Funded by the LCMS Board for Human Care, six fourth-year seminarians and Professor John T. Pless traveled to the African island of Madagascar on an expedition of mercy over the seminary’s spring break (February 23-March 5, 2006). Hosted by CTS Doctor of Ministry candidates, Rev. David Rakotonarnia and Rev. Joseph Randrianasolo, the cohort worshipped at two Malagasy Lutheran Church congregations, visited two seminaries, a Lutheran school for the blind, Lutheran hospitals, a center for the care of the poor and several village-like encampments for holistic care- spiritual and bodily - known as tobys.

A rigorous travel schedule included time in the capital of Antananarivo, a city of over four million inhabitants and Fianarantsoa some nine hours to the south. While in Fianarantsoa, the CTS group visited the graduate seminary of the Malagasy Lutheran Church and presented books to each student as well as the library.

The Malagasy Lutheran Church traces its origins to the work of Norwegian missionaries in 1866. It is now a self-standing church body of over three million members. Although it is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Malagasy Lutheran Church does not ordain women and it is seeking to strengthen its grasp of confessional Lutheran theology. The mercy expedition is one of several positive connections that Concordia Theological Seminary has with the Malagasy Lutheran Church.

While the Malasgasy Lutheran Church is stricken by poverty when it comes to worldly wealth, our brothers and sisters there are very rich in the things of the Spirit. Many people walk for three or four hours each Sunday to attend a Lutheran service. These services are thoroughly Lutheran in their confession, reflecting the Bugenhagen-Danish liturgy and they are enhanced with beautiful, melodic singing. They often last three hours.

Reflecting on the trip, Prof. Pless said that the value of this experience for the six future pastors who accompanied him is immeasurable. “As we walked through one of the tobys, our host explained to us that the Malagasy Lutheran Church practices this kind of merciful care for the poor, hungry, orphaned, blind, ill, and aged as a result of the doctrine of justification. Christ has given us the forgiveness of sins freely and without cost. So we now give freely to those in need just as Christ poured out His life for us. I thought of the theologian Eberhard Juengel’s statement that there is no more liberating basis for ethics than the Lutheran doctrine of justification. I have often lectured on Juengel’s statement in the classroom. My students were now able to see it both articulated and embodied by these marvelous Lutheran people. Here proclamation of the cross and works of mercy are brought together with outstanding coherence. I am deeply grateful to Rev. Matthew Harrison for partnering with CTS to make this event a reality. We look forward to another Mercy Mission Expedition to Madagascar next year.”

CTS students participating were Jesse Cearlock, Ross Johnson, James May, David Menet, Steve Parks and Joshua Schneider. Each of these students will be available for congregational presentations using this video produced on the trip. Contact Prof. John Pless if you would like to schedule one of these students for a presentation in your congregation.

Click here to view the video! Please note that the video is over 10 minutes long and a very large file.