as well as from a number of Lutheranchurch bodies in South Africa itself, theseminary is full to capacity and bursting atthe seams. But this is our joy, and as ourLord instructs us to work while it is day,before the night comes when no one canwork, we will joyfully be about the Lord'sbusiness of teaching and trainingconfessional Lutheran pastors anddeaconesses for Africa.

Unfortunately, one of our staff members,Dr. EricGbotoe , has been unable to join usto date due to visa issues which have lefthim and his wife stranded in their homecountry of Liberia. We solicit your prayersfor theGbotoes, that these hurdlesmay beovercome and the LTS staff return to itscurrent complement of faculty members.LTS lecturers have had to fill in for Dr.Gbotoe as best as they can, and so life atthe LTS continues under the Lord's graceand blessing.

This edition of the LTS News includes areport by Rector Dr. WilhelmWeber on histrip to Rome for an ecumenical conferenceon "Luther and the Sacraments" hosted bythe Johan Möhler Institute of Paderborn,Germany. Together with Rev. JohnNkambule's recent study trip to CTS Ft.Wayne, IN and Dr. Karl Böhmer's Marchassignment to the headquarters of theMission of Lutheran Churches inBleckmar, Germany, LTS staff haverepresented the seminary in a number ofinternational locations.

Also featured in this edition of the LTS aredelightful reports by some of our visitinglecturers in the first quarter, Prof. PlessandRev. Tony Oliphant, a write-up of therecent installationofDr.Böhmer, aswell asthe latest developments at the LTSpreschool.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!Blessed is themanwho takes refuge inhim!

(Ps. 34:8)

LTS NEWSINSIDE THIS ISSUE: P3 Trip Report by Rev. Oliphant | P4 Teaching Lutheran Doctrine | P5 Installation | P5-6 Preschool Updates

2017 off to a good startBy the grace of God, almost all LTS students, both new and returning, arrived in time forthe start of classes on February 7. For more than ten years, the LTS has been welcomingstudents fromall of Africa andbeyond, and this year is nodifferent -with theology studentsand deaconess students coming in from Liberia, DRC Congo, Zambia, Uganda, Sudan,

The Eternal Cityon 7 hills:Rome theGlorious.

by Rector Dr. Wilhelm Weber

Visiting Rome is always a highlight even if themany old ruins don’t look as if they are reallymade for eternity. Still, it is quite an experienceto walk on the Via Antiqua imagining St. Paulwalking up that road as a prisoner, or St. Peterfleeing in the opposite direction, only to becalled back by his master: Quo vadis? The oldcatacombs of St. Sebastian are supposed tohave housed these apostles for some timeeven as they were in hiding. That however issomewhat up to speculation even if somearcheologists would put their head on theblock for this.

Oneweek in Rome ismuch to short really. Stillthe conference on “Luther and thesacraments. A catholic re-reading of Luther”organized by the Johan Möhler Institute

"

"

Watchword 2017

Prayers requestedOur Lord has encouraged us to pray:

"The harvest is plentiful, but workers arefew. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,to send out workers into his harvest."Matthew 9:37f

Please join us in prayer as we pray to theLord for support of thosestudentswhohaveheeded his call and are now at the LTS inTshwane & preparing for the work in Hischurch and on the African mission-field,which is ripe for harvest!

(Paderborn) was reason enough to take on thearduous journey and hear from Lutheran andCatholic experts about Luther’s understandingof the sacraments: Baptism, Confession &Absolution (Penance), Lord’s Supper (Eucharist)and the office of the ministry (Ordo). Theprogram was set up in such a way, that the key-note lecture on one of the sacraments was heldby a Lutheran expert in the auditorium of thePontificial Gregorian University and then a re-lecture of Luther’s theology by a Roman-Catholic theologian followed. Time for questionsand comments was provided even before theconference split up into seminars to work underthe guidance of those 2 experts on one of thetopics in more detail. This was a very efficientand productive procedure.

The conference was imbedded in a rich offeringof devotions and catholic services in theimpressive churches around the university likethe Latin Mass in St.Peter’s basilica on Sundaymorning, Sanct’ Ignazio for Vespers on Sundayevening, the AshWednesday service in ApostoliXII etc. The eminent Cardinals Koch, Kaspar andMüller did not only attend, but preached,celebrated, lectured and mixed most amicablywith thenumerousguests fromacross theglobe,specifically post-graduate students, learnedprofessors, bishops, priests, theologians, nunsetc. Even a delegation from our sister Seminary– the Lutherische Theologische HochschuleOberursel i.T – was there together with Bishopemeritus Dr. Jobst Schöne and his wife from theSelbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche(or Independent Evangelical LutheranChurch) inGermany.

