Sent Into the World

Artwork by Ann Gerondelis

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+ COMMENCEMENT +

161st Academic Year of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

May 16, 2021

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VIRTUAL PROCESSION TO ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE CHURCH

LSTC Festival Procession Keith T. Hampton Cantor to the Seminary Community

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION James R. Nieman, President

SPECIAL GREETINGS

THE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS José David Rodríguez Augustana Heritage Chair of Global Mission and World Christianity, ActingDeanofAcademicAffairs

CHORAL ANTHEM: “Go Ye Into All the World” by Eugene Butler Keith T. Hampton

CONFERRING OF DEGREES James R. Nieman

Introduction Esther M. Menn DeanofAcademicAffairs, Ralph W. and Marilyn R. Klein Chair of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible

Candidates for the Master of Arts Degrees Brooke Petersen, Director of the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts Programs

Candidates for the Master of Divinity Degree Brooke Petersen

Candidates for the Master of Theology Degree Mark N. Swanson, Director of Advanced Studies Programs, Harold S. Vogelaar Chair of Christian-Muslim Studies and Interfaith Relations, Associate Director of A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice

Candidates for the Doctor of Ministry Degree Mark N. Swanson

Candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree Mark N. Swanson

RECOGNITION OF SERVICE Esther M. Menn

PRESENTATION OF CLASS OF 2021 GIFT

BLESSING Erik Christensen, Pastor to the Community and Director of Worship

SENDING James R. Nieman

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE LSTC COMMUNITY

POSTLUDE Keith T. Hampton

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CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF

+ MASTER OF ARTS +Nash Earnest Shaffer, III Togu Paskaraya Apriono Sihite

Bible Concentration

CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF

+ MASTER OF ARTS IN MINISTRY +R. Kim Maschoff

CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF

+ MASTER OF DIVINITY +Karl William AnlikerBiblical Studies Emphasis

Daniel James Beirne

Lily Christine Brellenthin

Leah Brooke Chibe

Dafne del Risco-Nolla

Kelsey Fauser

Reed Noel Fowler

Marcus M. Guerra Jr.

Frantisek Janak

Christina L. Jindra

Christina M. Johnson

Kyle Eugene Johnson

Amber Jane Kalina

Elizabeth A. Koerner

Kelsey Elaine Kresse

Carolyn Seiter LawrenceBiblical Studies Emphasis

Robin Lovett OwenBiblical Studies Emphasis

Michael J. Markwell

Christina Marthield Montgomery

Leif Nelson

Phillip David Potaczek

Ashley Nichole Rosa-RuggieriBiblical Studies and Hispanic Ministry Emphases

Dalton Bennett Rosa-RuggieriBiblical Studies Emphasis

Kristen Mary Schmid

Stephani Joann Shumaker

Aaron Silco

Anna Silco

Katrina Louise Steingraeber

Sarah Swindall

Bethany Ruth UlrichHispanic Ministry Emphasis

Kirsten Elizabeth Wee

Anne Marie Kincaid Wickland

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CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF

+ MASTER OF THEOLOGY +Ramona P. Acevedo

Mark Steven LaChonce

Mathew Dax Sunny

M. Seng Tsin Nan

River Cook Needham

Denise L. Rector

CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF

+ DOCTOR OF MINISTRY IN PREACHING +Victoria Björck Karlssonprofessional paper title

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner: The Use of Feminist Tools to Create Sermons with the Ability to Disrupt Unconscious Thinking of Gender Inequality and Stereotypes

Magdalena Öhrling professional paper title

For in This Hope We Are Saved: The Preaching of Hope into TwoDifferentCulturalContexts

CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF

+ DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY +Wendy Christine Heilmandissertation title

TheParadoxofViolenceasChristianDiscipleship:BernardofClairvaux,theKnightsTemplarandtheSecondCrusade

Mayuko Yasuda dissertation title

Eschata and Afterlives of Fallen Jerusalem’s Women in Luke: A Postcolonial Queer Hauntology

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+ RECOGNITION OF SERVICE +

This year marks the Rev. Dr. José David Rodríguez’s retirement as the Augustana Heritage Chair of Global Mission and World Christianity and Professor of Systematic Theology. Rodríguez has been a member of the faculty of LSTC since 1990.

