PS Magazine - Fall 2009

Volume 92 Number 2 Fall ✛ 2009
WHO
are our
NEIGHBORS?
Moving from Interfaith
Dialogue to Interfaith
Engagement in a World
of Faith
Message from the president
WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS ? be competent leaders in the world that God is
For a number of years my colleague, renewing with each passing day. They are
Dr. Katie Day, The Charles A. Scheiren equipping leaders of our congregations and
Professor, Church and Society, and Director institutions with a theology that can witness
of the Metropolitan/Urban Concentration, has publicly in a world of many new neighbors.
been researching the changing scene of congre- Our seminary has long been a leader among
gations on historic Germantown Avenue. It seminaries in ecumenical preparation for lead-
may not be surprising that on a five-mile ers. There are usually twenty-six or more dif-
stretch of this famous road along which The ferent denominations represented in our stu-
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia dent body, and in addition to knowing their
(LTSP) sits, there are over eighty congrega- own traditions, we require our graduates to
tions. It may, however, be surprising to you that demonstrate competence in ecumenical rela-
in addition to Jewish synagogues there are now tions. You cannot know your own tradition
three Islamic mosques on the avenue. well if you do not understand how it differs
As some of you may know, our dear Dr. and relates to other traditions. Competence in
John Kaufmann has been in the hospital recently. We pray that God interfaith dialogue will be necessary in the future. This will be vital so
will soon restore him to all the important things he does for LTSP as that our gift of faith will be the source of God’s grace and peace in our
he approaches his ninetieth year. He told me in a recent visit that the world and not as a destructive force it has sometimes become in the
Hari Krishna temple has occupied the old Mt. Airy Hotel on Allens modern world.
Lane across from the seminary for over forty years. That is almost half Not long ago in our assigned texts for the season of Pentecost we
of his wonderful life of service to the church. We celebrate Dr. heard in Mark 7: 24-30, Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician
Kaufmann in an article on page 6. woman, a Gentile and a Greek. As a result of her appeal for her
We have become a nation of many cultures and religions. When I daughter, Jesus broke through the boundaries between Jew and
grew up, we thought we were doing something for harmony in the Gentile and responded to her as a neighbor. It was not an easy conver-
community when we attended an ecumenical Thanksgiving service. sation at first, but ended in healing for the woman’s daughter, and we
Each year in Germantown there is now an interfaith Thanksgiving learn something from the story about God’s will for us to be healing
service. Who are your neighbors? Do you have the confidence and and reconciling forces with our neighbors near and far.
the resources to profess your faith in Christ in the changing pluralistic In a world riddled with ethnic and religious tensions from
context? At LTSP, our curriculum and programs are increasingly Israel/Palestine to the Balkans, Iraq, India, and Pakistan, to name a
aimed at preparing leaders who can lead communities of faith who few, we are called to speak a word about Jesus Christ that contributes
will be confident in our increasingly complex contexts. Centered in to the healing and the welfare of the nations. At LTSP we have taken
Christ, it is important that our leaders are not only comfortable in up this challenge, and we pray God’s blessing and your support.
ecumenical settings, but now increasingly in interfaith relationships.
Our leaders must cross these boundaries to help insure God’s peace in In Christ,
our neighborhoods. Too often we have seen tensions flash up around
the world because religious communities live along side each other
but in parallel universes.
In addition to Dr. Day, my colleagues like Dean Rajashekar, Dr. Philip D.W. Krey
Jon Pahl, Dr. Kiran Sebastian, Dr. Wil Gafney, and Dr. David President
Grafton, among others, are working hard to prepare future leaders to
ON THE COVER: The Rev. Khader Khalilia and his uncle, The Rev. Khader El-
Yateem on the steps of Salam Arabic Church (ELCA), Brooklyn, NY, the for-
mer Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving in the middle of a com-
munity where neighbors constantly change. Story on page 14.
EDITOR/DESIGN
Merri L. Brown
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
contents
John Kahler
WRITERS FEATURES ✛ FALL 2009

John Kahler
Mark A. Staples Who Are Our Neighbors? ..............................................................8
Moving from interfaith dialogue to interfaith engagement in
PHOTOGRAPHY a world of faith.
John Kahler
Jim Roese “Jesus Walks With Us ...” ..............................................................14
Mark A. Staples ... through a Brooklyn interfaith ministry led by LTSP
educated Palestinian pastors.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Merri L. Brown Alumnus Romeo Dabee ................................................................19
Lois La Croix A new ministry at a Long Island church with a global vision.
Louise Johnson
John Kahler Emmett Nixon’s Campus Lesson ............................................25 Page 8
Philip D.W. Krey “You show people love and respect by the way you cook for
Adam Marles them.”
J. Paul Rajashekar
CORRESPONDENCE
PS,
The Lutheran Theological Seminary DEPARTMENTS
at Philadelphia,
7301 Germantown Avenue, Message from the President ....................Inside front cover
Philadelphia, PA 19119
Offerings ....................................................................................................2
Telephone: 215.248.6311 or
1.800.286.4616 Alumni News ........................................................................................21
Email: [email protected] Alumni Spring Convocation 2010
Visit us online: www.Ltsp.edu
Faculty/Staff News and Notes ..................................................23
PS is a publication of The Lutheran
Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and Faculty/Staff Activities ................................................................23
is distributed without charge to alumni/ae, Passages ................................................................................................27
faculty, staff, and friends of the seminary.
In Memoriam ..................................................................................28 Page 14
© Copyright 2009 Around Admissions ..........................................................................29
The Lutheran Theological Seminary
at Philadelphia From the Foundation ......................................................................30
Volume 92 Number 2
The Lutheran Theological Seminary

at Philadelphia, a school of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amer-
ica, is committed to preparing or-
dained and lay ministers of the Word
as leaders for the mission of the
Church in the world.
Page 25
PS
OFFERINGS✛
Pastor Susan E. Nagle
Receives Muhlenberg
Award for Exemplary
Service
The Rev. Susan E. Nagle, pastor of Our Savior
Lutheran Church in Paramus, New Jersey, is the
Photo: Mel Fabrikant
recipient of this year’s Henry Melchior Muhlenberg

PROFESSOR
Medal for exemplary service in ministry. The honor
EMERITUS GORDON
was conferred at the 2009 New Jersey Synod
LATHROP RECEIVES
Assembly by The Rev. Dr. Philip D.W. Krey,
president of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), sponsor of
HONOR
the medal. The Rev. Dr. Gordon Lathrop,
Pastor Nagle, ordained for 25 years, served as associate pastor at St. John Lutheran Charles A. Schieren Professor
Church, Summit, New Jersey, First Lutheran Church, Montclair, New Jersey, and Emeritus of Liturgy, who
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Bristol, Connecticut, prior to receiving a call to her taught Liturgy at LTSP until
current congregation a year ago. his retirement five years ago,
“While serving a congregation is a full-time job, she also managed to serve on a was elected president-elect at
variety of churchwide committees,” president Krey said in remarks honoring Pastor the Sydney Congress of the
Nagle. Those voluntary capacities have included the Lutheran World Federation, the Societas Liturgica, the interna-
Office of Ecumenical Affairs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the tional and ecumenical profes-
denomination’s Division for Ministry, the planning board of the Eastern Cluster of sional organization for teachers
Lutheran Seminaries, the publication committee for Lutheran Partners magazine and and researchers in liturgy, held
the Hein-Fry Lectureship Committee. She’s also served LTSP as a Trustee and member this past summer in Sydney,
of its Development Committee. Pastor Nagle has also served on a variety of synodical Australia. He will serve as vice
committees and has chaired the synod’s Guyanese Lutheran Outreach Committee. In president for two years until the
her local community her involvements have included the Interfaith Hospitality next Congress in Reims, France,
Network and Parish Nurse/Congregational Health Network. in August of 2011, when he will
Pastor Nagle received her Masters in Theological Studies from Princeton Seminary become president for the fol-
in 1983. lowing two years.
Nominations for the Muhlenberg Medal are by pastors and synodical leadership in
Regions 7 and 8, with the endorsement of a synodical bishop. This year is the 267th
anniversary of the beginning of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg’s foundational ministry in
North America. His approach to ministry serves as a model for recipients chosen to
receive the medal.
LTSP is on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/LTSP1
2 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

Advent
Vespers to
Celebrate
Dr. Robert
Erin Vertreace/Chestnut Hill Local
Bornemann
The Annual Advent Vespers, to be held Sunday,
December 6, 2009, will be on the theme Repent!
Prepare! Rejoice!
(Back row, l. to r.): George Stern, Ken Weinstein, J. Jayakiran Sebastian, The Vespers will celebrate the life and ministry of The
Dan Muroff. (Front row, l. to r.): Laura Siena, Bob Elfant, Philip Krey, René
Diemer, Marcia Bell, J. Paul Rajashaker, Katie Day. Rev. Dr. Robert Bornemann, Anna Burkhalter Professor
Emeritus of Old Testament and Hebrew, at LTSP for 41
PICNIC FUNDRAISER CONNECTS LTSPTO
years, and director of the seminary choir from 1955 to 1990.
THE COMMUNITY
The Seminary Choir, under the leadership of Michael
LTSP president Philip D.W. Krey opened the seminary on June Krentz, Director of Music Ministries/ Seminary Cantor,
11, 2009, for a Mt. Airy Picnic and Fundraiser celebrating the will lead the Vespers. Music will include compositions by
presence of The Lutheran Theological Seminary in the Mt. Airy Robert Bornemann, Edward V. Bonnemere, Georg Philip
community. Community members enjoyed music by LTSP’s own Telemann, and a South African traditional tune arranged
Groove Daemons, fellowship, food, and libations, while helping to by Nancy Grundahl.
support the seminary’s mission and its presence in the commu- Join us for Advent Vespers at 7:30 pm at Grace
nity. Local businesses and friends of the seminary contributed Epiphany Church, 224 E. Gowen Avenue, Philadelphia.
about $10,000 to the Leadership Fund.
More information and directions are online:
www.Ltsp.edu/adventvespers.
Repent! Prepare! Rejoice!

With Augsburg Fortress closing their retail locations, LTSP has
stepped in and reopened the campus bookstore as LTSP Books &
Gifts. The Wiedemann location has been spruced up and recon-
figured, and the store continues to be a resource for academic
texts, church supplies, clergy apparel, LTSP items, and gifts with
The Rev. Heidi Rodrick-Schnaath serving as the manager of the
bookstore. The store is open Monday to Saturday, and is open to
the public. Stop in and say hello the next time you’re on campus.
More information and hours are on the store’s Web page:
www.Ltsp.edu/bookstore, or call Pr. Rodrick-Schnaath at
215.967.1112.
PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 3

