Goin’ to the Fort

Well, a week from today I’ll be on my way to sunny and warm Fort Wayne, Indiana to attend the annual Symposia held at Concordia Theological Seminary. The theme for the 23rd annual symposium on Exegetical Theology is "Atonement for Sin in the Scriptures: Challenging the Modern Dismissal of this Biblical Theme". The theme for the 31st annual symposium on The Lutheran Confessions is "Atonement: Biblical, Confessional, Ecumenical Perspectives."

I skipped the event last year after going for six years straight because I’d been noticing a change in the “tone” of the Symposia. I thought there had been a real, excuse my wording here but I think it fits, dumbing down of what should have been some fun papers from my first year I attended to 2005. A friend of mine says that this is most likely attributed to the fact that I’ve grown in the faith and that I no longer crave spiritual milk but want all the meaty goodness. While I do understand I’ve grown somewhat, I just don’t think any slack jawed yokel should be able to follow along with a bunch of doctors of theology with near complete understanding. If I can always follow along, it probably theology “lite”.

And while the invited guests have been ok, is it efficacious to invite people that don’t really stir debate? There were times I thought that there could be meaningful discussions with some good Methodists friends of mine. At least there would be a debate or two. I understand the politics of what is going on within our beloved synod, but playing nice to the detriment of serious theological debates doesn’t benefit anybody. In the past couple of years being nice for the purpose of being nice has stifled debate on serious dogmatic issues.

But I’m going to give the Fort another go around and see how everything shakes out. I’m really forward to seeing a friend of mine that is attending the seminary this year. It'll also be fun to see a couple of folks that always get stuck eating lunch with me because they had been dawdling in the halls and looking at CPH’s and the other vender’s displays. It’ll be fun to catch up after two years away. The banquet looks promising, (as long as it isn’t used for a political commercial again) and I expect to enjoy the entertainment which will be provided by Erin Bode.

My only question now is who out there is going to the symposium, and if you are, do you want to get together off campus for a libation and discussion of our own? Maybe even a bite to eat…?