00:08:00.720 read it cuz it was an outsider. Who 119 00:08:01.220 --> 00:08:05.020 had been around in the circles of theological education, for a long 120 00:08:05.020 --> 00:08:10.020 time, had a long history with Missouri as an outsider and gave some 121 00:08:10.020 --> 00:08:16.020 really, really helpful assessments both kind words and hard words for us to 122 00:08:16.020 --> 00:08:17.920 think about ourselves. Dale 123 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:19.420 can you talk a little bit about Aleshire? 124 00:08:19.420 --> 00:08:24.020 I, I know he was someone that you really respected as you worked 125 00:08:24.020 --> 00:08:28.420 through as, as president in particular because he was the president of the 126 00:08:28.420 --> 00:08:33.720 accreditation agency, the ATS but he wrote some things to that were 127 00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:36.820 really helpful to us. Dan is a great guy. 128 00:08:36.820 --> 00:08:39.620 And I he and I both entered the seminary in the same year, 129 00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:44.420 1969, different seminaries and it's totally different careers. 130 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:50.520 But one of the highlights of being president and Larry Rast knows this 131 00:08:50.520 --> 00:08:53.920 and Tom Egger will find this out. 132 00:08:53.920 --> 00:08:59.920 Is the yearly intensive that the ATS puts on for Seminary presidents. 133 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:05.120 And that was an important time because we could close our eyes and 134 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:07.120 listen to Dan and other people talk 135 00:09:08.220 --> 00:09:13.420 about the thirty thousand foot view of American seminaries. 136 00:09:13.420 --> 00:09:18.120 The ATS has 280 accredited seminaries. And when you close your eyes and 137 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:18.420 listen, 138 00:09:20.220 --> 00:09:22.820 we're dealing with the same issues. 139 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:27.320 Different denominations different names. 140 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:32.820 Each seminary has its peculiarities put the basic issues are similar 141 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:36.320 and they come from a number of issues. 142 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:40.420 One is the culture in which we live, second is changes in higher 143 00:09:40.420 --> 00:09:47.420 education and the third is denominationalism or religion. 144 00:09:47.420 --> 00:09:52.220 How we deal with that parochially and in the country. 145 00:09:52.220 --> 00:09:59.720 And if it I may say yet Dan has been wonderful. I appreciated what 146 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:04.620 he wrote, I would hope the people would would get the book and and and 147 00:10:04.620 --> 00:10:05.220 and read 148 00:10:05.220 --> 00:10:06.120 what Dan wrote. 149 00:10:07.020 --> 00:10:09.020 But there's even one thing 150 00:10:09.020 --> 00:10:10.720 and if I can vent my spleen, 151 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:17.120 our students that they don't know what that expression means, but 152 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:20.620 we in the Missouri Synod can be so parochial. 153 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:28.520 And think whether it be a congregational level, a pastoral level 154 00:10:28.520 --> 00:10:32.520 or sometimes leadership you know all we know how to do seminaries. 155 00:10:32.520 --> 00:10:38.520 Well Daniel Aleshire and the ATS reminded me that we often are sometimes 156 00:10:38.520 --> 00:10:40.420 parochial to our own hurt. 157 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:44.520 The other side of the coin is both of our seminaries Fort Wayne, St. 158 00:10:44.520 --> 00:10:50.620 Louis are very, very strong educationally, financially, mission-minded, 159 00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:54.820 and that's also a blessing of being in the Missouri 160 00:10:54.820 --> 00:10:55.120 Synod. 161 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:59.120 So, you know, a little little venting but yeah, that's a great essay. 162 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:02.720 And Dan's a wonderful person retired now as well. 163 00:11:04.020 --> 00:11:07.120 Go ahead Erik. I was just going to say that, that last point that you 164 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:10.920 made, there he list at the end of several observations five or 165 00:11:10.920 --> 00:11:16.120 six observations, about the Missouri Synod in light of the, the larger 166 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:18.620 scheme of things, and its uniqueness. 167 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:23.220 It doesn't quite fit into categories, like Mainline Christianity, that 168 00:11:23.220 --> 00:11:26.920 share certain things, but it's also not Evangelical in the same sense 169 00:11:26.920 --> 00:11:31.720 and he points out that sui generis and it is it's not a 170 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:35.820 bad word in Christianity to stand out and have a distinctive nature. 171 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:41.320 But he says that, he says there's two pressures in denominations two 172 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:43.720 tendencies and that Missouri Synod deals with it 173 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:44.520 like everyone else. 174 00:11:44.520 --> 00:11:49.620 One tendency is the historic role of religion to conserve and contend 175 00:11:49.620 --> 00:11:50.420 for the faith. 