LTS News. Close of 2012 Academic Year at LTS. Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane. Training Lutheran Pastors and Deaconesses for Africa

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1 Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane Training Lutheran Pastors and Deaconesses for Africa LTS News Volume 12, Issue 5 November 2012 Close of 2012 Academic Year at LTS November activities at Lutheran Theological Seminary were very busy as the 2012 academic year came to a close on 23 November. Regular classes ended on 2 November followed by exams on 5-19 November. During November Prof. John Pless of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana taught an Ordination Course to 10 students. The students in the course were from LTS and also from the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa. On 14 November ladies of St Paul Lutheran Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arcadia hosted a Tea for the deaconess students. A closing chapel service and Prize-Giving program were held on 22 November. A number of friends and supporters of LTS attended the service and program. Student Representative Peter Abia was the Master of Ceremonies for the Prize-Giving. The LTS Student choir offered songs, Rector Weber gave an address (see page 2) and Prof. Pless spoke on the topic of Justification and Lutheran Missions. LTS Students and Staff Inside this issue: Rector s Message 2-3 Prof. Pless Visits 4 Rev. Nkambule s Germany Visit 5 B.Th. at LTS 5 Looking Back by Salomé Smith Volunteer Elke Studer 6 7 Following the Prize-Giving a beautiful lunch was held at St Paul Lutheran. The next day, 23 November, LTS students left for their homes throughout the continent of Africa. Greek Instructor Steve Oxton 9 LTS Budget & Student Enrollment 9 Photos 10 LTS Students Matthew Tokpah and Simon Ishaya working hard on their Hebrew final exam. Calendar, Prayer Requests, Contact 11

2 Page 2 Message from the Rector LTS News This message was given by LTS Rector, Dr. Wilhelm Weber, as part of the Prize-Giving event on 22 November. Today s farewell is not business as usual and not only because of our special guest from CTS Ft.Wayne: Prof. Pless, who gave such an insightful keynote address on the Lutheran Church and its mission. Yet again he was able to make it clear why it is such a privilege to be at such a confessional Seminary as ours where we as Seminarians are so richly blessed with uplifting presentations, sermons and papers of such high standard and blessed content on Christian faith and life on a regular basis not only week by week, but often day by day. All of us and especially our post-graduate students were again encouraged by Prof. Pless to delve even deeper into the rich treasures of our Lutheran Church s theology, exploring and bringing to light more and more precious resources for a faithful life in accordance with God s Holy word and Spirit here on this African continent. Thank you, Prof. Pless, for being with us and for all your blessings you brought along and leave so kindly. We also thank Pastor Gerald Paul and his congregation Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Falls for sponsoring his flight and for Dr. Carl Rockrohr and his wife deaconess Deborah Rockrohr for putting him up at their home for the entire two weeks taking care of all his needs in the best possible way. You made sure that Prof. Pless was very much at home by your gracious hospitality. Thank you very much! There are some regularities in our program even today make no mistake. Saying thank you is one of these never ending stories at Seminary and it is my special privilege and honour to do that frequently. Primarily we join in the global thanksgiving to our Lord God in general, but also specifically for another very good year at Seminary! That s highest priority no question. That s why we daily intone the Te Deum during Matins: We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord... (LSB 223ff) and the holy words of the blessed virgin and mother of God in the Magnificat at Vespers: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my savior... (LSB 231f). Yes, if you read the daily postings of our Seminarians on the social networks you will see, how thanksgiving to the triune God is one of their most frequent exclamations. Like our Liberian students regularly answer in the daily greeting routine: How are you? by their grateful witness: Thanks be to God! In our regular program today we also follow the same procedure as every year as we have good reason to thank the diligent and willing teachers, who serve so conscientiously and caringly throughout the past year: Tswaedi, Rockrohrs, Mntambo, Nkambule, Heyns, Oxton and my dearest wife Angelika. We thank Isolde Paul, who has jumped in at the deep end and is now even filling in for her daughter Birgit. We thank Salome Smith, who did such a wonderful work here over the past three years and has resigned as she is now in the last months of her pregnancy expecting a child early next year. May God bless and keep you and your child now and ever more + We thank the many volunteers, who helped the Seminary in the past year from the LCMS: Lee and Pat Hoffmeier (Good Shepherd, SID) and from the SELK (LKM): 3x Dierks - Stefan, Rebecca and Jonathan from Immanuel LC (Gr.Oesingen, SELK) and Elke Studer. We thank the many guests, visitors and friends of the Seminary for the help, support and encouragement throughout the year! Lastly we thank also our students, who have prepared themselves so well for this day throughout the year by listening, reading, learning, thinking and writing more and more. As every year students dress up smartly for this occasion. As it s the first time we have deaconesses at this occasion, the dresses are a novelty and a stunning sight to see. Just look at the special dresses of Annie Toe, Ruth Nagbe and Helen Flomo from Liberia. If you know that these students can t come back next year due to the lack of funding, you can imagine at least somewhat, that these bright and shiny dresses are hiding some hurt and trouble underneath. That is why this years prize-giving is different to other years. Never before did we have to tell students from the Seminary that they would not be able to come back again the following year, because we don t have the means to support them here. That s what dampens our celebrations considerably. That s why we are trying to put on a brave face and

3 Volume 12, Issue 4 Page 3 follow our Lord s advice, who admonishes his suffering people: When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting (Mat 6:16 NIV). That s why Matthew Tokpah has put oil on his head and washed his face, so that it will not be obvious to men what he s going through, but only his Father, who is unseen. (cf. Mat 6:17f) In the same vein student Jefferson McGill has donned glossy spectacles. No way you re gonna see any tears through there! Hard times, trouble and suffering, struggling along yet they are singing the praises of Him, who has kept them going throughout and has provided all of us a very good year indeed. You heard them singing the song as a choir: Christ is our Lord and our strength. Therefore in His name fight the good fight. You won t hear complaints, no blame games and no despair. Although there might be lots of reasons to resign and give up. I want to thank the students for this especially the Liberian students. I am sorry that I was not able to raise sufficient funds in time to keep you here for the many years of study still ahead of you. You put a lot of hope in this your calling to study Lutheran theology so far from home at this Seminary here in Pretoria, where tuition is only a fraction of what it costs elsewhere, but the quality is not worse off. Still I disappointed you. Your hope in me and this institution was misplaced. Even if we run our institution on a shoestring, detractors would argue that even that little bit is wasted and not worthwhile and the value of our faculty is grossly overestimated. I disagree. I think this place is a gold-mine, a treasure cove and a oil-rig all in one a place of priceless treasures. And every one of you students is most precious in this God s Seminary. None of you should drop out. None of you are not good enough. Every one of you has room and place in God s plans. The only reason, why some of you have been told not to return next year although your studies are not done and although you would love to come back again is because we on our side can t afford your travel, accommodation and supporting costs while you stay here. That s all. It s our failure. It s our shortcoming. Not yours! Therefore please forgive me and my failure. This morning I saw a trailer posted on the www by the NYT: Miseducation. The filmmaker Nadine Cloete explores childhood in a part of South Africa plagued by gang culture and violence. The little girl of 11 walks alone to school in danger all the way (LSB 716). Although I was overwhelmed by this filmstrip, I thought that this is not an option open for us as God s people. Just some sympathy, just feeling sorry a bit but all the while sitting comfortably on my chair that s not good enough. Cowboys don t cry never mind Bishops. Rather we in our most lovely and precious calling as pastors, teachers and bishops should heed what God tells us in his good, powerful and efficacious word as King David speaks to his son and successor Solomon: "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. (1Ch 28:20 NIV). There is no room for emotional sentimentalities, not even fear or discouragement, no space for faithless worry and despair, for the Lord is with us: Immanuel! Therefore lift up your faces and look towards Christ the author and perfector of your faith. He has called you and he will finish the good work he has started in you. He is going with you even as you leave us behind. He will not fail you nor forsake you until his work with you, with your Church in Liberia and the Lutheran Church in Africa is done, completed, fulfilled. Perhaps after our time yes, but surely he will do it in his time and he will let us see it one day too. Then when all knees will bow before his throne and all tongues will confess that he our Lord is King of kings and God of gods alone. Even if we will only see it from the heavenly spheres and in hindsight it will happen as surely as he is faithful and truly does, what he promises. Let us continue with the temporary, preliminary and vey limited work of ours as we are called and appointed to do. Doing it daily and faithfully. Knowing full well, that it is only our Lord and Savior, who grants growth, blessing and success without any merit or worthiness on our part. It is good that you trust far more in the living God, who makes the impossible possible, than in people like me. You know that you should not trust in men or even princes. You trust in the Lord and you know he is your good shepherd and even if goes through deaths dark vale he is with you. His rod and staff comfort you! He prepares a table before you and he anoints your head with oil and he sees to it that your cup overflows with grace and mercy! (cf. Ps 23:5) Yes, he will provide rightly and abundantly his grace and mercy even in your life and as you go forward under his care in his Church and mission. Don t be afraid of what you are about to suffer and go through, for he the Lord is with you. He will bless and keep you, he will let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, he will lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace + That is most certainly true! And with this truth we are again back from the extra-ordinary to the very ordinary routine of our lives as Christians here at the Seminary and in his one, holy Church.

