Classical Lutheran Education Journal - CCLE · Classical Lutheran Education Journal, Volume X, 2016 Page 3 As an important side note, we wish to thank Dr. Nordling for his faithful

Classical Lutheran Education Journal, Volume X, 2016 www.ccle.org Page 1

Classical Lutheran Education Journal A JOURNAL OF THE CONSORTIUM FOR CLASSICAL LUTHERAN EDUCATION

www.ccle.org

VOL. X, 2016

The CLASSICAL LUTHERAN EDUCATION JOURNAL is dedicated to providing helpful resources for Lutheran educators and parents who labor in the noble endeavor of nurturing and educating God's children.

Contents In This Issue .................................... 2

Shaping America: Reformation Insights and Origins by Dr. E. Christian Kopff .................. 4

Teaching Beyond the Notes: A Classical Pedagogy of Goodness, Beauty, and Truth in Music by Miss Bethany Woelmer .............. 10

Using Latin in the Classroom by Rev. Dr. John Nordling .............. 25

The Gospel and Goodness: Letting the Gospel Predominate in our Classrooms by Rev. Alexander Ring 32

Tacking to Glory by Rev. Dr. Steven Hein .................. 38

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InThisIssue

The articles in this journal issue

reflectthethemeofthisyear’snationalsummerconference,ClassicalLutheranEducation: A Pedagogy of Goodness.This is the second of our triadconferences:Classical Lutheran Education:APedagogyofBeauty(CCLEXV)Classical Lutheran Education:APedagogyofGoodness(CCLEXVI)Classical Lutheran Education:APedagogyofTruth(CCLEXVII)WeopenwithDr.E.ChristianKopff’sarticle entitled “Shaping America:ReformationInsightsandOrigins,”hisengaging CCLE XVI banquet address.Hear Dr. Kopff’s stirring call toremember and reclaim distinctiveProtestant insights expounded byMartin Luther, and then embraced byothers, to shape America. Dr. Kopffexplains,Lutherwasa theologianandclassical Christian educator who readthe Bible and classical texts in thetraditionof theSevenLiberalArtsandfound there the ideas ofcongregationalism in church polity,federalism incivil life,andthedoctrineoftheTwoKingdoms.

Whetherornotyouheardthebanquetaddressinperson,youwillappreciatethisopeningarticle.Wethenintroducetwowritersnewtothe Classical Lutheran EducationJournal.Bothareteachers.Bothinspireus:Miss Bethany Woelmer is anintelligent young woman whorepresents generations of newstudentsbenefitingfromtherevivalofclassical Lutheraneducation. She tellsusthathermindwasunknowinglybeingcarvedbyacertainpedagogy.Bethanyshared this paper at the first of ourtriad conferences on Beauty (XV),Goodness (XVI), and Truth (XVII).Entitled here “Teaching Beyond theNotes: A Classical Pedagogy ofGoodness,Beauty,andTruthinMusic,”Bethany calls for a contemplativeapproach to understanding, teaching,andenjoyingGod’sgiftofmusic.Rev.Dr. JohnNordling of ConcordiaTheologicalSeminary,sharespracticaltips for anyone who teaches Latin,whether to young children, adults, oranyoneinbetween.Despitethetopicofteaching Latin, readers need not fearthat this article will be undulyacademic!Inthearticle“UsingLatinintheClassroom,”Dr.Nordlingprovidesaccessible tips in a conversationalmanner.


As an important side note, wewish to thank Dr. Nordling for hisfaithfulsupporttoCCLE throughoutthe years, for his work with his owninnovative Lutheranism and theClassicsconferencesatCTS,andforhisadvancementof confessional, classicalLutheraneducationbroadly.We conclude the 2016 journal issuewithtwopastorswhobringushometotheGospelofJesusChrist,thesourceofall goodness. Rev. Alexander Ringleads us to a proper emphasis in hisarticle entitled, “The Gospel andGoodness: Letting the GospelPredominate in our Classrooms.” Hewrites, Our task is to bring out themessageoftheGospelandmakesureitis the primary message heard by ourstudents.Longtime editor of CCLE’s academicjournal and a CCLE Magister MagnusAwardrecipient,Rev.Dr.StevenHein,helpsusexaminehelpfulmetaphorsforteachingchildrenandadultsaboutourjourney from cross to glory. In thisissue’sfinalarticle,“TackingtoGlory,”Dr. Hein leads us to understand thegood, meet, right, and salutary truththat,paradoxically,theonlywayyougettoGloryistobeonajourneythatneverleavesthecrossofChrist.ThanksbetoGod.

Editors Mrs. Cheryl Swope, M.Ed. Rev. Paul Cain Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education September 2016

Cheryl Swope, M.Ed., is author of Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child (Memoria Press, 2013) and co-author of Eternal Treasures: Teaching Your Child at Home (LCMS, 2015) and the Curriculum Resource Guide for Classical Lutheran Education (CCLE, 2015).

Rev. Paul Cain, is Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, Sheridan, Wyoming; CCLE Secretary; and Wyoming District Education Executive/NLSA Commissioner.


ShapingAmerica:ReformationInsightsandOriginsbyDr.E.ChristianKopff

PoliticalscientistSamuelP.

HuntingtonformulatedtheroleoftheReformationinshapingtheAmericanWayofLifeinhislastbook,WhoAreWe?(2004):1InEuropeexistingsocietiesacceptedorrejectedtheProtestantReformation.InAmerica,theReformationcreatedanewsociety.Uniqueamongcountries,AmericaisthechildofthatReformation….ItsProtestantoriginsmakeAmericauniqueamongnationsandhelpexplainwhyeveninthetwentiethcenturyreligioniscentraltoAmericanidentity…America,saidTocquevilleinanoft‐quotedphrase,‘wasbornequalandhencedidnothavetobecomeso.’Moresignificantly,AmericawasbornProtestantanddidnothavetobecomeso.Americawasthusnotfounded,asLouisHartzargued,asa‘liberal,’‘Lockean,’or‘Enlightenment’fragmentofEurope.ItwasfoundedasasuccessionofProtestantfragments,aprocessunderwayin1632whenLockewasborn.DifferentstrandsofinstitutionalProtestantism,Lutheran,CalvinistandAnglican,haveinfluencedAmerica.There

1 Samuel P. Huntington, Who Are We? The Challenges to America’s National Identity (Simon & Schuster: New York, 2004) 62-63 2 Ernest G. Schwiebert, The Reformation (Fortress: Minneapolis, 1996) 451

are,however,anumberofdistinctivelyProtestantattitudesandcommitmentsthatwerefirstandmostclearlyexpoundedbyMartinLutherandlateracceptedanddevelopedbyotherProtestants.IwanttobeginbyarguingthatLuther’sReformationinsightsemergedfromhiscommitmenttoclassicalChristianeducation—scholarscallitrenaissancehumanism—andexplorethehistoricalfactthatMartinLuther’searliestreformswerehishumanistreformsoftheuniversitycurriculumatWittenberg.TheReformationinsightscamelater.WhenLutherwascalledtoteachtheBiblein1513(lecturainBiblia),therewereeightprofessorsofscholastictheologyattheUniversityofWittenberg.TheytaughtmedievaltheologianslikeThomasAquinas.2Dialectichaddisplacedrhetoricasthecrownofthetrivium.LutherworkedwithGeorgSpalatin,fatherconfessoroftheElectorFredricktheWise,towintheElectorovertotheirgoalofintroducingahumanistcurriculum,inthewakeofearlierGermaneducators.3“Thiscausedthedevelopmentofanentirelynewschool,inwhichtherestorationofLatin,GreekandHebrewandtheteachingsofthechurchFathersweretobestudiedintheoriginallanguagesinwhichtheywerewritten.”4

3 Thomas Korcok, “The Humanists as Forerunners: The Reformation of Education,” CLEJ 8 (2014) 3-10 4 Schwiebert, 457


ReadingtheBiblewiththeFathersfrom1513‐1518ledLuthertohiskeyinsights.“LetthemtakeabookoftheBibleandlookatthecommentsoftheFathers.TheywillhavethesameexperienceIdid,whenItookuptheEpistletotheHebrewswiththeGlossofSt.Chrysostom,TitusandGalatianswiththehelpofSt.Jerome,GenesiswiththehelpofSaintsAmbroseandAugustine,thePsalterwithallthewriterstherewereandsoon.”5

