Dr. Joel P. Okamoto has accepted the call extended to him by the Concordia Seminary Board of Regents to serve as Instructor in Systematic Theology. Since 1996, Dr. Okamoto has been serving as assistant pastor of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in St. Louis. He will begin his new responsibilities on July 1.

Dr. Okamoto is a 1993 graduate of Concordia Seminary. He also received the Master of Sacred Theology degree in 1996 and a Doctor of Theology degree in 1997, both from Concordia Seminary. His doctoral dissertation was entitled "Postliberal Approaches to the Theology of Religions: Presentation, Assessment, and Critical Appropriation." He served as a guest instructor at Concordia Seminary during the summer of 1997.

Prior his graduate level study, Dr. Okamoto received a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"I look forward to this opportunity to serve the Lord and His church," said Dr. Okamoto in accepting the call to serve on the Seminary faculty. "Pastors today serve in an increasingly diverse and indifferent culture, and so preparing men for the ministry is going to be challenging. Concordia Seminary clearly recognizes these challenges and is prepared and positioned to make them opportunities for serving both the Missouri Synod and the church throughout the world."

"Dr. Okamato brings a keen mind and a strong academic background, combined with a rich experience within our church," said Dr. Andrew Bartelt, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Concordia Seminary. "He is an outstanding example of the kind of theologian that will carry our church into the next generation, holding fast to sound doctrine at the same time that we move boldly into the future."

Dr. Okamoto and his wife, Ruth, have been blessed with two sons, Jacob and Peter.

For more information, contact Lois M. Engfehr, Director of Communications at Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63105; 314-505-7375.