Stunned, Humbled, Honored
When the editors surprised me with the presentation of a festschrift on Monday night of the Gottesdienst conference in Fort Wayne, I was as stunned as I appeared to be. Totally caught off-guard. And indeed, so stunned that I mumbled to the crowd: “As the cowardly lion said, ‘Shucks, folks, I’m speechless.’” Pretty literally (here’s the video, if you don’t believe me). I had no time or forethought to say much of anything.
But now I can, and want to, if I may.
Many thanks not only to the writers and editors (see below), to the people who made this thing happen. Fr. Jason Braaten was the main force behind this (as he is behind so much of what we do in Gottesdienst; more on this below). It was a mammoth project, which, I’m told, took something like two years to produce. He got gigantic assistance from Fr. Michael Frese of Redeemer in Fort Wayne; the book is published by Fr. Frese’s tremendous Emmanuel Press (which I highly recommend you browse). Additional editorial assistance was provided by Janet Frese, Heidi Sias, Adriane Heins, Rev. Tyler Holt, and Jeni Miller. The cover was designed by Meghan Schulz, a member at Redeemer. The efforts that go behind such a book are not recognized often enough, but I wish to do so here, in spades.
Those who have contributed essays are, by and large, the editors of Gottesdienst, as well as a couple professors at the Fort Wayne seminary, and one from Marquette University where I received my doctorate almost 30 years ago. To each of the essays I intend to respond on this blog, in due time.
What I need to say first, however, is that Gottesdienst is not and could never be the product of one editor. I was mostly the guy that asked them onboard, one by one. These guys are each stellar, and ought to be known for it. So I’d like to introduce them each to you, They all have letters after their names, which you can find with nice pictures elsewhere at our website. These are, roughly in order of their appearance at Gottesdienst, the following.
Jonathan Shaw
Jon is the only charter member. He was one of the original editors, from before I even came on, though we’ve been friends and colleagues for longer than the beginning of Gottesdienst. And his analytical mind has always been a boon for us. He has a way of dissecting an issue or a controversy with a deft mental scalpel, a trait that this journal has benefitted from since its inception. When he and others asked me to take over as editor in 1994, the others then begged off, but Jonathan stayed, and was tremendously influential in seeing that Gottesdienst would stay the course. He’s also the father of the Sabre of Boldness, an annual award which quickly became loved or hated. It forced you to take sides. Soon after its inception Jon began to author our column of the same name.
Karl Fabrizius
This man was my fellow classmate at the graduate school of Marquette University, as well as quickly becoming my closest friend and ally in South Wisconsin where we both had parishes for ten years until I moved to Illinois. He’s the wisdom center of the Gottesdienst brain and, frankly, of my own brain, embodying the patristic and medieval mindset in a myriad of ways, not least in calming me down whenever I would get worked up about something. It’s like having a St. Augustine to talk to whenever I pick up the phone. His little Musing on the Mysteries column is testimony to that. It speaks for itself.
David Petersen
When Dave replied to my request years ago to join us, he was eager to come on board, which was surprising to me. I had no idea how much of an influence Gottesdienst already had, even without him, and his encouragement to me has been of enormous value. And when he came on, he increased the journal’s popularity tenfold, all by himself. His Commentary on the War column, a nod to Julius Caesar’s ancient war commentaries on his participation in various military campaigns, do essentially the same thing in the trenches of the church militant, most particularly of pastoral experience. His advice to pastors and seminarians is golden, as readers already know. And in person he’s even better; he brings life to the conversation, any conversation about anything.
Mark Braden
Fr. Braden is a walking encyclopedia, in addition to bringing a consistent pastoral demeanor to all his churchly and theological endeavors. After he spoke at the conference, I also spoke, telling the crowd that he is the Adrian Fortescue of our time, and meaning it. As I understand it, Fortescue’s The Mass, published around the turn of the 20th century, is still required reading for Roman Catholic seminarians, being filled with copious documentation for virtually every rubric and part of the Divine Service. Today Mark’s Taking Pains column does the same for the parts of the Lutheran mass, and really ought to be required reading for our seminarians. What a tremendous benefit Gottesdienst and its readers enjoy from his participation.
D. Richard Stuckwisch
Rick’s humility knows no bounds. Carrying a weight and wealth of knowledge of the history and rationale of the Holy Liturgy, he also benefits from being gifted with an incisive mind. He seems to me rather Luther-like. He can always back up his assertions with intimidating documentation and sound arguments. Get him talking at the dinner table and you’ll hear what he really thinks. It seems to me not dissimilar to what you get in Luther’s Table Talks.
