Awhile back, I wrote here about the Chinese artist He Qi. Near the end I mentioned that “there’s a chance we may be bringing his work to campus for an exhibition in the fall.” Several commented that they hoped it would come to pass.

Well, after a few months of hard work, it has become a reality. “Look Toward the Heavens: The Art of He Qi,” an exhibition of 43 artist proof giclee works, is now open on the Concordia Seminary campus. The exhibition is housed in the gallery of Concordia Historical Institute, the first building on the left on the Seminary Drive entrance into campus from Clayton Road. It is the first (only?) time He Qi’s art has been exhibited in the St. Louis area.

Moreover, He Qi (pronounced huh chee) will be here “in the flesh” on Thursday and Friday. His exhibition is a stunning collection,…

The American Kantorei, under the direction of Robert Bergt

Recent events notwithstanding, the arts—in particular, classical music—will continue to be alive and well on the Concordia Seminary campus. (In case you don’t know, both KFUO stations broadcast from the Concordia campus, even though they are owned by The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.)

Case in point, the just-announced 18th season of the renowned Bach at the Sem series will premiere on October 25. Bach at the Sem features presentations of J. S. Bach’s music by The American Kantorei, under the direction of Robert Bergt. But as you’ll see below, Bach isn’t the only composer whose music bellows the gracious space of the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. In the best cultural tradition of St. Louis-Forest Park, there is no admission charge and no tickets are issued. So, be warned, the seats go fast.

The 2009-2010 Bach at the Sem season is as follows:

Sunday, October 25, 3:00 p.m. Psalm 130:…

We just finished up this year’s theological symposium on science and theology on the Concordia Seminary campus. Presentations on quantum physics, ecology, and neuroscience (free videos of which will be up on the Seminary’s iTunes U site shortly) and other issues have left my brain oozing, but also with a couple of observations….

When we brush away the misconceptions about both science and religion, we are left with two kinds of human knowledge that can be mutually enriching. There were more than a few times when talk of scientific discovery led my mind into new and exciting theological territory. It is truly tragic when misunderstandings on both sides cut off the dialogue between the two. So much of the terrain between the two is still uncharted.

Second, one of the faculty presenters, Dr. Rick Marrs, in referencing an article by Barbara Bradley Hagerty in USA Today, picked up on a distinction between secrets and mysteries.…

Concordia Seminary’s 20th annual Theological Symposium is September 22-23, and this is the issue at hand. “Science and theology” isn’t necessarily anything new, although the dialogue between the two has often been tenuous at best. But the “new questions and new conversations” certainly is. The symposium will walk the cutting edge of where science and theology intersect today, as well as the ethical implications that these intersections leave us with.

Behind all this is the attempt to get beyond the stereotypically American preoccupation between evolution and creationism. There are simply too many interesting questions out there on which both science and theology can provide answers that are mutually beneficial and enriching. And it is on those questions that we will be focused September 22-23.

To do that, the primary plenary speakers will be leading scientists from diverse backgrounds:

Benjamin Schumacher on “Elusive Reality: Quantum Physics and Theology.” Dr. Schumacher is a physics professor at…

Those of you who attended Dutch 10 year-old Jacob Bodden’s concert heard him live.

But for everyone else, Post-Dispatch/STLtoday.com photographer Stephanie Cordle put together a “Mixed Media” video that includes footage of him playing in the carillon booth.

Very cool.

Luther Tower, home to Concordia's landmark carillon

TOMORROW (Wednesday, Aug 12) at 7:00PM, Jacob Bodden, a 10 year-old boy from Amersfoort, Holland, will give a free carillon concert at Concordia Seminary.

After taking carillon lessons for only a year and a half, Jacob has played concerts at the Belgium Monument in Amersfoort, the Munt Tower in Amsterdam, and the tower in Hilvarenbeek. Last summer, he was interviewed and filmed in Amersfoort for being the youngest carillonneur in the Netherlands.

