Nominees for Concordia Seminary President Announced

[Harry Edmon]

In this first phase there is no weeding out of nominees, other that the nominee themselves can refuse the nomination.  The search committee will now go through the names and come up with a list of at least 5 finalists.

[Weedon]

Dr. Lehenbauer stands out on that list to me. I worked with him for years at the Synod and we were at sem the same time. He's got to be the most apolitical creature you will ever met. His theology is always careful, well considered, and insightful. He is an outstanding preacher of the Gospel (I was always sad we couldn't get him to preach more often at Synod's chapel because he was so very good). He's not "my guy" vs. "your guy." He just, well, solid.

[peter_speckhard]

Dr. Lehenbauer stands out on that list to me. I worked with him for years at the Synod and we were at sem the same time. He's got to be the most apolitical creature you will ever met. His theology is always careful, well considered, and insightful. He is an outstanding preacher of the Gospel (I was always sad we couldn't get him to preach more often at Synod's chapel because he was so very good). He's not "my guy" vs. "your guy." He just, well, solid.

I think we as a synod have quite a few such people. Not as many as we'd like, but I don't think such qualifications are all that rare. But how well do they speak to the demands of the office?

[James J Eivan]

In this first phase there is no weeding out of nominees, other that the nominee themselves can refuse the nomination.  The search committee will now go through the names and come up with a list of at least 5 finalists.

Never thought of it as a weeding process ... nor included any indication of such a thought.  Still reeling from the political parsing that seemed to hijack the discussions last winter/spring, this was intended to be an apolitical informational observation.

[John_Hannah]

Some amount of speculation money is betting on Matthew Harrison, thought to want a "golden parachute" out of the presidency.   

Peace, JOHN

[Weedon]

Pete,

I think he'd handle the demands of the office quite well. He's got extensive background in dealing with other Church bodies and he's highly respected in them. He's no stranger either to the mission field nor to major events like the National Youth Gathering, where he was always a quite popular Bible study leader. He has a very good knowledge of our dogmatic heritage, and he is a fine exegete. Above all, he is humble and self-effacing. He would think himself utterly unworthy of the position; which would make him ideal.

[D. Engebretson]

Some amount of speculation money is betting on Matthew Harrison, thought to want a "golden parachute" out of the presidency.   

Peace, JOHN

Although he allowed his name to stand for the presidency, I wonder how much he would welcome the stress after several years at the helm of LCMS Inc. He loves to write and translate and I could easily see him retiring from the synodical presidency to spend more time as an author who also assists pastorally as he has during his presidency.   

[Rev Geminn]

Some amount of speculation money is betting on Matthew Harrison, thought to want a "golden parachute" out of the presidency.   

Peace, JOHN

Although he allowed his name to stand for the presidency, I wonder how much he would welcome the stress after several years at the helm of LCMS Inc. He loves to write and translate and I could easily see him retiring from the synodical presidency to spend more time as an author who also assists pastorally as he has during his presidency.

Understanding that there are multiple ways that an individual can get on such a list, does anyone happen to know if it can it be made public how someone was nominated?  Whether it was via a congregation, regent(s), DP, SP?  Is that information that can be shared?  Or is that not allowed? 

Just something I've often wondered with these lists.

Peace,
Scott+

[Mark Brown]

Pete,

I think he'd handle the demands of the office quite well. He's got extensive background in dealing with other Church bodies and he's highly respected in them. He's no stranger either to the mission field nor to major events like the National Youth Gathering, where he was always a quite popular Bible study leader. He has a very good knowledge of our dogmatic heritage, and he is a fine exegete. Above all, he is humble and self-effacing. He would think himself utterly unworthy of the position; which would make him ideal.

But isn't the primary qualification: How much money can the man convince potential donors to pledge and deliver on?

[Weedon]

I sure hope not, Mark. You know, when I was in seminary the President was Dr. Karl Barth (as we used to quip, not the theologian!). Actually, he was a fine theologian. But I'm not sure he would have been a great fundraiser. Maybe he was, but I kind of doubt it. He was a great man, though. Visited with us students all the time. Preached very often. And excellently, I might add. Always concerned with the content of our preaching and teaching. When it comes to raking in the bucks, if that's become the chief thing that matters to us, then we'll well deserve exactly what we get. Lord, have mercy. "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

May the treasure of our Synod and above all of her seminaries ever be our beautiful confession that gives all glory to Christ and all comfort to sinners; and may God grant us grace to whole-heartedly repent of resting our heart anywhere else.

[Jim Butler]

I sure hope not, Mark. You know, when I was in seminary the President was Dr. Karl Barth (as we used to quip, not the theologian!). Actually, he was a fine theologian. But I'm not sure he would have been a great fundraiser. Maybe he was, but I kind of doubt it. He was a great man, though. Visited with us students all the time. Preached very often. And excellently, I might add. Always concerned with the content of our preaching and teaching. When it comes to raking in the bucks, if that's become the chief thing that matters to us, then we'll well deserve exactly what we get. Lord, have mercy. "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

May the treasure of our Synod and above all of her seminaries ever be our beautiful confession that gives all glory to Christ and all comfort to sinners; and may God grant us grace to whole-heartedly repent of resting our heart anywhere else.

Barth was a good theologian and an excellent preacher. I used to enjoy listening to him.

He was also a good fund raiser. He raised all of the money for the chapel and the renovation of Wyneken.

BTW, I agree with you that Joel Lehenbauer would make an excellent president for CSL. I'd be very pleased if he got the call.

[Weedon]

Thanks, Jim. Happily corrected on that, but I don't think it would ever be thought of as his priority. He wasn't chosen to raise money; he was chosen to continue the seminary in a theologically sound direction. And under his leadership, Dr. Nagel arrived!

[Donald_Kirchner]

And under his leadership, Dr. Nagel arrived!

[Dave Likeness]

Dr. Karl Barth was President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis 1982=1990.

Dr. Jack Preus retired from the LCMS Presidency in 1981. In his retirement
one of his major projects was as a fund raiser for a new chapel on the
seminary campus of St. Louis. The Chapel groundbreaking ceremony  was
led by Dr. Barth in April of 1990 and it was completed in the Fall of 1992.

In his post 715: jebutler is incorrect when he says that Dr. Barth raised all of
funds for the St. Louis Seminary Chapel. Dr. Lawrence Rast wrote an article
in which he attributes Dr. Jack Preus as a fund raiser for this project.

[Dave Likeness]

Today is October 16, the date the Presidential Search Committee had set
to announce the five finalists. Evidently, they have not reached their goal,
since no news has been released on this matter.