Full Text for Celebrating Our Heritage (Text)

CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY Volume 60: Numbers 1-2 JANUARY-APRIL 1996 The: Anniversary of Concordia Theological Seminary Walter A. Maier ....................................................................... 1 Coxordia Theological Seminary: Reflections on Its On(:-Hundred-and-Fiftieth Anniversary at the Threshold of the Third Millennium Dean 0. Wentht ...................................................................... 7 Celebrating Our Heritage Cameron A. MacKenzie ......................................................... 17 F. (2. D. Wyneken: Motivator for the Mission Norman J. Threinen ................................................................. 19 Father from Afar: Wilhelm Loehe and Concordia Thrmlogical Seminary in Fort Wayne Jrunes L. Schaaf ........................................ ....... ...................... 47 The Protoevangelium and Concordia Theological Seminary Douglas McC. L. Judisch ........................................................ 75 Preach the Word! The One-Hundred-and-Fiftieth Anniversary Hymn ................ 95 Coinfessional Lutheranism in Eighteenth-Century Germany Vernon P. Kleinig .................................................................... 97 Book Reviews ...................................................................... 127 Indices to Volume 59 (1995) Index of Authors and Editors .................................................. 153 hidex of Titles ........................................................................ 154 Index of Book Reviews ........................................................... 156 Books Received ........................................................................... 158 Celebrating Our Heritage Cameron A. MacKenzie In August of 1846 eleven weary travelers arrived in Fort Wayne, Indiana, from Germany. They had been sent by Wilhelm Loehe, pastor of the Lutheran church in Neuendettelsau, Bavaria, to receive training for the holy ministry and to assist in the great work of gathering the German immigrants into Lutheran churches in America. In Fort Wayne they were met by Wilhelm Sihler, the pastor of the Lutheran church there and Loehe's partner in this undertaking. Sihler welcomed the new arrivals, arranged for their housing, and, along with a teacher who had accompanied them, Karl Robbelen, soon began to instruct them in his own parsonage. A new Lutheran seminary had begun. Today, one-hundred-and-fifty years later, the institution they began is celebrating its founding and giving thanks to God for preserving it for so many years. To that end, this issue of the Concordia Theological Quarterly includes two articles devoted to two of the central figures responsible for establishing Concordia Theological Seminary, F. C. D. Wyneken and Wiihelm Loehe. The former not only began to train men for the ministry in Fort Wayne even before the seminary officially began but even more importantly aroused the German Lutherans to the significance of the work here in the American wilderness and encouraged many to support it. Among those who were moved to action by Wyneken's reports on the dismal situation of Lutherans in America was Wihelm Loehe, who proceeded to recruit and train men himself for the work in America and then took the initiative in establishing a seminary right where the work was being done. Of course, there were others who took part in this pioneering work. At a future time, we hope, articles on Wilhelm Sihler, the seminary's first president, and August Criimer, professor at the school from 1850 to 189 1, will also appear. Nonetheless, it is hoped that the reader will find the two articles presented in this issue on Wyneken and Loehe interesting and perhaps even inspiring as Concordia Theological Seminary celebrates its one-hundred-and- fiftieth anniversary.