Studentsflockedtohislectures.JohnLangwrotetoSpalatin(March10,1516):“ManystudentsareexcitedaboutandgladlyattendlecturesontheBibleandtheancientwriters,whilethescholasticdoctors(so‐called)havescarcelytwoorthreestudents.”6LutherwrotetoLang(May18,1517):“OurtheologyandSt.AugustineareprogressingwellandwithGod’shelpruleatourUniversity…Noonecanexpecttohaveanystudentsifhedoesnotwantteachthistheology,thatis,lectureontheBibleorSt.Augustineoranother[churchFather].”7

Thefacultytooknoticeafterthepublicoralsofhisstudent,BartholomaeusBernhardionDecember25,1516.TheexaminingcommitteeincludedWittenberg’sleadingAquinasscholar,AndreasBodensteinvonCarlstadt,who

5 On the Councils and the Church (LW 41.19; WA 50.519) 6 Kenneth Hagen, “An Addition to the Letters of John Lang: Introduction and Translation,” Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte 60 (1969) 27-32 7 LW 43.42; WA Br 1.99.8-10

wasamazedbyBernhardi’smasterfulcitationsoftheBibleandAugustinetosupportLuther’sviewsonlawandgospelandthefreedomofthewill.AfterstudyingAugustine,CarlstadtconvertedtoLuther’sideas.WithSpalatin’sadvicetheElectorFrederickfoundedchairsofGreekandHebrew.YoungPhilipMelanchthon,Germany’smostpromisinghumanist,wascalledtotheGreekchair.Hisinauguraladdressin1518wasaspectacularsuccess.Wittenbergbecamethegoldstandardforahumanistuniversitycurriculum.

WhilereadingMatthew4:17inGreek,LutherrealizedthatJesushadnotcommandedhisfollowers,poenitentiamagite,“dopenance,”ortodoanything,butmetanoeite,“changeyourmind,convert.”The95ThesesspreadthisinsightalloverEurope.

HealsocametounderstandthattheGreekword,ecclesia,commonlytranslated“church,”referredtoapoliticalassemblyandthenacongregation.Churcheswerelocalcongregations,notafar‐awayhierarchyheadedbythePope.8CongregationalismdidnotthriveinGermanywhereLutheransneededprincestoprotectthemfromtheEmperor.EnglishLutheranWilliamTyndalebroadcastLuther’sinterpretation

8 That a Christian Assembly or Congregation has the Right and Power to Judge all Teaching and to Call, Approve, and Dismiss Teachers, Established and Proven by Scripture (LW 39.305-314; WA 11.408-416)


ofecclesiainhiswritingsandNewTestamenttranslations.Afterhisearlydeathin1536MilesCoverdalecompletedhistranslationoftheBible.TheKingJamesVersion,whichkeptabout84%ofTyndale’sNewTestament,9usuallytranslatesecclesiaas“church,”buttheProtestantsettlersofNorthAmericarememberedthatchurchmeantcongregation,asweshallsee.

Asthechurchisfirstandforemostthecongregation,sosociallifeisgroundedonfamilyandpoliticalcommunity:“Thislifeisprofitablydividedintothreeorders:(1)domesticlife;(2)politicallife;(3)ecclesiasticallife.Towhateverorderyoubelong—whetheryouareahusband,amagistrate,orateacherofthechurch—lookaboutyou,andseewhetheryouhavedonefulljusticetoyourcalling.”Earlierhehadexplained,“Lettheministerteachinthechurch;letthemagistrategoverntherepublic;andletparentsrulethehomeorhousehold.ThesehumanministrieswereestablishedbyGod.”10

CalvinistFriedrichAlthaus(Althusius)inhisPoliticaMethodiceDigesta(1603)developedLuther’sinsightsoncongregationsandtheThreeOrdersintofull‐fledgedfederalism.(HealsodrewonAristotle’sPolitics1.2,wheresocietygrowsfromfamilytovillageandthen

9 John Nielson and Royal Skousen, “How Much of the King James Bible is William Tyndale’s?” Reformation 3 (1998) 49-74 10 LW 3:217; WA 43.30. and LW 2.83; WA 42.320 (I have modified LW.)

city‐state,orpolis.11)TheseideasarefoundintheMayflowerCompact(1620).“Wetheundersigned…havingundertaken,fortheGloryofGod,andadvancementsoftheChristianfaithandhonorofourKingandCountry,avoyagetoplantthefirstcolonyintheNorthernpartsofVirginia,dobythesepresents,solemnlyandmutually,inthepresenceofGod,andoneanother,covenantandcombineourselvestogetherintoacivilbodypolitic…toenact…suchjustandequallaws…asshallbethoughtmostmeetandconvenientforthegeneralgoodofthecolony.”

Thecolonistshonortheirdistantsovereign,KingJames,buttheyareformingtheirowngovernment,“acivilbodypolitic,”usingwordsofLatin,EnglishandGreekorigintoassertthattheyareapoliticalgroupofcitizens,justastheircongregationsareecclesiasticalgroupsofbelievers.AsBarryShainargued,colonialAmericanswere“interestedinpossessingeverlastinglifethroughChrist’sfreelygivengracebyservingtheirreligiousandgeographicalcommunitiesandtheirfamilies,”Luther’sThreeOrders.In1807aBritishministerobserved,“We[English]haveanotionofChurchandnation.IntheAmericanstates,evenAnglicansspeakonlyofvillageandcongregation.”12

11 Thomas Fleming, Politics of Human Nature (Transaction Books: New Brunswick NJ, 1988) 201-204. 12 Barry Alan Shain, The Myth of American Individualism: The Protestant Origins of American Political Thought (Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ, 1994) xvi, 52


ThePilgrimswrotedownandsignedtheirnamestotheircommunity’sprinciples,notanEnglishtradition,sinceEnglandhasnowrittenconstitution.TheirmodelwastheAugsburgConfession,wheresubjectspresentedtheirrulerastatementofprinciples.Americanscontinuedtowritedownandsignstatementsofreligiousandpoliticalcommitments,includingtheDeclarationofIndependenceandtheUSConstitution.MissouriSynodLutheransstillsignthechurchconstitutionuponjoiningacongregation.

Luther’sdoctrineoftheTwoKingdomswasalsoinfluentialinAmerica.Godrulestheworldnotdirectlybutthroughtwoinstitutions:Hischurch,theKingdomoftheRightHand,whichoffersWordandSacrament,love,graceandforgivenesstorepentantandbelievingChristiansandthestate,theKingdomoftheLeftHand,whichadministersthelawoverallitssubjectsorcitizens.13ForLutherasPaulinRomans13,thestateis“institutedbyGod,”“afeartotheevilnotthegood”and“God’sservant.”(vv.1,5,6)

JamesMadisonacknowledgedthisinhisletterofDecember3,1821toPastorFLSchaeffer,whohadsentMadisonacopyofhissermonontheTwoKingdoms,whichhesawasembodiedintheAmericanpoliticalsystem.MadisonrespondedthatSchaeffer’ssermon

13 Temporal Authority: To What Extent it Should be Obeyed (LW 45.81-128; WA.11.245-280) 14 Papers of James Madison, David B. Mattern et al., eds Retirement Series, vol. 2

“illustratestheexcellenceofasystemwhich,byaduedistinction,towhichthegenius&courageofLutherledtheway,betweenwhatisduetoCaesar&whatisduetoGod,bestpromotesthedischargeofbothobligations…AmutualindependenceisfoundmostfriendlytopracticalReligion,tosocialharmony,andtopoliticalprosperity.”14

MadisonhereinterpretstheFirstAmendmentinthelightofLuther’sTwoKingdoms:Godinstitutedbothchurchandstateandbothchurchandstateareessentialforhumanflourishing.Their“mutualindependence”leavesnoopeningforpurgingreligionfromthenation’spubliclifeorfor“buildingawallofseparationbetweenChurch&State.”

