For more than 90 minutes on Monday, Dec. 13, 1999, members of the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis community formed a line to have copies of the latest commentary in the Concordia Commentary Series, "Revelation," signed by its author, Dr. Louis Brighton, Professor Emeritus at Concordia Seminary. The book signing was one component of a special reception on the Seminary campus which was organized to give special recognition to the publication of the commentary. Dr. Stephen Carter, President of Concordia Publishing House, publisher of the commentary, Dr. Christopher Mitchell, from the editorial board which worked on the commentary, Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs from the Concordia Seminary faculty and Dr. Brighton spoke at the reception.

After teaching a course on Revelation for 25 years at Concordia Seminary, Dr. Brighton is recognized as one of the church's foremost authorities on the book. In the preface to the commentary, Dr. Brighton comments on the long-term relationship he has had with Revelation: "During the many years of study and preparation and all through the writing of this commentary, it has been my prayer that if, by the grace of God, this undertaking should be completed, it would be for the praise of God and for the continued witness to the glory of the exalted Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God…For Revelation is the last word from Jesus Christ until he comes at the End to receive all who put their hope in him as their Savior and Lord" (p. xiii).

Dr. Brighton is a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (BA, MDiv, STM) and St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. (PhD). He also studied the Septuagint under Dr. Peter Walters at Cambridge University, England.

Dr. Brighton's parish experience spans 22 years and includes congregations in London, England; Decatur, Illinois, and Lexington, Kentucky. He helped to establish the program of seminary preparation for Lutheran pastors in England which later developed into Westfield House in Cambridge. His parish experience in the United States includes service on various committees, especially those dealing with pastoral education and evangelism.

Dr. Brighton expressed appreciation to his faculty colleagues and students as well as the staff of Concordia Publishing House on the occasion of the commentary's publication and expressed his hope that it would serve as a blessing for students of Scripture.

For more information, contact Rev. Glen D. Thomas, Vice President for Seminary Relations at Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. 63105.