GRADUATION EXERCISES

Order of Procession Assistant Marshal Miles Christi Awardee Alumnus of the Year Alumni Assistant Marshal Graduates Area Pastors Ordained Seminary Staff Faculty Marshal Faculty Academic Dean Board of Regents Honorary Doctorate Recipients Faculty Marshal President

All stand as the procession moves to the chancel. Processional “Processional in C” Henry Purcell

It is customary for those in academic apparel to remove their caps at this time. Invocation and Prayer

Be seated President’s Welcome Graduation Address Presentation of the Miles Christi Award Presentation of the Alumnus of the Year Award

Those in academic apparel put on their caps for the conferring of degrees and the conclusion. Presentation of the Candidates and the Conferring of the Degrees

Master of Arts Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies Master of Divinity Master of Sacred Theology Doctor of Ministry Doctor of Philosophy (Missiology) Doctor of Humane Letters– Honoris Causa Doctor of Divinity—Honoris Causa Welcome to the Alumni Closing of the Academic Year

11 Stand

Recessional “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (LSB 656)

1 A mighty Fortress is our God, 3 Though devils all the world should fill, A trusty Shield and Weapon; All eager to devour us, He helps us free from ev’ry need We tremble not, we fear no ill, That hath us now o’ertaken. They shall not overpow’r us. The old evil Foe This world’s prince may still Now means deadly woe; Scowl fierce as he will, Deep guile and great might He can harm us none. Are his dread arms in fight; He’s judged; the deed is done; On earth is not his equal. One little word can fell him.

2 With might of ours can naught be done, 4 The Word they still shall let remain Soon were our loss effected; Nor any thanks have for it; But for us fights the Valiant One, He’s by our side upon the plain Whom God Himself elected. With His good gifts and Spirit. Ask ye, Who is this? And take they our life, Jesus Christ it is, Goods, fame, child, and wife, Of Sabaoth Lord, Though these all be gone, And there’s none other God; Our vict’ry has been won; He holds the field forever. The Kingdom ours remaineth.

Postlude “Fanfare” Nicolas Jacque Lemmens

You are cordially invited to the Seminary Guild reception on the upper plaza following the graduation exercises.

Participants

President of the Seminary Faculty Marshal The Reverend Professor Lawrence R. Rast Jr. The Reverend Professor David P. Scaer Chairman, Department of Systematic Theology Academic Dean The Reverend Professor Charles A. Gieschen Assistant Marshals

The Reverend Professor Arthur A. Just Jr. Dean of Graduate Studies Chairman, Department of Exegetical Theology The Reverend Professor Klaus D. Schulz Chairman, Department of Pastoral Ministry The Reverend Professor Cameron A. MacKenzie and Missions Chairman, Department of Historical Theology

Speaker The Reverend Doctor Gottfried Martens Organist Pastor, Evangelisch-Lutherische Dreieinigkeits- Mr. Kevin J. Hildebrand Gemeinde, Berlin-Steglitz, Germany Kantor