4 Page 4 LTS News Professor Pless Assists LTS Ronald K. Rittgers Theological Commonplaces: The Ministry-Part II by Johann Gerhard Luther and the Stories of God by Robert Kolb The Intellectual Origins of the European Reformation by Allister McGrath Theology the Lutheran Way by Oswald Bayer Prof. Pless taught on the Theology of the Cross for the Ordination Course. I am grateful for the opportunity to make another teaching trip to Lutheran Theological Seminary. This time, I taught an ordination course for ten student students on Luther s Theology of the Cross in Preaching and Pastoral Care. Students were provided with copies of the two major texts for the course: On Being a Theologian of the Cross by Gerhard Forde and Luther and the Stories of God by Robert Kolb. The class consisted of lectures and discussion of Luther s Heidelberg Theses. With the basic framework of Luther s theology of the cross in place, we examined Luther s lectures on Psalms 51 and 90 as well as several of his house and church postils on Gospels in the lectionary to determine how Luther expressed this theology in proclamation and the care of souls. Finally, we read and discussed Oswald Bayer s sermon, Wrestling for Grace based on Genesis for a contemporary example of preaching profoundly informed by Luther. The students engaged the material and brought significant questions to the table for discussion especially in light of the African religious contexts where theologies of glory are often pervasive. Each student who enrolled in the class for credit wrote a sermon on I Corinthians 1: These sermons were also discussed in class. Thanks to contributions from congregations and individuals in the States, I was able to bring the following books for St. Augustine s Library at LTS: The complete set of Dietrich Bonhoeffer s collected works in English Commentary on Luther s Catechisms: Baptism and Lord s Supper by Albrecht Peters The End Times: Jesus is Near by Thomas Nass The Reformation of Suffering: Suffering in Late Medieval and Reformation Lay and Pastoral Theologies by Historical and Theological Commentary on the Book of Concord by Charles Arand, Robert Kolb, and James Nestingen In addition to teaching, I had the opportunity to preach on Hebrews 13:1-6 for Matins at the seminary on November 15. This trip to LTS coincided with the end of their academic year. End of the year festivities included a Prize Giving Day on November 22. I gave the keynote address for this occasion, speaking on the topic The Doctrine of Justification and Lutheran Missions. The presentation suggested a soteriological understanding of mission rooted in justification by faith alone and proceeded to address three threats to authentic Lutheran - ideologies of autonomy, universalism, and synergism in light of Luther s explanation of the three articles of the Apostles Creed. While the celebration of the closing of another academic year was marked with joy in what our (Continued on page 8)