OFFERINGS✛
JUST WAR: JUSTIFIED OR OXYMORON?
Nearly 50 believers from the three Abrahamic traditions
engaged in a stimulating April 26, 2009 interfaith conversa-
tion at LTSP in connection with just war and their under-
standing of their sacred texts. Can war ever be justified, or is
the notion of “just war” an oxymoron, as one presenter put
it. And how do sacred texts as interpreted by adherents to
the three Abrahamic traditions shed light on the matter in
this challenging time?
Yehezkel Landau, an author who teaches Interfaith Rela-
tions at Hartford Seminary, offered a Jewish perspective,
discussing the moral dilemma surrounding the issue of self-
defense as appropriate in just war considerations. Rob
Arner, a Mennonite and PhD student at LTSP, indicated his THE 145th COMMENCEMENT
was “a” Christian perspective, and said persons who argue Sixty eight students were awarded the Master of Arts in Reli-
for a “just war” position are abandoning Jesus’ teachings, gion, Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of
who “never taught or hinted at the theory.” Imam Abdulla Ministry, or Certificate of Study at the 145th commencement of
Antepeli, recently appointed Muslim chaplain and an ad- The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) on
junct faculty member at Duke University, noted that stereo- Sunday, May 17, 2009 on the seminary campus. Six students re-
types about Muslims have often served to strike “fear into ceived the UTI Certificate of Church Leadership. In addition,
people’s hearts and made life for many Muslims extremely Pennsylvania Senator LeAnna M. Washington and Pennsylvania
difficult.” He said the Islamic tradition is “not pacifist... If Representative Cherelle Lesley Parker, whose districts both in-
confronted by a transgressor we are commanded and per- clude the community of which LTSP is a part, received the Doc-
mitted to respond with a level of violence.” While self-de- tor of Divinity Honoris Causa in recognition of their work for
fense if attacked is justified in the Islamic tradition, certain the community they serve. Chris Satullo, Executive Director of
ethical, moral and humane standards should be observed. News and Civic Dialogue at Philadelphia public broadcaster
The plenary addresses were followed by responses from WHYY, and formerly columnist and editorial page editor at The
several leaders and small group discussion. Philadelphia Inquirer, was the speaker. Satullo spoke on the
For more details and video of the plenary talks, go to theme of public theology, and how public theologians — includ-
www.Ltsp.edu/justwarconversation. ing the graduates — can and must practice their faith in the world.
Photos, videos, lists of the graduates, and biographies of the honorary
doctoral recipients can be found at www.Ltsp.edu/commencement09.
THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION WITHYOUTH (TEY)
BRINGSTOGETHER COMMUNITIES OFYOUTH AND SEMINARIANS
TEY is a joint initiative of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG) and LTSP that has
created spaces for youthful scholars to gather and get wrapped up in theological conversation with
seminary faculty, staff, students, and other young people since the summer of 2000. The Crossroads
Event, for rising high school sophomores and juniors, and the Summer Theological Academy, for
rising high school juniors and seniors, are the centerpieces of this program. Since the summer of 2000,
these programs have involved nearly 250 scholars from congregations from as far away as Puerto Rico.
The impacts of TEY programs are also seen on the seminarians who are involved as mentors, worship
leaders, and educators. As they continue through their process of call and discernment in seminary, this
can be a formational experience as they prepare for ministry. More on TEY at tey.easterncluster.org.

What do nearly
3 million members
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Nearly 3 million members turn

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The third annual Asian Theological Summer Institute (ATSI), of competitive products and
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personal service. We are
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Benny Liew) and I were indeed impressed by the quality and families, communities
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and future teachers being trained in the United States. This year and congregations.
we had students from Britte Divinity School, Princeton Theolog-
ical Seminary, Yale University, Vanderbilt University, Emory Uni-
versity, Boston College, Garrett-Evangelical Theological
Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, and LTSP. ATSI has been
received with such enthusiasm by the participants that we already
have a network on Facebook: “ATSI 2009.” We have 46 alumni so
far, and LTSP is now recognized as a new center for Asian/Asian-
American Theological Studies in the United States.
Our success has been recognized by the Henry Luce Founda-
tion which has approved our request of a modest $325,000 grant
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OFFERINGS✛
JOHN KAUFMANN: For 44 years, much
more than a registrar and still going
strong: In May, he celebrated the 65th
year of his ordination. He still comes to
work most days...
FOR 44 YEARS The Rev. Dr. John A. ods. For many years he handled admissions ago, that mindset of doing what it takes. A
Kaufmann served The Lutheran Theologi- too. Whew! These responsibilities today staffer on a Saturday would see him carry-
cal Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) as are divided up and managed by a consider- ing a ladder to perform chores around the
registrar, keeping track of seminarians and ably larger staff. Once, Kaufmann was one campus. Anecdotes abound. Alumna
their records of academic and personal of only four administrators. Laura Csellak, now a pastor in Easton,
progress from 1946 to 1990. And today, John Augustus Kaufmann Pennsylvania, recalls the evening seminari-
But that doesn’t begin to tell the whole still works for LTSP, fulfilling special as- ans placed a sheet bearing the face of a
story. Dr. Kaufmann observed the 65th an- signments for president Philip D.W. Krey jack-o-lantern over the Library clock on
niversary of his ordination in May and and serving as assistant secretary of the Halloween. Ever vigilant, Kaufmann
turns 90 years of age this coming February, LTSP Board of Trustees. quickly saw the prank and removed the
and for many of those years fulfilled a wide Kaufmann pooh-poohs all the responsi- sheet. “I always kept a special eye out dur-
variety of “other” duties. From 1944 to bilities he once juggled. “When I saw ing holidays and special occasions,” he re-
1952, he assisted Dr. Fred Nolde in Chris- something that needed to be done I just calls with a smile. “The trouble was the
tian Education instruction. He oversaw did it,” he said. “You have to remember the sheet got caught up in the clock hands. It
the refectory food service. He managed seminary was a far less complicated place would have burned out the motor inside.”
buildings and grounds maintenance in- in those days. Now, far more challenges are Years later, Kaufmann made a donation to
cluding construction and repair projects. imposed from the outside — accreditation replace the clock’s complex and difficult-
He served as treasurer, preparing budgets and federal and state forms. It is not as to-maintain mechanism with a simpler
for the school. He handled public rela- simple as it once was. If I saw a light bulb digital device. “Not many people are
tions, including tours, edited the Seminary needed to be changed we didn’t fill out a around these days to repair tower clocks
Bulletin (now PS magazine). He served in form. I just did it. In effect, I was on call like ours,” he said.
effect as bursar — filling an accounting seven days a week.” Kaufmann retraces several life mile-
role, processing bills, managing payroll A graduate of both Lehigh University stones that led him to seminary service and
records and tax forms. Kaufmann assisted (BA History, 1941, Summa Cum Laude, beyond. Reserve Officer Training Corps
the president in faculty matters, held the Phi Beta Kappa) and LTSP (1944), Kauf- study was required at Lehigh, and in the
post of alumni liaison, and related to syn- mann maintained, until not so many years late 1930s, Kaufmann greatly enjoyed the

“John has been invaluable as an adviser and sage to presidents because he has kept the history of the
school's records so carefully he can spread a range of options before the president, faculty, and board. His
records and role have always relativized any one person or group that has wanted to fix the school’s future
in the recent past.This has been most helpful.” — President Krey
program’s study of European and World Favorite seminary memories? Kauf- home to express sympathy and support re-
War I history. A teaching officer urged mann cites the many lay leaders who un- gardless of whether the family was related
him to apply for advanced ROTC study, dertook projects over the years - especially to the pastor’s congregation.
likely leading him to become a military of- the work of the Women’s Auxiliary with “It’s so different today,” he said. “So
ficer. “I flunked the physical,” he recalled. leaders like Catharine Reed and Elizabeth many influences such as technology and
The military officer, frustrated by the out- Hagan, and men stalwarts like Peter Paul other distractions detract from the
come, urged him to take it again. “I Hagan, Claude Wagoner, and Robert church’s once prevalent social order. It is
flunked the second time too. I often won- Blanck, who chaired the Trustees for decades really an enigma for pastors to know how
der what would have happened in my life and still serves as a Trustee. “They all to deal with such challenges.”
had I passed.” Wondering what to do with showed great leadership and dedication to His advice to pastors? “Make sure you
his training, his father Harry, Pastor M. the school,” he said. “They were marvelous.” really get to know your people,” he said.
LeRoy Wuchter (Atonement Lutheran Kaufmann professes that he worries “Do for them what they are not able to do
Church in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, about the future of the church. “Many of for themselves. I worry sometimes that we
where Kaufmann went to church) and his the most successful congregations today are part of a dying business, but these
father’s cousin, seminary professor, and seem to be non-denominational mega- things also go in cycles. Technology can be
later president, Paul Hoh, persuaded him churches, dependent on the charismatic seen as a negative unless we know how to
to undertake seminary study. A second personality of their pastors,” he said. deal with it.”
milestone: Kaufmann thought he would “When the pastor leaves the church tends Reflecting back over the years, he recalls
accept a call to a small congregation and to go downhill.” The denominational enjoying such challenges as relating to The
continue graduate studies when, in 1946, structures succeeding the former United Brossman Learning Center and Wiede-
he was unexpectedly invited to be semi- Lutheran Church in America have become mann contractors, who leaned on him for
nary registrar and treasurer. The third per- more centralized in recent decades, he said. his razor-sharp knowledge of the semi-
sonal milestone he identifies came in 1986 As a result, synods and many local church nary’s operational infrastructure to ease
when seminary president John Vannorsdall expressions have lost influence, he believes, their way with construction challenges.
initiated a measure, approved by the “and that has taken people away from He played a major role in key construction
Board, that would permit Kaufmann and many local area activities that used to meetings, assisting greatly with problem-
his wife, Doris, to remain in their campus flourish, and so people don’t relate to local solving.
home after his retirement in 1990. “That institutions the way they once did.” “I always seemed to find time to do
was a very telling step,” he explained. “That He also empathizes with today’s emerg- what was needed,” he said with a smile.
I have been able to remain on campus all of ing professional leaders. “There was a time “Sometimes I wish I could have done
these years is why I believe I am still alive, when pastors engaged in preaching, teach- more. But except for a few health problems
why I am here today. It gave me purpose, ing and visiting ministries were looked up here and there, I really don’t feel so very
something to do. I have served under nine to by the entire community, by members different now than I did when I was 60 or
of the seminary’s 11 presidents. All of and non-members of churches alike,” he re- 50 or 40.” ✛
them have been exceedingly generous to calls. For example, he remembers a pastor See a video interview with Dr. Kaufmann
me.” His wife and one of his two sons, who would receive a call from the local at www.Ltsp.edu/Kaufmann.
Alan, died in 1993. A son, Bruce, resides in telegraph office whenever a soldier from
a community living arrangement in North- the community was killed overseas in war.
east Philadelphia. And the pastor would go to the family

WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS?
WHo are our

WHEN I THINK OF “INTERFAITH DIALOGUE,” several pic-
tures come to mind. Sitting in the common room of my theo-
Moving from Interfaith logical college as a 24-year old student, dressed in jeans and a
t-shirt, in conversation with a visiting maroon robed Tibetan
Dialogue to Interfaith Buddhist monk, the conversation was carried on in polite re-
spect, but little real engagement until the monk began to tell me
Engagement in a World his perceptions of what Christians believed. It was in the differ-
ence and not the commonalities that the real life-giving nature
of Faith of the conversation unfolded.

Another picture — sitting at a table at the Hungarian Pastry
Shop in New York City, ten years later, wearing clericals, in con-
by PROF. STORM SWAIN versation with an elderly Jewish couple whose dress was forget-
table but not their most noticeable bodily addition of the
numbers tattooed on their arms. The conversation was fused
with anger and pain as the man, inspired or incited by my cleri-
cal collar, told me of what the Christian church had done and
not done in the Nazi Germany of their youth. It was in this shar-