Rodríguez was ordained in 1975 by the Caribbean Synod of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), a predecessor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He served as pastor of San Esteban Mártir Lutheran Church in Bayamóm and El Mesías Lutheran Church in Río Piedras, both in Puerto Rico. Later, Rodríguez served two congregations in Chicago: Cristo Rey Lutheran Church and Iglesia Luterana La Trinidad where he continues to hold his membership.

After serving as an adjunct professor at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Rodríguez began teaching at LSTC as an adjunct professor in 1981. He also served as an adjunct professor

at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1985, he became the Associate Director of the Hispanic Ministry Program at LSTC and became Director of Hispanic Studies here in 1987. He joined the faculty full-time in 1990 as Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology.

In addition to teaching a number of courses at LSTC, Rodríguez has also delivered numerous lectures, led many Bible studies, served as a guest preacher and speaker in a variety of settings and has been a member of a many boards and committees serving the seminary, the church, and the wider community. He served as Coordinator of the U.S. Minority Region of EATWOT, and from 2011-2013 served as Rector (President) of the University Institute ISEDET in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During 2013 – 2015 he was the Director of Advanced Studies at LSTC and, in his final semester at the seminary, served as Acting Dean of Academic Affairs.

Rodríguez has written many books and has been the author of a plethora of articles and book reviews. His writings have highlighted the contributions of the Hispanic community to Christianity in general and Lutheranism in particular and have been masterful contributions to the lifting up of Latinx, Caribbean and Latin American voices within the church.

Rodríguez earned the bachelor of arts degree from Universidad de Puerto Rico with honors and the master of divinity, master of theology, and doctor of philosophy degrees from LSTC. He is currently working toward the earning of a second doctor of philosophy degree in history at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.

When asked to sum up his years at LSTC, Rodríguez replied:

They were years of challenge and creative labor. Leading other LCA and later ELCA seminaries in the areaofLatinxLutheranministriesduringmytenureasdirectoroftheHispanic/Latino/aministrieswasaproduct of hard work as well as the opportunity to break new ground in this area of theological education. I also had the privilege of working together with several great colleagues, teachers, and scholars.

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+ RECOGNITION OF SERVICE +

This year marks the Rev. Dr. Javier “Jay” Alanís’ retirement as associate professor of theology, culture and mission at the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest (LSPS), an extension program of Wartburg Theological Seminary and LSTC, and as executive director of LSPS in Austin, Texas. The core mission of LSPS is to prepare leaders for Hispanic ministry contexts in the Southwest and other cross-cultural ministries across the nation. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Alanís teaches the annual January term and takes students to the U.S. - Mexico border to learn the pastoral care issues of recent immigrants.

After his graduation from LSPS in May 1992, Alanís was ordained and served Trinity Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, for four years. During that time, he chaired the Multicultural Committee of the Southwest Texas Synod and also served on the board of the Multicultural Commission of

the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He was then invited to pursue doctoral studies at LSTC and graduated in June 2002. Alanís joined LSTC’s faculty at LSPS in January of 2000 and was appointed interim executive director of the program in July 2009 and executive director in 2011.

Alanís has written numerous articles on the image of God from a Hispanic/Latinx perspective and is currently working on a borderlands hermeneutic as a lens for understanding and interpreting the ethical response to migration. His academic interests include contextual borderland theology, Latinx spirituality and the social ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr. In 2006 and 2019, he was part of a panel that examined the subject of border walls at an international conference held in Berlin and at the Lutheran Center in Wittenberg, Germany. He is a frequent keynote speaker at various synod events and is a contributor to the Lutheran devotional, Christ in our Home and to Lutheran Preaching Helps. His most recent reflections are featured in the July 2018 Living Lutheran magazine of the ELCA and in the January 2019 theological publication, Currents in Theology and Mission.

Alanís received the bachelor of arts from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Madrid, Spain. He earned a master of business administration from the American Graduate School of International Management and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas. Alanís received the master of divinity from LSPS/SSW and a master of theology and a doctor of philosophy degrees from LSTC. In 2013, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by LSTC.

When reflecting upon his vocation in ministry, Alanís commented that he stood on the shoulders of the many faithful saints who made his call and vocation possible. These include the Mellenbruch family of south Texas who first reached out to serve his family over 100 years ago and who planted the seeds of the Lutheran theology of grace among the Hispanic communities of the borderlands. He stated that the doctoral formation that he received at LSTC under the wise guidance of Dr. José David Rodríguez and the faculty allowed him to grow and stretch theologically in ways that he never imagined. This formative influence impacted his vision for a more inclusive church where Latinx leadership is affirmed for the gifts and talents that contribute to the catholicity of the church. He looks forward to celebrating his years of service on the LSTC campus in 2022.

