Catsup, Ketchup, Catchup, or whatever

Playing a little bit of catch up today. I haven't really been able to write much lately because I was down in Texas with family, came back to a week of 'hurry up wait' jury duty. And now I'm working on a couple of web sites. I'm trying to get the design done for my mom's special joy website, and I'm waiting to hear back from my host so I can start the Emerging Leaders Network site. Crazy times.

In the midst of all that, Kim and I have been quickly exploring the possibility of me attending Luther Seminary. It started out as an innocent trip to the Luther Bookstore, where we realized they had a lot of books from other Christian traditions i.e. not Lutheran. This is a new experience for me, because in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod I am used to a very non-eccumenical church body who won't even take communion with other Lutherans, besides the Presbyterians, Episcopals, etc.

I have always had Luther in the back of my mind as a possibility, but it wasn't until we went to visit the Admissions counselor that it became a reality for me. Just looking at the curriculum was a big factor. So many of their courses are focused on the Bible and the tradition of the Church:

JUNIOR YEAR

Bible     
Bible Proficiency Exam
Hebrew
Greek (prerequisite)
Synoptic Gospels
Pentateuch

History of Christianity     
Early/Medieval Church History (100-1400AD)
Reform of the Church (1400-1789AD)

Doctrine of Theology
Creation and the Triune God

Interpreting and Confessing  
Reading the Audiences
Cross-cultural Mission Experience

Leadership for Mission     
Education I
Music and Hymnody
Telling the Story

Discipleship 
The Call to Discipleship (First Week)
Discipleship

MIDDLER YEAR

Bible   
Prophets
Pauline Tradition

Doctrine of Theology   
The Mission of the Triune God I
Jesus the Savior & the Triune God
Ethics I

Interpreting and Confessing  
Worship
Lutheran Confessional Writings
Interpreting & Confessing for the World

Leadership for Mission   
Internship Orientation
Foundations of Pastoral Care
Foundations of Biblical Preaching

Discipleship

SENIOR YEAR

Bible   
Psalms and Wisdom Literature
Johannine Literature

History of Christianity   
The Modern Church in Europe & America

Doctrine and Theology   
The Mission of the Triune God II
The Holy Spirit, the Church & the Triune God
Ethics II

Interpreting and Confessing  
Exercises in Biblical Theology

Leadership for Mission   
Education II
Pastoral Care
Preaching and Worship

Discipleship

I have more to say about my passions for ecumenicalism, but I'll save that for my next post.