5 Volume Page 5 12, Is LTS Page News 5 LCSA Pastor and UP Master s Graduate Visits Germany Rev. John Nkambule was a regular chapel preacher at LTS in He has recently graduated from the University of Pretoria with a master s degree in theology. In 2013 he will be a regular lecturer at LTS. He attended the 6th Annual Seminar of the LWF in Wittenberg, Germany and shared this report with LTS News. For me, the seminar was more motivational and educational. For many of us Luther's documents are not new, but they were presented in a new way and I saw them in a new way. I was reminded anew about Luther's arguments which led to the Reformation. The best thing was that I not only learned about Luther and Melanchthon, but I could see where they lived, taught and preached. That for me made it much clearer what I was learning because I was learning in the context of Luther. Being among Lutherans from all over the world touched my heart very much. I could feel that in South Africa we are not isolated. Instead we are part of a big group of Lutherans. The languages, cultures and backgrounds did not separate us, instead it brought us closer. Each one wanted to know what the other one was doing in ministry and teaching in his country and context. The seminar was not boring. We had time to learn, to hold devotions, to go to church and to visit places of history. We had time to talk among ourselves and to share personal experiences. We had a chance to eat food which were prepared by brothers from different countries and cultures. It was so nice to experience that. The two facilitators also were very helpful. While one was explaining things slowly, the other was much faster. One was young and the other was old. One was female and the other one was male. They did their work well. Thanks for this opportunity. Prepared by Rev. Mbongeni John Nkambule From South Africa Rev. Mbongeni John Nkambule UP Bachelor of Theology at LTS In June 2011 the University of Pretoria (UP) and LTS entered into an agreement in which LTS could teach UP theology courses for UP credit. Such a partnership enables qualified pastoral students at LTS to earn an accredited Bachelor s degree from UP while also studying Lutheran doctrine and practice at LTS. This agreement is overseen by the UP-LTS Supervisory Board. LTS staff serves on the board, with Dr. Rockrohr serving as the board s secretary. The 2012 academic year was the first year this partnership was put into practice in the LTS courses. There were both successes and challenges in its implementation in The LTS staff will continue to adapt the LTS courses for the agreement in The plan is for a cohort of LTS students to begin B.Th. Studies in It is hoped that Lutheran pastoral students from all over Africa might benefit from the UP-LTS B.Th. agreement. LTS staff Rev. David Tswaedi (left), Rev. Nathan Mntambo (right) and Dr. Carl Rockrohr (not shown) attended a computer training course at the University of Pretoria in November to continue the implementation of the UP B.Th. at LTS. Thanks to UP for its support in this endeavor!

6 Volume Page 6 12, Issue 4 Looking Back on My Time at the LTS LTS Page News 6 When I returned from a stint of missionary support work in Mozambique in April 2009, I wasn't sure how I would be earning an income. But one thing led to another and before I quite knew it I had gotten the opportunity to help out as administrative assistant at the LTS. What was most precious to me in my 3+ years here was the variety of wonderful people I was able to get to know the students from their diverse countries in Africa, the German and American volunteers, and visiting lecturers from the US, Scandinavia, Germany, Australia... There is something stimulating about cross-cultural interactions, as if the mere fact that the person is from a different country motivates one to see him/her as an interesting person with something to teach you, a point of view that I guess ought to charac- terize all our relationships, but sadly doesn't. I found all these relationships, and the variety of my tasks and responsibilities, highly satisfying. Being a non-lutheran among Lutherans was certainly always a unique experience, and I can truly say I have also come away from this time with a greater appreciation for a liturgical approach to worship than I ever had before, and have come to know Lutherans as open-minded believers with a serious, sincere attitude to worship and their way of life without being legalistic. I certainly learned much spiritually from the various people with whom I came into contact over the years. Students at the LTS face many difficulties most are far away from home and their families, studying in what is not their mother tongue, dealing with a new climate, etc. It was a pleasure to be able to do my little bit to help them with their administrative needs and hopefully make some things just a little easier. All of the LTS lecturing staff was also a joy to support where I could. Thank you to everyone for their patience with me I did not always succeed in being in the moment, treating people with the patience and respect due to them, especially when things were very busy (not an excuse). I have received far more grace than I ever deserved and am so blessed by the affection shown to me by everyone on campus. May my successor, Birgit, be a great blessing to all of you and may the Lord guide and bless the LTS abundantly in the years to come. Yours in Christ, Salomé Smith