176 00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:58.820 And the other is to extend out into the horizon just to to reach out 177 00:11:58.820 --> 00:12:00.720 to what God is doing now today. 178 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:07.720 And it struck me that, that's exactly the tension, that that Doug Rutt 179 00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:14.620 highlighted in his essay, about theological education and admission. 180 00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:18.020 And even if the beginning of the Missouri Synod the Missouri 181 00:12:18.020 --> 00:12:21.220 Synod like embodied that tried to deal with that tension, right? 182 00:12:21.220 --> 00:12:24.520 I mean, established the theology school but they also did missions 183 00:12:24.520 --> 00:12:27.420 Walther kind of had this in his head. But it's one that is 184 00:12:27.420 --> 00:12:31.320 we could easily lose that tension and flip into one area or the other. 185 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:36.220 And focus, only on, you know, circling the wagons and preserving 186 00:12:36.220 --> 00:12:41.220 doctrine or only on growing the church and not worrying about the 187 00:12:41.220 --> 00:12:41.520 truth 188 00:12:41.520 --> 00:12:45.420 the faith that's been passed on to us. But we're not unique in holding 189 00:12:45.420 --> 00:12:46.020 that tension. 190 00:12:46.020 --> 00:12:51.020 I, I just, I found both of those essays is really helpful for the broader perspective 191 00:12:51.220 --> 00:12:54.420 on being Lutheran here today. 192 00:12:54.420 --> 00:12:57.620 Doug you want pick up on that? Well 193 00:12:57.620 --> 00:12:58.320 yeah, thanks. 194 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:03.420 If it actually learned a lot even as I was a working on that little 195 00:13:03.420 --> 00:13:07.820 piece, some of it I had thought about before and written some things 196 00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:09.520 kind of related to that topic. 197 00:13:09.520 --> 00:13:16.520 But I was also sitting in Doctor Seifrid's, Sunday morning Bible study at St. 198 00:13:16.520 --> 00:13:20.620 Paul's Lutheran in Des Peres and picking up a lot of stuff from him about 199 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:24.420 Paul's work in the area of theological education. 200 00:13:24.420 --> 00:13:28.820 He was actually studying through Acts like a number of things dawned on me but 201 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:33.020 you what you say is true, Erik would I, but I found out and in just 202 00:13:33.020 --> 00:13:36.720 trying to research the topic if I read a book on missions. 203 00:13:37.420 --> 00:13:41.220 Generally, it didn't say a lot about the theological education on the 204 00:13:41.220 --> 00:13:43.620 other hand, if I read a contemporary book on theological education, 205 00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:50.320 including even one that Aleshire an article that Aleshire wrote, it doesn't talk at the mission it's 206 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.620 all about you, no theological scholarship and so forth. 207 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:56.820 So you really bringing those two together and I think that's something 208 00:13:56.820 --> 00:14:03.020 that's been characteristic also of Dale's life and career as well. 209 00:14:03.020 --> 00:14:06.120 And I remember, as we were planning the issue. 210 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:09.620 That was one of the things you said, it's the way that during Dale's 211 00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:16.320 tenure, lifting up the Multi-Ethnic Symposium which now is as big as 212 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:17.920 the Theological Symposium. 213 00:14:17.920 --> 00:14:21.320 Which, yeah, we tend to think that's our signature public event on 214 00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:25.720 campus, but the Multi-Ethnic Symposium is just as big and it's coming up 215 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:32.320 here in a few weeks. And the Center for Hispanic Studies and Ethnic Immigrant Institute 216 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:37.320 the way that in Dale's leadership Mission has been 217 00:14:37.420 --> 00:14:44.220 lifted up and and I suspect may reflect back on your career outside 218 00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:46.220 of theological education too Dale. 219 00:14:47.420 --> 00:14:53.520 You know, if I may say not a rebuttal that maybe if I made 220 00:14:53.520 --> 00:14:56.420 sharpen sharpen the tension. 221 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:03.420 I was honored to serve as president for almost 16 years. 222 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:09.920 But the greatest honor is to be a member of the faculty. 223 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:12.820 The president, 224 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:18.320 and I'm learning this in retirement, the president has a perspective 225 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:23.820 on the institutions in the church and in in the broader higher 226 00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:27.820 education that nobody else has nobody else can have. 227 00:15:27.820 --> 00:15:33.720 If it is a unique position and that tension that Erik brought up 228 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:39.720 you know is he's obviously one that we feel. The faculty gets that and 229 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:44.820 whoever's watching this, our faculty understands both sides of that 230 00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:46.020 road of being faithful. 