Our visit to the “Luther Lands” also got me wondering about where Luther would land if he could extricate himself from history and step into the present.   What would Martin Luther think of the Lutheran Church in our time and place?  Lutherans of generations past have speculated upon this question.  Soon after his death the so-called “gnesio” or “genuine” Lutherans pitted themselves against those who they felt had compromised Martin’s theology and practice.

What do you think?  What would Martin Luther make of contemporary Lutheranism?  Or, more broadly, what would Luther make of the state of the Christian church more than 4 1/2 centuries after his death?  What does it mean to be “genuinely” Lutheran?  What difference does it make?

In Faith in the Freshman I mention my first interaction with Martin Luther through my reading of Roland Bainton’s biography, Here I Stand.  That was the impetus not only for my future scholarly work but also for my more in-depth faith exploration.  In the end it leads me back to where this little reflection started — our Lord’s passion, the living, the dying and rising, of Jesus Christ.  Luther’s understanding of Christian faith has been formative for me.  To be genuinely Lutheran is not only to be Christ-centered, but to begin and end with Jesus Christ and his saving work.

Personally, I don’t have much appetite for church politics.  Houston left me wondering whether the political polarization that I observed resembled the sort of factionalism St. Paul complained about when writing to the Corinthians.  While folks in New Orleans routinely exchange “high fives” with strangers walking past, people in Houston exchanged suspicious glances sizing up who was on which side.

In my work as president of CUW, I try to transcend the politics of the church.  We have lots of stakeholders and constituents, and among them are people of varying perspectives — even from within the LCMS.  That is why I enjoy working with the young people.  That is why I have “faith in the freshman” (I can’t write in my blog without a plug for the book).

So, let me throw out a few questions.  What happens to young people that causes them to become cynical when they get older?  What happens to the fresh faith of freshmen that moves so many of them to factionalism later on?  Why do the “high fives” of youth turn into suspicious whispers of adults?

Maybe you think my impressions are off base?  I’d be interested in yours.

Our efforts to help meet some of the health care needs of our community have brought recognitions mentioned in the links below.  While I am the individual being honored, the credit belongs to the terrific Concordia team of dedicated and consecrated servant leaders.  See the article about Health Care Heroes here.  See the Power Book listing here.

Award Sheet

Patrick Ferry in the Ozaukee News Graphic – October 2009

Once a semester our Student Government Association sponsors a forum for me and other administrators on campus to interact with students.  Usually on a Monday night, SGA leaders were careful to avoid scheduling the forum on an evening when the Packers might be on TV.  They were obviously less concerned about avoiding a conflict with my beloved Denver Broncos who were en route to their sixth straight victory with a win over division rival San Diego.  That’s okay—I’d rather spend an evening with Concordia students any time!

We have been doing these forums for many years.  In fact, we probably started doing them in some form or another already my first year in office in 1997 and have done them ever since.  For the most part the issues that concern students do not vary too much.  Food service and meal plans, residence life concerns, parking—the sort of things you might expect given that these pertain to student’s basic needs regarding what they eat, where they live, and how they are going to get around.  Last night was no exception.  We had a great crowd who gathered to eat pizza and chew the fat with the administration!

I expected questions about parking.  Since enrollment has continued to increase the volume of cars on campus has also grown.  We have tried to encourage some ride sharing.  In the past we have resisted charging a parking fee.  A fee might discourage people from bringing cars to campus unless absolutely necessary, and we may need to revisit that idea in the future.  Recently the Mequon Planning Commission approved our plan to add some additional spaces.  That should alleviate our problem for the rest of this year, but I don’t imagine that spirited discussions about parking will end any time soon, not with winter looming.  Once the snow flies the situation becomes even more complicated as the need to plow and the uneasy pedestrian access from some of the more remote lots come into play.

Most of the questions about food service dealt with the kinds of concerns that you would likely find on most college campuses.  Students would like more variety in their menus and hours of availability that more conveniently fit their schedules.  I anticipated that we might have more concerns than in the past since this year we adopted a “tray-less” service approach in the dining hall as a part of our Christian environmental stewardship initiatives.  Simply put, people waste less food when they don’t have trays.  We also use lots less water in the dish room since we don’t have to wash all those trays.  Admittedly, it is more of a hassle to juggle plates, and cups, and silverware.  Sometimes a few trips are required to get everything to the table to begin a meal.  The new approach is not without glitches, but it does save food, water, and is the right thing to do.  Sodexo, our excellent food service provider, continues to look for ways to make the dining experience better for our students, and they are responsive to student input.

In sum, most of the items raised by Concordia’s students relate to their quality of life which, naturally, they are eager to see improved.  My hope is that they will continue to find the university’s administration equally eager to make their living—and learning—experience the best that it possibly can be.  Certainly, our growing student population is both a testament to the fact that Concordia is meeting the needs of an ever-increasing number of college students, and also a challenge to continue to build out the infrastructure of support in staff and facilities to ensure that everyone is enjoying an opportunity to learn and grow here.

The students who attended last night’s forum were gracious and respectful.  Each one who stood to raise a question thanked us for coming and spending time with them.  I thank them—for being here and for all that they do make Concordia such a special place.

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This audience includes men and women pretty far removed from the experience of their own freshman year in college. Yet, as I interact with them, it is clear that they were touched and shaped by the events that surrounded their introduction to college life. The things they learned, the people that they met, the formation that they underwent has had an impact for them ever since they were freshmen, too.

Equally telling, these retired folks have a passionate interest in what is going on in the lives of today’s freshmen. They are also eager to be up to date about Concordia and all that is happening on campus. Years may have passed since their own college days. Nevertheless, I am impressed at how much these women and men prized their own Christian higher education, and how much they value it for the current generation of students at Concordia.

One more session on Wednesday, the diabetes dialogue and God’s promise that “all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose,” will be front and center.  Then I will pack up my books (if any are left) and head home!