President Krey this week's Influences subject

The Philadelphia Inquirer in this Sunday's Currents section highlights The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia's president The Rev. Dr. Philip D.W. Krey in its Influences column (page C2). The item is not yet on line, we'll link to it when available.

President Krey and his brother Peter edited and translated the recently released Luther's Spirituality from Paulist Press.

Chandler Carriker Chosen to Lead Theological Education with Youth

(Gettysburg, PA) The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg announce their choice of Chandler Carriker as the new director of Theological Education with Youth.

Theological Education with Youth (TEY) is a creative initiative of the two Lutheran seminaries who have joined with congregations, youth ministries and synods located primarily in Regions 7 & 8 of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to amplify the faith and witness of outstanding high school youth.

Deeply impressed by the shape of the seminaries’ youth emphasis, Carriker accepted the appointment, saying “I am honored to be a part of this program” which, he added, “has not only deepened and strengthened the dsiciplieship of the youth who have been a part of it, but has played an incredible role in the life of the Church as a whole.”

Carriker holds a B.A. in History from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Arts in Religion (Church History and Religious Education) from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, where he also is currently completing a Master of Sacred Theology. His previous experience as Senior Staff Area Director for Camp Lutheridge in Arden, NC, as a Seminary Representative for the 2x2 Program for ELCA Eastern Cluster Seminaries aiding college students in vocational discernment, as a Teaching Assistant at Southern Seminary, and his work with Project Connect of the Eastern Cluster of ELCA Seminaries has helped prepare him for this diverse role directing TEY programs.

“We of the Lutheran Seminaries at Gettysburg and Philadelphia are very excited to have Mr. Chandler Carriker as our new Director for TEY,” said the Rev. Mark W. Olsen, Director of Admissions at Gettysburg Seminary, who led the search process on behalf of both seminaries. “Chandler’s background, education and experience have equipped him with gifts and skills which, when combined with his passion for theology and youth, will enable him to lead TEY into a continued successful and sustainable future.”

Carriker, who will be based at Gettysburg Seminary, officially begins on August 27, 2007 He is also lead guitarist and vocalist for the acoustic Christian rock band “Boywonder.” He is married to Naomi Carriker, a recent graduate of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

TEY is now in its eighth year of offering transforming events with youth in four featured types of programs:

• one day formation events, the Affirmation of Baptism Festivals, which welcome up to 60 ninth grade youth to the campuses of each seminary yearly.
• a week-long Crossroads Event for up to 25 rising juniors (those who have just completed their tenth grade year), inviting youth to travel to a variety of places where the gospel intersects with and transforms the world.
• a two week Summer Theological Academy for up to 20 rising seniors (those who have just completed their eleventh grade year), hosted at an ELCA college. The Summer Theological Academy is an intentional Christian community of worship, high quality theological courses and questioning, vocational conversation, servant learning and arts.
• one week biblical and theological conversations with high school-age Counselors-in-Training and other youth leaders, held at outdoor ministry centers (church camps) of Regions 7 & 8, ELCA.

The Gettysburg and Philadelphia seminaries were two of 49 seminaries receiving youth initiative grants from the Lilly Endowment totaling $57 million for this purpose.

To learn more about TEY visit their website: tey.easterncluster.org or contact TEY coordinator Carrie Schwab, (215) 248-7382, cschwab@ltsp.edu

More information and other news releases are available at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg web site: www.ltsg.edu, by email at info@ltsg.edu, or by calling (717) 334-6286. Contact The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, www.ltsp.edu or 800-286-4616, or 215-248-4616.

information from our colleague John Spangler at LTSG

Muhlenberg's Robe on History Detectives - More Information

PBS' History Detectives show with a segment on Peter Muhlenberg's robe, part of the seminary's collection, aired on many PBS stations earlier tonight. You can read our original story on our blog here. You'll also find in the comment section to the original blog entry some additional research supplied by a genealogist/researcher who was inspired by the show to dig further into the story.

