The fifty-second annual Bjarne Wollan Teigen Reformation Lectures were held at the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center, Mankato, Minnesota, on October 31–November 1, 2019. These lectures are sponsored jointly by Bethany Lutheran College and Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. This year the theme of the Reformation Lectures was “Lutheran Preaching Through the Centuries.”

The first lecture, given by Dr. Paul Robinson (Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO), was entitled “Preaching in the Reformation.” In this essay there was a discussion of homiletical work in the pre-Reformation and Reformation era. The works of Luther, Melanchthon, and Johannes Mathesius are highlighted.

The second lecture, given by Dr. Thomas Kuster (Bethany), was entitled, “Preaching in the Nineteenth Century.” Here the essay centered on the sermonizing of a number of important Lutheran preachers. Among those men discussed were Charles Porterfield Krauth, F. C. D. Wyneken, C. F. W. Walther, U. V. Koren, H. C. Schwan, and Henry Sieck.

The third lecture, given by Pres. Emeritus Paul Wendland (Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI), was entitled, “Preaching Today.” In this essay the essayist reviewed current trends in preaching and outlined a Lutheran identity in preaching. He pointed out what makes Lutheran preaching distinctly and uniquely Lutheran.

The complete lectures will be published in the March issue of the Lutheran Synod Quarterly, and videos can be viewed at this link: https://blts.edu/reformation-lectures/2019-reformation-lecture-videos/

Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary began the new academic year on August 19, 2019 with the opening service at Good Shepherd Chapel. Prof. Nick Proksch preached the sermon on Ezekiel 47:1–9, which is Ezekiel’s vision of a supernatural temple with waters flowing out of it. These waters flow into the Dead Sea and are able to transform even the saltiest and deadest of waters into fresh water with an abundance of life. Likewise, God recreates us, his fallen creatures. He takes us out of our salt waters of sin and death by connecting us to the fresh waters of life, flowing from God himself as depicted by the temple. It is no wonder that Jesus spoke of himself as the true temple and offered “living water” in his ministry (John 2:19, 4:10, 7:37–39). With his sacrifice for sins on the cross and conquest of death in his resurrection, we have every quenching of spiritual thirst we need. In a world surrounded by spiritual salt water, incapable of satisfying or sustaining our lives, pastors have the joy and privilege to offer the only thing that truly quenches and satisfies in the means of grace. Studying for this ministry is our task at seminary.

The teaching staff for the seminary this semester is as follows: Brian Klebig, Nicholas Proksch, Timothy Schmeling, Andrew Schmidt, and Gaylin Schmeling. Professor Brian Klebig is teaching communication; Professor Nicholas Proksch is teaching in the areas of New Testament, homiletics, and hermeneutics; Professor Timothy Schmeling is teaching Old Testament and homiletics; Professor Andrew Schmidt is teaching pastoral counseling; and Professor Gaylin Schmeling is teaching courses in church history and homiletics.

The seminary enrollment this year numbers nineteen. There are four vicars, five seniors, five middlers, three juniors, and two special students. The vicars are Patrick Ernst at Faith Lutheran Church (San Antonio, Texas), Jacob Kempfert at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church (Mankato, Minnesota), Ethan Urtel at Hartland and Manchester Lutheran Churches (Hartland and Manchester, Minnesota), and Karim Yaghleji at Bethany Lutheran Church (Port Orchard, Washington).

Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary is pleased to announce this year’s Bjarne W. Teigen Reformation Lectures, October 31–November 1, 2019.

You can register online here!  This link also includes a downloadable Reformation Lecture poster.

This year’s theme is:

Lutheran Preaching Through the Centuries

• Preaching in the Reformation—Dr. Paul Robinson
• Preaching in the Nineteenth Century—Dr. Thomas Kuster
• Preaching Today—Prof. Paul Wendland

The lectures will take place at Bethany Lutheran College, S. C. Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center, Mankato, Minnesota, beginning October 31 at 10:30 a.m.

The Commencement Service for Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary, which included the assignment of calls, occurred on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. in Trinity Chapel. The Rev. Daniel Basel served as preacher, Pres. Gaylin Schmeling served as liturgist, and Mr. John Baumann was the organist. The sermon was based on Matthew 10:16 with the theme “Wise Yet Gentle Servants.” In the sermon, Pastor Basel explained that those in the public ministry should be wise as serpents and gentle and harmless as doves. The public servant will be shrewd, properly using the good things of this world for the kingdom, and gentle and harmless, causing no offense to the Gospel. They will use every effort to proclaim the full forgiveness of sins in our crucified and risen Savior.

Jacob Kempfert was assigned as vicar of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church (Mankato, Minnesota), Ethan Urtel was assigned as vicar of Hartland Lutheran Church (Hartland, Minnesota) and Manchester Lutheran Church (Manchester, Minnesota), and Karim Yaghleji was assigned as vicar of Bethany Lutheran Church (Port Orchard, Washington).

The fifty-first annual Bjarne Wollan Teigen Reformation Lectures were held at the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center, Mankato, Minnesota, on October 25–26, 2018. These lectures are sponsored jointly by Bethany Lutheran College and Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. This year there were three presenters. The first presenter was the Rev. Dr. John M. Brenner of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin. The second presenter was the Rev. Dr. Lawrence R. Rast, Jr. who is the sixteenth president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and professor of American Christianity and American Lutheranism. The third presenter was the Rev. Craig A. Ferkenstad, secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

This year the theme of the Reformation Lectures was “Evangelical Lutheran Synod: Three Perspectives.” The first lecture, given by Dr. John Brenner, was entitled “ELS: A WELS Perspective.” The second lecture, given by Dr. Lawrence Rast, was entitled, “ELS: A LCMS Perspective.” The third lecture, given by the Rev. Craig Ferkenstad, was entitled, “ELS: An Introspective.”

This year the theme of the Reformation Lectures was “Evangelical Lutheran Synod: Three Perspectives.” This theme centered in the one hundredth anniversary celebration of the reorganization of the ELS in 1918, and its relationship with the other church bodies in the Synodical Conference. The first lecture, given by Dr. Brenner, was entitled, “ELS: A WELS Perspective.” In this essay there was a discussion of the relationship between the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS), a sibling relationship. The mutual counsel and advice between the synods has been advantageous for both synods. This fellowship is a wonderful blessing. The second lecture, presented by Dr. Rast, was entitled, “ELS: A LCMS Perspective.” This essay points out that the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) was an important big sister to the ELS in its early years. Both the Norwegian Synod and the reorganized synod received considerable support in their infant years from the LCMS. The break in fellowship with the LCMS was tragic for the ELS. The third lecture, given by the Rev. Ferkenstad, was entitled, “ELS: An Introspective.” As a native son the essayist indicated the synod’s positive contributions to the world, and at the same time, pointed out its weaknesses. He showed the unique flavor of the ELS.

The complete lectures will be published in the March issue of the Lutheran Synod Quarterly.