Neighbors?
ing of suffering that the pain-bearing nature of interfaith dia- ized interfaith relations, and to the life-giving nature of real en-
logue unfolded. gagement. I find, I think, its basis in theological anthropology.
Another picture — loitering with (pastoral) intent as a chap- For me, it is not so much “We all worship the same God” (as this
lain in the Family Assistance Center in the second week follow- is an assertion I often wonder most about in conversation with
ing the 9/11 destruction of lives in the World Trade Center, my Christian sisters and brothers who don’t seem to worship the
overhearing one of my colleagues minister to the wife of one of God of love I see in Christ, let alone sisters and brothers of other
the 9/11 victims as she shared with anger and grief her feelings faiths), but “We are all created by the same God.” The best inter-
towards Muslims whose faith would lead them to perpetrate faith dialogue I have experienced has come not simply from
such a disaster. The conversation was characterized by his com- owning what we have in common and can agree on, but a real
passionately making space for her grief without judgment or de- engagement that listens, understands, and respects our differ-
fense, as he held her as she cried for her lost love. It was only at ences. Likewise, its basis is also in a soteriology that is grounded
the end that she asked the faith affiliation of the imam who was in grace and not law, where we acknowledge that the God who
her chaplain, whose Muslim skullcap she had not noticed, and so loves the whole world, in Christ died “once, for all,” (not just
this space of grace opened even more. for some) and where we see belief as a gift of grace and not a jus-
These snapshots open up for me the nature of interfaith dia- tifying work. I am not sure if one can really engage in interfaith
logue that has to make space for the other as both similar to and dialogue if one’s goal is conversion of the other to our own faith.
different from oneself, to the suffering that has often character- Evangelism in an interfaith context is more appropriately practi-
continued

cal evangelism, where we are, rather than have worked through, and when we dis- “others” together, and to advocate for the
have, the message of God’s love. trusted each others motives. I have seen in human rights and religious freedoms of
When I think of the question of “Who much of this dialogue both how inade- those who are our neighbors in this coun-
are our neighbors?,” I am reminded that quate to the task I am, and how much I try and on this planet. Personally, I think
in Luke’s singular story known as “the believe in the need of it. Despite that, Disaster Response is a great place to forge
Good Samaritan,” Jesus chose the exam- these organizations have facilitated a reli- those relationships, and the preferable
ple of another person of offensive belief gious collegiality unprecedented in many time to do so is before a disaster. As is
who acted out of compassion, to answer places. We have managed to build a often the case, when my own words seem
the question of the religious expert seek- neighborliness around the table and in inadequate, I turn to the words of a great
ing to justify himself. Essentially the para- the field that means we have not simply “Neighbor” which arose in the context of
ble is a narrative of action rather than engaged in interfaith dialogue with one another disaster:
dialogue. Perhaps it is in this place of the another, but we have built transformative To be Christian does not mean to be reli-
active response of love, the “go and do relationships where we have been able to gious in a particular way... but to be a
likewise” space, in the face of suffering engage in conversation and compassion- man. It is not some religious act that makes
that real interfaith engagement happens. ate action as people of different faiths. a Christian what he, but participation in
After 9/11, I was privileged enough to For me, interfaith dialogue is no longer the suffering of God in the life of the world.
participate in the ministry of those who an abstract formulation or a once a semes- This is metanoia. It is not in the first in-
did go and do likewise. The chaplains ter meeting with another seminary, but stance bothering about one’s own needs,
that ministered to those affected by the having a conversation with Amardeep, problems, sins and fears, but allowing one-
destruction of the World Trade Center Musa, Nakagaki, and Lily as we work to- self to be caught up in the way of Christ
were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Inter- gether. into the Messianic event...
faith, Buddhist, and others. The response Perhaps it is because my field is Pas-
— D. Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers
to the suffering of those who had lost toral Theology that I come to this con-
From Prison, July 18, 1944 ✛
family and friends, and those who were versation, not from a doctrinal but a
working to recover them or process their relational perspective. Perhaps it is be-
The Rev. Dr. Storm Swain is Assistant
bodies was something that drew us all to- cause 9/11 had a deep impact on me, and
Professor of Pastoral Care and Theology
gether. For many, the compassionate re- I would rather spend my time on healing
and Director of Anglican Studies. She is
sponse to 9/11 was a deep expression of our brokenness rather than breaking our
conducting a senior seminar on the Theol-
their faith, but grounded in an inclusive wholeness, or perhaps it’s because the
ogy and Practice of Disaster Spiritual
view of humanity. Jesus I read in the Gospels often seems fo-
Care in Spring 2010.
Since that time, I have sat around the cused on the kind of relationships out-
table at New York Disaster Interfaith lined in the parable of the Good
Services and on the leadership team at Samaritan. But I think that part of the
Disaster Chaplaincy Services with Chris- Gospel call is not only to be family, sisters
tian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and and brothers in Christ, to love our ene-
Interfaith members. It seems like our best mies and pray for those who persecute us,
times have been when we acknowledged but to be neighbors to those different
our differences, did not deny the perspec- from us, especially those overtaken by ad-
tive of the other, took responsibility for versity while on the road.
our actions, and focused on some plan of I would encourage those of you who
action for those whose suffering we feel a greater call to interfaith relations to
sought to alleviate in some way. Our do so on a personal basis, to engage in
worst times were those points of dialogue loving action with those of other faiths if
where we were focused on our own needs, you have not already, to seek out those
where we held on to pain that we could places where you are “other” or we are all

From Dearborn and Cairo to Philadelphia: A aculty
Member’s Life-Changing Interfaith Journey
f
by DR. DAVID D. GRAFTON, Director of Graduate Studies, and Associate Professor
of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations
I GREW UP IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN. My home congregation was what I was interested in studying. I told him I was intrigued by the
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Dearborn. I was active in a large Anglo, religions of the Middle East. His response was, “Well, that makes
suburban church. I attended a Lutheran school, Capital University, sense.” I responded, “What do you mean?” He said, “Well, given
in Columbus, Ohio, since it was part of our family’s legacy. It was that Dearborn has the largest Arab population in the United States,
also where I met my wife, Karla. it makes sense that you are interested in learning more about the
I was interested in Middle Eastern history and cross cultural Middle East.”
studies (for some mysterious reason). I quickly met my mentor/ad- To which I blankly responded, “It does?”
visor, Dr. Howard Wilson, a Sri Lankan Buddhist art scholar, who That I had grown up several miles from the largest Arab popula-
helped change my life. During our initial meeting, he asked me tion in the U.S. and had not realized it dumfounded me. How could
I not have known? My questioning forced me on a journey to
which God was calling me. Dearborn, and the Detroit environs,
were a long time destination for Lebanese and Syrian laborers who
came to work in the factories of the automobile industry (where,
incidentally, my father worked as a line foreman). My future PhD
dissertation choice on the political-religious views of Lebanese
Muslims during the Lebanese Civil War was no accident, I think.
Dr. Wilson guided me through a major in religion and cross-cul-
tural studies during my time at Capital, focusing on Islam and the
Middle East. My studies were derailed only slightly by my relation-
ship with my future wife, Karla, herself a religion major. We mar-
ried before the summer of my senior year. While I finished my BA,
she was already atTrinity Lutheran Seminary, working on a Masters
degree in OldTestament.
Our next stop was Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, where I
continued my interest in theology and cross-cultural studies. In the
midst of my seminary course load I mingled with international stu-
dents on campus, attended Ojibwa sweat lodges, and visited local
mosques, learning about the Iranian intellectual community of the
Twin Cities, many of whom fled Iran during the revolution of 1979. I
also had the opportunity to spend a semester studying African con-
textual theologies at the University of Zimbabwe. It was also dur-
ing my second year when I was selected to be one of the ELCA
International Interns to serve in Cairo, Egypt. It turned out to be a
life-altering experience.
My internship in Cairo was at St. Andrew’s United Church under
the supervision ofThe Rev. Dr. MichaelT. Shelley. In addition to pro-
viding a ministry of Word and Sacrament to expatriates, the con-
gregation offered an educational ministry to refugees from the
Horn of Africa (primarily Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalians, and later
Sudanese). After serving as intern in Cairo, Karla and I returned to a
continued

much colder and greener Minnesota and graduated from seminary. rescue operations, we were relocated to another hotel some 20
I then received a call to Zion Lutheran Church in Ridgefield, New miles away. In the pristine tiled foyer of another five-star hotel,
Jersey. It did not take long for me to find out that the Reformed now bloodstained from victims, a young Muslim doctor saw to my
pastor in town was a long-term missionary of the Reformed Church daughter, and a young veiled Muslim woman and her husband
in America to Basra, Iraq. After the 1993 bombing of the World provided care for us.This event, which altered our lives forever,
Trade Center, anti-Arabic, anti-Islamic sentiment ran high in north- was more than likely perpetrated by a Muslim radical, aimed pri-
ern New Jersey. So, the two of us began an educational ecumeni- marily at Israelis on holiday.
cal program, taking congregations into mosques to learn more The event was not about me, or even my family. It was bigger
about the Immigrant and African American Muslim communities in than us. It was about systems and institutions and traditions that
the area. have a hard time seeing individuals as God’s created gifts. We were
After several years, I began my PhD in Islamic Studies at the caught up in international events beyond our control. It has re-
Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in minded me that so too are those unnamed and unknown Muslim,
Birmingham, England.The faculty of the Centre was evenly repre- Jewish, and Christian families living in the Middle East (and
sented by Christian and Muslim instructors.The student body ratio around the world) who desire nothing other than a healthy and
was similar. Here I met Ahmad, a young member of the Muslim happy life for themselves and their children. Being spared from
Brotherhood from Jordan. He was the first “Brother” I met. I was that bombing was a “miracle” in the words of an Egyptian col-
the first “priest” he met. What a wonderful and challenging journey league. “God has something great for you to do.” That “some-
we had together. thing” has led me toThe LutheranTheological Seminary at
Once again, the church called, this time asking if I would go back Philadelphia (LTSP). What that “something” is remains to be seen.
to St. Andrew’s in Cairo. In addition to providing Word and Sacra- My vocation has led me to meet and engage in conversation
ment ministry to the good people of St. Andrew’s, the congrega- with Muslims from New Jersey; Eritrea; Palestine; Sudan; Washing-
tion’s refugee ministry taxed most of my energies. St. Andrew’s ton, D.C.; Iran; England; Chicago; Lebanon, and Detroit. I have spo-
was the only Christian organization in the country serving refugees ken with a Shi’a Hizballah minister from Southern Lebanon,
that hired Muslims to be on staff.This approach of hiring Christians Pakistani Brits, a fully “niqab-ed” converted American housewife,
and Muslims to serve as administrators and teachers in the child a liberal Senegalese sheikh, frustrated Palestinian day-laborers,
and adult programs was deliberate. It was our attempt to help cre- chador-wearing female Iranian intellectuals, young al-Azhar schol-
ate a climate in which the dignity of each created person was to be ars, and African American imams. In my ministry in the Middle
lifted up and respected — regardless of race, tribe or religion. East I have also had the privilege of living with the “living stones”
In my daily ministry among Christian, Muslim, Marxist, and of the church, those descendants of the first disciples of the day of
African traditional religionists, I found that I was accepted and re- Pentecost. Whether in Beirut, Cairo, Cyprus, Khartoum, Jerusalem,
spected as a “holy man.” This extremely humbling experience pro- Chicago, or Hartford; whether they were Greek Orthodox, Armen-
foundly affected my view of the Christian-Muslim encounter. It ian Evangelicals, Syrian Jacobites, Palestinian Lutherans, or Su-
reminded me that interfaith encounters happen among individuals danese Anglicans; I have been forced to confront my own North
and not by amorphous religious systems.The Christian-Muslim en- American social and Western theological assumptions.
counter is not about systems and traditions, but about real people. The more I engage in social-historical and theological reflection
Another part of my ministry in Egypt was teaching. I worked on Christianity and Islam in the Middle East, the more I realize that
with the Catholic Orders of Northern Africa, teaching Modern Is- I am trying to balance on a three-legged stool, the legs of which
lamicThought and Inter-Faith Dialogue. We, as Christian missionar- are my own American Lutheran origins, my rediscovered Christian
ies, were engaged in thoughtful reflection about our role as heritage and culture of the Middle East, and the Islamic tradition
bearers of Christ in dialogue with Muslim communities. I found with which I am in dialogue.These legs, however, often unseat me,
these faithful sisters and brothers, some of whom have faced mar- knocking me to the floor. It is only by the grace of God that I’m ever
tyrdom, to be a great gift to me in my faith life. able to get back up and try to put the stool back together, so that I
In 2004, while on a vacation to the Red Sea, my family and I might sit down, resting fully on the gracious love of God — who in
were victims of an al-Qa’eda bombing at the Hilton Hotel resort of good Middle Eastern fashion — shares with me a cup of tea. ✛
Taba. We managed to escape our room, making our way through
smoky darkness and confusion, my daughter bleeding from shrap-
nel, and with nothing but our pajamas on. In the midst of chaotic

