wfn.org | 'Hearing the Word' Topic for Expanded ELCA Lecture Series

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Title: 'Hearing the Word' Topic for Expanded ELCA Lecture Series
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>February 3, 2009  

'Hearing the Word' Topic for Expanded ELCA Lecture Series
09-031-FI

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Hearing the Word: Lutheran Perspectives
on Biblical Interpretation" is the theme for the 2009 Hein-Fry
Lecture Series of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA). Usually the ELCA's eight seminaries host two or three
speakers in the series each year, but this series will expand to
five speakers at seven additional locations -- four ELCA
universities and three ELCA congregations.

The lectures begin Feb. 17 and continue through April 28.

The 2009 series opens a three-year focus on themes and
issued related to the ELCA's Book of Faith initiative. The
initiative "invites the whole church to become more fluent in the
first language of faith, the language of Scripture, in order that
we might live into our calling as a people renewed, enlivened,
and empowered by the Word."

The Hein-Fry theme "was chosen out of a desire to offer
opportunities for more scholarly engagement of questions
surrounding biblical interpretation in the midst of the
churchwide conversation regarding reading and interpreting the
Bible," said the Rev. Laurie A. Jungling, administrator for the
lecture series. She is an assistant professor of religion and
ethics, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D.

The five lecturers are:

+ Dr. Steed Davidson, professor of Old Testament, Pacific
Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif.
+ Dr. Esther Menn, professor of Old Testament and director of
advanced studies, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
+ The Rev. Craig Nessan, academic dean and professor of
contextual theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
+ The Rev. Mark Allen Powell, professor of New Testament, Trinity
Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio
+ The Rev. Mary Hinkle Shore, associate dean for first
theological degree programs, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.

Fifteen sites were chosen "to extend the conversation into
as many parts of the country as possible," Jungling said. "This
will not be a permanent change, but we hope to be able to
maintain this expanded version for at least one more year to
allow for broader conversations about next year's proposed topic:
Lutherans teaching the Bible."

Each lecturer will make a presentation at three sites, where
respondents may offer their reflections and engage the lecturer
in conversation with the audience.

Here is the date, speaker and location of each lecture:
+ Feb. 17, Menn, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
+ Feb. 23, Powell, Wartburg Theological Seminary
+ March 4, Davidson, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.
+ March 5, Shore, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
(Pa.)
+ March 6, Nessan, St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, Sarasota,
Fla.
+ March 12, Davidson, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
+ March 21, Nessan, California Lutheran University, Thousand
Oaks, Calif.
+ March 22, Shore, Emanuel Lutheran Church, Manchester, Conn.
+ March 28, Powell, Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills
Village, Colo.
+ April 2, Shore, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary,
Columbia, S.C.
+ April 3, Menn, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
+ April 22, Davidson, Luther Seminary
+ April 22, Nessan, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
+ April 24, Powell, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas
+ April 28, Menn, Trinity Lutheran Seminary

The Hein-Fry Lecture Series predates the ELCA. The endowed
theological lecture series is coordinated by ELCA Vocation and
Education in cooperation with the eight seminaries to foster
original scholarship and enrich theological dialogue throughout
the church.

The series combines the Dr. Carl Christian Hein Memorial
Seminary Lectures of the former American Lutheran Church and the
Franklin Clark Fry Theological Lectures of the former Lutheran
Church in America.
-- -- --

More information about the Hein-Fry Lecture Series,
including a detailed schedule organized by speaker, is available
at http://www.ELCA.org/heinfry/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog