Coram Deo Conference - Part I

After an absence from the computer since Monday, I finally gained access to one here at the Illinois State University Library.  I left my laptop with my wife at the motel and decided to go free of technology for a few days.  Now that I have a moment before supper it seemed a good opportunity to post a brief initial update on my experience here at the Higher Things conference in Bloomington.  In general I have only good things to say.  Although billed as a youth conference, let no one fool you - this is great for adults!  The plenary sessions with Pr. Cwirla the first two days offered both theological stimulation and great entertainment.  Who thought that Lutheran clergy with collars could be so fun?  The sections have proved equally engaging and I have personally found the two I took in with Dr. Joel Heck of CU-Austin to be exceptionally informative.  I purchased his most recent book on Creation at the first session and will post separately on that work along with other insightful information he offered to us regarding Creation and Evolution. 

To look out at the crowd of over a thousand youth and parents willingly singing the historic liturgy and soaking up good, solid Lutheran theology gives me renewed hope for the future of the LCMS.  I commend those who started the Higher Things phenomenon back in 2000 as brilliantly proactive and forward-thinking regarding how to deal with the challenging state of Lutheranism in our time.  Instead of merely fighting and scratching out small victories in endless conventions, they set about launching a movement that may very well preserve a true Lutheran identity among us, sowing seeds in that generation that waits to replace us in the years to come.  One can only wonder what deep and lasting changes have already occurred through this ongoing mass catechesis.  I hope I live just long enough to see some of those fruits born as these HT youth begin to assume positions of leadership at the highest levels of Synod.

Supper is now just around the corner and given all the walking we do on this huge campus eating is a true necessity for this diabetic. So off I go for now.  Future posts to come detailing more of the experience.

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