An LTSP Student’s nexpected Interfaith Journey
Who is “the other?”A Personal Reflection
u
IN AUGUST OF 2003, ALMOSTTWOYEARS AFTERTHE EVENTS OF relationship with Ashgan that part of me was transformed. I learned
9/11 and less than six months after the U.S. entered Iraq, I landed about myself, I learned about her. I learned the importance in letting
in Cairo, Egypt, along with three other young adults to live and go, opening up, and trusting that God works through the people
serve among Egyptians. We were there under the invitation of the we might least expect. ✛
local Protestant church and its relationship with the ELCA’sYoung Elizabeth Nees is a senior MDiv student at LTSP. She is one of
Adults in Global Mission program.The first month of our time in president Philip Krey’s guests on the latest Message from the
Egypt was spent orienting ourselves to the city, the culture, the President online video — Ltspmedia.Ltsp.edu.
people, and the local religious climate. A major part of our stay
Learn more aboutYoung Adults in Global Mission:
was to study the Arabic language at a local school, which we did
www2.elca.org/globalserve/youngadults/index.html
for four hours a day, five days a week, for the first month.
Most of what I remember about studying Arabic was that it was
extremely difficult.The letters that formed words looked like a
child’s haphazard scribble to my untrained eye.The sounds of the
letters — many of which were formed using a strong throat sound
— made me think that people needed to cough every other word. I
was hot, I could understand very little around me, and as the days
wore on and the honeymoon phase wore off, it became more and
more evident that I was the outsider, I was the other.
And if it weren’t for Ashgan, I might have felt like the other, the
outsider, the foreigner, for a very long time. Ashgan was one of our
language teachers, the only Muslim, the only woman on an other-
wise Christian male teaching staff. Ashgan taught us with gentle
yet persistent patience.Through teaching us her native language,
she also taught us about her country, culture, life, and religion.
After our one month intensive course was over, Ashgan contin-
ued to tutor us privately. We met once a week for eleven months.
In addition to teaching us the Arabic language, she taught us how
to make Egyptian food, she told us the best places to shop, and
she cared for us like a favorite aunt cares for her favorite nieces.
Ashgan invited us into her home many times where we would sit,
talk, and eat, drink some tea, talk a bit more. And every several
hours, Ashgan and her sons would excuse themselves from the sit-
ting area to pray, a practice they were committed to five times a
day. Over time, and as our relationship grew, religion entered our
conversation more and more. We would ask questions about her
religion and she would ask about ours. We found areas where we
agreed, and we found areas where we disagreed. I saw Christianity
through new eyes, and I witnessed the devotion and commitment to
God of another person through Ashgan.
It was Ashgan who made me feel fully welcomed. It was with
Ashgan, more than any other person throughout the year, that I felt
the most spiritually connected and comfortable. It was through my

BROOKLYN INTERFAITH MINISTRY
“JESUS WALKS WITH US” THROUGH

BROOKLYN INTERFAITH MINISTRY LED BY
LTSP EDUCATED PALESTINIAN PASTORS

“OUR CHURCHES NEED RIGHT NOW to look around their communities and get to know their neighbors,” said
The Rev. Khader N. El-Yateem ’96, pastor of Salam Arabic Church in Brooklyn, New York. “We live in a fast-changing
world. It is easy for congregations in changing places not to notice what is happening around them. But in these times,
not knowing your neighbors can mean you will not be around for very long. It can mean imminent death.”
In these challenging times and places initiative that prepares talented prospec- studies and conduct a Vacation Bible
of changing context, El-Yateem said God tive leaders for service in distinctive con- School. We have youth groups and home
ultimately decides what ministries sur- texts. Both Khalilia and his uncle are visits with prayer. The other platform is
vive. But he passionately reminds congre- Palestinian Christians who’ve felt a gen- social. We conduct English as a Second
gations willing to embrace change and see uine calling to serve in the U.S. Both Language classes. Ninety-five percent of
it as an opportunity will find that “Jesus is agree that it is a considerable challenge to the learners are Muslims. We have a food
walking with them, filling them with hope.” serve Palestinian immigrants who hail pantry, immigration counseling services,
It would be hard to imagine a commu- from different national Middle-Eastern job training and health fairs, including
nity anywhere more challenged by change cultures unfamiliar to them back home free screenings for breast cancer. We also
than the Salam Church neighborhood. until they come together in the Brooklyn counsel people on housing needs.” Many
Once inhabited by Scandinavians, it is melting pot. “We have 60 core members individuals the uncle and nephew meet
now a multicultural haven including peo- here,” El-Yateem said, “but many more are unemployed or lack health insurance.
ple of many faiths from around the world. than that are involved in our ministry. It Hence, the food pantry and health
Salam (originally named Salem) church can be a kind of revolving door with peo- screening services prove invaluable.
includes Palestinian Christians from eight
Middle Eastern nations including Egypt,
Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Jordan, along “We have a fundamental responsibility to love our neighbor”
with African American and Chinese — Khader Khalilia
members. El-Yateem notes that 40 lan-
guages are commonly spoken in the
neighborhood, and that at the nearby ple coming and going and on their way to “These services, “El-Yateem said, “are not
Lutheran Medical Center, records show another place.” only for our members but also for the
140 languages have been spoken in the Because of the immigrant and transi- whole community. Unemployment is a
hospital confines. tional nature of the congregation, fi- widespread problem here.” El-Yateem is
The ministry out of Salam Arabic is nances are more of a problem than for plainly excited and energized about the
truly a family affair. El-Yateem’s nephew, most churches. A strongly entrenched congregation’s ministry even after nearly
The Rev. Khader S. Khalilia, has been pre-school program paves the way for 15 years of working at it. “It (the time)
part of the Salam ministry for several children to gain trust with different cul- goes by so fast. It seems to me like only
years, and said of his uncle, “He has been tures at an early age and helps families to two days,” he said.
a true mentor and friend to me. He has know each other. The school has inter- Khader El-Yateem recalls his grand-
taught me so much about community faith enrollment, which bridges many mother reading him Bible stories under
ministry and how to be sensitive to a wide community gaps. El-Yateem explains that an olive tree in Palestine. She would al-
variety of cultures, how we can best help the congregation has two platforms fram- ways make sure to wake him and get him
our neighbors.” Khalilia has studied in ing its ministry. “One is spiritual,” he said. to church. Raised in a Greek Orthodox
the Theological Education for Emerging “We conduct worship in two languages tradition in his homeland, El-Yateem said
Ministries (TEEM) program at LTSP, an — English and Arabic. We lead Bible he wasn’t comfortable with it and fell
continued

l
Martin uther and Islam
DR. J. PAUL RAJASHEKAR under the influence of a Lutheran pastor in later years who helped
LUTHER D. REED PROFESSOR of SYSTEMATIC him come to terms with his faith. In the early 1990s, he was visited
THEOLOGY and DEAN of the SEMINARY by a Global Missions consultant from the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, who asked him to consider leading a ministry
IT SEEMS ODDTO JUXTAPOSE “LUTHER” AND “ISLAM.” with Arabs in the U.S. “I was really having a good life in Palestine,”
Luther is associated with the Protestant Reformation and sel- he said. “But I decided to pray about it, and I began to think there
dom is his name invoked in relation to Islam. But the Islam could be a role for me to serve as a prophet in exile in the U.S.,
Luther knew was the religion of OttomanTurks.TheTurkish sharing a perspective on the Middle East as I did ministry there.”
threat to eastern Europe at the time of the Reformation made it
He attended seminary at LTSP “because it was conveniently
necessary that Luther pay attention to Islam.
located to our New York City ministry.” El-Yateem recalls the sem-
Like any medieval thinker, Luther’s understanding of Islam
inary “as a truly hospitable place with professors welcoming and
shares the prejudices of his era. Since the birth of Islam in the
seventh century, Christians have had a great deal of difficulty
supportive of me a I struggled with language, new ideas and val-
understanding Islam, for it claimed to supercede Christianity ues. The students and staff were the same way.” He remembers a
(just as Christianity did with Judaism), and accepted Jesus as a time when, expected to take an exam, he expressed reservations
prophet but not as a savior. What’s more, it claimed the Qur’an about the writing challenges a new language was presenting for
as the absolute and ultimate word of God replacing all earlier him. “They suggested I record my answers. I was so grateful for
forms of revelations. that,” he recalled. Khalilia too felt welcomed and supported in the
Added to this theological challenge was the fact theTurks LTSP community, although at times, he admitted, “I felt like peo-
were at war with northern Europeans, beginning with the Cru-
sades in the 11th century to the rise of Ottoman rulers.The mili-
tary threat ofTurks against the Holy Roman Empire distracted “Go and knock on your neighbor’s door... ”
the Emperor from suppressing the Reformation of the church
Luther initiated. — Khader Khalilia
Luther, therefore, found himself in a context where he could
not avoid addressing the challenge of Islam in his time. He was
critical of the money expended for undertaking crusades against
ple expected me to be an authority on the Middle East. I was the
Muslims in his controversies over indulgences. His criticism only Palestinian Christian on campus, and I did not have all the
was among the charges in his excommunication from the answers.”
Roman Church. When El-Yateem began his ministry in Brooklyn in the mid-
Luther wrote six different treatises on the religion of the 1990s, he started knocking on doors, he said. He visited area pas-
Turks. He was instrumental in the publication of the Latin trans- tors, imams in mosques, rabbis in synagogues, and neighbors of all
lation of the Qur’an in 1543, a book that was banned in Christian kinds, including the police. His message? “I would introduce my-
Europe. He even wrote a preface to the printed Latin edition of self as a Palestinian Lutheran Christian and say that if we are going
the Qur’an. to make an important difference in the community we are all
There is no evidence that Luther ever came into a direct con-
going to have to find a way to work together. I had no hidden
tact withTurks or Muslims. His knowledge of Islam was gleaned
agenda. I suggested that we find ways to worship together and
from various sources; a good deal of them were inaccurate or
pray together.” As interfaith activities began at Salam and else-
prejudiced. He, nonetheless, had accumulated a fair amount of
knowledge about Muslim beliefs and practices, and knew about
where, El-Yateem said some of his congregants were anxious.
the fundamental differences between Muslims and Christians. “Some back home had experienced persecution at the hands of
He observed about the Muslim objections to the doctrine ofTrin- Muslims,” El-Yateem said. But the interfaith collaboration has
ity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the importance of worked just fine in the new context and the preschool program.
law in Islam. “Children are learning to play together and trust each other and
Luther, of course, couldn’t help but to evaluate Islam from that passes on to the adults,” he said. “They are learning they don’t
the perspective of his favorite doctrine, “justification by faith.” have to fight each other.”
continued on page 18

“Come and See”
— Khader El-Yateem
The door-to-door campaign and inter-

faith collaboration made all the differ-
ence when the events of 9/11 decimated
the community. The police called El-Ya-
teem and said, “Our advice is to close the
church and go home.” They were gen-
uinely concerned, he said, that the con-
gregation could become a target of
profiling in the aftermath of the attacks.
“We went to our homes, but then I
prayed and thought about it. I said to my-
self we are not going to live in fear at a
time like this. We need to be working to-
gether in response to the tragedy.”
The next night, 160 spiritual and other
leaders met at Salam Church to discuss
the tragic events and their responses to it.
They began a series of prayer marches
that would start at Salam Church with
about 60 persons, ending up in the park
with 500 or more interfaith marchers
who would pray together. “It turned out
to be a powerful and inspirational witness
in the face of of some community hate
speeches,” El-Yateem said.
In the aftermath of 9/11, El-Yateem
and Khalilia say interfaith dialogue in
each community is an important and
worthwhile initiative. “Knock on the
door of your neighboring synagogue or
mosque. Be sincere and open to challeng-
ing others and being challenged yourself.
You will find yourself being welcomed,”
Khalilia said. “Dialogue is an important
tool,” added El-Yateem. “But it is impor-
tant to be genuine and serious. Dialogue
is not some kind of trendy new toy. It is
important to be open and willing to have
your reality changed.” In Brooklyn, uncle
and nephew agree walls and stereotypes
have been removed thanks to such attitudes.
Both men encourage would-be profes-
sional leaders to be open to a call and be
continued