231 00:15:46.020 --> 00:15:50.820 The mission side and the fidelity side to the teaching. 232 00:15:51.520 --> 00:15:58.120 And as I look, I always tried to protect the faculty and encourage the 233 00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:58.720 faculty. 234 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:04.920 And sometimes that that, you know, meant that I tried to ward off this 235 00:16:04.920 --> 00:16:05.520 that or whatever. 236 00:16:05.520 --> 00:16:10.920 And then there were times when forces meant we as faculty had to 237 00:16:10.920 --> 00:16:11.120 adjust. 238 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:15.620 But be that as it may, I think the faculty of the of this Seminary 239 00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:18.620 and then we could have Fort Wayne to gets it. 240 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:25.220 And in the decline of institutional religion, in the United 241 00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:28.620 States and the decline of the Missouri Synod. 242 00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:32.820 When I was younger 2.7 million now, it's down to one 1.9. 243 00:16:32.820 --> 00:16:37.920 I guess. The way forward is going to be theological not Ivory Tower 244 00:16:37.920 --> 00:16:41.820 theology, but we have to do ivory-tower theology 245 00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:46.420 and then come down to where the people are at. Because we're living in 246 00:16:46.420 --> 00:16:49.020 an unprecedented time that needs both fidelity 247 00:16:49.020 --> 00:16:54.220 and Mission so as I project ahead and we can come back to this 248 00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:54.520 later. 249 00:16:54.520 --> 00:17:00.620 If the powers-that-be here your want to. The role of the faculty to the 250 00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:06.220 life of the church is significant. Concordia Seminary, is the largest 251 00:17:07.020 --> 00:17:09.320 Institution within the Missouri 252 00:17:09.320 --> 00:17:10.220 Synod family 253 00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:13.220 totally dedicated to the word of God, for the life of the church. 254 00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:14.720 Think about that. 255 00:17:15.620 --> 00:17:18.820 We are the largest institution in the Missouri 256 00:17:18.820 --> 00:17:19.620 Synod family. 257 00:17:19.620 --> 00:17:24.420 Totally dedicated to the word of God, for the life of the church. 258 00:17:24.420 --> 00:17:25.620 We're not the biggest budget. 259 00:17:25.620 --> 00:17:31.320 We're not the biggest institution, but we are singularly focused in on 260 00:17:31.320 --> 00:17:33.420 that tension that Erik brought up 261 00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:39.120 so excuse me for you know. As president I got letters from 262 00:17:39.120 --> 00:17:43.620 retired guys who told me what I should be doing and I guess I'm 263 00:17:43.620 --> 00:17:44.620 slipping into that. 264 00:17:44.620 --> 00:17:47.620 I'm a retired guy and this is my chance to hold court. 265 00:17:47.620 --> 00:17:53.820 So I think it also reflects that one of the signatures of your 266 00:17:53.820 --> 00:17:58.520 leadership was, how you emphasize that aspect of our mission statement 267 00:17:58.520 --> 00:18:04.120 that says theological leadership for church and world. That a seminary 268 00:18:04.120 --> 00:18:06.920 isn't just a preacher fact factory 269 00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:13.020 but that the faculty can be doing things with the church and in the 270 00:18:13.020 --> 00:18:20.220 church that is not Ivory Tower but it's actually you know, providing a 271 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:28.120 kind of theological, I don't know what the word is providing theology that 272 00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:32.320 is relevant to and helpful to the life of the church. 273 00:18:32.320 --> 00:18:33.120 I'm sorry 274 00:18:33.120 --> 00:18:34.820 Doug, I know you wanted to jump in there too. 275 00:18:34.820 --> 00:18:35.620 Oh no 276 00:18:35.620 --> 00:18:38.420 I just wanted to ask about something in what you say is true. 277 00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:38.920 Travis. 278 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:44.120 And that's why the dead Orthodox always said all theology is made for 279 00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:44.620 practice. 280 00:18:44.620 --> 00:18:47.420 And I it's not there just for speculative purposes. 