Photos from My Trip to Concordia-Portland

I spent last week in Portland, Oregon, smiling, laughing, and fighting back tears on the campus of my alma mater, Concordia University, which will soon be closing its doors for good. It was a bit of a pastoral visit, too, in order to share in the grief of friends who will be losing their employment at the end of April. Through watery eyes and despite my feeble attempts to offer a word of encouragement, there was also a lot of joy, as I was able to see quite a few friends, former colleagues, and abiding mentors. I also got to sit in on a class taught by one of my former students (the focus of which was Luther's understanding of "vocation"). A current Concordia student, who also happens to be the school's student body president, will be transferring to Valpo in the fall. She'll be continuing her degree in social work. (We shared a few laughs, as I told her about my own experiences in that same office long, long ago.)

Particularly meaningful were the precious minutes I spent contemplating the liturgical artwork that once hung on the chancel wall of Concordia's "Chapel of the Upper Room," a space that was later "secularized" and purposed for other aims. This art, which now hangs in the relatively new (!) library, is by Ernst Schwidder (1931-1998), who graduated from Concordia (high school) in the same class as my dad, the class of '49. Later, Schwidder taught art at Valpo, where he also created many sculptures and other artworks that hang today in church buildings, hospitals, and other venues around the country. So I definitely share "a sense of place" with Schwidder, a fellow Pacific-Northwesterner who was transplanted to the Midwest for a season. (Like the artist, I hope to return to my native country when my vocation here comes to its end.)

While in Oregon I was able to celebrate the 117th birthday of Edmund Schlink, whose 830-page "Ecumenical Dogmatics" will be the second volume in the collected works that I am editing and co-translating. Co-celebrating with me on the eve of that occasion was my co-translator, Hans Spalteholz. I first met him forty years ago, when I was a freshman at Concordia. On that day, we both were late for chapel. A year or two later he introduced me to Schlink, whose writings have now become intimately linked to us both. Here we are four decades later, still working together, still running late, still modeling the NW-plaid style of shirts we both like to wear, still learning from the famous Heidelberger. I’m deeply grateful for Hans'  friendship and mentoring through the years. By God's grace, we will keep on plugging along.

"Happy Birthday, Dr. Schlink!" "R. I. P., Concordia-Portland!"

Taking a Break from Translating Schlink's "Ecumenical Dogmatics"

Checking a Definition in Cassell's

The "Becker Brick" at Concordia Portland

At Concordia University, Portland, between Luther Hall and the Hagen Center, is a small circle of bricks that memorializes alumni and faculty. Here is a photo of the "Becker Brick" in that memorial courtyard:

One night last week I was tempted to sneak onto campus with a chisel.... But that wouldn’t have been right— and the Portland PD would have easily found their prime suspect.

Still, I told some of my local friends, "Can you keep an eye on those bricks? My family and I would like to get ours back...."


Grandpa Emil - high school class of ‘18 (also on the university faculty in the 1930s)

Uncle Robert - high school class of ‘46

Dad David - high school class of ‘49

Yours truly- university class of ‘84 (also on the university faculty from '94 to '04)

Sister Melissa - university class of ‘91

Wife Detra - university class of ‘97 and ‘00