The Alcoran of Mahomet

Alexander Ross, translator.
London, Printed, Anno Dom. willing to be challenged by today’s exciting contexts for ministry.
“Being a pastor today is not easy,” El-Yateem said. “But the joy that
1649. comes with seeing how you can touch people’s lives and walk with
them through their challenges and sorrows is truly rewarding. You
OVERTHEYEARS,THE KRAUTH MEMORIAL LIBRARY has
benefited from book donations from its alumni and friends. One
can provide opportunities for people to have faith, to teach them
special anonymous gift was the first translation of the Qur’an about how Jesus walks with us to make us strong and able to sur-
(Koran) into English by Alexander Ross (1592-1654). It remains a vive. We need people to serve as leaders who are open to the chal-
very special book because only 69 libraries in the United States lenges within their communities, not only inside the church but in
have a copy. Of that number, only four are in seminaries. the world. Jesus is with us all of the time, and that gives us the
The story of how this book came to be printed is equally hope we need even in the hardest of times.” ✛
fascinating. At the time of its publication, 1649, printers only
published books that would sell. In other words, when Alexander
The Rev. Khader Khalilia accepted a call to join the staff of St.
Ross approached a printer with his text, that printer agreed to Andrew’s Lutheran Church, San Mateo, CA, as Assistant Pastor.
publish it because he knew that English readers were interested
To view an interview with El-Yateem and Khalilia, go to
enough in Islam and its sacred text that they would purchase
www.Ltsp.edu/salamchurch.
copies of the book. What is even more amazing is that he
believed English readers would settle for a translation of a
translation, as Ross did not read Arabic and had to rely on the
French edition of Andre Du Ryer (1647). Ross had hoped for royal
support of the project, but when he had finished his translation
Charles I had been executed and England was a Commonwealth.
That complicated matters, — when word of the book’s
publication reached the new Council of State, the printer and the
printed copies were seized. Ross was summoned to appear
before the Council. He argued his case well, and the book was
released on May 7, 1649. It was an instant bestseller, and the Martin Luther and Islam, continued from page 16
printer had to print a second run that same year. Despite its
From this doctrinal perspective, he found Islam wanting. It appeared
limitations, Ross’s text would remain the English translation of
to him as a religion of law rather than of grace and therefore a reli-
the Qur’an for the next 85 years, being replaced in 1734 by
gion of “good works.”
George Sales’ translation. At some point in its history, our copy
Despite these differences, Luther was unwilling to advocate the
crossed the Atlantic in someone’s luggage and eventually came
destruction of Islam or Muslims nor undertake crusades or Holy
to the Rare Book Room ofThe LutheranTheological Seminary
wars against them. He believed that war in general is against the
at Philadelphia.
teaching of Christ, and inciting people to go to war againstTurks is
contrary to Christ’s doctrine and name. “Christians shall not resist
evil, fight, or quarrel, nor take revenge or insist on rights” (Luther’s
Works 46:165).
Luther inherited a certain image of Islam and in many respects
reiterated that image, adding some of his own views, albeit from a
Reformation perspective. If Luther had had at his disposal the nec-
essary information, literature, and linguistic competence, he perhaps
would have done all he could to promote a better understanding of
Islam, despite his cultural prejudice. Nonetheless, we may take a
cue from Luther and seek to understand Islam in its own terms and
not succumb to inherited prejudices and political fears in our en-
counter with contemporary Islam or the Muslim world.

G LO B A L V I S I O N
Alumnus Romeo Dabee
Enters a New Ministry
at a Long Island Church
with a Global Vision
LTSP ALUMNUS THE REV. ROMEO African American scholar John
DABEE, MDiv, ’05, fondly recalls grow- Miller, now a pastor in Los An-
ing up in the South American nation of geles, “took me under his wing.”
Guyana as part of a strong Luther League Now-retired Professor Gordon
and youth ministry program. He has been Lathrop “taught me so person-
powerfully influenced by his parents and ally about the grace-filled and
pastors who taught him about the Chris- fulfilling aspects of worship.
tian faith. His teaching was a fundamental
“During a youth exchange event I piece of my development, and I
heard theologian Tony Campolo say to thank God for that.” Professor Timothy professionals at neighboring hospitals.
our gathering, ‘After what God has done Wengert’s teaching about the Lutheran The community is also becoming richly
for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do Confessions and Professor Robin Matti- diverse, with many newer Asian residents.
for him,’” Dabee recalled. Campolo’s son’s instruction about Greek have also Gloria Dei is 95 percent comprised of
words nagged at him for six or seven been foundational. “Their teaching white members.
years. Then, Professor Winston Persaud shapes my sermons today,” he said. And “That members of this congregation
of Wartburg Seminary and native of Dr. Charles Leonard, who directs Con- would call me as their pastor says much
Guyana came to an annual youth camp textual Education at LTSP, persuaded about their commitment to a truly global
program in Guyana. “He asked me, ‘How him to serve as an intern at an all-white church and their commitment to an in-
are things? Where is God leading you?’” congregation in Babylon, New York. “I clusive ministry,” Dabee noted. He said
Dabee remembered. “His probing helped really didn’t want to go there,” Dabee the first year at Gloria Dei has focused
me discern my calling to become a pastor.” said. “But now I can see and understand him on understanding the history of the
He earned a college degree, then began his insight. I’m so grateful for his wisdom.” congregation and getting to know well
studying at The Lutheran Theological And all that hard work and prepara- the people who have shaped the develop-
Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) in tion led Dabee to a new call, serving ment of a ministry with a wonderful
2001. Dabee, a New Yorker, was a resi- Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, a congrega- physical plant, but with a history of finan-
dent-commuter to the school. “It wasn’t tion in New Hyde Park, New York, “one cial challenges that about 10 years ago
easy leaving Rozelle, my new wife, to of the first villages beyond the New York forced them to sell the church parsonage.
come from New York to seminary each City border,” adjoining the Borough of Recently, the church acquired a new one
week,” he remembered. Rozelle, now a Queens. that Romeo and Rozelle have moved into.
public school teacher in New York City, The congregation is part of a pictur- Other hardships have included some
worked with her new husband at “keep- esque, residential blue-collar community members losing jobs due to the state of
ing each other accountable to our goals,” steeped in German and Scandinavian roots. the economy. “But that reality hasn’t
he said. Dabee notes that many New Hyde Park shaken the congregation’s focus on mis-
He felt a lot of support from the cam- residents serve as New York City fire- sion,” Dabee said. “You can really sense
pus community in Philadelphia too. fighters and police officers, and medical the congregation’s commitment and en-
continued

G LO B A L V I S I O N
thusiasm to stewardship.” He noted that, said. He feels parishioners are visionary think it will benefit the congregation,” he
among other things, the church offers vig- with support for social ministry, a food said. The values instilled in the youth
orous financial support to mission work pantry, and outreach to the community. ministry he experienced growing up are
in Liberia, and now India. The 67-year- Dabee has a core of six youth who regu- also a critical factor.
old congregation — organized in 1942 — larly meet in the congregation’s gymnasium. And as he strives, he recalls the words
has also had to come to terms with the He senses the church is powerfully of his first call mentor Pastor Robert Fritch,
loss through death of some original charter aware of the need to “do things differ- who serves Our Saviour Lutheran Church
members since Dabee began his ministry. ently” now as compared to the past. He in Jamaica, New York. “In ministry he
Other strengths and opportunities? figures his management experience in ac- taught me, ‘You gotta have to wanna,’” he
The congregation has a nursery school counting, quality assurance, planning, said with a smile. “You have to have your
that has been a community stronghold and communications, gleaned from un- heart in ministry and understand you
for 35 years, and which has helped to dergraduate studies and daily work before may not be around long enough to see all
shape both the neighborhood and the seminary, will help the congregation the fruits that bear testimony in the lives
congregation, he said. Dabee explains greatly as he works to “inspire, teach, and of the people you serve.”
that the congregation’s surviving financial equip,” as he puts it. “Having seminary It will all happen in God’s time, and it
hardship is a plus. It also has members of training, but also having been involved will take prayer and patience on our part,
diverse ages in its midst. “There is just with personnel management, is really he said. ✛
tremendous growth potential here,” he helping me with the challenges, and I
Inspiring Service
Founded in 1847 as a Lutheran college, Carthage highly
values its affiliation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America. Our liberal arts curriculum includes courses
that explore and celebrate religion and spirituality.
Faith-oriented programs and student religious organizations
offer students many opportunities to strengthen their faith
as they discover how they can serve others in the Church
and in the world.
800-351-4058
carthage.edu/ministry
ALUMNI NEWS✛
Alumni Spring Convocation 2010
The Rev. Judith VanOsdol, LTSP April 26 to 28, 2010
alumni
2009 Distinguished Alumnus/a
Ecology
and
Theology
Reunion Class Anniversaries
celebrated at Spring Convocation:
1935,1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960,
1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985,
1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2009
SPRIN CONVOCATION
Our presenter is The Rev. Dr. H. Paul
Santmire, ’60, whose pioneering life
work and writing has focused on the
growing environmental crisis.
Workshops will include theological
OUR DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS/A 2009, The Rev. Judith VanOsdol-Hansen, ’87, reflections and practical presentations
received her award at the 2009 Spring Convocation Alumni Banquet on April 29, 2009.
g
for “greening” your congregations.
She has had an extraordinary ministry over the last 22 years, 14 of which has been as a
pastor/missionary in Argentina. Look for Alumni Spring Convocation
After graduating from LTSP, she spent two years as associate pastor of St. Paul’s Evan- 2010 registration material in your mail
gelical Lutheran Church in Pittsford, New York. Next came several years as ELCA pas- in early February and online at
tor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, an inner-city church with a substantial Latino www.Ltsp.edu/convocation10.
community. In 1994, she became a pastor/missionary for global mission for ELCA,
Nominations for the Distinguished
serving a number of parishes and missions in Argentina as part of the United Evangelical
Alumnus/a Award 2010 must be in by
Lutheran Church of Argentina and Uruguay. Since 2002, she has also been continental
December 31, 2009. The award will be
director for women’s ministries and gender justice with the Latin American Council of
given at the Alumni Banquet on
Churches (CLAI), focusing on such issues as economic justice, human rights, and over-
Tuesday evening, April 27, 2010. Please
coming violence.
fill out enclosed form, email
Recently, she has become a mission developer of El Milagro/The Miracle Lutheran
information to [email protected], or
Church in Minneapolis, and continues to be consultant for the United Nations con-
nominate online at www.Ltsp.edu/
cerning women’s gender/poverty/justice issues.
nomination.
www.Ltsp.edu/convocation10
Convocation 09 photos, stories, and video

Thanks to a grant from the Lilly Foundation to the American Theological of lectures and more online at
Library Association (ATLA), ATLASerials is now available to all alumni. www.Ltsp.edu/convocation09
ATLASerials databases provide extensive indexing of theological journals
as well as full text to key periodicals. Please contact Ellen Anderson at
[email protected] for a user id and password.