Chaplain The Reverend Professor Paul J. Grime Dean of the Chapel

12 Faculty, Instructors, and Student Services

Professors Assistant Professors (continued) Carl C. Fickenscher II, M.B.A., M.Div., Ph.D. Gary W. Zieroth, M.Div, D.Min. Pastoral Ministry and Missions Pastoral Ministry and Missions Charles A. Gieschen, M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D. Exegetical Theology Guest Professors Paul J. Grime, M.Mus., M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Robert H. Bennett, M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Pastoral Ministry and Missions David Coles, M.A., M.Phil., M.Div., Ph.D. Arthur A. Just Jr., M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Exegetical Theology Adjunct Professors for 2016–2017 Cameron A. MacKenzie, M.A., S.T.M., Ph.D. Thomas Ahlsmeyer, M. Div., Ph. D. The Forrest E. and Frances H. Ellis Professor Peter C. Bender, M. Div. of German Reformation Studies Geoffrey R. Boyle, M.Div. Walter A. Maier III, M.Div., M.A., Ph.D. Mark P. Braden, M.Div. Exegetical Theology Peter J. Brock, M.Div. John G. Nordling, M.A., M.Div., Ph.D. Albert E. Collver, M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Exegetical Theology Daniel Czaplewski, M.A., M.Div., Ed.D. Timothy C. J. Quill, M.Phil., M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Pastoral Ministry and Missions Burnell F. Eckardt, M.Div, S.T.M., Ph.D. Lawrence R. Rast Jr., M.A., M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Donald V. Engebretson, M.Div., S.T.M. Historical Theology Michael N. Frese, M.Div. David P. Scaer, M.Div., Th.D. Edward O. Grimenstein, M.A., M.Div., Th.D. The David P. Scaer Professor of Biblical and Joseph P. Gudel, M.Div., Ph.D. Systematic Theology Chad Kendall, M.Div. Klaus Detlev Schulz, M.Div., S.T.M., Th.D. Martin R. Noland, M.A., M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Pastoral Ministry and Missions Joshua Pagan, M.Div., Ph. D. William C. Weinrich, M.Div., D.Theol. Timothy M. Pies, Ph.D. Historical Theology Sandra Rhein, M.A. Dean O. Wenthe, M.A., M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D. Steven R. Schumacher, M.Div. Exegetical Theology Scott E. Stiegemeyer, M.A., M.Div. Don C. Wiley, M.Div., S.T.M. Associate Professors Lucas V. Woodford, M.Div., S.T.M., D.Min. James G. Bushur, M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. Historical Theology Professors Emeriti Naomichi Masaki, M.A., M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D. William G. Houser, M.Div., M.A., Ph.D. Systematic Theology Walter A. Maier II, M.A., S.T.M., Th.D., L.H.D. Jeffrey H. Pulse, M.Div., S.T.M. Richard T. Nuffer, J.D., M.Div. Exegetical Theology Richard C. Resch, M.Mus., M.Div. Robert V. Roethemeyer, M.Div., M.A.L.S. Daniel G. Reuning, B.A., S.M.M., D.M.A. Pastoral Ministry and Missions Peter J. Scaer, M.Div., M.A., Ph.D. Instructors Exegetical Theology Kevin J. Hildebrand, M.Mus., M.A. Roland F. Ziegler, M.Div., Dr. theol. Kantor The Robert D. Preus Associate Professor of Systematic Matthew A. Machemer, B.M.E. Theology and Confessional Lutheran Studies Associate Kantor Amy C. Rast, M.S.W., M.A. in Deaconess Studies Assistant Professors Associate Director of Deaconess Studies Gifford A. Grobien, M.Div., Ph.D. Rose E. Adle, M.A. Systematic Theology Assistant Director of Deaconess Studies Benjamin T. G. Mayes, M.Div., Ph.D. Historical Theology Student Services John T. Pless, M.Div. Mark C. Sheafer, M.Div., S.T.M. Pastoral Ministry and Missions Director of Financial Aid Ryan M. Tietz, M.Div., S.T.M. Barbara A. Wegman, B.G.S. Exegetical Theology Registrar 13 The Board of Regents

The Rev. Dr. Ronald M. Garwood Chairman Cody, Wyoming

The Rev. Dean M. Bell Mr. David K. Hawk The Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray Hendrum, Minnesota Fort Wayne, Indiana Houston, Texas The Rev. William M. Cwirla Dr. David P. Held Mr. Jon R. Schumacher Hacienda Heights, California Seward, Nebraska Brookfield, Wisconsin Mr. David L. Daniels Dr. Leo S. MacKay, Jr. Dr. Bradd W. Stucky Taylorsville, North Carolina Alexandria, Virginia Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin The Rev. Dr. John R. Denninger Dr. Beverly K. Yahnke Alexandria, Virginia Brookfield, Wisconsin

A Note on Academic Apparel

The hoods worn by faculty members and candidates for degrees indicate the degree held, the subject in which it is held, and the institution which conferred the degree. The colors of the silk lining of the hood are the colors of the institution that granted the degree. The hood of Concordia Theological Seminary, for example, is lined with blue and white. The color of the velvet lining of the hood, running forward around the throat, indicates the faculty or department in which the degree has been earned.

Blue, light Education Purple Law Blue, dark Philosophy Scarlet Theology Lemon Library Science Violet Theology (Europe) Pink Music White Arts and Letters

Gold bullion tassels on the caps indicate a doctor’s degree, as do the three chevrons (velvet stripes) on the arms of the academic gown.

A Note on the National Flags

The national flags hanging from the balcony represent some of the countries from which our seminary students have come, including Brazil, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Liberia, Madagascar, Moldova, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, and the United States.

14 AWARDS AND GRADUATES

Miles Christi Award

The Miles Christi (Soldier of Christ) Award has been created by the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary in order to recognize and honor each year Lutheran laymen or laywomen who have glorified God through a real contribution in some field of human endeavor and who have displayed the characteristics of good soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3).

