Tagged!

Well - I have been tagged by Pastor Wil Weedon (weedon.blogspot.com). What an interesting question to consider! I thank Pr. Weedon for making me think about it. Here it is:

What five people - past or present - inspire your spiritual life??Hmmm...OK, we know that our Lord Himself has to be at the top of the list, so He is assumed. Your five simply follow Him. In Lutheran circles, we will also presume "Fr. Martin of Wittenberg" as well. :-)So the five would be additional people who (humanly speaking) have greatly impacted your life of faith and love on this earth.

So, for me (in no particular order):

1. The Rev. Dr. Gerald Krispin - Now the president of Concordia Universtity College of Alberta in Edmonton and formerly a professor there. One of the most influential of my teachers. It was through his teaching in class, hallway, and later his home, that I was confronted with the true Gospel and a proper understanding of the Divine Service. I have never been the same since.

2. C.S. Lewis - Obviously only known through his writings. I was first introduced to him as a college student in The Screwtape Letters and then I read his biography (which had some similarities to my own life). Mere Christianity also was influential. While some of Lewis' theological positions may be problematic - there is much good here.

3. St. Augustine - I read his Confessions back in college and then took an online course through Notre Dame three years ago. The unflinching look at the deepest darkest parts of his soul was very influential to me as I read it in college. As I read it for the online course I kept thinking "He is so Lutheran!" :-)

4. The Rev. Dr. Norman Nagel - Only known through his many writings, sermons, Issues, etc interviews, and his many students. The first article I read of Dr. Nagel's was in second year college - "Closed Communion - In the Way of the Gospel, In the Way of the Law." I have read everything I can get my hands on by him. His nack for creating words that express the Gospel - genious!

5. Hermann Sasse - Only known through his writings. His passion and devotion for Confessional integrity inspires me. I still have much to learn from the man.

Briefly, also - The Rev. Dr. Ed Kettner (one of my seminary professors) and The Rev. Dr. Arthur Carl Piepkorn - who made me consider the ramifications of the catholicity of the Lutheran church.


That was fun! Thanks Pastor Weedon!


I tag: Pr. Alex Klages (http://qaz1.bannerland.org/wordpress/); His wife Mrs. Kelly Klages (http://qaz1.bannerland.org/kelly/); Todd Guggenmos (http://theoconservative.blogspot.com/); and Father Hollywood (http://fatherhollywood.blogspot.com/). I can't wait to read their posts!