7 Volume Page 7 12, Issue 4 LTS Page News 7 LTS Volunteer from Germany: Elke Studer "doctor" for the students, or you have to clean and prepare an entire house for guests or visitors. I spent many hours in a dusty garage to sort old and dusty books which had been donated by somebody to the library of the seminary. But between all these handiwork I enjoyed being together with the students, to discuss with them and to learn many things about their customs and their mentality. Birgit Boehmer, Isolde Paul and Elke Studer (left to right). Birgit is working in the LTS office, Isolde is the LTS Manager and Elke volunteered at LTS September through November. This is a brief report about my work as a volunteer at the Lutheran Theology Seminary in Pretoria. My name is Elke Studer. I'm a 47 year old hausfrau from Germany and I live in the northern part of Germany between Hamburg and Luebeck. I live there with my husband and my three children. While here in Pretoria, my two oldest boys left our home and began to study at university. How does a woman of my age suddenly conceive the idea of doing some voluntary work in Africa, where she had never been before? After more than 20 years as a housewife and mother, I felt that the time was right to do something different for a change. However, I did not only want to spend some exotic holidays in the sunshine (while it was autumn in Germany). I specifically wanted to work with and for adults, and to get to know more about the continent and its mentalities via my work with the local people. I've been at the seminary since September 2012, thus I worked here for more than two months altogether. Here at LTS there are many different and sometimes peculiar things to do as a volunteer. You have to support the secretary of the seminary, make photocopies and sometimes coffee. Sometimes you are a taxi driver, a nurse or a I also enjoyed the regular Sunday worship in the chapel of this community. I had never before heard this kind of soulful singing; when they started to chant in their own languages and they honestly felt what they were singing. There is a big difference between traditional German Sunday services and the services here. The people in Germany are rather "stiff" and reserved when sitting in church; they are not used to expressing themselves and their emotions. By the end of November I will have left this beautiful country South Africa, but I'm sure that I will be coming back one day, so God will. God bless you all. Pretoria, November 2012, E.S.

8 Volume Page 8 12, Is LTS Page News 8 Prof. Pless cont. Over the weekend of November 17-18, I travelled with Bishop and Mrs. Weber to Luneberg for a celebration of the 79th birthday of Dr. Wilhelm Weber, Sr. Sunday morning we journeyed from Luneberg to Piet Retief where Bishop Weber preached at the Divine Service for the Second-Last Sunday of the Church Year for the local LCSA congregation. At the invitation of Mr. Manfred Johannes of St. Paul Lutheran Church, I met with a group of local Lutherans pastors (Rev. Martin Paul, Rev. Nathan Mntambo, and Rev. Klaus Damaske) interested in starting a campus ministry at the University of Pretoria on November 23. We discussed potential strategies and resources for this ministry. Prof. Pless braais a variety of meats for the Ordination Course students, assisted by LTS student Peter Abia. (Continued from page 4) students have received and accomplished, it was also colored with the recognition that lack of critical financial resources will necessitate a much smaller student body next year. In his remarks, Rector Weber recognized with grief the Liberian students who will not be return- ing to LTS next academic year for this reason. Prof. Pless (right) visits with LTS Instructors Revs. Nathan Mntambo (left) and David Tswaedi (center) on Prize-Giving Day As with previous trips, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at LTS. I am deeply grateful to Trinity Lutheran Church of Great Falls, Montana and their pastor, Rev. Gerald Paul for providing the funding for the ticket. Dr. and Mrs. Carl Rockrohr and their son, Ted, hosted me in their home for this two-week stay. I appreciate their generous hospitality and the opportunity for conversation. As always, I appreciate Dr. Weber s invitation to come as a visiting lecturer to LTS. He is working under stressful and challenging conditions to deliver solid, Lutheran theological education for future pastors and deaconesses throughout Africa. I am happy to assist him and our colleagues at LTS in some small way to accomplish this end. Dr. Weber has invited me to return to South Africa at the end of February over the CTS spring break and I hope to be able to do this. Prof. John T. Pless November 24, 2012

