I felt compelled to write something positive after a depressing post yesterday and focusing on the fabulous graduates of Luther Seminary getting diplomas tomorrow seemed the obvious place to start. The best and simplest compliment I can make is to say that among this class are many that I would happily have as my own pastor. Is that not the gold standard? Of course not everyone would want the sort of pastor I want, but the basics of faithfulness, critical thinking about church and world, and imagination are present in spades. I think about the creative preaching I heard during my fall course on preaching and worship. I think of the searching reflections I read from my class on worship and politics. I imagine the hilarious and moving articles I read in the student papers, the Concord and the spoof Noncord. I have a buzz in my brain from thinking with a small group about secularism, modern society and the moral life. All in all, I enter into my first commencement exercises proud to be on the faculty and proud of the amazing men and women we're sending on to their next stage of life, mission and ministry. Are we perfect? No way. We're broken all the way down, baby. But we work out of that brokenness in ways that allows God's love to be manifested in us, through us, for the sake of a hurting world. Blessings upon you, graduates!
Anon, and peace,
Chris
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