281 00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:50.020 So all theology is practical 282 00:18:50.020 --> 00:18:55.820 I would say. Dale you mentioned Ft. Wayne and I just maybe thought you'd 283 00:18:55.820 --> 00:18:59.420 say couple words about the relationship you had with the president of 284 00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:01.520 our sister Seminary Larry Rast. 285 00:19:01.520 --> 00:19:06.320 I know you games traveled to Ethiopia together and you know 286 00:19:06.320 --> 00:19:07.220 were I think almost 287 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:08.820 daily communication 288 00:19:08.820 --> 00:19:09.920 it seemed like to me 289 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:13.420 so, anything you want to say about that relationship with him, 290 00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:17.920 with Larry? Thanks for that laying that on the table, Doug. 291 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:21.420 When I was installed, 292 00:19:22.520 --> 00:19:23.420 as President 293 00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:29.920 there was real tension between the two seminaries. And people openly 294 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:35.020 put down the other Seminary and in that was out in the field as well. 295 00:19:35.020 --> 00:19:41.420 It, it wasn't totally accurate by the way, because then the seminaries 296 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:42.520 had good relationships. 297 00:19:42.520 --> 00:19:49.620 But but Dean Wenthe and I were very intentional about modeling 298 00:19:50.620 --> 00:19:52.920 fraternal relations to the church. 299 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:57.220 And I I remember that we were both asked to speak at a circuit 300 00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:59.920 counselor Gathering in 301 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:03.620 I think was Milwaukee that's before their name was changed, 302 00:20:03.620 --> 00:20:08.320 know. Like changing names is going to reinvigorate the church but be 303 00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:09.920 that as it may. 304 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:14.420 So a lot of the crowd is waiting for Dean and Dale to go at each other 305 00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:18.120 and we presented a united front. 306 00:20:18.120 --> 00:20:21.820 We actually made fun of each other in a good-natured way and then 307 00:20:21.820 --> 00:20:24.820 brought some serious points that was different. 308 00:20:24.820 --> 00:20:31.520 And Larry Rast continued that. Larry and I would often chat on 309 00:20:31.520 --> 00:20:33.920 this hey Larry, I got this problem. 310 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:36.120 What do you think? 311 00:20:36.120 --> 00:20:41.820 And and and he would give me his advice or, or we get together and he 312 00:20:41.820 --> 00:20:45.820 would tell me something that's going on with him very fraternal. 313 00:20:45.820 --> 00:20:49.120 And then, then, as you mentiond we both went to Ethiopia a couple 314 00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:50.620 years ago and that was wonderful. 315 00:20:50.620 --> 00:20:54.020 Our two seminaries are together. Now 316 00:20:54.020 --> 00:20:55.320 they are different schools. 317 00:20:55.320 --> 00:21:00.420 The culture on each campus is a little bit different, but, but please, 318 00:21:00.420 --> 00:21:03.320 whoever is watching, don't pit the seminaries against one another 319 00:21:03.320 --> 00:21:08.920 because because we're tight at the hip in again, this 320 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:14.220 was twofold aspect of our mission, the mission and fidelity. 321 00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:16.120 So yeah, that's that's good. 322 00:21:16.120 --> 00:21:18.620 I treasure Larry. 323 00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:23.420 Hope he treasures me and I and I miss working with them on a daily 324 00:21:23.420 --> 00:21:31.520 basis and this is true of faculty and staff. In this time when 325 00:21:31.520 --> 00:21:35.420 resources can be tight and and we have to manage 326 00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:41.920 the institution with fiscal responsibility and yet with, hopefully, 327 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:42.820 with vision for the future. 328 00:21:42.820 --> 00:21:50.420 The two staffs of the Seminary are in constant contact and often 329 00:21:51.520 --> 00:21:54.520 not always, but often when one makes a move. 330 00:21:54.520 --> 00:21:57.420 The other one is going to make the same same move. 331 00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:01.320 So yeah, thanks for putting that on the table, Doug. 332 00:22:03.520 --> 00:22:06.720 And Doug that's something, you know, because you worked about 333 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:07.620 seminaries, right? 334 00:22:07.620 --> 00:22:08.120 So. 335 00:22:09.120 --> 00:22:11.420 Yeah, and I worked with Larry 336 00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:17.020 we used to be even neighbors for a while but yeah I was at the Fort 337 00:22:17.020 --> 00:22:20.920 Wayne Seminary for 12 years all told, two years at first and then came 338 00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:21.620 back for 10 years. 339 00:22:24.020 --> 00:22:26.820 Your right it as a different culture, Dale, 340 00:22:26.820 --> 00:22:28.020 a little bit. 341 00:22:30.820 --> 00:22:36.120 We know, we haven't talked about the Homiletical aspects of this, 342 00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:41.120 but one of the things that was interesting to me and and Dave Schmitt 343 00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:46.820 and Peter Nafzger and Glenn Nielsen the contributed to this on that end 344 00:22:46.820 --> 00:22:51.520 of things, it was a way for us to highlight the uniqueness of how you 345 00:22:51.520 --> 00:22:53.920 teach homiletics here at the Seminary. 