ThisexpressionisfoundinaletterPresidentThomasJeffersonpennedto“theDanburyBaptistassociationinthestateofConnecticut,”January1,1802,wherehewroteinteralia,“BelievingwithyouthatreligionisamatterwhichliessolelybetweenMan&hisGod,thatheowesaccounttononeotherforhisfaithorhisworship,thatthelegitimatepowersofgovernmentreachactionsonly,&notopinions,IcontemplatewithsovereignreverencethatactofthewholeAmericanpeoplewhichdeclaredthattheirlegislatureshould‘makenolawrespectinganestablishmentofreligion,orprohibitingthefreeexercisethereof,’thus

(University of Virginia Press: Charlottesville, 2013) 433


buildingawallofseparationbetweenChurch&State.”15

JeffersonwasnotamemberoftheFirstCongressthatapprovedtheBillofRightsandpassedothermeasuresthatrecognizethepublicimportanceofreligionforAmerica.Itre‐confirmedtheNorthwestOrdinance,whichasserted(Article3):“Religion,morality,andknowledge,beingnecessarytogoodgovernmentandthehappinessofmankind,schoolsandthemeansoflearningshallforeverbeencouraged.”Itapprovedchaplainsforitselfandmilitarychaplains.Jefferson”contemplatedwithsovereignreverence”hisownmisinterpretationoftheFirstAmendment.HismetaphorshouldnotbeprivilegedovertheexplicitstatementofJamesMadison,whowasamemberoftheFirstCongress,formulatedtheFirstAmendmentandoversawitspassage.

ThedoctrineoftheTwoKingdomslonginfluencedAmericanpractice.Thenationhasnoestablishedreligion.(Somestateshadestablishedchurchesuntilthe1830s.)Congressstillopensitssessionswithprayer.Thearmedservicesstillhavechaplains.FornearlyacenturyandahalftheUnitedStateshaseachyearsetasideadayofThanksgivingtoGodandanothertocelebratethebirthofHisSon.EachyearthePresidentwithCongressionalmandateproclaimsthefirstThursdayinMayaNationalDayofPrayer,encouragingcitizensto“turntoGodin 15 Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Barbara B. Oberg, ed., 36 (Princeton University Press: Princeton, 2009) 258

prayersandmeditation.”Jefferson’s“wallofseparation”hadlittleornoinfluenceonUSlaworpracticeuntilthemid‐twentiethcentury.JusticeBlackpopularizedJefferson’swallmetaphorinhismajoritydecisioninEversonv.BoardofEducationin1947.FifteenyearspassedbeforetheCourtbeganissuingdecisionsthatbannedtraditionalpracticesinpublicschoolssuchasnondenominationalprayer(Engelv.Vitale,1962),Biblereadings(AbingtonSchoolDistrictv.Schempp,1963)anddisplayingtheTenCommandments(Stonev.Graham,1980).SamuelHuntingtonwasclearabouttheroleofProtestantideasinournation’shistory.

“Protestantbeliefs,valuesandassumptions…hadbeenthecoreelement,alongwiththeEnglishlanguage,ofAmerica’ssettlerculture,andthatculturecontinuedtopervadeandshapeAmericanlife,societyandthoughtastheproportionsofProtestantsdeclined.“16Hearguedthat,ifAmericaistomaintainitsdistinctivewayoflife,itmustpreserve“Protestantvalues,”evenifProtestantsbecomeaminority.ItisespeciallyincumbentonLutheranstoinstructourfellowcitizensaboutthecentralroleincreatingournationalwayoflifeplayedbyprinciplesandinstitutionsfromtheReformation.LutherwasatheologianandclassicalChristianeducatorwhoreadtheBibleandclassicaltextsinthetraditionof

16 Huntington, Who Are We? p. 62


theSevenLiberalArtsandfoundtheretheideasofcongregationalisminchurchpolity,federalisminciviclifeandthedoctrineoftheTwoKingdoms.

Aswecelebratethe500thAnniversaryoftheReformation,weneedtoinsistonitsspecialsignificanceincreatingtheUnitedStates.ManyfactorsinfluencedAmerica’srisetofreedom,powerandprosperity,butweshouldnotignorethecontributiontoAmerica’swayoflifemadebyLuther’shumanistreadingoftheScriptures.Wheretheseinsightsandprincipleshavebeenmarginalizedorrepudiated,aswithJefferson’s“wallofseparationbetweenchurchandstate,”wemustreturntothemifwewantafreeand

justfuture.TheyarenotthepossessionofclassicalLutheranschoolsorLutherancongregationsalone,buttheyareourheritage.Ourvocationascitizensandbelieversistosharethemwithourfellowcitizensandremindthemthattheyarestillasrelevantintoday’sAmericaastheywereinsixteenth‐centuryWittenberg.

CLEJ

E. Christian Kopff is Associate Director of the Honors Program at the University of Colorado,

Boulder. Author of The Devil Knows Latin: Why America Needs the Classical Tradition (1999)

and introductions to Herbert Jordan's translations of Homer's Iliad (2008) and Odyssey (2014), he also translated Josef

Pieper, Tradition: Concept and Claim (2008).


Teaching Beyond the Notes: A Classical Pedagogy of Goodness, Beauty, and Truth in Music by Miss Bethany Woelmer

Introduction

Meaningisfoundwithinthe

natureofbeautyandhumanexpression.Thisbreathesthroughaperspectiveoflifeinmusicthatteachesmuchmorethanblackcirclesetchedamidstlinesanddecoratedwithdots,barlines,numbers,oraccidentals.Ofthemeretechnician,Lutheroncesaid:“Artissathabet,sedcaretsuavitate,”meaning“hehasenoughofartandskill,butislackinginwarmth.”17Wecanfindwarmthandmeaningbeyondthenotes,intheworldofmusicinwhichwevaluegoodness,beauty,andtruth.

Ourlives’restlessdesiresarerunbyangst,whenwebreezethroughlifewithoutcontemplatingitsbeauty,alwayslookingforwardtothenextchanceofsuccesstosecureprideinouraccomplishments.Weaccomplishsuchthingsinordertobringmomentaryhappinessasanendtoourmeans.Intheworldofmusicwehaveneglectedsuchcontemplationofbeauty,becauseofthis

17 Quoted in Walter Buszin, “Luther on Music,” in The Musical Quarterly (January, 1946), 90.

natureofrestlessness.Manypeoplehavetriedvariouswaystofixthisunsettlednessoflife,yetweasChristiansknowthatthetruemeaningtolifebywhichweliveisthetruemeaningofthecross,wherewefindthestrengthinthemidstofsuffering,lifeinthemidstofdeath,andbeautyinthemidstofpainandsorrow.“TheonlyreasonrestcanbecompleteisthatitisagiftfromGod.”18Thisrestmustprevailinourhomesandschools,becausebyitwehavethemeanstoreceivewhatGodhasgiventous.

Asastudentofclassicaleducation,Ispentmanyyearsreadinganddiscussing,writingandspeaking,learningandgrowing.Asonewhosemindwasunknowinglybeingcarvedbyacertainpedagogy,Ineverrealizeduntilafterthefactwhatthisteachingaccomplishedforme.OutofeverythingIhavelearnedinmylife,Icantrulysaythatthisisoneofthemostwonderful.Todaywhenoneofmyownstudentsdespairsaboutthedifficultyoflearningorpracticingmusic,Iturnhertowardsthispedagogybyspeakingaboutmusicinabeautifulsense,beyondwhatsheisreadingonthesheetmusic.BychangingthewayItalkaboutmusic,notonlyasdirectional,butalsoascontemplative,Idonotlosethestudent,butinsteadgainnotonlyherinterestbutmyown

18 Wilson, Douglas. The Case for Classical Christian Education. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003: 29


interestindiscoveringbeautyandtruthinlearning.

ToviewtheworldasGod’smasterpiece,woventogetherbytheveryWordofGod,istoviewtheworldwiththevisionofbeauty,notjustbecauseofitspresentationbutbecauseofitsCreatorbywhichitispresentedtous.LivingwithinGod’screationwiththeeyesofHisbeautyislikenedtolivingundertheGospelwiththeeyesoffaith.Wecanneverattainthissenseofbeautyandfaithonourown;rather,GodcomestousasRedeemer.ThisopensoureyestoembracetherevealednatureofHimselfinHisWordandthereflectednatureofHimselfinCreation.

StudentandTeacher

Therefore,Ispeaktoyoutodayasbothastudentandateacherofmusic,andasanavidpromoterofthepedagogyIhavebeengiventhroughoutmystudies,experiences,andlessonsin21yearsoflife.Iwanttoprovideyouwiththephilosophyofthispedagogyofmusicthatwillexpandyourappreciationformusicandinspireyoutoopenachild’seyestothisworldofmusicthatstretchesfartherthanwhattheyseeonasheetofpaper.

