CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Such theological ideas as creation, sin and redemption struggle to find meaning in the 21st century. The 2005 Hein-Fry Lecture Series, "Practical Theology in the Life of the Christian," will explore how Christians shape and reshape their understandings of traditional theological categories.
The eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) host the series. The Rev. Herbert E. Anderson and the Rev. Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore will each present lectures at four of the seminaries over the next three months.
Anderson, a retired pastor of the ELCA and visiting professor of pastoral care, Yale University Divinity School, New Haven, Conn., will open the series Feb. 3 at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C. He will speak Feb. 25 at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif., March 10 at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa., and April 29 at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
Miller-McLemore, a pastor of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter professor of pastoral theology and counseling, Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Nashville, Tenn., will talk Feb. 22 at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, March 4 at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and March 31 at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. She will close the series May 5 at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio.
The Hein-Fry Lecture Series predates the ELCA, which was formed in 1988. The endowed theological lecture series is coordinated by the ELCA Division for Ministry in cooperation with the eight seminaries to foster original scholarship and enrich theological dialogue throughout the church.
The series combines the Dr. Carl Christian Hein Memorial Seminary Lectures of the former American Lutheran Church and the Franklin Clark Fry Theological Lectures of the former Lutheran Church in America.
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The Web pages at http://www.elca.org/heinfry/ have information about the lecture series. Information about the seminaries and links to their home pages are at http://www.elca.org/theologicaleducation/seminaries/ on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
