A new Concordia Seminary, St. Louis faculty-sponsored Web site, ConcordiaTheology.org, will be launched on Friday, December 1. ConcordiaTheology.org will provide a unique place for the Seminary’s faculty to engage relevant theological topics in a timely manner and a place for constructive, ongoing theological discussion between faculty, pastors and other theologians in the church at-large. It will also serve as a resource for pastors and other leaders who are seeking practical and theologically solid materials to assist them in the variety of settings in which the church finds itself at work today.
Visitors to ConcordiaTheology.org will discover that the site contains several distinct sections. The “Snackbar” section provides regularly updated articles by the faculty that focus on a particular interest and relevant topic of the day. Visitors also will find thoughtful reflections on the latest “religious story” in the news (like the publicized Gospel of Judas) or “letters to America” about the state of Lutheranism in other countries, written by faculty who are traveling abroad. Devotional treasures from Luther or a church father, or opinions about the world of politics and its impact on the church also will be included, as well as movie reviews and short book reports. The “Snackbar” also provides the opportunity to interact with faculty members about what they have written.
The “Theology and Practice” area, or “Homiletics Room,” features tips for preaching, samples of sermons and sermon structures and interviews with pastors about preaching. This page links to a “Bible Room” where one can download Bible studies, listen to professors discuss themes and backgrounds of biblical books, and read the latest installment of the “Grammarian’s Corner,” which highlights the nuts and bolts of the Hebrew and Greek texts.
A “Worship Room” and a “Catechetical Institute,” currently undergoing construction, will provide background and introductory discussions about the Lutheran Confessions, as well as downloadable courses of study for new members and adult instruction. These resources will continue to expand as the need grows.
For those who are interested in more in-depth research, the “Library” section of the site will include searchable texts of journals published by the faculty, such as the Concordia Journal, Concordia Theological Monthly and Lehre und Wehre, as well as an audio/video archive of events such as the Seminary’s annual Theological Symposium and Day of Homiletical Reflection.
Dr. Timothy Saleska, associate professor of exegetical theology is the newly-appointed editor of ConcordiaTheology.org [1].
The debut of ConcordiaTheology.org [1] is not an isolated event for the Concordia Seminary faculty. “The Web site is just one part of the faculty’s commitment to deliver theological resources that bring together solid Lutheran confessional faithfulness, world-class scholarship and responsiveness to the complex world of various cultures and contexts in which we live and serve,” commented Dr. William Schumacher, dean of theological research and publication. “There is a lot happening at the Seminary in terms of publications, and the best way to keep track of it all is to visit ConcordiaTheology.org [1] often.”
For more information, contact Communications, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; [email protected] [2]; 314-505-7374.