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+ FACULTY +Klaus-Peter AdamAssociate Professor of Old Testament

Javier “Jay” AlanísDirector at the Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest

Eric KyleAssociateProfessor,DirectorofContextualEducation

Eunyung LimAssistant Professor of New Testament

Esther M. MennRalph W. and Marilyn R. Klein Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible

Brooke PetersenDirector, MA and MDiv Programs, Lecturer

Eliseo Pérez-ÁlvarezAssociate Professor of Lutheran Systematic Theology and Global Lutheranism

José David RodríguezAugustana Heritage Professor of Global Mission and World Christianity

Barbara R. RossingProfessor of New Testament

Benjamin M. StewartGordon A. Braatz Associate Professor of Worship

Mark N. SwansonHarold S. Vogelaar Professor of Christian-Muslim Studies and Interfaith Relations

Linda E. Thomas Professor of Theology and Anthropology

Peter VethanayagamonyAssociate Professor of Modern Church History

Kimberly R. WagnerAssistantProfessorofHomiletics;AxelJacobandGerdaMaria (Swanson) Carlson Chair in Homiletics

Marvin E. Wickware, Jr.Assistant Professor of Church and Society and Ethics

+ EMERITI FACULTY +Terrence BaederDirector Emeritus of Field Education

Mark P. BangertJohn H. Tietjen Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Ministry: Worship and Church Music

Kathleen D. BillmanJohn H. Tietjen Endowed Chair in Pastoral Ministry: Pastoral Theology, Professor Emerita of Pastoral Theology

Carl E. BraatenProfessor Emeritus of Systematic Theology

Philip HefnerProfessor Emeritus of Systematic Theology and Senior Fellow, ZCRS

Kurt K. HendelBernard, Fischer, Westberg Distinguished Ministry Professor Emeritus of Reformation History

Ralph W. KleinChristSeminary-SeminexProfessorEmeritusofOldTestament

Edgar M. KrentzChristSeminary-SeminexProfessorEmeritusofNewTestament

Wilhelm C. LinssProfessor Emeritus of New Testament

Richard J. Perry Jr.Professor Emeritus of Church and Society and Urban Ministry

David M. RhoadsProfessor Emeritus of New Testament

James A. SchererProfessor Emeritus of Missions and Church History

Michael ShelleyDirector Emeritus of A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice

Harold S. VogelaarProfessor Emeritus of World Religions

Christine WenderothDirector Emerita, JKM Library; Associate Professor Emerita of Ministry

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+ DISTINGUISHED AFFILIATE FACULTY +Mercedes García-BachmannAdjunct Professor of Old Testment/Hebrew Bible

Ghulam-Haider AasiDistinguishedAffiliateProfessor

Antje JackelénAdjunct Professor of Systematic Theology/Religion and Science

Carol Schersten LaHurdDistinguishedAffiliateProfessor

Craig A. SatterleeAdjunct Professor of Homiletics

Audrey WestAdjunct Associate Professor of New Testament

Gayle E. WoloschakAdjunct Professor of Religion and Science Studies

+ ADJUNCT FACULTY +(KVALIFICERAD FORTBILDNING PREDIKAN, SIGTUNA SWEDEN)

Niclas Blåder

Caroline Edlund

Ola Fornling

Tina Johansson

Carina Sundberg

Johan Svedberg

+ AUXILIARY FACULTY +Ruben Duran

Mercedes García-Bachmann

Andrew Guffey

Kurt K. Hendel

Lydia Hernández-Marcial

Ralph Klein

Edgar Krentz

Matthew Mellott

Craig Mueller

Gayle Woloschak

+ ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF +James R. NiemanPresident

Bob Berridge Directory of Facility Services

R. Scott ChalmersDean of Student Services

Elizabeth ChentlandDirector of Strategic Marketing and Communications

Erik ChristensenPastor to the Community and Director of Worship

Aaron Copley-SpiveyDirector of Human Resources; Title IX Coordinator

Patti DeBias Assistant to the President

Andrea FinneganVice President for Finance

Esther M. MennDeanofAcademicAffairs

Sandra NelsonVice President for Advancement

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José David RodríguezActingDeanofAcademicAffairs(Spring2021)

