Albuquerque, New Mexico

Jeremiah

Dr. Dean O. Wenthe
July 31–August 4, 2017

The prophet Jeremiah, next to Moses, has been called the epitome of the Old Testament prophetic movement.  His prophetic corpus is not only the largest, it also communicates many details about his prophetic mission and his own personal reflections about his calling.  Jeremiah’s life and witness occurred in an historical context where both the religious and political cultures were abandoning Moses’ Torah and in free fall away from Jeremiah’s predecessors.  His fidelity to God’s calling, in the midst of multiple challenges and much personal sacrifice, will instruct, and by God’s grace, inspire—pastors and laity alike—in our contemporaneous setting to serve the blessed Holy Trinity with clarity, integrity and confessional conviction.

Council Bluffs, Iowa

Formula of Concord in the Life of the Church

Dr. Naomichi Masaki
August 8–11, 2017

The Book of Concord is central to the life of our church, but it is often found underused or even misused. In this course, we will focus our attention on the Formula of Concord. Amazingly contemporary and invaluable, the Formula will be found as practical a handbook as the Small Catechism. This rich confession of the Gospel is open for anyone, pastors and the people of God. (3.0 CEU)

Elgin, Illinois

World Views and Religions

Dr. K. Detlev Schulz
July 31–August 2, 2017

North America embraces various world views such a deism and naturalism as well as many living religions which are in direct competition with Christianity. This course will provide insight into a number of world views and religions and offer ways to address them missiologically and apologetically. (1.5 CEU)

Flathead Lake, Montana

Methodology in Ethics

Dr. Gifford A. Grobien
July 31–August 4, 2017

Knowing what good to pursue and what evil to avoid, in some ways, for the Christian, is simple. God’s commands direct us. Yet our sinful nature, the various needs of the neighbor and daily life circumstances can cloud our understanding of God’s will and how to carry it out. This course will explore methods for thinking about the will of God and carrying it out in our lives. Classical philosophical theories, such as virtue ethics, teleology and deontology, will also be considered from a Christian perspective. The significance of Luther’s natural orders or realms of life will round out the discussion in a concrete way. (3.0 CEU)

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Seeing With Unveiled Faces: Early Christian Iconography and the Interpretation of Scripture

Dr. James G. Bushur
July 25–27, 2017

This course will focus on the theology of the ‘image of God’ as expressed in the Church’s reading of Scripture, her Christological vision, and her liturgical life. This class will give special attention to three main aspects. First, we will consider the scriptural narrative and the way images function as the very texture of God’s revelation to His people. Second, we will examine early Christian texts as testimonies to the way images have functioned in the Church’s proclamation of Christ crucified. Finally, we will explore the theological foundations of early Christian iconography and the aesthetic character of images as concrete expressions of the Church’s faith and her passionate confession of the Gospel. (1.5 CEU)

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Portraits of Christ in the Book of Revelation

Dr. Charles A. Gieschen
July 17–21, 2017

This class will study the various portrayals of Christ as the glorious man and the slaughtered lamb in the book of Revelation in order to appreciate more fully the Christology of this apocalypse. Special attention will be given to the light that the Old Testament and Jewish apocalyptic literature sheds on these portraits of Christ. (3.0 CEU)

Grass Valley, California

Early Christian Mercy to the Secular Culture

Rev. Chad Kendall
July 31–August 4, 2017

This course will be an investigation into the Scriptures, looking particularly at the way the apostles speak of compassion and mercy. Emphasis will be toward Clement of Alexandria’s approach to teaching the Christian faith in a gnostic world. Further, this course will examine scriptural texts exegetically and will consider how, in light of Clement’s approach, the Church may communicate the Scriptures and draw people into the Church in our modern-day gnostic and postmodern culture. (3.0 CEU)

Hickory, North Carolina

Confessing Christ in Crisis: Lessons from Hermann Sasse

Prof. John T. Pless
June 26–28, 2017

Hermann Sasse (1895-1976) was one of the most fascinating Lutheran theologians of the 20th century. His life seemed to be lived from one crisis to another, including the breakdown of liberalism in the early years of the 20th century, his collaboration with Dietrich Bonhoeffer in a confession against Nazism and his stirring critique of world Lutheranism drifting into ecumenical chaos. This class will examine Sasse’s response as a confessional and pastoral theologian to the critical events of his day with application to our own time. Special attention will be given to Sasse’s letters to Lutheran pastors and his sermons.