PartI:WhatisMusic?

MusicandTheology

19 Romans 6:23

Thereisonepianolessonthatcomestomindinwhichmysix‐year‐oldstudentmadeaconnectionbetweenGodandBach,asshehadlearnedpreviouslyinschool.Itcaughtmebysurprise,becauseIhadneverexpectedachildthisyoungtothinkaboutmusicinalargersenseandtoconsiderwheremusiccomesfrom.Excitedatthisopportunity,ItalkedaboutitfurtherwithherandexplainedthatatthebottomofeverycompositionBachwrotethewordsSoliDeoGloria,meaning“ToGodalonebetheglory.”ItalkedtoherabouthowBachgaveGodgloryasheplayedmusic.Therewasnosilenceofconfusionandnoquestionablelooksbeforeshequicklyreplied,“Yes,becauseGodmademusic!”Ilookbackatmomentsliketheseandwondertomyself,aswitheverythinginlife,howcanyounottalkabouttheologywhentalkingaboutorplayingmusic?Itseemsinevitable,especiallywhenyouacknowledgeGod’sworkinourlives.

WefindbeautyinGodHimself,becausewithoutChristwearenotcomplete.Wemayexpresscertainkindsofemotionsthatmaylastforonlyashortwhile,butthelong‐lastingjoythatisfoundinthepersonofChristisatreasure,andwiththeartswecanexpressthisjoy.WhenPaulwritesinhislettertotheRomans,hestatesthat“thewagesofsinisdeath.”19IfhewouldhavestoppedtherewiththeLaw,wewouldhavenoreasontosingwithjoy,becausetherewouldbenone.Wewouldhaveno


savingGospelandnocitizenshiporidentityoutsideofthisworldbywhichwebelong.

WecanbethankfulthatPaulcontinuedwith,“butthegiftofGodiseternallifeinChristJesusourLord.”ThislivingvoiceoftheGospel(vivavoxevangelii)isoursongoftheChurchthatcarriestheGospel.ThisGospelgivesanappreciationforimmortalitybyconnectingustoalifeofparadisebeyondthisworld,anditleadsuslikechildrenintofaith,worksthroughuslikeservantswithmusic,andgivesus,theChurch,Christ’sboundlesslove.OutofthemouthofourweaknesscomesthestrengththatGodestablishesagainstthetrialsandtribulationsweencountereveryday.

InresponsetoGod’sgiftofsalvation,weasHischildrenrespondinsongwithsoundsofproclamationandpraise.CarlSchalkwrotethisbeautifully,“Theologypreventsmusicfrombecominganendinitselfbypointingmantoitsorigins–inthedoxologyofcreation.Musicpreventstheologyfrombecomingapurelyintellectualmatterbymovingtheheartofmantoconsideritsultimatepurpose–thedoxologyofthenewcreation."20InChristweareanewcreation,andwithmusic,wecanjoinwithangels,saints,

20 Leaver, Robin A. The Theological Character of Music in Worship. Carol Stream, IL: Hope Publishing Company, 1985: 7

andallcreationbysinginginresponsetothegiftoffaith.

Considerthefollowinghymn,“Christ,MightySavior,”writteninthe7thcentury.ItbeginsbyacknowledgingGodasourcreator,givingtousthebeautyfoundintheheavensandbestseenatnightassunsets.Imaginetherandom‐ringingofbellsinthebackgroundtopaintapictureofthis“glitteringadornment”oranexpansivesoundofstringstogiveradiancetothesunlight.

Christ,mightySavior,

Lightofallcreation,

youmakethedaytime

radiantwiththesunlight

andtothenight

giveglitteringadornment,

starsintheheavens.

Nowcomestheday'send

asthesunissetting,

mirrorofdaybreak,

pledgeofresurrection;


whileintheheavens

choirsofstarsappearing

hallowthenightfall.

ThenextversesinthishymncontinuetodescribeourresponsetoGod,“joyfullychantingholyhymns,”inpraisetoHim.Thehymnbuildswiththisclimaxofsinginghymns,lowerswithasupplicationforoursin,weakhearts,andwearysouls,andsoftensatthefinalstanza,inwhichwefindrestinthepeaceofJesus.ThemusicofthisnewcreationinChristisbothlong‐lastingandnever‐endingaswesing“nowandforever,”becauseeveninheavenwewillcontinueoursong.

Thereforewecomenow

eveningritestooffer,

joyfullychantingholyhymns

topraiseyou,

withallcreation

joiningheartsandvoices

singingyourglory.

21 Lutheran Service Book 881.

Giveheed,weprayyou,

tooursupplication,

thatyoumaygrantus

pardonforoffenses,

strengthforourweakhearts,

restforachingbodies,

soothingtheweary.

Thoughbodiesslumber,

heartsshallkeeptheirvigil,

foreverresting

inthepeaceofJesus,

inlightordarkness

worshipingourSavior

nowandforever.21

MusicandHumanity

Asaperformer,Ihaveseenpeoplecry,laugh,andsmileovermusic.IneachconcertIfindjoyinsavoringthosemomentswhenaudiencemembershearapieceofmusicforthefirsttimeandreactasiftheywereapartofit.IhavesungandplayedinsmallchurchesofNorwayamidpicturesque


mountains,intheexpansive,mosaic‐ladenSt.LouisBasilica,andbeyond.Ineveryplace,thepeoplearewhatreallymatter,becausemusicispowerfultoourhumanexpression.

WhenIteach,Iremindstudentsaboutlifebeyondthepiecetheyarelearning,themusicahumana22thatdescribesourhumanconstitutionintermsofitsconnectionwithourownemotionsasareflectionoflife.Whentheystruggle,Itakethemawayfromthemusicandintotheirownlife.“Pretendlikeyoujustmetanewfriendandarelearningmoreaboutthisnewfriend.Youlearnsomethingnewaboutpeopleeveryday,becauseourpersonalitiesaredifferent.Ittakesmorework,butintheend,itisworthittolearnsomethingnew.”Learningaboutthebeautyofsomeoneisnotjustontheoutsideorthesurfaceleveloftheiractions,butontheentireembodimentofthisindividual.Thisiscorrelatedwiththedepthinwhichtheycanappreciatemusic.

Myorganteacher,Dr.Behnke,oncesaidwhenIwaslearningaBachpiece,itwouldsoonbecome“myown.”AfterIlearnedthenotes,myownfeelingsconnectedwiththepiece.Learningaboutbeautyinmusicisnotjustapresentationofanotherperson’sworks,butitisacontemplationofthisembodimentthatisexpressedbyourhumanity.

22 Taruskin, Richard. The Oxford History of Western Music. New York: Oxford UP, 2013:5.

Beinghumanmeansnoteverythingisbeautiful,however.Beinghumanmeansmakingmistakes,lettingpeopledown,struggling,andsuffering.Throughoutlessonsandrehearsalstherecanbedespairinlearningmusic,becauseofthenecessaryworkandbecauseofmusic’struthfulness.JustastheLawdemandsperfectionandaccusesuswhenwehavesinned,musicdemandsprecisionandaccusesuswhenwehavefailed.Asteachersorstudents,weknowthestrictnessthatmusicbrings.Itisanartthatdemandsmuchprecisionthroughpractice,andittakestimetoperfect.Iremindmystudentsthattheymustfindtruthinthelawandcorrection,becausebyit,theydiscovertheirweakness.Withmuchconcentrationandhardwork,findingtruthincorrectionallowsthebeautyofmusictoshineinitsfinaloutcome.LouisViernesufferedblindness,andLudwigvanBeethovensuffereddeafness,yetbothdepictedthisintheirmusicandstillexpressedintheirmusicasenseofpeacebeyondstrife.

Theexpressionofhumanityisveryrealtousasweexperienceit,butitbecomesevengreaterinanotherdimensionasitconnectswiththesublimenatureofGodwhobecamehumanforus.“Someonehassaidthatallhistoryispointandcounterpoint–twomelodiesrunningsidebyside–God’sandman’s.Aloneoneofthemisalways


incomplete,evenGod’s.Hepreferredtodieratherthanbewithoutus.Takentogetherthereismeaningandbeautyintheirriseandfall,theirtemporaldissonancewhichisresolvedintofinalharmony.”23Thisisthetruebeautyofmusic:musicacrucis,musicunderthecross,thatrevealsamysterywecanneverfullyunderstandyetthatconnectsusinourhumanitywiththepersonofJesusChrist.