Richard VivianActing Vice President of Finance

Kamio ArigbabuwoDirector of Admissions

John DamerDirector of Advancement Operations

James FosterDirector of Safety, Security and Visitor Services

Barry HopkinsInterim Director, JKM Library

Michael HuckelberryDirector of Maintenance and Engineering

Chris Huang DirectorofInstitutionalEffectivenessandRegistrar

Eric KyleDirectorofContextualEducation

William MyattDirector of Philanthropic Engagement

Brooke PetersenDirector of M.Div. and M.A. Programs, Coordinator of Candidacy

Benjamin StewartDirector, Zygon Center for Religion and Science

Nathaniel Ramsey Director of Financial Aid

Martha StockerDirector of Information Technology

Mark SwansonDirector of Advanced Studies; Associate Director of A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice

Sara TrummDirector of A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice

Lena WashingtonDirector of Dining Services

Rob WorleyDirector, Language Resource and Writing Center

Ceciley AkinsPhilanthropic Engagement Associate

Jan BodenPublic Relations Manager

Elaine Bonner Access Services Manager, JKM Library

Abimbola “Abbie” BrownOperations Assistant

Sarah BurdickPhilanthropic Engagement Coordinator

Brenda CantuDigital Instruction Librarian

Vimary “Vima” Couvertier-Cruz Admissions Recruiter; Acting Coordinator, International Student AffairsOffice;Liaison,AntiracismTransformationTeam

Samantha DeBiasAccounting Coordinator

Renee FisherRefectory Line Cook

Jami GalindoHousing Renovation

David Glover Editorial Assistant, Zygon Journal, Project Administrator, Zygon Center

Erin Haddad-NullAdvancement Operations Coordinator

Keith HamptonCantor to the Seminary Community

Marvis HardyPart-timeStaffAccountant

Akeem HaywoodRefectory Sous Chef

Cheryl Hoth AssistanttotheDeanofAcademicAffairs

Jessica HoustonAlumni Services and Events Manager

Rocky HunterWatchperson

Judith Jean-MichelExecutiveAdministrativeAssistantforAdvancement

Burmaa KaylinTech Services Assistant, JKM

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Simfo “Rose” KazembeRefectory Utility Worker

Ralph KleinCurator of the LSTC Rare Books Collection

Tim KnutsonRenovation Technician

Bianca LeoniStudent Services Assistant

Mark LowryPhilanthropic Engagement Associate

Richard MooreRefectory Utility Worker

River NeedhamLife Together Coordinator

Scott Pachowicz Assistant Director of Building Services –Renovation/Upgrade

Frank PerezManager of Culinary Operations

Arthur C. PetersenEditor, Zygon Journal of Religion and Science

Emilie Pulver Special Projects Librarian, JKM Library

Mike ReeseSenior Project Manager, Finance

Langston RobersonGift Processing and Data Services Manager

Julie SevigContent and Social Media Manager

Marji ShannonAssociateDirector,ContextualEducation

Jennifer StoneData Services Analyst

Arice VanceRefectory Line Cook

Gloria VicenteAdvanced Studies Program Coordinator; International Student Administrator

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+ 2021 COMMENCEMENT THEME AND ARTIST INFORMATION +

“As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)

This year’s commencement takes place on the 7th Sunday in Easter, a day on which many worshipping communities will hear Christ’s prayer for the disciples (John 17:6-19) as he prepares to leave them. Some congregations will celebrate the Ascension of Our Lord this day, in which Jesus sends the apostles out into the world (Acts 1:1-11). As we celebrate our students’ great achievements on this day, we do so with confidence that they are being sent into the world to participate in God’s work of healing, liberating, and reconciling the whole creation.

The artist commissioned to produce materials for this year’s theme is Ann Gerondelis, head of the department of design at Westphal College of Media Arts and Design at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa. Additionally, Gerondelis creates work as a visual artist exploring questions of prayer language and the role of the visual image relative to holy imagination. You may view her virtual exhibition of “Prayers for Our Times” and more of her work at www.sketchprayers.com

Reflecting on her design for this year’s commencement, Gerondelis provided the following prayer:

Space apart

Yet together

Displacements

Aligned

Openings

Of promise

Light

On the horizon

Passage emerging

Beckoning forward

Love’s invitation whispering

Beyond the threshold

Sent into the world

Amen