The Institute on Lay Vocation at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has engaged an unprecedented collection of renowned scholars from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical tradition,and the Roman Catholic Church to participate in a special public forum. The forum, “Called to Engage the Postmodern World—The Lutheran Voice in Contemporary America,” will be held Nov. 3-4 on the Seminary campus. The public is invited to attend free of charge and no tickets will be issued. Registration information is available on the Seminary’s Web site at www.csl.edu.

The forum will highlight the urgent need for Lutherans to witness against the ever-changing values in contemporary America. “For too long, Lutherans have been sitting on the sidelines and have allowed others to dominate the discussions concerning society, culture, politics and government,” commented Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto, director of Concordia Seminary’s Institute on Lay Vocation. “Church leaders and scholars from outside the Lutheran Church are urging us to let our Lutheran voice be heard. I hope this forum provides a first step in that direction.”

The forum will feature an alternating pattern of keynote speakers, respondents, and question and answer sessions, allowing full participation by those who attend. The keynote speakers include:

• Dr. Mark A. Noll, the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame, who will present “The Need fora Lutheran Perspective on Christianity and Politics”;
• Dr. Robert Rosin, professor of historical theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, who will present “Lutherans Engaging the World: Time to Plant an Apple Tree”;
• Dr. Harold O.J. Brown, the John R. Richardson Professor of Theology and Philosophy at the Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, N.C., who will present “Where Is Luther When We Need Him?”;
• Father Gregory J. Lockwood, professor of systematic theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis, who will present “Lutherans and Catholics – Joined Against Postmodern Confusion?”; and
• Dr. Robert Benne, founding director, Center for Religion and Society, Roanoake College, Salem, Va., who will present “Sunset or Dawn?—The Lutheran Calling to Public Life in America.”

Those who will offer official responses to the keynote presentations include Dr. Charles P. Arand, professor and chairman of systematic theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; David Neff, editor, Christianity Today magazine; Dr. Paul Rorem, Benjamin B. Warfield Professor of Medieval History, Princeton Theological Seminary and editor of Lutheran Quarterly; and Dr. James W. Voelz, dean of faculty and professor of exegetical theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

The forum will begin with a vespers service at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, in the Seminary’s Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Dr. Dale A. Meyer, president of Concordia Seminary, will serve as preacher. The forum will conclude at noon on Saturday, Nov. 4.

For more information, call (314) 505-7009 or visit the Seminary’s Web site at www.csl.edu.