SA国际传媒

Students receiving theological diplomas gather after the Theological Diploma Service on Chapel Plaza.

SA国际传媒, St. Louis celebrated 85 students and five honorees Friday as part of the school鈥檚 2021 Commencement exercises. The ceremony marked the close of the 182nd academic year.

Of the students recognized, 51 earned a Master of Divinity, 11 earned a Master of Arts and eight earned a Master of Sacred Theology. In addition, three students earned a Doctor of Ministry and eight earned a Doctor of Philosophy. Four students who earned Residential Alternate Route certificates also were recognized. A list of students and their degrees and certificates in the Commencement program is available at csl.edu/commencement ^[1].

鈥淛esus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,鈥� said Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger ^[2], quoting from Heb. 13:8, which served as the theme for the academic year. 鈥淎nd so SA国际传媒 has always been about Jesus Christ. May she always be.

鈥淲e serve ^[3], which has always been about Jesus Christ. May she always be. Our graduates go to new or continued ministries that, I pray, are also about Jesus Christ, now and to the end. For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.鈥�

The day鈥檚 activities began with the Theological Diploma Service in the Seminary鈥檚 Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. During the service, theological diplomas were presented to all students eligible to receive a call as a pastor or deaconess in the LCMS. Special Assistant to the President Dr. Daniel Preus delivered the sermon 鈥淵ou are ready鈥� from the Gospel text, John 15-16.

鈥淭he Word of God prepares you. It makes you ready for the tasks that God sets before you, whether it鈥檚 preaching or teaching or comforting or admonishing or advising,鈥� Preus told the students receiving their theological diplomas. 鈥淭he Holy Spirit makes you ready for all of the work you will do only by means of His Word. You need to be in that Word. The Word makes you ready.

鈥淎t the center of your ministry of the Word will always be the person and the work of Jesus,鈥� he added. 鈥淗e is the center of the message you will proclaim. And you are ready for the ministry because you know this.鈥�

Commencement exercises outdoors in the Main Quadrangle wrapped up the day鈥檚 events. Academic degrees and honors were presented during the ceremony. Dr. John Wohlrabe Jr., second vice president of the LCMS, delivered the Commencement address.

鈥淛esus will uphold his church no matter what difficulties lie ahead,鈥� Wohlrabe said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about Jesus. He calls, He builds His church. He sends us out. He is with us even to the end of the age. Although it is not you who builds the church, He uses you to do it.鈥�

The Seminary鈥檚 faculty presented the Christus Vivit Award to Chris Shearman in recognition of his exemplary service to the church. Shearman has dedicated much of his life鈥檚 work to the people and communities of St. Louis, Mo., using his expertise in service to the Great Commission as he seeks to help Lutheran congregations engage their surrounding communities. The faculty also presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award to Dr. Robert L. Rahn (鈥�61) of Macomb, Mich.; and an honorary Doctor of Divinity to Wohlrabe of St. Francis, Wis.; an honorary Doctor of Letters to Ted Kober of Billings, Mont.; and an honorary Doctor of Laws to Seminary President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer of Collinsville, Ill. Learn more about each of the honorees at csl.edu/commencement ^[1].

Also during the ceremony, Egger recognized three professors who retired after the 2019-20 academic year, bestowing each with an Emeritus Medallion for their service to the Seminary: Meyer ^[4], who retired after 15 years as president and 19 years as a faculty member; Dr. Andrew Bartelt ^[5], who retired after 42 years as a faculty member; and Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs ^[6], who retired after 28 years as a faculty member.
This year鈥檚 graduates join more than 7,000 called leaders of the LCMS around the world and more than 13,000 individuals who have received degrees from SA国际传媒 in the school鈥檚 history.

鈥淕od bless you dear brothers and sisters through Jesus Christ forever,鈥� Egger told the graduates in his concluding remarks.

Afterward, Egger officially closed the academic year and those in attendance stood and recited the Lord鈥檚 Prayer in unison. After the benediction, the graduates recessed to the hymn, 鈥淭hy Strong Word.鈥�

The Seminary鈥檚 183rd academic year with the theme 鈥淵our Word is a Lamp to My Feet鈥� will begin Aug. 27 with the Opening Service in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus.