Around the Tower Winter 2012

Around the Tower Concor d ia S e m in a r y S tude n t As s o cia tio n

President’s Welcome

Fall/Winter 2012

By the time you read this we will be embarking on the initial weeks of the Winter Quarter.

It is my prayer that the Lord has preserved you thus far this year in your studies. Allow me this time to share with you some of what Student Association does and has done this year.

Over the past four years Student Association has taken on a greater role in being advocates for not only the student body, but for the seminary community at large. This can be seen by the Multi-Ethnic Symposium resolution submitted to the faculty in the Winter of 2009 that encouraged a recess of classes so that the student body might be fully engaged in the discussion of the symposium as it has implications on each of our future ministries. This resolution suggestion was realized at last year’s Multi-Ethnic Symposium when classes were suspended and the student body engaged in very productive discussions. This fall, Student Association submitted a resolution to Seminary Administration with suggestions for a future meal plan for the students. Discussions from this resolution have been fruitful and are ongoing. We even hosted an Open Forum in regards to the Meal Plan during the third week of Winter Quarter.

Under the leadership provided by the Social Cultural Chair, we were able to celebrate a well -attended Oktoberfest in spite of the bad weather. We have had great fellowship at Prof-n-Stein gatherings while laughing and applauding at the soapbox speakers. Through all this, we’ve been able to learn a bit more about each other in the process.

So, what is Student Association’s direction for this year? Our theme for the year is based off of Matthew 20:1-15; Laborers in the Vineyard. Our focuses are improved communication with the seminary community (student body, staff, and faculty) and discipleship/mentoring. We are looking and employing more effective ways of communication and structuring our meetings together where the primary focus is the student body. Our communication has improved greatly thus far by bringing representatives from every student group, SWA, faculty and staff into our monthly meetings so as to make better and informed decisions for the student body. We are also adopting a different model of leadership this year where we depend on sub-committees made up of various volunteers from the student body to come up with policies, regulations, and guidelines. We feel this gives students ownership in the decisions being made on their behalf and provides some much needed practical application for the ministry.

We have some major planning and mentorship coming in the next few months. I ask that you keep our Student Association leaders, faculty, and staff in your daily prayers. We look forward to gathering together in our Life Together around God’s Word and Sacrament whether it be in chapel, campus wide bible study, and/or our respective RFE congregations. To the right you will see a listing of your Student Association representatives for the 2012-2013 academic school year. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Your Brother in Christ, Eric Ekong

President

Eric Ekong

Vice-President

Tim Anderson

Secretary

Wayne Miller

Spiritual Life Chair:

Sol Grosskopf

I.M.

Bart Rall

Chairman Comptroller

Justin Pahl

Social-Cultural Lee Hopf Chairman: Publications Chairmen:

Alec Fisher & Tom Schlund

Graduate

Ruth

Representative: Whiteford SWA:

Linda Ekong

I.T. Liaison:

Micah Bauer

Students in Mission:

Josh Duffy

Deaconess Rep:

Holly Lustila

1st Year Reps:

Christopher Howell Joseph Warnke Timothy Roth Dave Viggers

Oktoberfest: A "New Perspective" on Germans I feel as though I need to be as clear as I can while presenting you with the new perspective on Germans. The debate on whether or not we truly understand Germans is, let's face it, nonexistent, but the implications of whether or not we are reading Germans correctly is found more readily in our contexts. We've most likely all heard the jokes in our home churches about Germans and their strange yet familiar ways.

We may have even joined in the chorus of saying, "but we're Germans" as though it is an excuse for not doing something that might actually make sense. In the past Germans, have been viewed in a strictly legalistic sense. Germans are a proud people who like to have things done a certain, consistent way. Germans viewed themselves as though they were the pinnacle of all existence, and the prayer of the German was, "Lord, I thank you that I am not a nonGerman." Okay, maybe not THAT arrogant though I trust Page 2