ALUMNI NEWS✛
classNOTES firstCALLS
The Rev. Dr. Michael Linderman, MDiv ’95, The Rev. Chris T.K. Duckworth, MDiv, ’02,
completed his PhD in South Asia Regional received a first call at Resurrection Evangelical
Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Lutheran Church in Arlington, VA, serving as
May, 2009, and is now Assistant Professor of Associate Pastor. He was ordained Decem-
South Asian Civilization and Religions at ber 20, 2008.
Seton Hall University. In recognition of this,
the New Jersey Synod of the ELCA extended The Rev. Jeffrey Goodman,
to Linderman Call to Specialized Ministry in STM ’08, received a call to
Education, effective fall, 2008. serve as pastor at Salem
Evangelical Lutheran Church,
The Rev. Dr. Jessicah L.K. Ephrata, PA.
Duckworth, MDiv ’03, re-
ceived her PhD in Practical
Theology in May, 2009, from
PrincetonTheological Semi- The Rev. Joseph McGarry, MDiv ’08, received
nary. Her dissertation was a call, June 29, 2008, to St. Marks Evangeli-
entitled, “Cruciform Catech- cal Lutheran Church, Baldwinsville NY. He
esis: A PracticalTheology of Welcoming was ordained August 1, 2008.
Newcomers for Churches Living Under aThe-
ology of the Cross.” She is Assistant Professor The Rev. Emilie Theobald-
of Christian Formation andTeaching at Wes- Rowlands, MDiv ’08, was
leyTheological Seminary in Washington, D.C. called as pastor of Grace
Lutheran Church, Crescent,
The Rev. Paul Miller, MDiv ‘06, was installed PA, and Resurrection
on October 18 as pastor of Lutheran Church, Oakdale,
St. PA. Both are located near
Andrew Lutheran Church at the Pittsburgh International Airport. She was
Canyon Lake,TX. ordained June 21, 2008, at the Southwestern
PA synod assembly.
The Rev. Nancy J. Beckwith,

JohnWeit, MAR, ’09, has MDiv, ’09, has been called
accepted the position of Di- as Pastor to Immanuel
rector of Music and Organist, Lutheran Church in Meriden,
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran CT. She was ordained Sep-
Church,Worcester, MA. tember 20, 2009.
The Rev. Jeanne Gay, MDiv ’09, was or-

dained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament
on Sunday, September 13, 2009, at Grace
Contact Ellen Anderson at eander-
Presbyterian Church in Jenkintown, PA. She
[email protected] and let us know your
has been called to Firelands Presbyterian
latest news for the next issue of PS! Church in Port Clinton, OH.
The Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN) is a library of over 10,000 theological
thesis/dissertation titles representing research from as many as 70 different institutions. Titles
may be ordered online through the TREN search and order system. Also available are
conference papers presented at annual meetings of several academic societies.
Our new Google Scholar search box, www.tren.com/e-docs/search.cfm, is up and running
which lists titles based on the content of the document and not simply keywords in the
document title.
Visit www.tren.com, or email Robert Jones at [email protected], or call 1.800.334.8736.

faculty/staff
NEWS✛NOTES Professor Jon Pahl travels

FACULTY/STAFF ACTIVITIES
Texts Trialogue held at LTSP;
May, 2009: attended the Region
k
to enya
VII Life Long Learning Network,
Camp Koinonia, NY; attended
Multi-Faith Education symposium
at Auburn Theological Seminary,
NY; published: Piety, Politics and
Power: Lutherans Encountering
Islam in the Middle East (Wipf
and Stock, 2009), “Reading Their
Book of Faith: North American
Muslims and their Interpretations
of the Qur’an in the Post 9/11
Era,” 48/3 2009, Dialog.
DR. WIL GAFNEY Associate

Professor of Hebrew and the
Scriptures of Israel June, 2009:
traveled to Turkey with Dialogue
Forum, (see sidebar, pg. 24); ser- Professor Jon Pahl interacts with primary students from the Turkish Light Acad-
emy, Nairobi, Kenya.
mon entitled, “Of Dreams and
Their Dreamers: A Sermonic Re-
flection on the Obama Presi- IN JUNE 2009, PROFESSOR JON PAHL TRAVELED to
dency” included in: The Audacity
of Faith: Christian Leaders Reflect
Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi, Kenya, at the invitation of
on the Election of Barack Obama the Turkish Community Association of Uganda. In Kam-
Marvin A. McMickle, editor pala, Prof. Pahl was keynote speaker at the International Di-
( Judson Press 2008). alogue Dinner on Love and Tolerance, on the topic, “The
Challenge for Youth.” Prof. Pahl’s talk described the chal-
lenge facing young people across religious traditions to turn
DR. ERIK M. HEEN Professor of
NewTestament and Greek publi- faith teachings and practices away from violence (as either
cations: Hebrew Texts from the militarism or terrorism), and toward peacemaking and rec-
Church Fathers, Ancient Christian onciliation. Included in the audience were ministers of the
Devotional: A Year of Weekly Read- government of Uganda, members of the Ugandan Parlia-
ings, Lectionary Cycle C., edited by
Cindy Crosby (Downers Grove: ment, religious leaders, businessmen and women, diplomats,
InterVarsity Press, 2009), 26, 28, and other dignitaries. Prof. Pahl’s talk was based upon a pres-
187, 189, 192, 197, 198, 202, 204; entation he made in March for a “Friendship Dinner” spon-
“Hebrews: Book Introduction and sored by the Turkish community in Pittsburgh.
Study Notes,” in Lutheran Study
Bible: New Revised Standard Edi-
While in Uganda and Kenya, Prof. Pahl also visited sev-
tion (Minneapolis: Augsburg eral schools sponsored by members of the Gülen movement.
Fortress, 2009), 1974-1991; Feb- The Gülen movement is a progressive Muslim movement
DR. DAVID D. GRAFTON ruary, 2009: presented, “Biblical centered in Turkey that has established schools around the
Director of Graduate Studies Resources for a Conversation
Associate Professor of Islamic world dedicated to scientific education and interreligious di-
about Homosexuality,” LTSP
Studies and Christian-Muslim Convocation; “LTSP: Lutheran alogue. Members of the movement have been inspired by the
Relations March, 2009: attended and Ecumenical,” Eastern Cluster teachings of M. Fethullah Gülen, voted the world’s top pub-
the New Jersey Synod Congrega- Joint Faculty Retreat (ELCA), St. lic intellectual in 2008 by Foreign Policy magazine.
tional Ministries Event; April, Mary’s Seminary. Baltimore, MD;
2009: presented on “Contempo-
Gülen’s most widely read work in English is entitled
March, 2009: Workshop Facilita-
rary Islam in the Middle East,” at tor, “Preaching the Texts of Year B, Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance (The
Hershey’s Mill; emceed Sacred 2009: Easter Through Pentecost.” Light, 2006).
continued

faculty/staff
NEWS✛NOTES
p rofessor Wil Gafney:
FACULTY/STAFF ACTIVITIES continued
Notes fromTurkey
Eastern Nassau Conference,

DR. MELINDA A. QUIVIK
Metro NY Synod of the ELCA;
Associate Professor of Christian
April, 2009: workshop leader,
Assembly June/July, 2009:
“Philippians: The Anchor Com-
presided and preached, and led
mentary (2008) in the Light of
Professor Wil Gafney (standing, sixth from left), and traveling companions worship and preaching reflection
Jack Reumann’s Life and Work as
from the Dialog Forum, in front of the Blue Mosque, in Turkey. groups at two one-week Worship
a Teacher of the Church,” LTSP;
and Music conferences at Mon-
speaker, “In Memory and Celebra-
PROFESSOR WIL GAFNEY TRAVELED, in June 2009, to tion of John Reumann,” The
treat Conference Center, in North
Turkey with Philadelphia Dialog Forum, a group dedicated to Carolina sponsored by the Presby-
Alumni/ae Association Annual
terian Association of Musicians;
inter-religious dialogue in general and introducing Jewish and Spring Convocation Banquet,
October, 2009: Authored Serving
Christian clergy and academics in the West to the diversity of Is- LTSP; May, 2009: presented
the Word: Preaching in Worship
(with James Nestigen and Jon
lamic thought, religious practice and cultural expression. The (Elements of Preaching) (Fortress
Pahl) “Focus on Scripture,” Sex
Dialog Forum has roots in the Turkish-American diaspora and in Press, 2009).
and the Synod:Perspectives on
Philadelphia is associated with student and community organi- Homosexuality in Scripture and
DR. NELSON RIVERA Associate
zations on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Ministry, Seeger’s Union, Muhlen-
Professor, SystematicTheology
berg College, Allentown, PA; July,
and Hispanic Ministry; Director,
2009: presented, “The ELCA and
Our trip to Turkey allowed us to experience the world’s only ‘The Theological Investigation of
Latino Concentration February
Islamic democracy, Turkey, which is also a secular and socialist 2009: Presented sermon com-
Scripture’: Past, Present, and Fu-
memorating the 200th anniversary
nation. Turkey is culturally Muslim, there are mosques on ture,” four sessions during “Teach-
of Charles Darwin’s birthday,
every corner, and they outnumber churches and synagogues. ing a Living and Active Word,”
LTSP Seminary Chapel; April,
The Summer Institute for Min-
Yet Turkey is secular, there is no state religion. 2009: Lectured on the “Vocation
istry 2009, Lutheran Theological
I was particularly interested in the number of ways in which of Scientists and Theologians” as
Seminary at Gettysburg.
Turkey intersects biblical and Christian history. In the Scrip- part of the Public Theology Series
at LTSP.
tures of Israel, the ancient Hittite Empire where Abraham first
buried Sarah (Genesis 23), where Abraham was later buried DR. J. JAYAKIRAN SEBASTIAN
(Genesis 25:7-9), where Esau married local girls (Genesis H. George Anderson Professor
26:34 and 36:2), and the country of origin of Uriah whom of Mission and Cultures; Direc-
tor, Multicultural Mission Re-
David had killed for his wife (2 Samuel 11) are located in mod- source Center attended 2009
ern Turkey. The ancient city of Ephesus to whom Paul directed award ceremony and colloquium
his Ephesian letter is located in Turkey as are the caves of Cap- held in Heidelberg, Germany, as a
podochia where early Christians fled persecution. Ancient board member and evaluator of
the John Templeton Award for
Anatolia is also synonymous with Turkey as are Seljuk and
Theological Promise; March,
Ottoman Empires. 2009: keynote speaker, Ecumeni-
continued on page 26 cal Christian Fellowship of New
continued

emmett Nixon’s Campus Lesson:
“You show people love and
respect by the way you cook
for them.”
AS LTSP’S COOK, HE HAS PASSED ALONG WHAT HE FIRST the school since. “I’ve always felt loved and respected by the stu-
LEARNED FROM HIS PARENTS: savory home-made black bean, dents, staff, and faculty — right from the beginning,” he said.
cream of mushroom, and minestrone soups. Potato salad. Cole Could it be because of what he first learned at home?
slaw. Succulent ribs featuring an original sauce and meat that falls What he learned was crystal clear. “Dad put a roof over our
off the bone. All served atThe LutheranTheological Seminary at heads and worked hard,” Emmett said. “My mother had dinner on
Philadelphia (LTSP) with a gracious smile and warm greeting. the table every night at 5 o’clock. At each meal we prayed and gave
That’s all thanks to Emmett Nixon, seminary cook. For 30 years thanks to God. And I was taught that one way you respect God is to
he’s been preparing and often serving meals at the 1792 refectory respect everyone you come in contact with. I was taught that mak-
or at other points on campus — the president’s front lawn at a pic- ing meals that you serve to others is a way of showing other people
nic, in Benbow Hall ofThe Brossman Center. And alumni, staff, fac- love and respect.” The teaching certainly stuck. In interviews with
ulty, and seminarians alike all think Emmett to be as much of an past and present students, Emmett is often mentioned.
institution as the seminary is itself. (Next to John Kaufmann, regis- Emmett Nixon grew up in a Christian home and is now a Mus-
trar emeritus, he’s the senior working presence on campus).You lim. He’s formed lasting relationships with many in the seminary
just need to mention Emmett’s name to them if they don’t mention community. And he enjoys conversations with students at a favorite
his first. And at the thought of Emmett they reveal a smile just like his. table in the refectory at lunchtime. In the past, several students
Rail thin and as energetic as ever at age 70, Emmett Nixon drives have asked him to discuss the Islamic faith with them, and he cher-
or takes public transit every day from Philadelphia’s Logan section ishes such conversations.
to LTSP. And he doesn’t miss a beat. Emmett’s wife, Earlie, fell ill in the early 1980s and died. He’s the
Emmett grew up in North Philadelphia, the eighth of 11 children, father of five adult sons and 20 grandchildren.
five of whom were boys. His father, Julie, was a hard-working chef His favorite seminary memories include the dedication ofThe
for Horn & Hardart. His mother, Hattie, was a stay-at-home mom. Brossman Learning Center a few years ago, the installations of
Both parents taught him something about cooking, but his dad only president Philip Krey, and deans Faith Rohrbaugh Burgess, James
cooked at home on Christmas for a big family gathering “to give Echols, and Paul Rajashekar, and a friendship with colleague Lois
Mom a break,” he remembered. He learned a lot about cooking LaCroix, executive assistant to the president.
from his mom. What would Emmett Nixon like to say to the seminary commu-
Favorite delicacies? “Cakes, pies, stews, everything,” he recalled nity and those who’ve known him over the years, or to anyone
with the patented smile. He was especially fond of salmon and rice thinking of studying at a school of theology?
with home-made biscuits. “I’d tell them that the seminary is truly a safe place to study, that
Cooking runs in the family. His father’s brothers were chefs. His it is a community filled with love and understanding, and if you are
brother once cooked at the Italian Riviera Restaurant in Philadel- looking for a chance to learn at a place like that, you would be mak-
phia’sTorresdale section. His sister, Amelia, today runs Patterson’s ing a wise choice to come here.”
Palace, a vegetarian restaurant nearTemple University. “I know I’m not planning to go anywhere soon!” he chuckled.
Emmett began his career running an eaterie specializing in fish
and chips and other home-made meals.Then he decided to seek
other work. An agency sent him for a day to the seminary refectory.
He worked with a cook named Cliff. Emmett decided “right away I
liked the seminary. I just felt at home here.” Eventually Cliff fell ill
and decided to step down. Emmett took his place. He’s worked at