Mr. W. Paul Wolf Fort Wayne, Indiana

Mr. John M. Behrendt Fort Wayne, Indiana (awarded posthumously)

Alumnus of the Year Award

The Alumnus of the Year award has been established by the Board of Regents of Concordia Theological Seminary to honor a graduate who has distinguished himself by faithfully shepherding the people of God with excellence in preaching, teaching the faithful, and reaching the lost while also strengthening his alma mater by recruiting, publicizing, and supporting the seminary’s mission.

The Reverend Larry A. Peters Class of 1980 Grace Lutheran Church Clarksville, Tennessee

Candidates for the Degree of Master of Arts

Degrees Conferred August 3, 2016 Michelle E. Domin Sara M. Schultz

Degree Conferred May 19, 2017 Elle L. Konetzki (awarded posthumously)

Degrees to Be Conferred August 2, 2017 Pending completion of all academic work

Patrick J. Minato Alejandra Rojas de Robles

15 Candidates for the Degree of Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies

Degrees Conferred August 3, 2016 Sharon M. Conover Tonya L. Fredstrom Gina K. Teeple Emily R. Daniels Janet L. Nicol

Degrees to Be Conferred August 2, 2017 Pending completion of all academic work

Patricia L. Anderson Rachel C. Fickenscher Katelyn E. Lower Cheryl A. Cox Juliane M. Kirk

Candidates for the Degree of Master of Divinity

Degrees Conferred August 3, 2016 Jacob T. Deal Brent S. Horne Isaac R. Johnson

Degree Conferred February 24, 2017 Robert Q. Bruggeman

Degrees Conferred May 19, 2017 Bradley D. Akey Alexander C. Garber Ryan B. Schneider Phillip J. Allman Willie T. Grills Aaron D. Spratt Adam E. Barkley Steven M. Hackmann Richard C. Stephens Kevin P. Belter Justin M. Hildebrand Zachary M. Voss David D. Casey-Motley Matthew C. Koterba David J. Walsh Rene G. Castillero Gabriel J. Martin David M. Weirauch Christopher R. Clark Nicholas D. Martinez Marcus A. Williams Thomas J. Cowell Justin D. Massey Trenton N. Wollberg Jacob J. Eichers Kyle A. McBee Aaron E. Yaeger Eamonn M. Ferguson Dean G. Rager Christopher J. Yeager Phillip J. Fischaber Eric M. Rudsenske

Degrees to Be Conferred August 2, 2017 Pending completion of all academic work

Kurt R. Cockran Santiago E. Keinbaum Thomas T. Presley George N. Fields Kelly D. Krieg Timothy J. Wilcoxen

16 Candidates for the Degree of Master of Sacred Theology When applicable, the thesis title is given below the candidate’s name.

Degree Conferred November 11, 2016 Scott E. Johnson The Doxological Imperative: An Assessment of the Eucharist after Radical Orthodoxy

Degrees Conferred May 19, 2017 Jacob R. Hercamp The Biblical-Theological Significance of the Eschatological Meal of Isaiah 25

James Kollie

Seth A. Meirow

Gregory A. Moffitt Examining the Extent of Erasmus’ Influence upon Zwingli’s Interpretation of “The Rock Was Christ”

Candidates for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry The project/dissertation title is given below the candidate’s name.

Degree Conferred February 24, 2017

Kyle D. Heck A Christian Approach and Response to Same Sex Attraction and Marriage in an Increasingly Secular and Hostile Context

Degrees Conferred May 19, 2017

Ross E. Johnson Resources for Church Leaders after a Tragedy Strikes Their Community

Hausuankap Manlun Impact of Life-time Ordination of Elders in the Pastoral Ministry among the Zou Churches of Northeast India

Robb C. Ring Measurement of Comprehension and Attitudes Regarding Lutheran Faith and Practice within the Undergraduate Student Population of Concordia University Irvine

Robb W. Roloff Cultural Identification and Establishing a Devotional Life: Essentials in Rural Outreach

Steven D. Schave Witness, Mercy, Life Together as the Framework for Mission

Christian C. Tiews Improving New Member Catechesis and Integration at Grace Lutheran, Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Means of a Lutheran Catechumenate

17 Mitiku Zeleke Christian Discipleship and the Role of Parents: The Case of Hosanna Mekane Yesus Church in Ethiopia

Candidates for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Missiology The dissertation title is given below the candidate’s name.