Thisweek impressedonme thenecessity to lookbeyond the individual personality of Dr. MartinLuther, however impressive and noteworthy itmay be. The Lutheran Church does not hero-worship him as if he were our founding saint, butrather as the unique and devout friar and

ordained priest and pastor, theologicallywell-versed academic, who the Lord of theChurch used to reform his eternal church,which had fallen into serious disrepair. Insuch inter-denominational dialogue weshould focus more on the Confessionalwritingsof ourChurch thanon thepersonalsubjectivity of these ecclesial celebritieseven if they were as productive in theirwriting as Luther obviously was. Moreimportant that the highly debatable 95Theses commemorated in 2017 is theanniversaryof Luther’sCatechisms (1529),Melanchton’s Augsburg Confession andApology of 1530, the Smalcald Articles in1537 and the timely publication of theentire Book of Concord in 1580. Now thatwould really be a lot of food for thought.

Moreover it would be also be of cardinalimportance to move to a more ecclesialpoint of view. It’s not just about what sometheologians think today, but rather how

this Lutheran reformation has beenreceived, taken on and structured inChurch formations and establishmentsacross the globe. Something like whatWerner Elert illustrates in his “Structure ofLutheranism”. An updated version of thisoutstanding monography written back in1958 remains very much a desideratum.

So it’s not just about having the officialcondemnation and excommunication ofthe individual Dr. Martin Luther recalledand nullified, but also about how thechurches (!) relate to one another, becauseasLuther said,wedon’t grant, that theyarethe church. Rather the church is there,where the gospel is preached in its purityand the sacraments administeredaccording to their institution by our LordJesusChrist. That remains thechallenge tousasLutheranChurchas it is to theRomanCatholic Church and others too – with alltheir sub-divisions.

Vol. 17, Issue 1 Page 2

"While on campus I also preachedfor the Thursday morning serviceson March 2 and 9. Matins was

prayed on Thursdays and thepreaching texts of the lectionaryprovided good Lenten meditation."

Preaching in Chapel

GuestLecturersRev. Oliphant continues:"Anotherrecommendation forhow the mission societycan help in a sustainedway is to dedicate tosend a guest lecturerfrom among our numberto LTS each year. Thiswas a strongrecommendation fromDr. Weber and Prof.Pless.

After this trip, Iwholeheartedly concur.By doing this, we canmaintain communicationand relationships withthe staff and studentsand we can maintain acontinual connection tothe work being done atthe seminary. We willalso be able to giveregular “boots on theground” reports back toour donors in the UnitedStates."

Trip Report byvisiting lecturer

Rev. Anthony Oliphant

Feb. 26 – Mar. 10, 2017

For twoweeks Ihad thepleasureofco-teaching a class at LTSalongside Rev. Prof. John Pless.The course was “LutheranDogmatics for the Congregation”.For the course, we used therecently published “The SavingTruth: Doctrine for Laypeople” bythe late Rev. Dr. Kurt Marquart asthe text. Theclasswasprimarily forseniors at LTS, but several juniorsalso attended. Several pastorsfrom the area sat in on the class forcontinuing education. All seniorsand pastors received a copy of thetextbook. In addition, I broughtcopies of “Lutheranism 101” foruse in classes for underclassmen.

The class met from 14:00 to 17:00every weekday. This three-hourblock of time proved to be easilyfilled with content from thelectures and with thoughtfulquestions from the students. I wascontinually impressed with thequestions that were raised, as itshowed a deep concern for takingwhat was being discussed andapplying it to the level ofunderstanding and contexts ofthose in the students’ homecountries and congregations. Thestudents were determined to

thoroughly understand thematerial so that they could clearlyteach the faith and defend againstthe heresies that are prevalentthroughout Africa. On March 9,Prof. Pless and I hosted a braai forthe students. Pastor Shuttleworth,a local Lutheran pastor, hosted awine tasting to show the widerange of South African wines.

