Faculty members from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis were honored for their published work during the 2025–26 academic year at the 17th annual Concordia Seminary Author Reception May 12 in the Kristine Kay Hasse Memorial Library. The event was co-hosted by Concordia Publishing House.
“The work of our professors here at Concordia Seminary is all for the church; not just our teaching but also our research and publications,” said Dr. Stephen Pietsch [1], dean of Theological Research and Publication. “We have been blessed with world-class theological researchers and writers on our faculty, whose work serves and resources not only our own Synod but many other Christians around the world. It is a joy to celebrate this and join in giving thanks to God for these gifted scholars and their dedicated work.”
The celebrated authors included:
Dr. Joel Biermann [2], Professor of Systematic Theology, “The Two Realms and the Separation of Church and State,” Apropos series (Concordia Publishing House, 2025).
Dr. Kent Burreson [3], Professor of Systematic Theology, with Rhoda Grever Schuler, “Journey to Jesus: Faith Formation into Christ and Community” (Wipf and Stock, 2025).
Dr. Kevin Golden [4], Professor of Exegetical Theology and Dean of Ministerial Formation, “Hosea,” Concordia Commentary series (Concordia Publishing House, 2025).
Dr. Joel Elowsky [5], Professor of Historical Theology and Dean of Advanced Studies:
- “Plagues of Egypt,” in “Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception,” Vol. 24 (de Gruyter, 2025 print edition; online 2024).
- “Rethinking Early Christian Mission: Geography and Identity in the First Four Centuries,” by Angelo DiBerardino, ed. Joel Elowsky (ICCS Press, 2026).
- “Cyril of Alexandria’s Nicene Exegesis of John 17: Trinitarian Unity in God and for Us and for Our Salvation,” Revista Historia Sacra, inaugural issue (2026).
Dr. Robert Kolb [6], Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology:
- “Luther’s Legacy on Predestination in the Context of On Bound Choice,” Lutheran Quarterly 40 (2026): 27–50.
- “Josua Opitz, Flacian Pastor,” in “Flacius in Regensburg. Studien zum Wirken von Matthias Flacius Illyricus in seiner Regensburger Zeit 1562 bis 1566,” eds. Luka Ilić, Rudolf Keller and Klaus Unterburger (Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2025), 164–178.
- “Kurshalten im Konflikt: Die an Wittenberg orientierten Siebenbürger Bekenntnisschriften und ihre Begutachtung an deutschen Universitäten,” in “Initia Reformationis Transilvaniae,” ed. Ulrich A. Wien (de Gruyter, 2025), 387–404.
- “Old Masters, New Insights,” Lutheran Quarterly 39 (2025): 336–344.
- “Martin Luther’s Definition of the Human Creature,” Verba Vitae 2, no. 2 (2025): 41–62.
- “Sebastian Krelj, Flacian Pastor,” in “Vestigia Flaciana: 500 Years of Matthias Flacius Illyricus” (Institut za filozofiju, 2025), 98–118.
Dr. David Peter [7], Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of Faculty, “Every Heart Prepare: A Comprehensive Worship Series for Advent,” CPH Advent Package: Digital Edition (Concordia Publishing House, 2025).
Dr. Paul Raabe [8], Professor Emeritus of Exegetical Theology, “Justice in Amos,” in “Let Justice Flow Like Water: Toward a Theology of Biblical Justice,” eds. Joshua M. Greever, D. A. Horton and Justin McLendon (B&H Academic, 2025), 59–87.
Dr. Mark Rockenbach [9], Professor of Practical Theology, with Ted Kober, “¿Imperdonable? Cómo el perdón de Dios transforma nuestras vidas,” trans. Marcos N. Kempff (Concordia Publishing House, 2025).
Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. [10], Professor of Systematic Theology:
- “Theologian by Day, Double Bass Player by Night: Toward a Christological Aesthetic for the Use of Instrumental Music in Worship,” in “Worship through Latin American Eyes,” eds. María Eugenia Cornou and Noel A. Snyder (Cascade Books, 2026).
- “The Holy Spirit’s Strange Witness: Luther’s Countercultural Narratives for the Church in North America,” Currents in Theology and Mission 53, no. 2 (2026): 32–38.
Dr. Ryan Tinetti [11], Assistant Professor of Practical Theology, “The Quiet Ambition: Scripture’s Surprising Antidote to Our Restless Lives” (InterVarsity Press, 2025).
Multiple authors
“Christ — The Lord of History: A Collection of Theological Presentations” (ICRC, Wittenberg, Germany, Oct. 21–25, 2024; published 2025).
- Dr. Thomas Egger [12], President:
- “Yesterday — In Creation”
- Dr. Stephen Pietsch [1], Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of Theological Research and Publication:
- “Forever — Luther’s Eschatological Understanding of Confession”
- Dr. Jon D. Vieker [13], Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of Chapel:
- “Forever — In Worship”
- “Forever — In Worship”
“Ministros da Nova Aliança: Ensaios em homenagem a Vilson Scholz,” eds. Clóvis Jair Prunzel, Ely Prieto and Gerson Luis Linden (Editora Concórdia, 2025).
- Dr. Thomas Egger [12], President:
- “Moses’s Use of Paired Elements in the Exodus Narrative”
- Dr. Ely Prieto [14], Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Associate Dean of Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry, editor:
- “Preaching 2 Corinthians”
- Dr. Paul Raabe [8], Professor Emeritus of Exegetical Theology:
- “Is God’s Grace a ‘Perhaps’? A Look at Amos 5:15”
- Dr. James Voelz [15], Professor Emeritus of Exegetical Theology:
- “Form and Usages of Greek Verbs that Prove Difficult for Standard English Translations of the New Testament to Render Faithfully: Essay in Honor of Prof. Dr. Vilson Scholz”
- “Form and Usages of Greek Verbs that Prove Difficult for Standard English Translations of the New Testament to Render Faithfully: Essay in Honor of Prof. Dr. Vilson Scholz”
“The Other Lutherans: Voices from the Global South,” eds. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M., Marcell Silva Steuernagel and Samuel Yonas Deressa (Bloomsbury, 2026).
- Dr. Abjar Bahkou [16], Associate Professor of Practical Theology:
- “What Has Ephraim the Syrian to Do with Martin Luther?: Retrieving Syriac Christianity for a Sola Scriptura Church”
- Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. [10], Professor of Systematic Theology, anthology editor:
- “The Global South Meets North America: Confessional Lutheran Identity in Light of Changing Christian Demographics”
- “Mi Casa Es Su Casa: A Lutheran Proposal on Being the Church Catholic in an Age of Migration in Dialogue with Roman Catholic Insights on Catholicity”
About Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) [17]. To learn more, visit csl.edu [18].