faculty/staff
NEWS✛NOTES
Notes from Turkey continued FACULTY/STAFF ACTIVITIES continued
Jersey, 2009 World Day of Prayer,
Turkey is a beautiful at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic
Church, Garfield, NJ, theme: “In
country, roughly the size of Christ there are many members
Texas, and has the climate yet one body”; resource person,
variation of California, District Resource Day of the Gate-
from ski slopes to beaches. Way North District of the Greater
New Jersey Conference of the
Our itinerary included In- United Methodist Church, at
stanbul (formerly Constan- Emanuel Methodist Church,
tinople) including the Springfield, NJ, theme: “Mission
world famous Blue Mosque and Ministry in a Global Society”;
May, 2009: resource person, Dis-
and Hagia Sophia, once a
trict Resource Day of the Raritan
church, then a mosque, Valley District of the Greater New
now a museum, and the Jersey Conference of the United DR.TIMOTHY J. WENGERT
ruins of Ephesus, Antalia, Kona, Cappodochia and Kaisere. Methodist Church, at the United Ministerium of Pennsylvania
Methodist Church of Bound Professor of the History of Chris-
We were warmly hosted by local families. Our hosts had in tianity authored: Martin Luther’s
Brook, NJ, theme: “The Bible in
common support for the social and educational movement of Context — Learning from the Catechisms: Forming the Faith,
M. Fethullah Gülen, who believes that a world-class education World Church”; evaluator and (Fortress Press, 2009); edited:
includes global ethical, communal, and family values along participant, John Templeton The Pastoral Luther: Essays on
Award for Theological Promise Martin Luther’s Practical Theol-
with a curriculum that emphasizes history, science, mathemat-
2009 and Colloquium at the In- ogy, (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publish-
ics, and the Turkish language. ing Co., 2009); April, 2009: Spoke
ternationales Wissenschaftsforum,
It was a wonderful experience, and I would love to go Heidelberg, Germany; faculty on Luther’s use of Scripture at the
again. Our hosts made it clear that they would love to facili- mentor, Asian Theological Sum- Lutheran Theological Seminary
tate a seminary trip at some point in the future. mer Institute 2009, LTSP; June, Saskatoon; July, 2009: visiting re-
2009: presented “Public Theology searcher at Ecumenical Institute,
and the Challenges of Pastoral Strasbourg, France; participated in
Ministry and Praxis,” at DMin program review on behalf of the
Colloquium I & II, LTSP; re- Mainz Academy of Sciences for a
source person and preacher, 23rd project at the University of Mainz
Church of South India Family and and its Institute for European
Youth Conference, Somerset, NJ; History.
published “The Sand Around
Lake Geneva: Reformed Legacy in
Another Land, Another Time,” in
Reformed World, Vol. 58, No. 4
(December 2008), pp. 257 – 262;
review article on God and Global-
ization: Volume 4: Globalization
and Grace, by Max L. Stackhouse,
in International Journal of Public
Theology, Vol. 3, No. 2 (2009),
pp. 256-262.
Dr. Kiran Sebastian (top row, fifth from left), at Heidelberg castle with the rep-
resentatives of the board/evaluators and winners of the 2009 John Templeton
Award for Theological Promise. The award ceremony and colloquium was held
in Heidelberg, Germany, in May of 2009.

PASSAGES
Robert E. Bornemann, OldTestament

Professor and Music Aficionado
THE REV. DR. ROBERT E. BORNEMANN, many songs and liturgical settings. While
professor of Hebrew and Old Testament directing the seminary choir, he was
for 41 years at The Lutheran Theological known for staging performing editions of
Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), and di- little-known or unknown dramatic musical
rector of the seminary choir from 1955 to works from the thirteenth century, and or-
1990, died Sunday, May 3, 2009, of lung ganized the seminary’s currently popular
cancer at his home in Philadelphia’s East Advent Vespers series.
Mount Airy section. He was 85. “As a young instructor at the seminary, I
He died peacefully, and his wife Agnes was invited by Dr. Bornemann to sit in on
and his family were able to be with him. his beloved course, ‘The Church, Music
His illness had been announced at the re- and the Arts,’” recalled LTSP president
cent Spring Convocation at LTSP, and a Philip D.W. Krey. “It was among the finest
number of his students who had returned courses I have ever taken. He was a master-
to the area for convocation were able to ful teacher.” Bornemann for 30 years. “No one on the
visit Dr. Bornemann while they were here. “I think of Bob Bornemann as a true faculty had a better rapport with students
Dr. Bornemann was a remarkably gifted renaissance man because he had so many than Bob. He especially loved the lan-
musician who played the piano, recorder, varied interests,” said The Rev. Dr. Jack guages of antiquity and music.”
organ, and harpsichord. He built two White, Hagan Emeritus Professor of Pas- Dr. Bornemann participated in several
harpsichords from kits and composed toral Care at LTSP who taught with Dr. noteworthy archeological digs in Israel
continued

faculty/staff
NEWS✛NOTES
IN MEMORIAM
over a 25-year period. “The emphasis on 1958); Christ Lutheran Church, Dryville (1958-
The Rev. ArnoldTiemeyer, 1966), and Jordan Lutheran Church, Orefield,
archeology is not to prove that the Bible is visitation pastor at Trinity from 1966 until his retirement in 1996.
either right or wrong,” he told the semi- Evangelical Lutheran
nary’s PS Magazine upon returning from Church, Lansdale, PA, The Rev. Harold R. Baer, MDiv, ’62, died
his last Middle East digging experience. died May 31, 2009. During Wednesday, September 30, 2009. Pastor Baer
his 45 years of ordained was ordained in 1962. Pastor Baer served Holy
“It’s a study that makes scripture come
ministry, Pastor Tiemeyer Spirit Lutheran Church, Reading, PA (1962-
alive. Archeology shows us the dynamics worked continuously to 1964); St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sinking
of how and the way people lived.” He was bridge community divi- Spring, PA (1964-1983); St. Paul’s Lutheran
also active in a variety of Jewish-Christian sions over social and civil rights rooted in Church, Catasauqua, PA (1983-1988); and St.
dialogues. economic circumstance, race and ethnicity, Paul Lutheran Church, Shavertown (1988-1996).
gender, or sexual orientation.
Though Dr. Bornemann officially re-
In 1985, Pastor Tiemeyer was named presi- The Rev. Dr. Ivis J. LaRiviere-Mestre, MDiv
tired from his post as the Anna Burkhalter ’84, DMin, ’07, died May 26, 2009. Pastor LaR-
dent of Lutheran Home at Germantown
Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew in (LHG). During his decade at LHG, the or- iviere-Mestre was ordained in 1985. Following
1994, his wife of 63 years, Agnes, said, ganization expanded its care services with her ordination, Pastor LaRiviere-Mestre served
“Bob never really retired.” He occasionally special needs children, home services to St. John Lutheran Church, Union City, N.J.
older adults, and managed care consulting (1985-1986). In 1986 she became editor for
taught Old Testament courses at the semi- Spanish Language Resources for the Division
services across Pennsylvania and New Jer-
nary, and was planning a course to be sey, constructed a new care facility at Ger- for Parish Services of the Lutheran Church in
taught this year in the Graduate Religious mantown Home, and opened the Betak America. After two years in that position, she
Studies Program at La Salle University, facility, the first AIDS hospice in Philadel- became Director for Educational Resources for
phia during the early 1990s. the Women of the ELCA. In 1991 she returned
where he had served as a visiting professor
to Pennsylvania to serve as pastor of San Mar-
since 1977. tin de Porres Lutheran Church, Allentown. In
In addition to his spouse, Dr. Borne- The Rev. Robert Z. Wuchter, BD, ’45, STM, ’49 2005 she because the ELCA Associate Direc-
mann is survived by John and Collette of Wall, NJ, died May 25, 2009. He was or- tor for Evangelism and Latino Outreach, a posi-
dained in January of 1945. Pastor Wuchter tion she held until becoming ill in 2007.
Bornemann of Hyde Park, VT; Annamary
began his ministry at Grace Lutheran Church in
and Tom Anderson, of Craftsbury, VT; Somers Point, N.J, where he served for five The Rev. Vicki Hall, MDiv, ’93 of Franconia
Elizabeth and Stanley Kozakowski of Mil- years. He then came to Holy Trinity Evangelical Township, Montgomery County, PA, an interim
ford, NJ; and Kate and Alan Ayers of Seat- Lutheran Church in Manasquan in 1950 and Lutheran pastor at several churches in the
served as pastor until his retirement in 1985. Philadelphia region, died August 11, 2009. Pas-
tle, WA; eight grandchildren and one
He was a president of the N.J. Conference of tor Hall was ordained in 1994 at St. Mark
great-grandchild. the Ministerium, the Central Conference of Lutheran Church in Philadelphia.
Memorial gifts may be made to the N.J. Synod, dean of the Central District of N.J.
Robert Bornemann Fund at LTSP, 7301 Synod, and also served on the Executive Board The Rev. James W. Myles III, DMin, ’08, of
Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA of the N.J. Synod, on the Examining, Vocations Philadelphia. Myles joined White Rock Baptist
and Division of Professional Ministry Committees. Church in Philadelphia as a youth minister in
19119 or online at www.Ltsp.edu/give.
1962, was installed as pastor of First Baptist
A complete article about Prof. Bornemann, The Rev. Walter O. Huegel, MDiv, ‘55, Allen- Church of Wayne, PA, in 1979, and retired
with comments from colleagues and stu- town, PA, formerly of New Hartford,NY, died there last February.
July 12, 2009. He earned masters degrees
dents, and photos, can be found on the Web from Syracuse University and The Lutheran The Rev. David Graham Volk, who died April
at www.Ltsp.edu/bornemann. Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. He 16, 2009, was ordained by the Central Pennsyl-
served as a Lutheran pastor from 1955-1973 at vania Synod in 1955. Throughout his ministry
St. Stephens Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, NY; he was active in civic affairs and the work of
Christ Lutheran Church, Little Falls, NY; and the wider church, serving on the boards of the
Zion Lutheran Church, New Hartford, NY. Tressler Home and Allegheny Lutheran Home
and as secretary of the Lutheran Commission
The Rev. Ralph F. Eberle, STM, ’60, died May on Mental Retardation in the Northeastern U.S.
1, 2009. Pastor Eberle was ordained in 1955. He served on the LTSP Alumni Board as an
Following his ordination, Pastor Eberle served LTSG representative for many years.
Central Lutheran Church, Conshohocken (1955-