The show's Web site has more background and a transcript, and links to your PBS station's schedule where you can look for repeat showings and future show dates. The site is:

pbs.org/historydetectives

What were the findings? The robe is likely to have been Peter Muhlenberg's - and was certainly from the time of the Revolution - but the story connected to the robe is probably more myth than fact. As Elyse Luray notes, the robe is in a deteriorated condition, and the experts from Colonial Williamsburg recommended that it be restored before again being placed on display. While the robe may be safely in storage, other items from the seminary collection are on display in a special exhibition room, which is open by appointment. Contact LTSP for more information: communications@Ltsp.edu

(updated 7/26 to note blog comment entries)

LTSP PhD Program Granted Approval

The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) has been granted approval to change the Doctor of Theology (ThD) to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), effective immediately. The content of the doctoral program will remain the same. Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed., Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, informed seminary President Philip D.W. Krey that final approval has been given to LTSP’s petition for the change in nomenclature.

While both ThD and PhD degrees are considered equal in the eyes of the accrediting agencies of divinity schools and seminaries, The Rev. Dr. Margaret Krych, Associate Dean of Graduate Education, notes, "Many of our graduates will teach in colleges and universities where the PhD degree is better known than the ThD. I believe the change in nomenclature will help our graduates secure the teaching positions for which they are so well prepared."

The third class of PhD students will begin study this fall, and the seminary will be accepting applications for the PhD program through January 2008. In addition to the PhD program, LTSP also offers the advanced level degrees of Master of Sacred Theology (STM) and Doctor of Ministry (DMin). For more details, go to Ltsp.edu/advanced, or contact Dr. Krych, mkrych@Ltsp.edu.

In Memoriam: The Rev. Dr. David J. Wartluft, DD -- 9/22/1938 - 7/9/2007

Rev. Dr. David J. Wartluft, former director of Krauth Memorial Library at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), died Monday afternoon, July 9, 2007, due to complications from surgery.

Condolences may be sent to Dr. Wartluft’s daughter, Pastor Rebecca Knox:

Pr. Rebecca Knox
900 Bedford Avenue
Reading, PA 19607

The funeral will be held 10:00 am on Saturday, July 14, 2007 at St. Daniels Lutheran Church, 480 Big Springs Road, Robesonia, PA. There will be a visiting hour from 9-10 am at the church. There are no visiting hours scheduled at the funeral home. Memorial gifts may be given for the David Wartluft Library fund at LTSP and mailed to the LTSP Foundation, 7310 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119. The family is considering using this fund in David’s memory for the renovation of the Krauth Memorial Library as it approaches its 100th anniversary.

Following are letters from two of Dr. Wartluft's colleagues, Rev. Dr. Margaret A. Krych, Associate Dean and Norton Professor of Christian Education and Theology at LTSP, and Dr. Karl Kreuger, current Director of the Krauth Memorial Library and Associate Professor of the History of Christianity at LTSP.


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David Wartluft

The Rev. David Wartluft, DD, was a dear friend, alumnus, and devoted servant of The Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). He studied in the joint program of MDiv (then BD) at LTSP and MA at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1964 with both degrees. In 1968 he earned an MS in library and information science from Drexel University. He also completed the greater part of an STM at LTSP while serving in parish ministry. Rev. Wartluft was admitted to PhD candidacy at the University of Pennsylvania but chose not to complete the degree program in order to pursue parish ministry. In 2003, LTSP awarded him a well-deserved Doctor of Divinity degree for his service over many decades.

Dr. Wartluft began ministry as assistant chaplain and instructor in religion at Springfield College and then as pastor at Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Allentown. In 1966 he became reference librarian and cataloguer at LTSP's Krauth Memorial Library. In 1969 he became assistant librarian, and after promotion in 1977, served as director of the library and faculty member until his retirement in 2002. He received tenure in 1980, and was promoted to the equivalent rank of full professor in 1986. Throughout his long career as librarian, he served with meticulous care and devotion. Always a willing colleague, he assumed many committee responsibilities, and served as secretary of the faculty for a number of years prior to retirement. Rev. Wartluft was also active in establishing the Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia, of which he was at various times vice-president and board member.

