Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, will host its winter 2010 Lay Bible Institute from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, January 13, 20, 27, and February 3 in Sieck Hall on the Seminary campus. “Philip Melancthon: Luther’s Go-To Layman” will be presented by Drs. Robert Kolb,Gerhard Bode, Timothy Dost, Erik Herrmann, and Robert Rosin, all professors at Concordia Seminary.

What does it mean to be Lutheran? Philip Melancthon defined the church anew with the Augsburg Confession, and he defines a great deal about the church’s life through his leadership at Luther’s side, as Luther’s closest associate and ‘handyman’ who had the patience Luther did not always have to deal with the problems of reviving faithful Christian living and conveying the gospel of forgiveness of sins clearly. A layman throughout his life, Melanchthon’s witness to our faith echoes through the ages. Controversial in his own time and often criticized since, he remains a figure whom God used to shape the way we talk about our faith and confess it even today. It is fitting, then, to say, if Luther was the captain and inspiration of the Reformation, Melanchthon was his right-hand man. He encouraged the study of God’s first article gifts and promoted biblical studies among both clergy and laity. Who better to consider for a ‘Lay Bible Institute?’

To register for the Lay Bible Institute, please call 314-505-7486 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or e-mail ce@csl.edu. The cost is $30 per person and includes all handouts and refreshments. Concordia Seminary is located at 801 Seminary Place, in Clayton, Mo.