9 Volume Page 9 12, Is LTS Page News 9 Greek Instructor Steve Oxton my life in their own unique way. I started work at LTS with the idea of teaching men who were called to ministry to read the ancient texts, but I soon learned that I received so much more from them, than I could ever give them. It was a year I will always remember and cherish in my heart. Instructor Steve Oxton taught New Testament Greek at LTS in I have had the wonderful opportunity to teach Ancient Greek at LTS for the past academic year. Looking back over this past year it is hard to believe that the year has passed so briskly. Teaching at such a fine institution as LTS with a heritage of quality academic programs has been an eye opener for me. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with brothers from across Northern & Southern Africa and learning about each other s cultures and languages. The brothers I met at LTS had each touched I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of staff at LTS for the year. I would also like to wish every student and member of staff at LTS a safe journey home, a very blessed Christmas and a happy new year. Enjoy the time you have with your families, until we see each other again, when the new academic year commences. LTS Budget Shortfall Will Affect Student Numbers The 2012 academic year at LTS had many blessings and challenges. Our staff were blessed with faithful students and vibrant volunteers from all over the world. LTS has always tried to accommodate Lutheran pastoral students (and in 2012 also deaconess students) from a variety of backgrounds. Some of the students have been well supported from their sending churches and some less so. LTS has always tried to match donations to students who need more support. However, in 2012 LTS s efforts to aid students with insufficient funds from their sending churches proved to be more difficult. The LTS Board of Directors determined that in 2013 the seminary can only accept and maintain students that have full financial support. Unfortunately a number of 1st year pastoral and deaconess students who do not have full support from their sending churches will not be able to return to LTS in Dr. Weber mentioned this sad development in his address (see pages 2-3). The LTS Board of Directors are looking at options to increase the income and donations to LTS so that the budget challenges will be reduced. New and continuing support from individual, congregational and agency donors remains a critical part of LTS budget. See the LTS banking and contact details for your financial support. And please remember the LTS financial situation in your prayers.

10 Volume Page 10 12, Issue 4 LTS Page News 10 Photos LTS Instructor Rev. Nathan Mntambo (left) discusses the Prize-Giving program with LTS students Matthew Tokpah and Isaac Madonsela LTS Instructors Deaconess Rockrohr (Director), Mrs. Karin Niebuhr (substitute instructor) and Mrs. Angelika Weber (German) Tea for the Deaconess Students Annie Toe, Trinah Simakoloyi, Hannah Hohls and Helen Flomo at Prize-Giving Day. Annie, Trinah and Helen are deaconess students and Hannah is LTS volunteer nurse. Lovely Lunch Setting at St Paul for Prize-Giving Day

11 Training Lutheran Pastors and Deaconesses for Africa Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane Arcadia Street 790 P.O. Box 12547; Hatfield 0028 Cell: Tel/Fax: Banking Details: Bank: ABSA Hatfield Branch Code: Account name: Lutheran Theological Seminary Account number: BIC: SWIFT: ABSAZAJJCPT O UR W E B S I T E IS WWW. L T S. O R G.ZA Prayer Requests for LTS: LTS Calendar: Thanksgiving for the Lord s blessings in A blessed and safe Christmas break for LTS students and staff. Continued wisdom and insight for Rector Weber and the LTS Board of Directors as they plan for the new academic year. For the Lord s continued blessing of volunteers and financial supporters. 29 January 10h00 LTS Staff Meeting 29 January 16h00 LTS Board of Directors Meeting 4 February LTS Student Arrive 5 February LTS Classes Begin LTS is located in Tshwane (Pretoria), Gauteng Province, South Africa 9 April 2nd Quarter Begins 26 April Presentation of Book of Concord in setswana 24 May 2nd Quarter Ends 27 May 7 June 1st Semester Exams Look for more information about LTS online! 22 March 1st Quarter Closes Student Enquiries Welcome Lutheran Theological Seminary offers confessional Lutheran education to prepare those who seek to serve as Lutheran pastors and deaconesses in Africa. LTS has had students from a variety of African countries including Botswana, Zambia, Nigeria, Liberia, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia as well as South Africa. Pastoral students who qualify may pursue a Bachelor of Theology from the University of Pretoria (UP) through taking courses at LTS as well as at UP. Prospective students need to have the recommendation and support of their home Lutheran church. For more information contact LTS at the details given at the top of this page. Deaconess Students Taking Final Exam in LTS Library