During my stay, some of theseminary students elected to go toa presentation at St. Paul’s onMarch 8. Pastor Jacob Corzine,who works with the collegestudents at St. Paul’s, arranged foraMuslim imam to comeand speakto the group about what Muslimsbelieve so that the students canbebetter informed as they progressthrough their studies of theScriptures and LutheranConfessions.Becausemanyof theseminary students come fromnations with a strong Muslimpresence, they were able to askmany interesting questions andgive further elaboration on theeffects that Islam has had on theChurch in Africa and on theirhomelands.

I was given the privilege ofattendingastaffmeetingonMarch9 in order to get a glimpse into theoperations and everyday dealingsof the seminary. It provided goodinsight into the relationships of allwho work at the seminary andshowed howmuch dedication andwork has gone into building afaithful and safe place for studytoward the Office of the HolyMinistry. My thanks toDr. Weber for his invitation to themeeting.

The seminary is looking ahead atthe future opportunities. The SaintPhilip Lutheran Mission Societyand theRockyMountain District ofthe LCMS have each raised$15,000 toward building a newlibrary. These funds will be usedtoward creating a study andresearch center that will be on theleading edge among seminaries inAfrica. With interactive andtelecommunication abilities, it ishoped that this new facility can

help link the Lutheran seminariesthroughout the continent andworld.

The new librarywould also serve todrawnewstudents and strengthenrelationships with the University ofPretoria.While the full scopeof thisproject is still to be determined, itremains an exciting endeavor. Themission societywill keep an eyeonhow the project continues todevelop aswe remain enthusiasticsupporters of creating the bestfacility possible at LTS.

I would like to thank all of thefaculty, staff, and students at LTSfor their overwhelming hospitalityand warmth. Thanks to Prof. JohnPless for being a teachingcolleague throughout the twoweeks. A special thanks to theSaint Philip Lutheran MissionSociety is in order for providing thefunds for airfare in order to go andserve the students at LTS and forthe opportunity to visit theseminary and see how we will beable to continue to serve them inthe best possible way.

Vol. 17, Issue 1 Page 3

thoroughly engaged in lively and fruit classdiscussion.

The instructors attempted to present thesetopicswithaview towardhowpastorsmightteach and preach on these subjects in theAfrican context. This meant that we spentmore time on issues that are lively in Africasuch as :

• Thedistinctionbetweengeneral revelationand the salvific revelation of Christ Jesus inthe Gospel;

• Lutheran hermeneutics in contrast tocultural and contextual hermeneutics;

• Pentecostalism and its errant teachingregarding Baptism in the Spirit;

• The ordination of women and why thispractice breaks church fellowship;

• The nature of altar and pulpit fellowship.This is especially critical as the LutheranWorld Federation is influential in southernAfrica.

Inaddition to teaching,bothPastorOliphantand I preached two sermons each at themorning chapel services. I also preachedthe Ash Wednesday sermon for theLutheran Campus Ministry at the University

of Pretoria.

I am grateful to Dr. Weber for inviting us toteach this course and the many kindnessesshown to us on this trip. I’m also grateful toDr. Jacob Corzine of the Lutheran CampusMinistry for providing me with housing andlocal transportation. In addition to the textbooks provided by Luther Academy,Bethany Lutheran Church in Naperville,Illinois and Immanuel Lutheran Church inFrankentrost, Michigan provided funds topurchase many new books to keep ourlibrary up to date.

God willing it, I will return to teach anothertwo week course at LTS on August 14-25,2017.

Thank you

Teaching Lutheran Doctrinein South Africaby Prof. John T. Pless

From February 27-March 10, I team taught a course on “TeachingLutheran Doctrine in the Congregation” with Pastor Tony Oliphant(pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Elmhurst, Illinois andTreasurer of the St. Philip Lutheran Mission Society).

The class consisted of 22 senior students, pastors, and a pre-seminary student fromtheUniversity of Pretoria. The text for the coursewas the newly published book by thelate Dr. Kurt Marquart, The Saving Truth: Doctrine for Laypeople. We are deeplygrateful to the Luther Academy and its executive director, Dr. Robert Bennett fordonating copies of this book for each of the students.

The introductory lecture explored the nature and method of confessional Lutherantheology. We examined the task of the theologian on the basis of Titus 1:1-3, notingin the words of David Hollaz that theology is “eminently practical wisdom teachingfrom the revealedWord of God all things which sinful man, who is to be saved, needsto know in order to attain true faith and holiness of life.” We spoke of theology as a“public mystery” (Oswald Bayer) in light of Romans 16:25-27. We accented the factthat theology is never simply theoretical but ultimately is necessary for proclamationof God’s Word noting Werner Elert’s statement that dogmatics has to do with thenecessary content of the church’s proclamation if the kerygma is to be genuineGospel, good news for Christ’s sake.

From this foundation both lecturers presented classes on the various “articles” ofChristian doctrine: the inspiration, authority and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures,the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, justification and sanctification, law andGospel, preaching as means of grace, Baptism, the Sacrament of the Altar,ecclesiology, eschatology, and the apologetics (faith and reason). Students were

Visiting instructorsduring the first quarteralso included:

• Dr. S. Elliot Sithole (LCSA)

• Prof. Dr.habil. Werner Klän (SELK)

• Deaconess Grace Rao (LCMS)

Thank you to all instructors who came andto all who made their visits possible. Ourseminary students benefited tremendously.

Vol. 17, Issue 1 Page 4

Tell us about your background.

I was born and raised in Zambia and comefroma large family with three sisters and fourbrothers. My father, who sadly passed awayin 1997, was a police officer and my motherwas a school teacher. I was baptized andconfirmed in the Anglican church but duringmy father’s illness, we began to attend theLutheran church closer to our home. I wasactive in the Sunday School Ministry andfrom 2004-2007 was fortunate to beselected and sent on several courses at theLusaka Evangelical Bible School in thecapital, Lusaka. One of the courses I evenattended with my brother who was ordainedin2008. I becameaCoordinator forwomen’swork in the Zambian Diocese and traveled tothe different congregations to report on theactivities and requests of the women’sleagues. I worked for theSouthernDistrict asWomen’s Coordinator until 2012 when Icame to the LTS.

How and when did you first becomeacquainted with the LTS?

In November 2011 I received a call from ourBishop telling me that I should attend aDeaconess Course at the LTS. At first, forpersonal reasons, I was reluctant but wasencouraged by my mother and finallyaccepted the call. Thedocumentation formytravel/study permit ran smoothly and I knewthen that the hand of God was upon it. I

completed my Deaconess studies in 2014and was commissioned by Bishop Weber inNovember of that year.

Please share some of the joys andchallenges of being a Deaconess.

The joy I find inbeingadeaconess is that I ambeing strengthened by God’s word everyday.My reward is that I ampermitted toserveand that is what gives me joy. My calling isalways service to others because service toour neighbor is service to Christ. My role asdeaconess in this community, in which I amcurrently living in Pretoria, is being fulfilled asI carry out my duties as a teacher at the LTSPreschool.

Tell us about your role in the LTSPreschool – how did it begin? What haveyou learned fromworkingwith children inthe last two years? What (if anything) hassurprised you about this work?

Towards the end of my deaconess training,Bishop Weber and Karin Niebuhr came upwith a plan to include us deaconesses in theteaching of several seminary children whowere not in school. As the Preschool grew,we began our training in Early ChildhoodEducation (ECE) under the tutelage andmentoring of Karin. I enrolled in an ECEcertificate which I completed in 2015. Notonly am I teaching formally but I am alsointegrating ourChristian faith on adaily basis

whilst working with the Preschoolers whocome from different countries and differentbackgrounds. Working with Preschoolers ischallenging because the children don’talways cooperate or listen to reason. I amlearning how important the children’sartwork is for their fine motor developmentand how this is sometimes challenging forme. Themore I put into practicemy teachingskills, the more my teaching and workingwith the children will improve. I am learningsomething new every day and sometimes itcanbequite overwhelming to remember andput in to practice everything I have learned.

You have decided to continue with yourstudies. What prompted this decision?

I have noticed that many parents askwhether we have a Grade R class, and so Ihave decided to enroll in a 3-year diploma