346 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:59.120 And I think they, they like to have a lot of fun with you about that 347 00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:05.820 but anything that you've been reflecting on Dale in terms of, I don't 348 00:23:05.820 --> 00:23:08.920 think we have you teaching preaching right now 349 00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:11.020 do we? Yeah I am. 350 00:23:11.020 --> 00:23:14.520 You are cool. And they asked me back next year too. 351 00:23:14.520 --> 00:23:17.520 So I'm teaching the Hom 2 class right now. 352 00:23:17.520 --> 00:23:22.820 I taught Law Gospel polarity in Fall, which is a Hom elective, 353 00:23:22.820 --> 00:23:27.120 which I love and I'll be teaching Law and Gospel in Hom 2 next year and 354 00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:29.620 I appreciate the faculty having me back. Now 355 00:23:30.820 --> 00:23:33.420 part of the reason is, we're short of professors. 356 00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:40.520 And, and so, if a guy's got a pulse they will bring them in to do that, 357 00:23:40.520 --> 00:23:41.520 but, but I enjoy that. 358 00:23:41.520 --> 00:23:47.220 But, you know, I've never thought of myself as a Homeletician that 359 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:52.320 just kind of happened because my dissertation in the Greek, and Latin 360 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:55.420 Classics was, was on rhetoric. 361 00:23:55.420 --> 00:24:00.920 And then then I went into the Lutheran Hour, but I've never thought of 362 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:03.220 myself as a Homeletician and I'm not as well 363 00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:09.220 read in contemporary homiletics is it as Schmitt, Nafzger and with 364 00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:16.720 Nielsen and those guys. My self idealization has always been exegie. 365 00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:24.520 And and so now I'm trying to get all the exegetical rust out of my 366 00:24:24.520 --> 00:24:27.020 brain and 367 00:24:27.020 --> 00:24:30.620 but do it from up with a homiletical point of view. 368 00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:36.920 I don't know if that's unique or not, but I'm thankful for the 369 00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:38.220 homiletical experiences 370 00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:40.320 I had I think I did learn a few things. 371 00:24:40.320 --> 00:24:42.320 Frankly, I don't think 372 00:24:43.120 --> 00:24:47.820 homiletics has too much contemporary homiletics as it is so it has 373 00:24:47.820 --> 00:24:48.220 too much 374 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:53.120 advancement over, what the classical orders did. 375 00:24:53.120 --> 00:24:58.620 But hey, that's, that's, that's a subversive opinion in the Practical 376 00:24:58.620 --> 00:24:59.220 Department 377 00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:00.820 so I should just keep it to myself. 378 00:25:00.820 --> 00:25:12.420 No comment. I was going to say those anatomies of your sermons are really a really interesting. 379 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:15.920 It's something that we've started doing in the Concordia journal to as 380 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:18.620 as an additional homiletical help. 381 00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:24.620 And when you have a Homeletician who's looking to illustrate 382 00:25:24.620 --> 00:25:29.120 positive examples, those annotations really make you look like, you 383 00:25:29.120 --> 00:25:29.920 know what you're doing. 384 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:35.020 I mean, they tell you and then he did this and then he made this 385 00:25:35.020 --> 00:25:38.320 important move and I am sure you did. 386 00:25:38.320 --> 00:25:42.620 But I know when they use analysis of mine, I wonder, was I doing all 387 00:25:42.620 --> 00:25:43.120 of those things? 388 00:25:43.120 --> 00:25:47.620 But I think it's really helpful for reflecting on the task. 389 00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:49.020 I mean, all of our 390 00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:57.120 actual Homeleticians are are very are very good at looking at how 391 00:25:57.120 --> 00:25:59.620 they accomplished the work of proclaiming Christ to people 392 00:25:59.620 --> 00:26:09.220 and in doing it effectively. If I may go back at, you Erik and not 393 00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:10.020 disagreeing. 394 00:26:11.020 --> 00:26:13.620 Our homiletics profs are great. 395 00:26:13.620 --> 00:26:20.120 And one of the things that that I have noticed and and Peter Nafzger 396 00:26:20.120 --> 00:26:23.520 made the point of me wants in a casual conversation with a new 397 00:26:23.520 --> 00:26:24.420 curriculum. 398 00:26:25.520 --> 00:26:30.720 And especially in Hom 2 is team taught an exegete and a Hom guy. 399 00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:35.820 The students are writing better sermon than under the old curriculum, 400 00:26:35.820 --> 00:26:39.520 where they just had one professor. 401 00:26:39.520 --> 00:26:40.820 So, so that's an improvement. 402 00:26:40.820 --> 00:26:46.120 And then again, the Faculty did all this work, the long arduous work 403 00:26:46.120 --> 00:26:50.720 of redoing the curriculum so that it had nothing to do with me except 404 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:54.920 give you my blessing to it but but it's paying off and it's being off for 405 00:26:54.920 --> 00:26:55.520 the good of the church. 