Degree Conferred August 3, 2016

Moses K. Okoyo 1 Chronicles 13 and Mission: An Examination of What the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya Lake Diocese Can Do to Reach Out to Inactive Members

Degrees Conferred February 24, 2017

Sung Gyu Choi The Study of the Relationship between Christian Identity and the Identity of Korean Chinese Christians in South Korea as Diasporic Homecomings: Focusing on the Redemptive Identity and the Missional Identity

Szu-Hao Lu Lutheran Identity in the Lutheran Church in Taiwan

Degrees Conferred May 19, 2017

Lalissa D. Gemechis An Investigation into Implications of Confessional Subscription on the Understanding of the Triune God and Church Fellowship in the EECMY

Jaewoo Jeong The Study of the Post Conversion Worldview Allegiance among Overseas Chinese with a Special Reference to Ancestor Worship

Martin M. Munyao Linking Ancient Mediterranean with Contemporary Kenyan Pivital Values of Honor-Shame: A Missional Appraisal of Baptist Theology in Kenya through Honor-Shame Lenses

Lalrosiem Songate A Study on the Practice of Denominational Incorporation in Missions by the Tribal Denominations in Southern Manipur in North East India

Don C. Wiley The Place of Honor-Shame in the Lutheran Understanding of Justification: A Biblical and Confessional Assessment of the Honor-Shame Dynamic and Lutheran Missiology

Degree to Be Conferred August 2, 2017 Pending completion of all academic work

Jihoon Shin The Plausibility of Bilingual Korean Churches in the Midwest Region of the United States: A Phenomenological Study of Attitudes among Korean Senior Pastors

18 Candidates for Alternate Route Certificate

Certificates Conferred August 3, 2016 Phillip L. Beukema Donald J. Bruce Kevin M. Foley James L. Rockhill

Certificate Conferred February 24, 2017 Jerry Jablonski

Certificate Conferred May 19, 2017 Alan M. Thoe

Certificates to Be Conferred August 2, 2017 Pending completion of all academic work

James M. Grady Edward B. Holschuh Steve T. Law Scott A. Salo

Candidate for the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree (L.H.D.) Honoris Causa Degree Conferred May 19, 2017

Dr. Anthony Esolen

The Reverend Doctor Anthony Esolen is being honored particularly for his bold defense of our Christian cultural heritage.

Professor of English at Providence College for several years, Dr. Esolen is leaving that institution soon to take up a post at Thomas More College, in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where he will help to inaugurate their Center for the Renewal of Culture. He received his bachelor's degree from Princeton University, summa cum laude, and his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is an esteemed scholar and translator, and has become one of our nation’s most astute cultural critics, speaking and writing boldly in defense of life and marriage. He is the author of some twenty books, including his three volume translation and edition of Dante's Divine Comedy, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization, Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child, Defending Marriage: Twelve Arguments for Sanity, and, most recently, Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, and Real Music: Reclaiming the Timeless Hymns of the Church. He is a regular contributor to Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Orthodoxy, Crisis Magazine, The Catholic Thing, Public Discourse, Chronicles, and several others. He has become well-known among Lutherans, including being a favorite speaker to pastors at gatherings of Doxology. He has encouraged traditional creedal Chris- tians to work and think together in opposition to the Secular Left.

19 Candidate for the Doctor of Divinity Degree Honoris Causa Degree Conferred May 19, 2017

The Reverend Doctor Gottfried Martens

The Reverend Doctor Gottfriend Martens is being honored for his faithful service as a pastor and missionary in Berlin, Germany.

A native of Hanover, Germany, Gottfried Martens became a Lutheran shortly after birth when he was reborn through Holy Baptism at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. After being confirmed at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Remscheid and completing his high school education at ErnstMoritzArndt- Gymnasium in 1981, he embarked on several years of theological studies, beginning with two years at Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel and Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule St. Georgen (Jesuiten) in Frankfurt am Main. He then spent a year of study abroad at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, in 1983–84. This was followed by two years of studies at Erlangen University in 1984–86, then the completion of his studies at Oberursel in 1986–87. He was a teaching assistant at Oberursel from 1988–90 and in 1990 completed his highly respected dissertation on ecumenical discussions of the doctrine of justification. After a year of vicarage in Essen, he was called as pastor of St. Mary’s Lutheran Church in Berlin-Zehlendorf, where he served from 1991–2013, including doing mission outreach among Russian German immigrants as well as refugees from Iran and Afghanistan. He began a new mission project in 2013 for Farsi and Dari speaking refugees which has grown into a congregation now known as Evangelisch-Lutherische Dreieinigkeits- Gemeinde in Berlin-Steglitz. Rev. Dr. Martens has served the Selbständigen Evangelisch- Lutherischen Kirche (SELK), a denomination in fellowship with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, both on their theology commission and as an instructor at their theological school in Oberursel.

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