MusicandItsEssenceofInfinity

OlivierMessiaenwasagiftedcomposerwhoviewedmusicasadialoguebetweenspaceandtimeandbetweensoundandcolor,combiningsuchsounds,colors,andrhythmsinacomplexofoverlappingtimesfoundinmusic.FromPhysicsclass,welearnedthatmusicintheformofwavesinterruptsspaceforalengthoftime.Ashumans,weareusedtocalculatingmusictoaspecificdegree,continuingtheWesternthoughtoftheprecisenatureoftonalharmoniesandexactrhythms.Wethinkofmusicdirectionallyandwithapurpose,yetMessiaenhadadifferentperspectiveofmusicthatgoesbeyondthepointofprecisionwithfiniteresults.Forinstance,herelatedthesoundofmusicwithaparticularsightinnature,suchasthesunriseorpreciousstonesshimmeringinthesunlight.Therefore,hismusicwasnotinspiredby

23 O.P. Kretzmann, in Festschrift Theodore Hoelty-Nickel. A Collection of Essays on Church Music, edited by N.W. Powell, Valparaiso, Indiana 1967, p. v.

previouscomposerssuchasDebussyandStravinsky,butratherbynatureitself,inwhichhesoughttofindtheinfinitewithinthefiniteandthemysteriousorotherunknownfantasywithinwhatisknown.24

Thequestionmaybeasked,“Howdoesonereachthis‘unknownrealm’beyondwhatisknown?”Formyseniorrecital,Bach’sToccataandFugueinFMajorledmetoadescriptionofthisworkasthe“mostmetaphysicalandallegoricalpiece,”25praisingitsextensivemeasuresofallegories.Sometrytoconnectmusictospecific“chakras”orenergylevelswithinournatureandultimatelywithinus,sincetheyfindasenseofconnectionbywhichonecantranscendtoanotherrealm;however,likeMessiaen,weknowthatwehavelimitstoourhumannature.WecannotreachGodonourown.WelearnfromHisperfectnaturefromwhatHehasspokentous,yetthroughmusicwecanapproach“thehereafter”throughfaith.Christ,theperfectnatureofGod,enteredtheworldofimperfectness;sothereisasenseofperfectnessinmusicthatexistsinourspaceofimperfectness.Godcreatedmusicsowecangetaglimpseofhisbeauty,butonlythroughfaithcanwemakethatconnectionwithhistruenature.

24 Griffiths, Paul. Olivier Messiaen and the Music of Time. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP, 1985. 25 http://philosopherswheel.com/toccata.htm


ThispictureofmusicasaboxholdinginfinitiesreflectshowGodusesordinarythingstorevealhislovetous.Theeternallovehebringsuscomesinsimplethingslikewater,bread,andwine.Duringthispastchoirtour,wesang“ImmortalBach”26duringourmanychoirconcerts.Itisauniquepieceinwhicheachsingersingshisnotesforadifferentlengthuntiltheendwheneveryoneendsonthefinalchordofthephrase.Thesearethewordswesing:“Comesweetdeath,comecelestialease!Come,leadmeinpeace.”Duringrehearsal,therewasmuchdiscussiononwhatthissoundslike,adiscussioninwhichwelookedbeyondthemusictocontemplatehowthewordsconnectedwiththesound.Somedescribeditas“onebigmessofnotescorrelatingtoourfallenworldyetjoininginonechordbythepeacebroughtthroughChrist.”Othersdescribeditas“apictureofmomentaryinfinitythatonlyGodcanbring.”

Notesarefinite,butwhentheycombinetogetherthesoundbecomesinfinite.Musictopensaboxofwondersthatwecanonlyexperienceinthemoment.Ihaveheardpeoplecommentonoursinging,sayingthatitwasa“glimpseofheaven,”amomentofecstasythatwecorrelatewiththelong‐lastingjoyandthehopewepossessin

26 Written by Knut Nystedt 27 Schalk, Carl. Luther on Music: Paradigms of Praise. St. Louis: Concordia, 1988: 10.

Christwhocamefromheaventoearthtosaveusfromoursin.

PartII:ClassicalPedagogyofMusic

MartinLutherreceivedaneducationinthequadriviumandtheclassicsthattreatedmusicasaspeculativescience(musicaspeculativa),anditbecameimportanttoLuthertoconsidermusicinamorepracticalsense(musicapractica),asitbenefitsthechurch,education,andthefamily.27AclassicalLutheranpedagogycentersonthebeautyofmusicgiventomanashenotonlylearnsaboutwhoGodis,butalsoexpresseshimselfinhighlyskilledartisticvoicesasbothaprayerandasourceoftellingothersaboutthewondersofGod.

Musicaspeculativaandmusicapracticaaretwodifferentperspectivesforteachingmusic.Forexample,whenwethinkabouttheharp,wecanthinkofitintwoways.Lutherregardeditinspeculation,describingthat“theharpisChristHimselfaccordingtothehumannature,whowasstretchedonthecrossforuslikeastringonaharp.ThustoconfesswiththeharpmeanstothinkabouttheactsandsufferingsofChristaccordingtotheflesh,forsuchmeditationhasitsresonancefrombelow,fromhumanitytodivinity.”28Yet

28 Schalk, Luther on Music: Paradigms of Praise, 19.


thereisanotherbeautybywhichwecanthinkabouttheharp.Inthepracticalsense,asLutheremphasized,wecanperformwiththeharpthemusicofthechurch,includinghymnsthatteachusaboutGod’sWordandcomfortuswiththeGospel.Wecanassistworshipwithourvoicesandinstruments,sothatotherscanalsobenefitfromthesamemusicasitisattachedtofaith.

Introducingchildrenatayoungagetoinstrumentsanddifferentsoundsisimportantastheygrowtodistinguishbetweenthem.Thisisimportantevenfromtheirgrowthinthewombastheylistentotheirmother’svoiceandthemanyothersoundsaroundthem.IgrewuplisteningtoPeterandtheWolf,amusicalsymphonyforchildrenwrittenbySergeiProkofiev,andthenplaying“namethatinstrument”withmymomaswelistenedtoclassicalmusicontheradio.ThisopenedtherealmofmusictomanymoresoundsthanwhatIwasaccustomedtobefore.Therefore,asateacher,Iremindmystudentsthattheyarenotonlylearninghowtoreadmusicbutalsodevelopinganearformusicthatisabletodistinguishbetweensounds,notes,chords,anddynamics.Iaskquestionslike,“Doesthatsounddifferentfrombefore?”Withmylapharpandotherinstruments,Igrabtheirinterestinothersoundsbeyondwhattheyhaveheard.

AsachurchmusicianIstresstheimportanceofteachinghymnswithintheclassroom,aroundthefamilytable,

andeveninmusiclessons.WhenIstartedteaching,Iwroteoutthehymntuneforsomeofmystudents’favoritehymns,andtheyabsolutelylovedthem.Itwasinmynaturetoworrythatitwasnotchallenging,butlookingback,Ifindthatfoolishofmetothinkthatway.Iwasgivingthemsomethingthattheycouldconnectwiththattheysanginchurch.Teachingmusictochildrenthathelpsthemconnectwiththemusictheyhearinchurchisalsoimportant,becauseithelpsthemrememberinanotherwaythegiftsthatGodhasgiven.Forexample,Iwrotethemelodyof“God’sOwnChild,IGladlySayIt”foroneofmystudents,andshewasexcitedtofindoutthatshesangitforchurchthepreviousSunday.

LivingasaChristianinthisworldislikenedtolivingunderthecross.Wefacesuffering,doubt,andattacksonthefaith,yetinthemidstofall,theGospelalwaysprevails.SinginghymnswithchildrenisabeautifulpictureofthismusicapracticathatLuthersoughtforthechurch.NotonlydoweacknowledgeitasGod’screationandgift,butwealsouseitinourworshipandwithinthehomeasaproclamationandpraiseforwhatGodhasdoneforus.MusicisasignofcontinuityofthechurchandagiftoftraditionthatwecanusetosingwithallofthesaintsasbelieversinChrist.