406 00:26:55.520 --> 00:26:58.820 The second thing is I have an interest in 407 00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:02.920 Contemporary culture. 408 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:05.420 However, that happened, I don't know. 409 00:27:06.520 --> 00:27:11.720 And one of the things that we don't raise up enough, I think is the 410 00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:18.120 systematics, not the systematics of the catechism and the confession, 411 00:27:18.120 --> 00:27:18.820 which is important. 412 00:27:18.820 --> 00:27:23.020 But systematics also means the dialogue that we have with culture now. 413 00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:28.020 And how do you take, where the culture is at and understand that 414 00:27:28.020 --> 00:27:33.720 systematically in view of our Biblical and an confessional faith? 415 00:27:34.820 --> 00:27:36.020 And that's something 416 00:27:36.020 --> 00:27:40.620 I think that that, that this faculty does does very, very well and our 417 00:27:40.620 --> 00:27:41.120 students 418 00:27:41.120 --> 00:27:43.220 pick it up, it's in the air. 419 00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:49.820 So, yeah, Homiletics is not just not just preaching, it involves exegeses 420 00:27:49.820 --> 00:27:55.520 and it involves having your sense to where the culture is at, and 421 00:27:55.520 --> 00:27:57.220 it's, it's where the rubber hits the road. 422 00:27:57.220 --> 00:28:02.020 So anyway, you gave me an occasion to be the retired guy and tell you what I 423 00:28:02.020 --> 00:28:05.420 think. Well there are two good examples of that 424 00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:10.620 in here. Two from the Systematics Department, Joel Bermann has an 425 00:28:10.620 --> 00:28:19.920 essay on Churchmanship and and then a Leo has an essay on especially 426 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:21.920 dealing with immigrant 427 00:28:22.520 --> 00:28:26.320 Christianity and dealing with your neighbor who doesn't look like 428 00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:28.820 you. And both of them reminded me of something 429 00:28:28.820 --> 00:28:35.920 you used to say a lot sort of bring down the theology and what we do here into 430 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:40.520 two main things, just love God and love people and both of those are 431 00:28:40.520 --> 00:28:43.320 actually focusing on the love people side of things. 432 00:28:43.320 --> 00:28:45.620 Like what does it mean to love 433 00:28:45.620 --> 00:28:51.720 fellow Christians and being a Churchman but Leo, really, spent 434 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:55.620 some time talking about like in the Heidelberg Disputation the 435 00:28:55.620 --> 00:28:57.620 difference between God's love and our love. 436 00:28:57.620 --> 00:29:01.320 God's love creates that, which is pleasing to it. 437 00:29:01.320 --> 00:29:04.520 The humans love finds what's pleasing to it. 438 00:29:04.520 --> 00:29:08.520 In other words, people love others that 439 00:29:09.320 --> 00:29:12.620 are like them and reflect the things that they want to see in 440 00:29:12.620 --> 00:29:18.420 themselves which is okay, but it's it really falls short when it comes 441 00:29:18.420 --> 00:29:21.120 to really reaching the mission of the church and what you're trying to 442 00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:24.520 reach people, that actually the gospels for people that are also very 443 00:29:24.520 --> 00:29:29.920 much unlike me. And Leo has been a really great guiding light in 444 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:34.920 helping us think carefully about how we love the other person. 445 00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:40.620 I would second that absolutely second that both Leo and loving the 446 00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:41.420 other person. 447 00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:46.720 And, and in my darker thoughts, I wonder how good the Missouri Synod 448 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:51.320 is at speaking generally and also, at our congregational level and 449 00:29:51.320 --> 00:29:54.220 at the personal level. How good have we been about 450 00:29:55.120 --> 00:30:00.820 loving the unlovable, Thesis 28 of the Heidelberg Disputation? You know 451 00:30:00.820 --> 00:30:04.620 we tend to like those who are like us. 452 00:30:04.620 --> 00:30:10.720 So that's that's that's where you guys who are on the faculty 453 00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:17.020 teaching our students and in the continuing ed resources that you are 454 00:30:17.020 --> 00:30:17.720 putting out. 455 00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:19.520 That's a message man. 456 00:30:19.520 --> 00:30:21.420 It's a relevant message. 457 00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:25.220 You know, I wish I were starting my presidency knowing what I know now 458 00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:26.620 but hey Dr. 459 00:30:26.620 --> 00:30:27.720 Egger will do fine. 460 00:30:29.620 --> 00:30:35.020 And I think to the award that reminds me of and and we got just a hint 461 00:30:35.020 --> 00:30:39.920 of this cuz Glenn Nielsen's and me included the perspective of a 462 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:45.820 recent graduate, you know, I think we have 16 years of graduates of 463 00:30:45.820 --> 00:30:50.420 this place who also have so much 464 00:30:52.520 --> 00:30:58.820 affection for you as sort of the institutional oppa of all of us. 465 00:30:58.820 --> 00:31:04.620 And and I would like to think 16 years of graduates are 16 years of 466 00:31:04.620 --> 00:31:11.520 pastors who are out, hopefully doing exactly that because they've seen 467 00:31:11.520 --> 00:31:15.720 it modeled not only with the faculty but by your leadership. 