around
✛ADMISSIONS
Theological Education in
a Pluralistic Society
THE REV. LOUISE N. JOHNSON
Director of Admissions
WHY WOULD A SEMINARY, a place that trains leaders for the Christian church, be interested
in exposing its students to the leaders, believers, and tenets of other faith traditions? In the
eight mile stretch of Germantown Avenue, the road on which the seminary sits, there are more
than eighty places of worship that represent a wide range of faith traditions. They are our
neighbors. Both leaders and worshippers, living side by side, wrestling with everything from
how to fix the streets to how to mark our history. The world is on our doorstep not only by
virtue of the virtual, but also in the flesh. And not just on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia,
but also on Tilden Street in Postville, IA. Learning about other faith traditions is not the
privilege of abstract academia, but a practical reality of ministry in the twenty-first century.
But engaging in conversation and relationships inevitably raises questions about what we
believe, think, and practice, questions about who God is for us, for others, for the world.
Difficult questions that lack simple answers. And yet we are called by our own faith to engage
both the questions and the relationships. In John 17, Jesus prayed that we would be one — as
he and the Father are one. It is worth noting what the Christian faith teaches about how Jesus
and the Father are one. In the Nicene Creed, we confess Jesus to be “eternally begotten of the
Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, of one being with the
Father.” In other words, Jesus is so like the Father that they are one being. And, at the same time,
the very structure of the Creed itself (addressing God, the Father, in the first article, God, the
Son, in the second, and God, the Holy Spirit in the third) illuminates our belief that God, the
Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are also separate persons with particular roles and gifts. Our
God is both three and one, distinct in persons and yet one Lord. Which seems to suggest
something about the character of the unity to which we are called. Unity, if you think about it,
presupposes differences. If Jesus were not distinct from God in some way, he would simply be
the same and there would be no cause for relationship, no cause for unity, no need to speak of
them as one being. In other words, we are called to be unified, but not uniform. Differences are
crucial to our unity. And, yet, our unity must bear the character of oneness.
To be sure this is no simple task. Discovering the differences that make us distinct and yet
unified is, well, a miracle of God. Which is precisely the point. When we engage in relationships
with our neighbors, trusting in the sure work of God in Christ Jesus, we have nothing to lose
and everything to gain. Listening, asking questions, and engaging in genuine relationships
moves us closer to Jesus’ desire for us and all creation and puts us in place to see the miracles
God can work. So perhaps the better question is, “Why wouldn’t a seminary be interested in
exposing its students to the leaders, believers and tenets of other faith traditions?” ✛

from the
✛FOUNDATION
Swedish Festival Kicks Off LTSP Augustana Room
Campaign: Bishop Chilstrom Praises First Lutheran
Church in Brockton
THIS PAST SEPTEMBER , Herbert D.
Chilstrom, first Presiding Bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), gave a hearty “Thank you!” to a
crowd of worshippers at First Lutheran
Church in Brockton, Massachusetts, as
the congregation kicked off the campaign
for a new Augustana Room at The
Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Philadelphia (LTSP) with a Swedish festi-
val weekend.
“I’m especially grateful that I can be
here at First Lutheran Church on this his-
toric day,” said Bishop Chilstrom. “The
congregation’s decision to celebrate its
Swedish heritage by supporting the cre-
ation of the Augustana Room at LTSP is
very important — not just to honor the
past but to equip generations of church
leaders for the future. As students learn
about the history of our ELCA,” said
Chilstrom, “it will be important for them
to know about one of our distinct tap
roots — The Augustana Lutheran
Church.”
The festival weekend began with a Sat-
urday evening meatball supper and con-
cluded with two hours of energetic song
— a rich variety of Swedish hymns for all
seasons and occasions. Three members of
First Lutheran, once known as the
“mother church” of Augustana congrega-
tions in New England, donned tradi-
tional Swedish festival costumes to serve as
ushers for festival guests.
(l. to r.) Bishop Herbert D.Chilstrom, Bishop Harold Lohr, Pastor Ken Bjorklund, Ted Steege, Associate
Pastor Ken Hilston, and Pastor John Stott.

According to retired Pastor Ken Bjork- In remarks at the hymnfest, Bishop
lund, the festive morning service drew Chilstrom noted that when First
double the normal attendance, and Asso- Lutheran was founded in 1867, the
ciate Pastor Ken Hilston said more peo- preacher for the dedication service was
ple attended the Eucharist that day than The Rev. Dr. Charles Porterfield Krauth,
he can remember in a long time. professor of systematic theology at LTSP.
Bishop Chilstrom’s sermon, “How The bond of commitment to the
Wide is God’s Kingdom?”, brought a for- Lutheran Confessions as the foundation
ward-looking focus, rooted in an endur- for mission and public ministry proved
ing faith in Christ and a commitment to strong then and still is strong today, he
the Lutheran confessions. At a forum fol- said. As host of the Lutheran Archives
lowing the service, some 50 worshippers Center of the Northeast, the seminary is a
remained to hear and interact with custodian of a treasure trove of archives
(l. to r.) Pastor Dennis Kohl, Karin Kohl, Bishop
Bishop Chilstrom and LTSP representa- relating to the Augustana heritage in New Herbert D.Chilstrom
tive Ted Steege on the topic of “Vocation” England and elsewhere on the East coast.
as it applies not only to pastors and other “By establishing The Augustana Room
project. Mr. Steege will be meeting soon
rostered leaders, but to congregations and in The Brossman Learning Center, LTSP
with the Congregation Council to discuss
members, called to support their pastors, recognizes the heritage of The Augustana
possible next steps in First Lutheran’s sup-
their synod, and their seminary. LTSP, Lutheran Church, which enriched the
port of the campaign.
one of eight ELCA seminaries is “our Lutheran Church in America as it
Gifts in support of The Augustana
seminary” for ELCA Lutherans in New formed, and now enriches the ELCA, in-
Room will assist the seminary in meeting
England, under a churchwide agreement cluding the faithful partnership between
the New England Synod goal of $1.5 mil-
to provide for the ongoing mission of the New England Synod and LTSP,” said
lion toward Building in Faith for People of
training future leaders as part of a faithful Steege. In The Augustana Room, a per-
Faith, the Continuing Journey. By mid-
partnership between synods and seminar- manent exhibition will reflect The Augus-
summer of 2009, firm gifts and pledges
ies. Recently ordained Pastor Mark tana Lutheran Church’s life, witness, and
toward that overall goal had come to more
Huber, called as mission developer in ministry.
than $650,000. The campaign is scheduled
nearby Marshfield, Massachusetts, ex- “As we build on the faithful witness of
to continue through the end of 2010.✛
pressed gratitude for First Lutheran’s Augustana in teaching, forming, training,
emerging commitment to support his work. and sending out new leaders for Christ’s To contribute to the Augustana Room
Bringing greetings on behalf of New church,” said Steege, “we invite gifts by in- campaign, go to www.Ltsp.edu/give.
England Synod Bishop Margaret Payne dividuals, congregations, and organiza-
was Pastor John Stott of Plymouth, Mas- tions toward a goal of $250,000 for The
sachusetts, Dean of the Southeast Massa- Augustana Room.” Proceeds of the meat-
chusetts Conference. Other guests ball supper, the Swedish hymnfest, and
included Bishop Harold Lohr, a seminary special envelopes inserted in the morning
classmate of Bishop Chilstrom; Ms. Edie bulletin will be dedicated in support of
Lohr, retired director of Lutheran Social the Augustana Room, according to First
Services of New England; and Pastor Lutheran’s administrator, Jim Benson.
Dennis Kohl of Pilgrim Lutheran Church Mr. Steege and other seminary represen-
in Warwick, Rhode Island, an LTSP tatives will provide information, discuss
alumnus who did his internship at First giving opportunities by individuals and
Lutheran and also served as its pastor for congregations, and make available re-
a number of years. sponse forms and other resources for this

from the
✛FOUNDATION
LTSP Dedicates William Allen Plaza
THE NEW WILLIAM ALLEN PLAZA from the place where “Mount Airy” once
AND HISTORICAL MARKER on the stood, connecting the LTSP campus and
LTSP campus were dedicated on Satur- Schaeffer-Ashmead Chapel to the Mt.
day, September 26, 2009, by representa- Airy community along Germantown
tives of the seminary, the community, and Avenue.
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The ceremonies made it clear to
Colonial Pennsylvanian William Allen strangers and those familiar with the
was a key member of the colony’s business project alike that only a unique collabora-
community, government, and judiciary, tive endeavor could have made the $1.5
financing many projects including the million plaza initiative possible.
state house, which we now know as Inde- Festivities at the event included colo-
pendence Hall, and serving as chief jus- nial-era dancers and an address by “Justice
tice of the colony’s Supreme Court. Allen Allen.”
made his summer home, which he called Learn more about the Plaza and Marker,
“Mount Airy,” on the land that now is the and listen to the lecture and dedication:
home of LTSP. William Allen Plaza is lo- www.Ltsp.edu/williamallenplaza.
cated on the LTSP campus just yards away

LTSP events
fall 2009/winter 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
CONVOCATION
Prof. Jose David Rodriguez
11:30 am THE ST. OLAF CHOIR IN PERFORMANCE
Benbow Hall, The Brossman Center Anton Armstrong, Conductor
Sunday, December 6, 2009 Monday, February 8, 2010

ADVENT VESPERS 7:30 pm
Celebration of the life and ministry of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Rev. Dr. Robert E. Bornemann The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
7:30 pm Verizon Hall
Grace Epiphany Church of Mt. Airy presented in partnership with
224 E. Gowen Ave., Philadelphia
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
www.Ltsp.edu/adventvespers
Tickets on sale November 2, 2009
Monday, February 8, 2010 www.Ltsp.edu/stolaftickets
THE ST. OLAF CHOIR IN
More information: www.Ltsp.edu/stolafchoir
PERFORMANCE
7:30 pm
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
“It was a tour de force, carried out with
Verizon Hall poise and power that brought the audience
www.Ltsp.edu/stolafchoir to its feet.” — The Washington Post
Saturday, February 20, 2010
WOMEN’S RETREAT: Creation and
Creativity
9:00 am to 3:45 pm
LTSP Campus
www.Ltsp.edu/restrefresh
Saturday, February 20, 2010

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT DAY
8:30 am to 1:00 pm
LTSP Campus
www.Ltsp.edu/visit
Thursday, February 25, 2010

PUBLIC LEADERSHIP VISIT DAY
6:00 am to 8:30 pm
LTSP Campus
THe www.Ltsp.edu/visit
For information and updates go

to www.Ltsp.edu or sign up for
@PS, our eNewsletter at
www.Ltsp.edu/enews.
7301 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119-1794
www.Ltsp.edu
Have you remembered LTSP in your estate planning?
Join us in meeting our

$1 million Leadership Fund
goal by making a gift
today online at
www.Ltsp.edu/give.
Your gift today to the

LTSP Leadership Fund
will ensure that we can
continue to educate,
prepare, and nurture
leaders of the church,
both for today and for
generations to come.
GIVING MAKES A DIFFERENCE
www.Ltsp.edu/give

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Volume 92 Number 2 Fall ✛ 2009

WRITERS FEATURES ✛ FALL 2009

The Lutheran Theological Seminary

recipient of this year’s Henry Melchior Muhlenberg

2 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

Repent! Prepare! Rejoice!

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 3

4 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

Nearly 3 million members turn

6 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 7

WHo are our

of Faith of the conversation unfolded.

8 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 9

10 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 11

12 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 13

“JESUS WALKS WITH US” THROUGH

14 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 15

16 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

The door-to-door campaign and inter-

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 17

The Alcoran of Mahomet

18 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 19

Convocation 09 photos, stories, and video

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 21

The Rev. Nancy J. Beckwith,

The Rev. Jeanne Gay, MDiv ’09, was or-

22 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

NEWS✛NOTES Professor Jon Pahl travels

DR. WIL GAFNEY Associate

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 23

Eastern Nassau Conference,

24 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 25

26 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

Robert E. Bornemann, OldTestament

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 27

28 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 29

30 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu 31

32 PS ✛ FALL 2009 www.Ltsp.edu

Sunday, December 6, 2009 Monday, February 8, 2010

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

For information and updates go

Have you remembered LTSP in your estate planning?

Join us in meeting our

Your gift today to the

GIVING MAKES A DIFFERENCE

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