Kansas City Area - Basehor, Kansas

Luther's Antinomian Disputations

Dr. Roland F. Ziegler
June 26–28, 2017

“The distinction between the Law and the Gospel is a special brilliant light, which serves to the end that God’s Word may be rightly divided and the Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles may be properly explained and understood.” (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration V,1).  We will look at Luther’s “Antinomian Disputations” (published in English translation by Lutheran Press under the title “Only the Decalogue Is Eternal” in 2008) as a help in today’s struggle faithfully to preach the Word of God and rightly divide Law and Gospel without falling into the errors of antinomianism and legalism.  (1.5 CEU)

Madison, Tennessee

New Testament Patterns for Pastoral Ministry

Dr. Charles A. Gieschen
July 24–28, 2017

This class will study various portions of the New Testament, especially the words and actions of Jesus and Paul, to see and understand the guidance these texts offer for shaping our pastoral theology and practice. (3.0 CEU)

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

How First-Century Christians in the Book of Acts Walked Together as They Confessed the Faith

Dr. Arthur A. Just Jr.
July 31–August 2, 2017

The Apostolic Council in Jerusalem has much bearing on the situation facing The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) today. Significant decisions were made by the apostles and other leaders in the Church in the first 20 years of the Church’s life that are instructive for us to observe. This course will take a tour of the early Church from the Ascension to the Apostolic Council with a view towards how decisions were made by the early fathers. The Apostolic Council is a watershed event in the life of the early Church, but it is also a significant marker for the history of the Church and programmatic for us today. This brief, highlighted tour will recognize significant events in the first 20 years of the Church’s existence, observing the leaders as they are described in Acts and Galatians, the decision-making process of the early Christians, as well as offering a brief interpretation of the Apostolic Council in light of the issues facing the LCMS today. (1.5 CEU)

Riverton, Utah

Christian Initiation and Catechetics

Dr. Arthur A. Just Jr.
August 28–29, 2017

This course will examine the post-baptismal catechesis from the classical age of the catechumenate and the liturgy of Baptism. Baptismal catechesis instructed the newly baptized concerning their initiation into the Christian faith, functioning as an act of pastoral care. The role of the pastor will be examined by investigating the catechetical writing of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, comparing his catechesis to that of St. John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia and St. Ambrose of Milan.(1.5 CEU)

Rogue River, Oregon

Why Should I Believe You?: Christian Apologetics for Today

Dr. Adam S. Francisco
July 10–12, 2017

Christians are often asked to give an account or reason for their faith and Scripture enjoins us to always be prepared to make a defense for the hope that is ours in Christ. Because few are equipped for such encounters, this course seeks to introduce Christians to and encourage them in today’s apologetic challenges. (1.5 CEU)

Seattle, Washington

Liturgy: Yesterday, Today and Forever

Dr. Arthur A. Just Jr.
June 26–30, 2017

Our Lutheran liturgical heritage is a positive evolution of the New Testament and early Church, which in turn comes from the Old Testament as was practiced by Jesus Himself.  Jesus’ table fellowship with sinners sets the pattern of Christian worship as one of teaching and eating.  But many people in today’s Church are asking:  What is liturgy and what is our theology of worship?  What is distinctive about our Lutheran liturgy?  May we adapt our liturgy to today’s world to make it more relevant?  These questions and many others will be addressed by looking at our Lutheran liturgy yesterday, today and forever.  (3.0 CEU)

Shawano, Wisconsin

Mysteries of the Gospel of Mark, the Churchly Gospel

Dr. Peter J. Scaer
July 10–12, 2017

Mark's Gospel is perhaps the most mysterious and least appreciated. Largely ignored by the early church and underestimated by modern scholarship, Mark has much to offer today's Church. His portrait of Jesus is strange but compelling. His teaching on the cross and Christ's Gospel message should resonate especially with Lutherans, providing a bridge to the Pauline Epistles. Even more, Mark accentuates the powerfully sacramental character of our Lord's ministry. For Mark, Christ's power manifests itself in Baptism, and His enduring presence is to be found in the Bread of the Eucharist. For a church that so often appears like a boat tossed about on the sea, facing persecution and riddled with doubt, the Gospel of Mark may very well be the Gospel for the 21st Century Church. (1.5 CEU)