468 00:31:15.720 --> 00:31:20.820 So, you know, keep blowing up your ego here 469 00:31:20.820 --> 00:31:23.320 I think I think there's an element to that to that 470 00:31:23.320 --> 00:31:26.620 we can we can say that the the church is in good hands. 471 00:31:26.620 --> 00:31:29.520 Well that I'm spending more time with Diane 472 00:31:29.520 --> 00:31:32.320 the ego is getting shoot down everyday. 473 00:31:34.120 --> 00:31:37.720 I would echo Travis's point. 474 00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:42.120 I'm really optimistic, given the kind of students 475 00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:47.120 we've had, I've watched it change and shift over the last 15 years. 476 00:31:47.120 --> 00:31:51.420 You and I sort of started our various vocations on on the on the same 477 00:31:51.420 --> 00:31:55.720 year actually 2005 is when I started teaching and you became president. 478 00:31:55.720 --> 00:32:02.220 And I've just been so pleased with the quality of our students and our 479 00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:07.120 graduates and the stuff that they've been putting out. In this essay in 480 00:32:07.120 --> 00:32:07.820 this up book 481 00:32:07.820 --> 00:32:11.120 I only contributed a little sermon on 482 00:32:11.120 --> 00:32:14.220 It was von Staupitz's 483 00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:20.220 commemoration, which if nobody knows what who Johann von Staupitz 484 00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:21.520 it says that's fine. 485 00:32:21.520 --> 00:32:25.220 He was Luther's, father Confessor. 486 00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:30.720 It's never been a commemoration in our church, until we published the 487 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:33.120 new Hymnal, so it's entirely unique to the Missouri 488 00:32:33.120 --> 00:32:34.120 Synod and to LSB. 489 00:32:34.120 --> 00:32:37.720 So we're a very contemporary churches, you know. 490 00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:44.020 But I wanted, I wanted to just real quickly are a little annotation at 491 00:32:44.020 --> 00:32:50.220 the top before I before I printed the sermon. President Meyer is not my 492 00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:52.120 father, but he's old enough. 493 00:32:53.520 --> 00:32:57.920 His his daughter Lizzie and I are the same age and we knew each other 494 00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:58.620 as teenagers. 495 00:32:58.620 --> 00:33:02.820 I remember that my interview with him felt like the interaction of a 496 00:33:02.820 --> 00:33:03.520 benevolent father-figure. 497 00:33:03.520 --> 00:33:08.420 Gently encouraging, a nervous kid and I was only 30 years old 498 00:33:08.420 --> 00:33:10.620 then. I'm definitely still a kid. 499 00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:13.120 Yet, his approach to all 500 00:33:13.120 --> 00:33:17.420 the faculty was often paternal in the best sense of the word even as 501 00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:20.520 the projected, the image of Grandfather to his students oppa 502 00:33:20.520 --> 00:33:23.820 protective supportive and especially hopeful. 503 00:33:23.820 --> 00:33:29.120 And the sermon below is about Staupitz and Luther. Staupitz too was a 504 00:33:29.120 --> 00:33:32.720 father figure to lose their, he gave Luther hope in all the right ways 505 00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:38.420 namely by stubbornly pointing to Jesus. And I think 506 00:33:40.320 --> 00:33:44.920 everybody that knows, you knows that you're stubborn and that you 507 00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:48.220 pointed to Jesus again and again for us. 508 00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:53.920 So, as a personal note, we appreciate oppa. 509 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:55.920 Thank you. Thank you. 510 00:33:55.920 --> 00:33:59.020 There's two separate points there Erik. 511 00:33:59.020 --> 00:34:07.320 I am stubborn, after a few years of marriage, Diane said I can hear 512 00:34:07.320 --> 00:34:08.520 your mind slammed shut. 513 00:34:08.520 --> 00:34:13.920 And I took that as a compliment, she had to explain that, she didn't 514 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:14.620 mean it that way. 515 00:34:14.620 --> 00:34:21.420 But the other thing is is is Jesus, you know, and one of the things I 516 00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:24.520 still want to see on campus is a statue of Jesus. 517 00:34:26.920 --> 00:34:28.720 Especially in this day and age. 518 00:34:28.720 --> 00:34:31.220 We, we we are tempted 519 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:36.920 subtly tempted to substitute the life of the church and the 520 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:38.620 congregation for Jesus. 