RecentlyImettwochildrenwhohadbeenactiveinVBS.Oneimmediatelypipedup,“Doyouknowwhatmy


favoritehymnis,Bethany?”Irespondedwithexcitementandcuriosity.Heanswered,“It’s‘WePraiseYouandAcknowledgeYou,OGod.’WesangitinVBSthisweek!”Ithenpulledoutthehymnalandplayeditonthepiano,whilewesangtogether.Hissisterpipedin,andwethensangherfavoritehymn,too.

Lutherregardedallmenas“naturallymusical,”yetalsoconcludedthat“whatisnaturalshouldbedevelopedintowhatisartful.”29Wearecontinuallyperfectingandrefiningmusic,withtheendgoalof“tastingwithwonder,”God’sabsoluteandperfectwisdom.Thusitisourjobasmusiciansandteachersthatweperfectthesubstanceofmusicthatitmayprovideforminthemidstofchaosthatwefindtodayinsociety.Oneofourhandbellpieceswastitled“GrantPeace,WePray,”30anditwasbasedonahymntext.Beforeweplayedthispieceinoneofourconcerts,weheardsirensgoofffromtheoutside,confirminginrealitythatwereallydoneedpeaceinthisworld.Inthemidstofdeath,sirens,storms,andsufferingaroundus,Godgivesuspeaceinourtimes.Thewordswesingarelivingandactive,applyingtoustodayasweenduresininthismortallife.

Weliveinaculturethatunderminestheverytruthourfaithis

29 Taruskin, The Oxford History of Western Music, 207-208. 30 Written by John A. Behnke

builtupon,sowefinditveryimportanttoteachourchildrenaboutworldviewsthatseektoattacktheteachingofthecross.Eachpartinhistorypossessesitsownworldviewandthusproducesartsthatreflectthisworldview.Weteachmusicwithabetterunderstandingofthecomposerandtheculturehelivedin,inwhichheeithercountereditwithhisownstyleorreflectedthenewideasthatwereprojectedduringthattime.Forexample,Haydnglorifiednatureinhismusic,BachglorifiedGodandHisrevealedWord,JosquinglorifiedRenaissancehumanityandindividualism,Beethovenglorifiedself‐expression,Berliozglorifiednationalidentityinfolkmusic,Schumannglorifiedliteraturethroughhismusic,andBurneyglorifiedtheintellectbyacknowledgingmusicas“theartofpleasingbythesuccessionandcombinationofsounds.”31TheGospelistheresolutiontoourdissonance.

MusicandEmbodiedLearning

Anotheraspectofclassicalpedagogyisthatitseekstopromoteembodiedlearningwithinthelesson.Ienjoyedmyhighschool’sOmnibusclassesinwhichweconnectedtheology,history,andliteratureinoneclassanddiscussion,andIhavecontinuedtoapplythispedagogyofconnectingwhatIhavelearnedinotherclassestothe

31 Taruskin, Richard. The Oxford History of Western Music. New York: Oxford UP, 2013.


realminwhichIamstudying.Whetheritisarchitecture,art,poetry,ormathematics,onecanthinkaboutmusicinotherrealmsbyexpandinghisthoughtintomorewaysthanwhatisbeingreadonthepage.

Architecture,Mathematics,andGeography

Musicisconstructedwithaform,likenedtoabuilding.Engineersofarchitecturecanacknowledgethecorrelationofanoverarchingconstructionofapalacetotheframeworkofapieceofmusicthatholdsacentralpointorclimax.Forexample,inBach’sSt.JohnPassion,theclimaxoftheentirepieceoccurswhenPilateundergoesachangeofheart.32Somecomposers,suchasPalestrina,wrotemusicwiththepictureofarchitectureinmind,sinceitwaswithinthecathedralsandchurchesthatmusicwouldsoarinbettersound.

Tocreatemusicwiththementalimageofthespaceinwhichsoundtravelshelpsamusicianexpandhisdepthofplaying.Oneofmystudentswasplayingapiecethatfeaturedthelefthandasthestrongmelody,likeacello,andIgaveheramentalimageofplayinginabigconcerthallwherethesoundwilltravel.Thiswasausefulteachingtechnique,becauseitnotencouragedhertoplaymoreloudlybutalsoallowed

32 Harnoncourt, Nikolaus, and Reinhard G. Pauly. The Musical Dialogue: Thoughts on

hercreativitytoexpandassheplayedmusic.

Mathematicsandmusicarealsocloselycorrelated.Incollege,afriendapproachedmeonedaywithhisnewappreciationformath.Hehadlearnedaboutthefibonaccisequenceandtherelationoffrequenciesinmusic.Thecorrelationofmathtomusiciswell‐knowninBach’smusic,andBachusedanancienttechniquecalled“gematria,”inwhichlettersofthealphabetareassignednumericalvalues.33Itwasbythismethodthathewrotehisnamewithinmanyofhispieces.Bachalsoincorporatedsymbolicreferencestobiblicalwordsanddoctrinesasdescribedbyintervals,repeatingnotes,groupsofnotes,ortheformofapiece.Forexample,10referstothecommandments,3withtheTrinity,4withtheNewTestamentGospels,5withthewoundsJesussufferedonthecross,12withtheapostles,andmanymore.Thepianoitselfprovidesavisualrepresentationofthemathofmusic,astheblackandwhitekeysareconstructedingroups.Whenwelearnaboutmusic,itisinevitabletoseeGod’smasterpieceofdesignandorderthatisalsofoundinmathematics.

Oneofmyyoungstudentstaughtmethatevengeographycanbecorrelatedwiththeteachingofmusic.Sheconnectedthetwo,soIreferred

Monteverdi, Bach, and Mozart. Portland, OR: Amadeus, 1989: 174-175. 33 http://bachalphametics.yolasite.com/


landmarknotestomountainsthatstandoutandhelpusrecognizewhereeverythingelseisaroundthem.Asinmusic,wecanlearnmoreaboutaparticularperson,place,orthinginlifebylearningaboutwhatsurroundsit.Teachingbeyondthenotescontinuallycuesustoseemorethanthepageonourmusicstand.

PoetryandtheVisualArts

IntheChristian,WesterncultureoftheMiddleAgesandthefollowingcenturies,poetryandmusicwerecloselyrelated.Voltaireoncesaidthat“poetryisthemusicofthesoul.”SometimesIascribemyloveforwritingpoetrytomyloveformusic.Inchoirwesang“WiltThouForgive,”basedonapoembyJohnDonne.OurdirectorDr.Doebeleemphasizedtheimportanceofreadingthepoetryinsidethemusic,sincecertainwordscarrymorestressthanothers.Heledustospeakthepoemfirst,sowecouldunderstandwhichwordstostressaswesang.Likewise,thehymnmentionedabove,“Christ,MightySavior,”presentsabeautifulrepresentationofhowthemeterofthemusicfitswiththemeterofthepoem.Musicisalanguageinmanyways,evenasitattachestowords.

Thevisualartsaremyfavoriteusageofbeautywithinmusic,becausethishelpsexpandtheoverallpictureof

34 Bayne, Pauline Shaw. A Guide to Library Research in Music. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2008: 17.

thenotesasawhole.Debussywrotemusicundertheconditionsofhissensitivityandspontaneitythatledtohisperceptionswithinachild’smind.Heinvitedlistenersintohiscreativemindfilledwithpicturesquepaintingsandstories,exoticimages,andemotions.Debussy’sLaCathedraleEngloutiewaswrittenfromthestoryofanancientlegendcalled“CathedralofY’s,”whichtellsthestoryofacathedralbuiltontheBrittanycoastofFrance.Animpiouspopulationcausedtheoceantosubmergethecathedralaspunishment,andtoremindthepeopleoftheirsinfulactions,thecathedralemergedfromthewatersevery100years.Whilehearingthemusic,youcanpictureinyourmindatexturalpaintingofthiscathedralasitrisesabovethewateratsunriseandthenreturnstosleepbeneaththeenchantedwaters.34

Ilearnedtexturalpaintinginmychoirs,andIincorporatethisinmyownlessonsandrehearsals.AsIledachoirtolearn“BeautifulSavior”35thispastsemester,Ipointedmystudentstoenvisionthose“sparklingstars”asthesoundgrowslouderthroughoutthestanzathatdepictsJesus,who“shinesbrighter”thanalltheangelsinthesky.