by Zachary Misch

that you see my point. The cuse to drink beer and will question that I submit to you most likely wonder why in the is, have we been reading Gerworld Germans need yet anmans correctly, or have our other excuse to drink beer? modern biases shaped Though this is a valid point, it us to have an incoris obviously uninformed to rect view of Gersuch a degree that I will not mans? even dare to answer such a riOne can disdiculous question. The only cover some interestobservation I would make ing facts about Gerabout that is, the observer is mans if we look at obviously not a German and the celebration of therefore would not underOktoberfest. I must stand (though I have a little admit that I am very much of trouble understanding it too, German decent, and I believe but that's not the point). that we are reading second imAnother perspectivemigration Germans (Author's altering occurrence that hapnote: I have yet to fix a date for pens at Oktoberfest is the manfirst immigration Germans but ner in which participants that is only a minor detail) dress: it's ridiculous! One can with biases based upon on how only conclude that those who we want to perceive them. consider Germans to be a dull Germans are often perceived as group of people have only an overly legalistic and dull talked with them, but have group of people. However, I never attended an Oktoberfest. contend, if we take a closer Proponents to the "old" way of look at Oktoberfest we will viewing Germans seemed to have a very have missed different perthis aspect of spective about “Germans are often perceived as Germans enan overly legalistic and dull group Germans. First tirely. How can of people.� and foremost, a people, who Oktoberfest is have been peran excuse to drink beer. An ceived as dull, dress in a manoutsider to the covenantal rela- ner which invites ridicule? tionship between Germans and The third and final beer will most likely perceive point that I will make in this this festival as yet another ex(continued on page 7) Around the Tower

More Than Enough: Toward a Theology of Hope On the heels of the first presidential debate of this election season, pundits of professional and amateur persuasion are quick to offer up their collective opinions.

Candidate A did this well while candidate B did this poorly and candidates C, D, E, and F, the ones we all forget even exist, are just that, forgettable. He promises this, she promises that, and each and every one of them offers up their own ideas or perspectives concerning the best way to move forward. Regardless of political affiliation, the tie that binds politics is one optimistically known as hope. While there are undoubtedly other factors that contribute to the political process, e.g., financial interests, the rhetoric of the day on both sides of the aisle is one of hope. For a better next four years than the last, for a vibrant economy and a stronger national identity, these are the hopes of politics.

Yet, despite the current hype of the coming days, hope has a way of manifesting itself in all arenas of life, not simply the political one. Take, for example, the planting of flowers in depressed areas around St. Louis. Both at the recent theological symposium and in subsequent classes I have been reminded of the peculiarity and profundity of planting flowers. A seemingly useless gesture amidst downtrodden and dilapidated Volume 1, Issue 1

domiciles proves to be a confession of hope, encouraging the change to come. The planting of these flowers reminds us of the need to have an answer that uplifts those who are downcast and heals those who are broken. If only that were possible. A hopeful answer to the why of suffering eludes even the most astute theologian. Sure we can point to helpful places, but, more often than not, when faced with suffering we find ourselves asking the Lightfootian question, “Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turns the minutes to hours?”

More than a fair question, Lightfoot’s question strikes at the depth of human suffering. I would venture to guess that suffering is something we have all experienced. It may take different forms, but for each of us there is something that shakes our confidence and tests us in ways we did not know we could be tested. For some, suffering is financial.

Given the strains of seminary life this is most assuredly a real, and even frightening, concern. How will I pay for classes or books?

How will I pay for gas, food, rent, and everything else that comes down the pipe? Will I be able to pay back the loans I take out to pay for all that stuff? For others, suffering is personal. The multifaceted na-

by M.E. Barrasso ture of seminary life causes us to ask the uncomfortable questions.

Am I smart enough? Am I good enough? Will I live up to the perceptions of my place in the church?

All of these questions, and ones which we only ask in the seclusion of our heads shake the foundations that brought each of us here. For me, suffering is all encompassing, it involves myself, my family, and my friends. As I walk through my time at seminary, struggling with financ“For each of us there is something that shakes our confidence and tests us in ways we did not know we could be tested.”

es and personal security, it seems that my family and friends are presented with tougher and tougher situations that break, beat, and belie my confidence in the glory of creation and the sweetness of life.

What road is left to take when I find myself face to face with Lightfoot’s question? Where can I turn when the waves of my suffering turn my minutes to hours?