A carillon is a series of bells housed in a tower and played on a keyboard, like an organ, only more difficult. Concordia Seminary’s carillon (housed in Luther Tower) contains 49 bells, ranging in size from 17 pounds to 2.5 tons. The carillon is played for special events and for a regular concert series every Tuesday evening in June.

Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics to enjoy in the main quad or…

That’s the title of a summer workshop I will be leading later this month (July 27-29) at Concordia Seminary. It’s a topic I’ve studied, talked, and thought about for a long time. Peter Mead, senior editor at Creative Communications for the Parish, will lead some of the presentations too. Even if you’re not interested in the workshop, it will feature a public reading at 4:00PM on Tuesday, July 28.

Here’s the blurb I wrote for the brochure:

This workshop will delve into various kinds of creative writing—poetry, storytelling (for “page” and “stage”), and creative nonfiction—and what it means to write in these genres as a person of faith. What role does faith play in the creative process? What makes a piece of writing religious? How is faith expressed through creativity? Questions like these will be explored through presentations, close readings, conversation and creative exercises. Although not required, participants are encouraged to bring…

Just one example: Chaplain Steve Lee, head of Peace Officer Ministries, at work, somewhere.

“The police called me from the house of a woman with a gun to her head….”

That’s the conversation I overheard in the hallway outside my office. (A workshop for “chaplains, peace officers and pastors, focusing on effective Christian ministry to and through law enforcement” is meeting at Concordia Seminary this week.)

The rest of the story involved 16 cats, animal control, health and human services, and the woman—gun to her head—shouting out the window, “You’re not taking away my babies!” The end of the story involved this particular chaplain talking the woman down, averting disaster, and restoring calm to the neighborhood.

I didn’t get a chance to get the chaplain’s name or where he was from. So he remains anonymous to me. Which is just as well. Because it occurred to me that there are thousands of ministers in thousands…

Concordia Seminary will honor faculty members who have recently published books next Tuesday, May 19, 4:00-6:00PM, in the Seminary’s Koburg Hall (map and directions).

The celebration will include the requisite fine wine, hors d’oeuvres, and lively conversation. And the writers will be present to sign books. We’re not elitist at Concordia, so we want to celebrate with anyone who’d like to raise a glass to good writing and/or good theology. Everything is free but the books.

The following writers and their books will be feted:

• Charles Arand and Robert Kolb: The Genius of Luther’s Theology (Baker)

• Charles Arand, Robert Kolb and Robert Rosin: essays in The Pastoral Luther (Eerdmans)

• Kent Burreson: editor for He Was Crucified (Concordia)

• Robert Kolb: Martin Luther: Confessor of the Faith (Oxford)

• Reed Lessing: Concordia Commentary: Amos (Concordia)

• David Maxwell: an essay in In the Shadow of the Incarnation (Notre Dame)

• Francis Rossow: Gospel Patterns in Literature (Kirk House)

• Quentin Wesselschmidt: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Psalms 51-150 (InterVarsity)

We plan to make this an annual…

Walter Wangerin, Jr.

Last Wednesday, Concordia Seminary hosted the visit of renowned writer and preacher Walter Wangerin, Jr. as part of the Seminary’s annual “Day of Homiletical Reflection.” Among his dozens of books are the National Book Award winner The Book of the Dun Cow, and his bestseller The Book of God. His visit held special meaning for me since I was his writing student as an undergrad at Valparaiso University.

But it was significant for another reason. It was the first viewing of the short film based on Wangerin’s short story/parable, “Ragman,” directed by one of St. Louis’ best indie film-makers, Dale Ward. Since it first gained popularity in the mid-80s, the powerful story of the Ragman has had a “viral” history, even before the Web gave us the term. One can track its circulation in church newsletters, sermons, dramas, discussion groups, and online. But aside from Wangerin’s own book, Ragman and Other…

Dr. Efraín Agosto

TOMORROW night (Tues, March 31) Dr. Efraín Agosto, Dean of Hartford Seminary (Conn.) and professor of New Testament, will be speaking at Concordia Seminary on the topic of leadership, especially as it relates to the biblical letters of Paul (his area of expertise).

