Christ is risen from the dead. Trampling death by death.

Thank you for your note at my site. I am presently living a apartment in So. Moorhead listening to Issue etc. archives. I was earlier listening to consevative radio in the beet truck but rain washout the beet harvest and even us Transystems trucks. So I seem that I had a email on WT. Welcome in Christ

I just read about your having talked with 10 other seminarians that are confused. Nothing grand to say or share, but just wanted to encourage you to fight the good fight.

I have heard that other Concordias aren't as bad, but I still think there's some inherent problems with the Concordia University system. (I've heard negative things about all of the Concordias, even CUW.) I think we have great theology profs here at Seward as well. Most of the pietism doesn't come from our faculty but rather the students. However, I think our faculty does add to the problem. Everyone on our faculty feels that they're a theologian because they teach at a Concordia and so in every class you get some theology (some of it far from Lutheran). And then our professors that are solid are too scared to offend anyone so they won't speak against practices that twist the Gospel.

There's also the problem of having money to run the place--which always causes conflict as we do anything to bring in more students--even compromising our Lutheran name.

An example: Last week in my Life of Christ class we were talking about heresies and how they are present today and how the reformed church skews sanctification. The girl next to me and I started talking about how much we've heard it skewed on our campus--too many times we've heard that if our faith isn't growing, then it must be dead. We've heard too many people talk about how to become better Christians. I have a feeling that this sentiment is not limited to Seward's campus.

However, you are right--I shouldn't generalize when my experience is limited to CUNE.

Well the biggest fault I find in our faculty is in communion practices. (Though, I question whether or not we should even be celebrating the Lord's Supper on campus.) We practice open communion--even if we say we don't. And I don't know any of faculty members that don't partake.

I think we say that we practice close communion, but we don't even come close. Admittedly, I stopped going to chapel years ago (for so many reasons) but I went on Ash Wednesday this past year because a snow storm was coming in and I knew I wouldn't be able to go to church that night, and I'm pretty sure they said the little diddy. However, our practice doesn't line up with what we say.

Haha.. awesome!

Hello. Today in my Nurturing Faith class (which is primarily for DCE types) my professor made an amazing argument for the lectionary. He also did it in this wonderfully gentle way. I was totally impressed with how he presented his case, and it gave me some hope for Concordia.

Sometimes I forget that it's not just benefits of the one-year over the three-year lectionary, but that we have to promote the lectionary in general. Anyway, my professor made me realize that I can sometimes be too harsh on the CUS, and that it's not all bad.

I have specific knowledge of non-denomination and Methodist people, both of whom do not believe in infant baptism, communing at CUW

As for my vicarage congregation, it is great. Luther Memorial is wonderful place to learn and to serve. You are correct, they no longer take vicars from St Louis, but you should not worry, there are many wonderful, confessional congregations that do have StL vicars, and when that day comes I hope that you enjoy serving and learning from them.

How are things in St Louis going for you?