What flowers can I plant? To what future can I look? The answer is almost painfully obvious, especially given our context at the seminary, to the cross of course. But this response can fly off my lips with a pithy quality that embitters my soul to that reality. I may not want to admit it, but the “right” answer is the one that causes me to question things all the more. If the answer is (continued on page 8) Page 3

The Last Battle and the Eschaton

by Jason Swan I. Introduction Often times, people like to imagine the eschaton in literature and media. Their imagining of the Eschaton often involves a millennial dispensationalist reading of the Book of Revelation. The most notable example for many is the Left Behind book series and movies. However, there is another book that deals with the eschaton that can be much more useful in imagining and explaining it in the medium of literature. This book is The Last Battle, by C.S. Lewis. While this book is thought of as primarily a children’s book, The Last Battle is also a useful way to help imagine and explain the eschaton to people of all ages and this view of the eschaton follows a different account of it found in Matthew 24, the “little apocalypse.”

When one looks past the talking animals and mythological creatures within this series, we begin to see how Lewis deftly weaves scriptural ideas within his story telling. Dealing with creation and Eschaton is no different for this concluding member of the Chronicles of Narnia Series.

II. An idea misunderstood and forgotten a. We cannot begin a discussion of the Eschaton without discussing the misunderstandings of the Narnians at the “end of the age.” b. Within Narnia, the book picks up as it describes “the last days of Narnia.” The interesting thing about the Last Days of Narnia is that Aslan, the creator, has not appeared in Narnia for a very long time. Because of this supposed absence, the true nature of Aslan has been distorted. Aslan within Narnia is described with this phrase, “Aslan is not a tame Lion, but he is Good.” c. However, this phrase is distorted by the Narnians in the last days. Many of them guide their actions and decisions with the phrase, “Aslan is not a tame Lion.” Can you spot the discrepancy? They are missing the most important part of that description of Aslan. “but he is Good.” That forgetting of that last phrase is a primary reason for the ending of Narnia. Many horrible actions and inactions happen because they assume that Aslan is “not a tame lion.” Aslan, throughout the history of Narnia, had been its Creator, Savior, and Redeemer. Aslan has been “Good” to Narnia.

However, a lot of actions in the context of The Last Battle are performed because they forget Aslan is “Good” and assume that all the bad things and people are happening because Aslan had a change of mind and heart. d. The thing is, this happens in our time today. The Apostles and Followers of Christ knew that Christ was not “tame”, but He was “Good” Yet every action done by Christ was to show his goodness, his unending love for his creation and people. Christ came for us, to show that the “untamable” Glory of God is in fact Good and loving. He demonstrated his goodness on the Cross and redeemed us from our sin. e. Yet, people as soon as Christ ascended into heaven, forgot the goodness of Christ and the goodness and untamable nature of our faith and life that is given to us the Christ and the Holy Page 4

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Spirit. It’s as if we as humans say, “Well we are not tame lions,” while forgetting we are “Good” through Christ and his work on the cross. There is a reason why Paul writes in Romans 6: “Shall we continue sinning so that grace may abound? By no means! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?” f. We are guilty of this today as a society, and even guilty of it as Christians.

1. Can we think of any situations where the message of Christ and the way of the Christian life is abused by only thinking of the idea “he is not a tame lion” while forgetting “but he is Good”?

2. Does this way of thinking peer into the Deus Absconditus, the Hidden God? 3. Can we think of any biblical situations or characters that fit into this distorted way of thinking?

4. Do you think this attitude pervades in the American way of faith? Does this fall into the idea of the “Theology of Glory”?

III. Thoughts of the Anti-Christ. a. Often times, when you hear talk of the Eschaton, you inevitably hear talk of the AntiChrist. Luther talked about it when he declared the office of the Papacy to be the Anti-Christ. In the Left Behind series, the main antagonist is the Anti-Christ. b. The Last Battle is no different. Shift, the original antagonist of this book tricks a gullible donkey named Puzzle into donning a discarded lion skin. He then parades Puzzle throughout the book as Aslan, the creator and redeemer of Narnia. Through this deception, he sets himself as a ruler of Narnia. His two biggest acts against Aslan in the book are his willful destruction of creation and the replacing of Aslan as the only god and making belief in him mixed with a false god. The problem for many of the characters is what we discussed before, the fact that they kept saying “Aslan is not a tame lion,” forgetting that “he is Good” c. This action of Shift in the book mirrors what Christ warns about in Matthew 24:4-5.