I just attended a lunch meeting where Dr. Agosto spoke. This promises to be a thought-provoking event at the intersections of leadership, Latino and multicultural issues, and the Bible.

The lecture will be at 7:00PM in the Seminary’s Werner Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

(Werner Auditorium is on the north end of Concordia’s Clayton campus. DeMun Avenue dead-ends into a campus drive that leads into the north-end parking lot closest to the auditorium.)

The event is hosted by the Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) at Concordia Seminary, and it is the fourth Annual Lecture in Hispanic/Latino Theology and Missions. The Center is also hosting a Latino…

"The Risen Lord" by Dr. He Qi (www.heqigallery.com)

In recent weeks, I have been working hard on the Winter issue of Concordia Journal, the quarterly theological publication of Concordia Seminary. This week we received permission to use “The Risen Lord” (above), an artwork by prominent Chinese Christian artist He Qi (pronounced huh chee) for the cover. He Qi’s own personal story is remarkable, from growing up during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, to converting to Christianity, to becoming an artist of international renown.

Here is part of what I am writing for the editor’s note about the cover:

….His bold use of color and shape, his drawing on multiple art traditions, his faithful interpretation of biblical narrative—it all creates a total greater than the sum of its parts. Much like his older Japanese counterpart Sadao Watanabe (a familiar artist to those familiar with Concordia Seminary), He Qi draws deeply on the folk artistic and cultural traditions…

Eero Saarinen reviewing the design of the St. Louis Gateway Arch. From Metropolis Magazine

Metropolis Magazine has a wonderful article about an architect named Eero Saarinen. To my surprise not only was Saarinen the architect overseeing the design of the St. Louis Arch, he designed projects for TWA and Concordia Theological Seminary.

At first I thought this design team was responsible for the Concordia Seminary campus in St. Louis and then I realized, thanks to Google, that Saarinen’s team designed the Concordia campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana (a sister school of the one here in “the Lou”). I am still intrigued, however, by the firm’s influence on the architectural landscape of St. Louis.

Although, Concordia’s campus in St. Louis is, arguably, the most architecturally splendid campus in the St. Louis area, the Concordia campus in Indiana is nationally recognized for its design features. From Metropolis:

One of the signature tools was large architectural models, often placed about…

With all that’s going on in the world, it sounds strange to say. But I’ve been preoccupied with technology lately.

Mainly because Concordia Seminary just hosted its annual symposium, “Lutheran Ecclesiology for the Third Millenium: Beyond Walther.” I can unpack that title a bit later. But what was truly astonishing were the vast technologies that the symposium employed:

• One of the keynote speakers spoke live from Europe via Skype, then later took part in a panel discussion through the same hook-up.
• Participants asked questions of speakers and sectional presenters through the symposium Web site and via computer kiosks set up throughout campus.
• A remote site for the symposium was piloted simultaneously on a college campus in Bronxville, NY, outside New York City. We’re looking at additional sites for the future.
• Participants prepared for the symposium with print and Internet resources through the Seminary’s Concordia Journal, ConcordiaTheology.org, and iTunes U site. (And videos of many presentations are already online on…

A little over a week from now, on Wednesday, May 7, Concordia Seminary will host its sixth annual Day of Homiletical Reflection, 9:00 am–4:15 pm.

This year’s keynote presenter is Dr. Richard Eslinger, who will be speaking on his recent work on the “homiletical virtues,” exploring particularly the character, ethos, and spiritual health and vitality of the preacher and the congregation. The day’s program will also include numerous sectionals and an interview of Dr. Eslinger by Dr. Dale Meyer, president of Concordia Seminary.

The Day of Homiletical Reflection is designed for pastors, students involved in homiletical education, and all those interested in the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world. The cost of the event is $20, and includes continuing education credits.

For more information, contact the Seminary’s Office of Continuing Education at 314/505-7486 or ce@csl.edu.