DeathandLife

Lastly,asembodiedlearningtakesplace,identifyinghumanitywithin

35 Written by Jeffrey Blersch


musicispowerful.“Fromtheviewpointofgeneralaesthetics,itisalsotruethatbeautyhasamuchgreaterimpactwhenitisderivedfromthatwhichisugly.Theresolutionofadissonancetoaconsonancewasthoughttoevokeinthelistenerasenseofreliefafterafeelingoftension.”36InRichardStrauss’DeathandTransfiguration,themusicdepictsthedeathofanartistaftertheattainmentofhisworldlygoals,aswellasapictureoftransfigurationintoagloriousformofperfectnessnotfulfilledonearth.37Music,withitsvariouskeys,melodies,andharmonies,depictsthefeelingofdeathweareclosetobecauseofsin,aswellasthelonged‐forfeelingofresolutioninthehopeofeternallife.

Whenmystudentsfirstlearndissonance,evenifitisassimpleasplayingtwosimultaneousnotesnexttoeachother,theirfirstreactionisoneofdisgustanddiscomfort.Ilovethisteachingmoment,becauseIdrawthemtothestruggleofdissonancewithinlifethatweexperienceeveryday.“Expressedmusically,therecanbeendlessvarietyanddiversitywithoutchaos.Thereisvarietyyetresolution.”38TheGospel,asImentionedearlier,isourtrueresolution.ArnoldSchoenberg’smusicreflectedthefeelingofmanwho

36 Harnoncourt, The Musical Dialogue, 24. 37 http://www.clarkguides.com/notes/strauss-tod

findstheproblemofinnerconflict,tension,anddiversitywithinlifeyetneverreachesaresolution,becausehehasfoundnone.Onthecontrary,weasChristianswhohavesuch“resolution”areblessedtosing,“ForthereisnoneonearthbutYou,Noneothertodefendus.Youonly,Lord,canfightforus.Amen.”39

OtherPedagogicalPrincipleswithinMusic

Classicaleducationisbuiltupontheprinciplerepetitiomatermemoriae,meaning“repetitionisthemotheroflearning.”Asineverythinginlife,wemustberemindedofGod’sgoodness.Iremindmyselfandmystudentsdaily,likemyteachershavedoneforme,thatmusicisagift.Justbecauseyouteachsomethingonce,itdoesnotmeanthatithasstuck.Wearecreaturesofhabit,meaningthatwecanpracticebadhabitsoflazinessandpoorthinkingasmuchaswecanpracticegoodhabitsofproperthinkingandappreciatebeauty,yetwecandiscoverthebeautyofpainandcorrectionaswellasthebeautyofgoodart.Istrivetoremindmyselfnotonlytocorrectandcriticizebutalsotoletmystudentsknowwhattheyhaveplayedrightand

38 Schaeffer, Francis A. How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005.

39 LSB 777, “Grant Peace, We Pray, In Mercy, Lord”


whatisbeautifulasaresultoftheirhardwork.

Theprinciplesfestinalente(makehasteslowly)andmultumnonmulta(muchnotmany)havealsobeeninfluentialwithinmyteaching.Asateacherandstudent,sometimesIrushedthroughpiecesjusttomoveontoothers,withoutexperiencingthedepthofeachpiece.Itisbettertolearnaboutthebeautyofonepieceofmusicinitscompletenessthantorushthroughmanyforthesakeofreadingit.Allofthisstemsfromthecharacteristicofthetrivium,aswebuildafoundationformusictheory,notes,anddefinitions;growintounderstandingthelogicofrelationshipsbetweennotes,keys,andstructures;andfinallydevelopintoarhetoricofthinkingthatappliestoourownlife.Thisrhetoricofteachingspursmanyquestions.“Whatkindofpicturedoesthismusiccreate?”“Whatcharacteristicsdoesthispiecehavethatreflectyourownlife?”This,inturns,providesanimportantsenseofdialoguethatexistswithinthelessonandtrainsthestudenthowtothink.

Thisclassicalpedagogyaddsamuchmorerelaxedatmosphereinmyteachingmethod,becauseitnotonlysecuresabetterunderstandingwithinmusicbutalsoallowsforwonderandcuriositybythestudent.Ifyoutaketheirthoughtshigher,theywill,asstudentsofhabit,continuetoexpandthosethoughtsindifferentways.Iremembermanytimeswhenastudentcamewith

questionsorevennewmusicalimprovisations.Istoppedthelessontohearwhattheyhadtoofferandencouragedtheirexplorationinmusic.Spurringcreativityisimportant,becauseitallowsthestudenttostretchbeyondthenotesandexpresshimselfusingtheprinciplestheteacherhasinstilled.

Theconductororteachermustbeabletoteachapiecewithacomprehensiveunderstandingofitswholeness.Astherearecertainlimitssuchastime,skill,andability,weasmusiciansmustworkwithwhatwehavebeengiventousandstrivealwaystopresentGod’sgiftofmusicinitsbeauty.Musicteachersendurehoursofscreechingviolins,out‐of‐tunesingers,andstrugglingpianists,butItellmyselfthateventhroughthis,weareremindedofwhatisbeautiful.Justasbeautifultomearetheeagerlooksinastudents’eyesandthemomentsofconfessionwhentheyhavenotpracticed.Ilovetohearstudentsexpressappreciationatlearningmorethantheythoughttheywould.Evenwhennoonerememberstobowintherecital,theyallremembertheirarticulationanddynamics,andIrememberwhenthemusictheyproduceisbeautiful.Ireceivejoyinhearingthelargerunderstandingandfeelingsachievedbeyondnotesonthepage.

Thepedagogyofbeautyinmusicisimportantfortworeasons.Itcreatesahabitusoflearningthatreflectstheclassicaltriviumprevalentwithineveryareaofunderstanding.Grammar


providesasolidfoundationforthemusicianthroughanunderstandingofchords,tonalrecognition,singingonpitch,breathingtechniques,andsimplenotation.Logicgivesthestudenttheabilitytoconnectvariedaspectsofmusicandanswerquestionsthatchallengethem,basedonwhattheyalreadyknow,suchaschantingandsinginghymnsduringworship.Finally,rhetoricdigsintotheculturalworldviews,theology,andhumanemotionsthatmusicbrings.Althoughyoungermusicianscannotunderstandmuchinthisarea,itisstillimportantthattheyspendamajorityoftheirtimelisteningtothesecomposersandtheirparticularstyles,techniques,andinstruments.Ineachleveloflearning,thisstructureprovidesitsownchallengesandincludesitsowncontemplationofbeautythatthemusicbrings.

ThesecondreasonforpedagogyofbeautyinmusicistheconnectionithaswiththeCreatorwhogaveittousandgivesuslifethroughChrist.WhenItalkaboutmusicitishardnottotalkabouttheology.Itbreatheswithinmusic,justasitdoesinourlife.Itisnotatoolweuseforsuccessandglory;rather,itisawayoflifeinwhichGodbringshisbeautytoandthroughus.Inourvocationswesuffermanytrialsandfindmuchdissonanceinourlife,yetbythehumblestofmeansGodcreatesforusjoythatpointstolifeinHim.

Trueeducationistheprocessoflovingtolearnandlearningtolove.Itisaconstantremindertolovewhatwearelearning,andwhiledoingso,tosharethatlovewithothers.Educationisalsoahabitusthatguidesonealongtheproperpathtosupportwhateverartwearestrivingtopreserve.Liketheliturgy,itistheworkofthepeoplethatstructuresourlifeinsuchawaytoreceivetheblessingsofcreation.Likeamusicalmotiveinmelodicorrhythmicfashion,educationservestoremindusoftheprecisenatureandlovingservicethatourworkbrings.Andlikeharmony,itgathersfromhistorytheresultingchordsofmankindthatareportrayedtoday.

Finally,asLutherwrites:

OfallthejoysuponthisearthNonehasformenagreaterworthThanwhatIgivewithmyringingAndwithvoicessweetlysinging.Therecannotbeanevilmood

Wheretherearesingingfellowsgood,Thereisnoenvy,hate,norire,

Gonearethroughmeallsorrowsdire;Greed,care,andlonelyheavinessNomoredotheytheheartoppress.EachmancaninhismirthbefreeSincesuchajoynosincanbe.