1. What, in our culture, can be considered a “Shift” type influence that turns us away from the true message of the Gospel?

2. How do you respond biblically to these “Shift” influences?

3. Luther said that the rise of the Anti-Christ began at the Apostolic age. Can you think of any of the New Testament writers dealing with some of these issues such as the destruction of creation and the mixing of the True God and false god(s)? d. Because of Shifts’ deception, many Narnians lose faith in Aslan. They accept the musings of this ape and fall under enslavement from outside enemies while steadily distorting the true nature of Aslan. The natural order and freedoms that were once found within Narnia with the true idea of Aslan are eroding under their further following of trust of the Ape, and his pronouncements from the false Aslan. Slowly, many are losing their love of Aslan, each other and of Narnia itself. These attitudes and actions of the Narnians echo again the words of Christ in Matthew 24:9-12.

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The Last Battle and the Eschaton, Continued from pg. 5...

1. Have you experienced the “love of many growing cold?”

2. How would you biblically respond to those whose love is growing cold?

3. How does the lawlessness that Jesus describes in Matthew stand in contrast with the freedom Paul describes in I Corinthians 6:12-20, 10:23-31 and Galatians 5:1-15? e. Throughout The Last Battle, Shift has set himself in the wilderness, the Lantern Waste. It is in this wildness that the first destruction of the land of Narnia happens. It is also the place where the Calmorenes, the other antagonists of this book start infiltrating Narnia in collaboration with Shift. This is also where the false Aslan is kept. This is in contrast to Aslan’s normal actions in the other books where he comes and goes where he pleases, though Cair Paravel is where he sets his Kings and Queens of Narnia. Along with that, even the stars announce Aslan’s arrival into Narnia.

One of the characters, a true believer in Aslan states “The stars say nothing of the coming of Aslan, nor of peace, nor of joy. I know by my art that there have not been such disastrous conjunctions of the planets for five hundred years… Sire, do not believe this tale. It cannot be. The stars never lie, but Men and Beasts do. If Aslan were really coming to Nar“Much tribulation will happen to us, just nia the sky would have foretold it. If he were really come, all the most gracious stars would be assembled in his honor. It is as it did in the book. However, we are a lie.” This statement recalls for us Christ’s warning concernarmed with the Gospel to guide us and give us life. For those of us who remain ing false Christ’s later on in Matthew 24:15-26 faithful, we have the promise of Revelation 2:10-11.”

1. What can we consider to be a false Christ in the wilderness in our time?

2. How can we continue to resist those false Christs?

IV. The Faithful. a. Not all in Narnia fall sway to Shift and the false Aslan. King Tirian and his trusted friend Jewel stay true to Aslan. They are captured, beaten, rescued, and ultimately die for Aslan in battle along with other Narnians who remained faithful until the end. They did all of this and were hated by many for their refusal to acknowledge Shift and his false god. In the end, they ultimately join Aslan in his father’s land, reunited with the past Kings and Queens of Narnia who have gone before those in the last days of Narnia. b. These characters serve as a good example of the “one who endures” in Matthew 24:13-14.

Much tribulation will happen to us, just as it did in the book. However, we are armed with the Gospel to guide us and give us life. For those of us who remain faithful, we have the promise of Revelation 2:10-11.

V. The End a. The end of Narnia comes as swiftly as it began. Aslan calls for Father Time, who blows his horn. The stars (being actual sentient beings) fall down out of the heavens and stand before their maker Aslan. Everything was becoming empty. The only light that was coming was the radiance of Page 6

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the stars as they cast their light, most notably making a shadow of Aslan that was terrible to behold.