LTS Preschool Teacher Interview: Trinah Simakoloyi

By the gracious invitation of the German-speaking St. Paul’s Ev. Luth. Church inArcadia, Pretoria, a joint divine service washeld with the ELC and the Afrikaans-speaking St Paul’s congregation to markTransfiguration Sunday. Also present at theservice were dignitaries and guestsrepresenting a range of churches andorganizations – the South Africanrepresentative of the Mission of LutheranChurches (MLC,alsoknownas theBleckmarMission of the IELC in Germany), the bishopand members of the synodical board of theFree Evangelical Lutheran Synod in SouthAfrica (FELSISA), the bishop and assistantbishop of the Lutheran Church in SouthernAfrica (LCSA), the rector of the LutheranTheological Seminary in Tshwane (LTS),members of its board of directors, as well aslocal clergy and many distinguished guests.The reason for this celebration was on theone hand the joint divine service regularlyheld between the three Pretoria

congregations in the framework of ArcadiaLutheran Ministries (ALM), and on the otherhand, the installation of seminary lecturerDr. Karl Böhmer. Böhmer has been calledand seconded by the FELSISA to teachchurch history andmission at the LTS. At thesame time, his call ismade possible by closecooperation between the FELSISA and theMLC, who contribute generously to this endin an endeavor to support the education ofLutheran pastors and deaconesses at theLTS, to which all of its members are fullycommitted.

The installation was performed by FELSISABishop Dr. Dieter Reinstorf, LCSA BishopRev. Modise Maragelo, and MLCrepresentative Rev. Christoph Weber. Rev.Weber preached the installation sermon onMatt. 14:22-33. After the installation,Böhmer preached on Ex. 3:1-15.

Rev. Dr. Karl Böhmer lives in Pretoriawith hiswife and two daughters. He has been

lecturing at the LTS in various capacitiessince 2015 and has now been installed in afull-time position. He studied at theUniversity of Pretoria, the LutherischeTheologische Hochschule in Oberursel,Germany, and in Concordia Seminary in St.Louis, MO, USA before receiving hisdoctorate from Concordia TheologicalSeminary in Fort Wayne, IN, USA. In themeantime, he has served as a parish pastorin the KZN midlands in South Africa and inthe Rocky Mountain District of the LCMS.

Installation of Dr. K. BöhmerTransfiguration Sunday

Vol. 17, Issue 1 Page 5

[Trinah Simakoloyi - cont. from previous page]

which will allow me to teach grade R. Maybe one day,God willing, the LTS Preschool will open a grade Rclass. I think the studies will improve my teaching andI will get to know how to work with preschoolers of allages and be able to determine the readiness of a childbefore entering school. My dream is to be a grade Rteacher someday andGodwilling that is what I will gainfrom these studies.

What role do the LTS Preschool and your work as ateacher/deaconess play in the Kingdom of God?

The preschool is a Christian preschool where our faithis being integrated in our daily teaching and in so doingwe are changing the lives ofmany, not only our learnersbut also the parents and their neighbors through ourlearners. My role as a teacher and deaconess is that Ioffer spiritual care tomy learners and nurture themwith

Christianmorals andvalues andbring themtogether inthe one truefaith in ourLord Jesus.

It is with this praise in our heartsthat we celebrated the dedicationof our newest classroom on arecent sunny morning. We werehumbled by the presence of thewhole Seminary community,visitors from abroad and from ourlocal Primary School and friends ofthe LTS Preschool. The seminarystudents led the procession withflags from the whole continent, alsoreflecting many of the countriesfrom which our preschoolers hail.Dr. Weber reminded us thatborders are man-made but that weare all one in Christ and that wekeep our “doors open” as we reachout into the community proclaimingChrist and teaching our little onesabout our Lord and Savior JesusChrist. The ribbon was cut, officiallyopening our new classroom andthe children sang beautifully for ourguests. Afterwards the studentsand guests enjoyed seeing the newclassroom and everyone wasgrateful for refreshments in theshade! We are so thankful to bepart of the seminary community

Coming up@LTSMarch� 13 Prof Klän (Oberursel)� 24 End of 1st Quarter� 27 Beginning of 2nd Quarter

April� 7-18 Easter break� 25 Board Meeting

May� 29 - June 9 Examinations

LTS Preschool UpdatePraise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;Praise him above, ye heavnly host:Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

790 Arcadia Street, Arcadia, 0083 | P. O. Box 12547, Hatfield, 0028 | South AfricaT: +27 (0)12 344 2302 | E: LTSinTshwane@gmail.com | www.lts.ac.za (under construction - stay tuned!)

and the wider Arcadia community andwe continue to be awed by God’sprovidence and care for His people.

Training Christ’s followers as pastors, teachers,evangelists, missionaries, bishops and

deaconesses for faithful service in the LutheranChurch of Africa.

The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane isa registered Public Benefits Organization.Donations to LTS can be deducted according toSection 18(a) in the South African tax laws.

Vol. 17, Issue 1 Page 6