Dr. Wartluft was a careful scholar and researcher. He published a number of articles and indexed more than 50 books. He was a dedicated teacher of courses in Lutheran piety and spirituality at LTSP and guided hundreds of students in ways to use the library for research. In fact, he taught in the DMin Colloquium only two weeks before his death. He was advisor before and after his retirement to a number of STM and DMin students and will be sorely missed by the five DMin students who were his advisees at the time of his death.

In addition to his work at LTSP, Dr. Wartluft served the American Theological Library Association - as executive secretary for 10 years, and as a member of their board of directors, secretary, recording secretary, development officer and member of the advisory committee. He held many other positions related to various library associations, including the Southeastern Pennsylvania Library Association. He also held offices in the Lutheran Historical Conference and the Lutheran Historical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania of which he was a life member. In addition, he was active in community organizations such as West Mt. Airy Neighbors and Town Watch until his retirement.

Ever the pastor, Rev. Wartluft preached regularly in congregations in the Philadelphia area, and in Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod. We rejoice in his great love for the Church and for the Gospel, his strong faith, his courage in the face of several bouts with cancer, his friendship and collegiality, and his allegiance and service to LTSP.

Margaret A. Krych

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The Rev. Dr. Margaret A. Krych is Associate Dean and Norton Professor of Christian Education and Theology, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
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Friends:

Although an ocean currently separates us, I know that our grief unites us. I opened the email from Diana yesterday morning, ten minutes before I had to board a bus that would take me to London and the British Library. Whether I was working with the 1560 Geneva Bible in the reading room or watching a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Loves Labor Lost’ at the Globe Theater that night, my thoughts continually returned to the loss of our friend and librarian.

I found comfort in the fact that the last time I saw David was on June 14th at the ATLA Convention in Philadelphia and that he heard me deliver my paper on the development of the Eastern Cluster Lutheran Library. It gives me comfort because the paper paid tribute to his important contribution – the 1996 paper entitled “Optimum Library Service in a Cluster Context.” This paper was circulated among the librarians and the Dean at Philadelphia and was eventually incorporated into the planning and project grant. As I noted, “The paper was optimistic and spoke of building on strengths, cooperative acquisitions, and reductions in lesser-used materials. The paper’s optimism, however, was not theoretical but experiential, rooted in the positive experience of its author with other theological librarians in the Delaware Valley. As he wrote on the eve of his retirement in 2002, ‘I stand in the wake of three local theological librarians, Henry Scherer (my predecessor), Gilbert Englerth of Eastern Baptist Seminary (now Palmer), and Arthur Kuscke of Westminster Theological Seminary, who began to meet socially and informally. But from that sprang the Southeastern Pennsylvania Theological Library Association [SEPTLA] which has now existed more than forty years…’”

David cherished friendships and because of his nurturing spirit, theological librarianship blossomed in the Delaware Valley and in our Eastern Cluster. At the conclusion of the paper’s presentation, I had the staff of our three libraries stand-up and then asked David to stand-up so that he could be recognized and thanked by us and his peers for his contributions. At the conclusion of the session, the nine of us from the Eastern Cluster Lutheran Library adjourned to Ted Montana’s Bar and Grille for lunch where we once again toasted and thank him for his 30 year ministry at LTSP and in the Eastern Cluster.

The next day, I boarded a plane for Europe.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.

Standing in David’s wake,
Karl

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Dr. Karl Krueger is the current director of the Krauth Memorial Library and Associate Professor of the History of Christianity, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.

PBS television history show highlights artifact from LTSP historical collection (air date: Monday, July 23, 2007 at 9pm)

An artifact – a pastor’s robe – from the historical collection of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) is one of the “cases” investigated by PBS television’s History Detectives. The episode will air Monday, July 23, 2007 at 9:00 pm on many PBS stations. Detectives investigator Elyse Luray and a camera crew from series co-producer Lion Television came to the LTSP campus in March to film part of the investigation and to reveal their findings.