521 00:34:38.620 --> 00:34:42.120 And I'm not putting that down. I'm not 522 00:34:42.120 --> 00:34:46.820 pitting them against one another, but, you know, Jesus has ascended, 523 00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:48.620 pours out his Spirit 524 00:34:48.620 --> 00:34:50.420 he still alive, he's coming back. 525 00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:55.020 So I think we need it in the 21st century, especially Ministry. 526 00:34:55.020 --> 00:34:59.220 We need to raise up that the reason for our gathering. 527 00:34:59.220 --> 00:35:03.320 The reason for us being in Synod is not just Doctrine, as good 528 00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:05.720 as that is, but it's Christ its Christ. 529 00:35:05.720 --> 00:35:10.020 So yeah, I am stubborn and my Jesus will forgive me. 530 00:35:12.520 --> 00:35:14.320 Well, maybe that's a good place to end 531 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:18.920 You did at least get Jesus into the stained glass in the chapel. 532 00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:25.120 So we can say that the resurrected Jesus is front and center there, 533 00:35:25.120 --> 00:35:30.020 so. You know, Erik mentioned that we put this festschrift together in 534 00:35:30.020 --> 00:35:30.420 record time. 535 00:35:30.420 --> 00:35:36.320 And I think one of the reasons that was able to happen is every author 536 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:41.420 that we asked to contribute said, yes, we didn't have a single person, 537 00:35:41.420 --> 00:35:41.920 say no. 538 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:43.920 And I think that's a testament 539 00:35:45.120 --> 00:35:50.120 not only to buy your leadership but to your Churchmanship. 540 00:35:50.120 --> 00:35:54.720 As we've talked about into the collegiality that so many relationships 541 00:35:54.720 --> 00:35:59.820 Dale that you have in the church in the broader church. 542 00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:02.320 That's that is a blessing to us all. 543 00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:06.520 I should mention that you can pick up the book at various places. 544 00:36:06.520 --> 00:36:07.620 It's on Amazon. 545 00:36:07.620 --> 00:36:08.720 It's on 546 00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:10.720 the CPH website. 547 00:36:10.720 --> 00:36:15.420 We partnered with them on this cph.org and then is on the online store 548 00:36:15.420 --> 00:36:18.320 for the Seminary at store. 549 00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:19.120 CSL. 550 00:36:19.120 --> 00:36:23.520 Edu. Dale, final word. A final word if I may since I've 551 00:36:23.520 --> 00:36:28.320 got a great venue here to share retired guys 552 00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:33.820 thoughts. A president by definition has to look to the future. 553 00:36:34.720 --> 00:36:38.720 And I spent a lot of time doing that and I think Concordia Seminary 554 00:36:38.720 --> 00:36:39.920 has a great future. 555 00:36:42.120 --> 00:36:43.520 But in a declining, 556 00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:49.620 denomination, which isn't going to turn around too quickly. 557 00:36:49.620 --> 00:36:53.020 We pray it will turn around in our graduates are going to be critical 558 00:36:53.020 --> 00:36:54.320 with the spirits blessing in that. 559 00:36:55.420 --> 00:37:00.220 You know, how do we ensure that the contributions of of Lutheranism as 560 00:37:00.220 --> 00:37:02.220 as mediated through our faculty 561 00:37:03.220 --> 00:37:05.820 and this institution, how did they continue? 562 00:37:05.820 --> 00:37:08.820 I am of the conviction that years from 563 00:37:08.820 --> 00:37:15.220 now we have to look at Concordia Seminary as a theological resource to 564 00:37:15.220 --> 00:37:20.820 the whole church, continuing education, you know publications 565 00:37:20.820 --> 00:37:26.220 and this is only only one, workshops, graduate programs 566 00:37:26.220 --> 00:37:30.120 all of that to be the leaven of Lutheranism. 567 00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:35.820 In the broader Christian Community, United States in the world and at 568 00:37:35.820 --> 00:37:38.520 the same time continuing to provide pastors. 569 00:37:38.520 --> 00:37:43.320 So I'm not talking about compromising with things that we do not 570 00:37:43.320 --> 00:37:43.620 believe. 571 00:37:43.620 --> 00:37:49.720 But I think the future of the future for this institution is 572 00:37:49.720 --> 00:37:55.820 far greater and more significant in in Christendom than just providing 573 00:37:55.820 --> 00:37:57.120 LCMS Pastors. 574 00:37:57.120 --> 00:37:57.620 Okay? 575 00:37:57.620 --> 00:38:00.420 And that's why the faculty is so key. 576 00:38:00.420 --> 00:38:04.620 And that's why it's been an honor to be a member of the faculty, and 577 00:38:04.620 --> 00:38:08.720 to try in a bumbling way to leave these almost sixteen years. 578 00:38:08.720 --> 00:38:12.620 So, you know what you could say 579 00:38:12.620 --> 00:38:16.220 it's a great time to be the church, is a great time to be Concordia. 580 00:38:16.220 --> 00:38:16.620 Seminary. 581 00:38:16.620 --> 00:38:17.620 Thank you. 582 00:38:19.020 --> 00:38:21.320 Well, to quote one of your former colleagues. 583 00:38:21.320 --> 00:38:22.520 What more is there to say 584 00:38:22.520 --> 00:38:23.220 but amen. 585 00:38:26.520 --> 00:38:28.320 Thank you, Dale, thanks 586 00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:29.520 Erik, thanks, Doug. 587 00:38:29.520 --> 00:38:34.320 And you all for joining us here at Concordia theology. 588 00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:35.720 Org will see you next time.