All of creation was drawing to their maker, Aslan, from all the ends of Narnia and beyond. As they approached the door to Aslan’s land, they were all compelled to look into the face of their Maker. They had two reactions. One reaction “We can be confident in all things was those who looked at him with fierce hatred, fear and disdain. be Christ has been raised from the They disappeared in Aslan’s shadow in the left, never to be seen dead and he will renew and restore again. The other reaction was those who looked on his face, some all of creation on that final day.” feared briefly, but all loved him and went through the door on Aslan’s right into his kingdom. For all those who entered through the door, a great Joy went through them and everything else was put out of their minds. They were home. b. This gives a good visual to what Christ describes in Matthew 24:29-31, the calling of the elect to be with their God and Savior. Another vision of this joyous time for God’s faithful saints is found in Revelation 21:1-8 and Revelation 22:12-17. These give us who are faithful saint hope and joy as we read Matthew 24 and Revelation. Though many terrible things happen, our hope comes always in Christ. We have the promise of Christ and his steadfast love, in the midst of all things that may happen. We can be confident in all things be Christ has been raised from the dead and he will renew and restore all of creation on that final day. Even in the midst of the events of Matthew 24, we can pray come, Lord Jesus.

Oktoberfest, Continued from pg. 2... short essay, though a much longer essay may be needed in order to explain my observed points, is the kind music that is usually played at Oktoberfest. It is a mix of, "I've never heard that before" and "What kind of instrument is that?" There is a mystery surrounding the music which is played, and only the "real" Germans seem to know what is going on. This points to the fact that there is a much deeper level to Germans than most people are willing to explore. One can go on and point to the language used Volume 1, Issue 1

and the way in which people dance to find that we might have been reading Germans wrongly all these years.

However, I believe that I have given you all that you can handle at this point.

The "New Perspective" on Germans is one that has hardly been exhausted, but I suspect that the few points which I have brought to your attention have made you wonder if we really are reading Germans correctly. The question which must be answered is this: is the way in which we perceive Germans

correct? I contend that it is not. I contend that second immigration Germans are not an overly legalistic and dull group of people. I contend that they are not even close to that, but instead, they are a ridiculous and outdated group of people who continue to hold their covenantal relationship with beer in high regard. We should all be so lucky.

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More than enough, continued from page 3... so simple, why don’t I feel better knowing it? My question betrays my problem, it is all about me. And in telling myself to look to the cross I make for myself another law which I cannot keep. Rather than mitigate my suffering it magnifies it because once again I failed to go first where I know I can find the answer.

Perhaps, though, where is the wrong question to be asking. Wrong because it attempts to locate hope in a place as an abstract place rather than in a concrete person who embodies that quality.

Who is the hope? Well that is most assuredly Jesus Christ.

But still, who is a question that only has effect after we establish what hope is. The what of hope causes us to stop

and think, when we need hope to get through this life, what exactly do we need? Is it an idea? A feeling? Or is it something which forms and embraces us. Is it something we fix, or something that fixes us? Something we can reach out and grab, or something that reaches down and grabs us?

Something that I look to, or something that looks to me? Only understanding hope in such a fashion appropriates the reality that Christ reached down and grabbed us at the cross. The who and where of hope are important because of

the what. Or, put another way, in coming to us in the cross Christ taught us what hope does. Hope conforms our suffering to that of Christ’s. It reminds us that when the waves turn the minutes to hours, God is with us. It is hope that causes us to embrace the glory of creation and the sweetness of life alongside the bitter side dish of suffering. It may not feel like much some times, like flowers in a street or promises on the campaign trail, but it is more than enough. For in suffering, in the cross of Christ, God makes himself known.

Editors' Note: The articles found in this edition of "Around the Tower" were submitted by students and accepted throughout the Autumn season of 2012. Please read them with care as they address particular events and themes of the season for which they were written. Our hope is that they are instrumental in increasing the joy of your day, as they are read in your leisure, and are received as both edifying and entertaining.

Please be on the look out for the next edition of "Around the Tower," which will find publication at the end of January. The theme will be "Advent, Christmas, Epiphany," and we are currently accepting submissions. Please submit all articles to studentpub@csl.edu.

In Christ, T. Schlund and A. Fisher