The History Detectives team was investigating a popular story, which holds that the robe, part of the seminary’s collection since early in the 20th century, was worn by Revolutionary War figure and Lutheran pastor, Peter Muhlenberg. According to the story, General George Washington had recruited Muhlenberg as a leader in the militia before the American Revolution. On Sunday, January 21, 1776, as pastor of a congregation in the Shenandoah Valley in the colony of Virginia, Muhlenberg took his text from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes and delivered a sermon calling for volunteers for the county militia in the Continental Army. He concluded the sermon with the words, “There is a time to pray and a time to fight…” dramatically removing his clerical robe to reveal his officer’s uniform.

Mary Redline, researcher and grant writer for LTSP’s Krauth Memorial Library and the Northeast Lutheran Archives, also housed at LTSP, contacted the History Detectives and asked them to investigate: Is the legend true? Is this the robe that Peter Muhlenberg wore?

The legend is important to both the Revolutionary War and to the role the Lutheran Church played in the colonies and the United States. Peter Muhlenberg’s father, Henry Melchior
Muhlenberg, is considered the father of American Lutheranism, and founded many congregations that exist to this day. While the legend may or may not be true, Peter Muhlenberg did go on to become a general in the colonial army, and after the Revolution, returned to church life as a lay person and served the new country in Congress and other positions.

So, is the legend true, and was the robe Peter Muhlenberg’s? You’ll have to watch the History Detectives to find out! For local stations and times, search by your zip code at the History Detectives website.

For more information about The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, including the seminary’s historical collection, please visit www.Ltsp.edu.

Investigating the Legend of Peter Muhlenberg’s robe is one of LTSP’s planned activities to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the birth of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg in 2011. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg is considered the father of American Lutheranism, and his work was important to the life and faith of the colonists, and to the development of what became the United States of America.

Following is a select list of broadcast dates and times*:

Monday, July 23 at 9:00 pm
Philadelphia: WHYY TV 12
Allentown/Bethlehem: PBS 39
New York: Thirteen WNET
Buffalo: WNED 17
Troy: WMHT 17
Rochester: WXXI/Channel 21
Syracuse: WCNY/Channel 24
Binghamton: WSKG Public TV 46
Plattsburgh: Mountain Lake PBS 57
Watertown: WPBS/Channel 16
Connecticut: CPTV-Connecticut Public TV
Maine: MPBN Channel 10 Lewistown
Boston: WGBH Channel 2
Springfield: WGBY Channel 57
Vermont: VPT/Vermont Public TV 33

Wednesday, August 1, 10:00 pm
New Hampshire: NHPTV Durham Channel 11

Thursday, August 9, 8:00 pm
New Jersey: NJN New Jersey Network

*Subject to change. Please check local listings. Additional air times may be scheduled.
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Click on the link to download a publication quality version of each photo from the LTSP web:

History Detectives’ Elyse Luray is about to reveal her research results to LTSP’s Mary Redline.







Elyse Luray from PBS’s History Detectives and Mary Redline look over Peter Muhlenberg’s robe, subject of a History Detectives investigation.








Public Television’s History Detectives on location in the LTSP Exhibition Room in The Brossman Center.







History Detective Elyse Luray doing research in the Krauth Memorial Library at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.













(this entry was updated 7/10/07 to clarify Peter Muhlenberg's service after the Revolution)

Katie Day part of Global Worship program faculty

The Rev. Dr. Katie Day, Charles A. Schieren Professor, Church and Society, and Director, Metropolitan/Urban Concentration, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, was a member of the faculty at a recent 10-day New York City conference on Global Worship organized by New York Seminary professor Lowell Livezey. The workshop was covered by the New York Times in a July 2 article, For a Master Class on Global Worship, It’s Destination Queens.

Prof. Day is on the right in the photo showing participants in the program that accompanies the article on the Web.