Ben Ball
Ben is first of all a pastor, in the best sense of the word. Not only is he well-read and in possession of tremendous capacity to have good judgment and make shrewd decisions; he’s fearless. With keen insight into how to approach a problem or a controversy in the Church, he simply charges forth, though with a disarmingly calm kind of speech. Today he’s a member of the LCMS’s presidium, and as far as I am concerned, he’d make an outstanding president. The Synod needs someone like him. He’s supposed to be our conference organizer, though really that’s a duty he shares with many, freeing himself to be the guy that brings uncommonly common sense to our conversations, every time. And of course his blog posts never disappoint.
Larry Beane
If you’re even an occasional reader of this blog, you’re already familiar with Larry’s tremendous and frequent posts. Filled not only with brilliance of theological acumen and unassailable argument, they’re also usually peppered with his rapier wit, making them all the more enjoyable to read. Besides this, he’s been Sermons editor since Fr. Aaron Koch retired. Aaron’s was a hard act to follow, as the sermons he found and selected (sometimes including his own) were always among the most edifying in the entire Missouri Synod. But somehow, thanks be to God, we found Larry, who managed to follow Aaron with aplomb and equal capability.
John R. Stephenson
Speaking of a rapier wit, John’s is also second to none. Since he was already well known as a brilliant professor at our synod’s sister seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, I wasn’t really expecting him to agree to join us when I asked him. When he agreed, I immediately considered it a tremendous blessing. Now his occasional features and posts to Gottesblog never disappoint. Of course not; and I’m not surprised.
Jason Braaten
The festschrift has no essay from Jason. He doesn’t have a column in the journal. He never writes for us. But his part in all of this is simply enormous. As so many know, he’s the engine behind the podcast, the interviewer who makes it work, prodding his guests to think theologically by inserting his own brilliant observations. Jason is really a genius, but he’s the kind of guy who refuses the limelight. He’s not only the podcast engine, he’s the gears, the pistons, the grease, and the power that makes this thing move. He’ll deny it, of course, because that’s the way he is. And besides, he can crack you up if you grease his mind a little more with a beer or two.
William Weedon, Sean Daenzer, John Bussman, Anthony Dodgers
These four guys are the newest members of the Gottesdienst organization, having only been on staff for a few years. I’m still getting to know them, and that comes with loads of enrichment, edification, and fun. Will is never at a shortage of brilliant commentary, both in print and in person; and in person you get the benefit of his infectious laughter. Sean, who replaced Will as the LCMS director of worship, never misses a beat. He knows what he’s doing there, of that you can be sure, as is the case with his participation in this journal’s blog. Anthony does the same, landing his blows in the worship wars with incision, but always with pastoral care. And John comes up with surprising argument, angles, power, and clarity every time he posts on this blog. These bloggers have added a hundred fold to the crop that is Gottesdienst.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the stellar copyediting work that goes into the production of every print issue of our journal, and that is thanks to the brilliance and theologically trained and first-rate mind of Kantor Peter Eckardt. The people of St. John in Mattoon Illinois also benefit from this, as well as from his marvelous musical skills week after week.
The church, her pastors, her laymen, and the blogosphere have benefitted tremendously from the mighty and timely contributions of all of these like-minded men.
As for me, I sometimes feel like the guy in the old cartoon Mr. Magoo: an old near-sighted gentleman always getting himself into trouble but somehow through an uncanny kind of luck, managing to come out ahead, declaring each time, “Oh Magoo, you’ve done it again!”
Seriously, Gottesdienst is the product of fifteen of us churchmen, and most especially—only, really—of the grace of God. Each one of these guys is a tremendous gift to the Holy Church. When Jason presented me with the festschrift, he explained to the crowd the way I would ask each of them one-by-one to come on staff, by saying something like, “I like the way you think.” And that is absolutely true.
I owe all of these men a debt of gratitude too great for repayment. And again, my thanks as well to the others—the other writers, and the host of the editorial movers and their assistants behind this book—and to many volunteers here and elsewhere, whose names I hesitate to add, lest I forget someone. And to this list I am compelled, as always, to recognize the invaluable, immeasurable, constant, and loving support of my dear wife Carol.
I should also mention the constant support of my dear little congregation, St. Paul’s of Kewanee. Words cannot express how blessed a pastor feels when he knows he has that kind of support.
And then, not least, there is the Gottesdienst Crowd. That’s you, gentle readers. You, who have supported us, listened to us, read us, subscribed to the journal, and send your donations. You, from whom we routinely receive marvelous private notes of encouragement and thanks. You, who have told us of your support, or written to us, or even just clicked on our online stuff to read it. That matters immensely to us. Thank you.
Deo autem gratias qui semper triumphat nos in Christo Iesu et odorem notitiae suae manifestat per nos in omni loco.
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