ButGodinmemorepleasurefindsThaninalljoysofearthlyminds.Throughmybrightpowerthedevil

shirksHissinful,murderous,evilworks.OfthisKingDavid'sdeedsdotellWhopacifiedKingSaulsowell


BysweetlyplayingonthelyreAndthusescapedhismurderousire.FortruthdivineandGod'sownredeTheheartofhumblefaithshalllead;SuchdidElishaoncepropound

WhenharpinghetheSpiritfound.ThebesttimeoftheyearismineWhenallthebirdsaresingingfine.Heavenandearththeirvoicesfill

Withrightgoodsongandtunefultrill.And,queenofall,thenightingaleMen'sheartswillmerrilyregaleWithmusicsocharminglygay;

Forwhichbethankstoherforaye.ButthanksbefirsttoGod,ourLord,

WhocreatedherbyhisWordTobehisownbelovedsongstress

Andofmusicaamistress.ForourdearLordshesingshersongInpraiseofhimthewholedaylong;

TohimIgivemymelodyAndthanksinalleternity.40

Findmeaningwithinmusic.Developthelanguageofgoodness,

beauty,andtruthinmusic,whetherintheclassroom,privatelesson,devotions,worship,andevenconversationamongfriendsandfamily.EnjoythoselittlemomentsinwhichGodworksinbiggerwaysandthehumblermeansofplayingnotesthatrevealthebeautyofmusicthatreflectsthenatureofGodandHiscreation.Encouragegoodmusic,theteachingofgoodculture,andtheexpressionoftheChristofourfaithwhoprovidestruegoodnesstoourlives.

CLEJ

Bethany Woelmer is a graduate student at the University of

Kansas in the Masters of Church Music program. She is a member and a church

musician at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Topeka, KS, where she enjoys

teaching the faith through music.

40 LW 53:319-20


UsingLatinintheClassroom1byRev.Dr.JohnNordling

Let’sfaceit:Latinishardenoughonitsownwithoutattemptingtospeakitto

others,andtheterrorloquendiLatineissodauntingthatmostnevermaketheattempt.On

theotherhand,VeralinguaLatinaestlingua,nonaenigma,“TheLatinlanguagereallyisa

language,notapuzzle.”Speakingitintheclassroomdemonstratestotheentireworldthat

thelanguageisnotsodeadasmanysuppose,andsometechniquesmakespeakingLatina

realisticpossibilityformostofus.Besides,childrengreatlyprefertousethelanguage

actively,iftheycan,andevenmodestabilityinthisregardbringsgreatreward.Solet’s

shootforthestars:eamusadastra!

I. IntroducingOneself

Thewould‐beLatinspeakershouldbepreparedtointroducehimselfbriefly,and

makesomebasicpoints,suchasone’sname,howlongonehastaughtthelanguage,and

whereonelives.

Salvete,omnes!EgosumProfessorJohannesNordling.HabitaviOppidoWayniensi,incivitateIndiana,paenedecemannos.DoceoresTheologicasapudhocseminarium—velut,linguamGraecam(coramtironibusmeis),epistulasPauli,evangeliasecundumsanctosMattheumetLucam,etalia.Canyoufollowmyintroduction?Perhapsyoucaughtawordorphrasehereand

there,butfortheunknownverbiageyourlisteningearshavemadesomeeducatedguesses.

Iwouldliketosuggest,then,thatyouunderstoodmoreofmyLatinintroductionthanyou

1 I would like to thank Rev. Roger Peters, Assistant to the Director of Library and Information Services, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, for help with formatting the images in this paper, and Dr. Terence Tunberg, Professor of Latin Literature and Language, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, for help with several Latin turns of phrase this paper contains.


realize.DoIreallyhavetotranslateitforyou?2SobepreparedtoexpressyourselfLatine

beforeothers.Comeupwithsomesimplequestionsanddrawsuchresponsesfromclass

membersasfollow:Quidnomentibiest? A:NomenmihiestProf.JohannesN.

Quainurbehabitas? A:HabitoOppidoWayniensi…

Quiddoces? A:DoceoresTheologicas…

“Practicemakesperfect,”omniaexercitationeperficiuntur!Afteryouhavelearnedto

introduceyourselfbriefly,developadaily“attention‐gettingdevice,”preferablyrelatedtoa

grammaticalpointtaught,ortoatextreadtogether.Thisdevicefocusesyourstudents’ears

andmindsupontheLatintaskathand.Rewardyourstudentsfortheirhardworkwith

somespokenLatin,basedonphrasesyouhavepracticedduringtheprecedingclassperiod.

BothintroducingandconcludingformalinstructionareexcellentwaystouseLatinactively

andcementpointsdidactically.

II. UsingImagesintheInstruction

OnerelativelyeasywaytouseLatininoralinstructionistofindanimage,the

personsorthemesofwhichyoucandiscussinlinguaLatinawithotherswhoperhapsdon’t

knowthelanguageverywellyet,orwhoareinthemidstoflearningitbetter.Hereisa

sayingworthpondering:unaimagovaletpromilleverbis,“oneimageisworth1000words.”

CastaboutforanimageyoucanusetomakeathousandLatinwords.Everyimage

representsanopportunitytousethelanguageactivelyandengageothers.Imagesrequire

notonlytheearsandthetongueinthetransmissionofmeaning,butalsotheeyeandthe

2 “Greetings, everyone! I am Professor John Nordling. I have dwelt in Fort Wayne, in the state of Indiana, for almost ten years. I teach theological subjects at this seminary—for example, the Greek language (especially in the presence of my beginning students), the epistles of Paul, the gospels according to saints Matthew and Luke, and other things.”


brain.Letmeshowyounowsomewordsandphrasesthatwillhelpyoutounderstandmy

imagebetter:

hacinimagine,inthisimage hacinparteimaginis,inthispartoftheimage petoquaestionemavobis,Iaskaquestionofyou quot…?,howmany? meuspater…meamater,myfather…mymother einomenest...(possessivedative),hisnameis... natusestXX(viginti)annos,heis20yearsold fratressororesque,brothersandsisters inbracchiomeo,onmyarm gerohorologium,Iamwearingawatch

Let’sgiveitatry…

Ecce!Hacinimaginevidemusfamiliammeam,quaeFamilaNordlingest.Petoquaestionemavobis:Quothominesvidetisinfamiliamea?ANSW.OctohominesinfamiliaNordlingsunt:unus,duo,tres,quattuor,quinque,sex,septem,octo.

Aliamquaestionemavobispeto:quihomoestmeuspater?ANSW.Ecce!Hicestmeuspater.EinomenestDonGilbertNordling.InimagineeumvidemuscirciterXLV(quadragintaquinque)annosnatum.Duxitmeammatreminmatrimonium.NomenmeaematrisCharlotteest.NataestcirciterXLIII(quadragintatres)annos.Hacinimaginevidemusparentesmeos,DonetCharlotteNordling.

Ultimamquaestionemavobispeto:quaenominameisfratribussororibusquesunt?ANSW.nominameisfratribussororibusquesuntOlaf,Kirsten,Sonja,Stephanie,etPhilip.Egomaximusfiliusparentiummeorumsum.NomenmihiestProfessorJohannesNordling.Quidestquodvidetisinbracchiomeo?Answ:inbracchiomeogerohorologium.HorologiumestAnglice“watch.”3

3 “Behold! In this image we see my family, which is the Nordling family. I ask a question of you: How many people do you see in my family? A: eight persons are in the Nordling family: one, two three, four, five, six, seven, eight.


Howmuchofthatcouldyoufollow?Myguessisthatyoucouldfollowquiteabit,

especiallyifyou’vehadtheprivilegeofstudyingLatinbefore.Butevenifnotmysenseis

thatyouunderstoodmoreaboutthisimagethanyourealize.Thatisbecausewewere

engagedinarealLatinconversation,andlanguageismorethanthesumofitsparts.

Activelyusingalanguagetransmitsmeaningtoanyonewithinearshot.

Perhapswearereadynowforabriefstorybasedonthefoundationthathasbeen

laid:

NarratioParvuladeFamiliaNordling

HodievidimusimaginemquaedemonstratfamiliamNordling.Octohominesinfamiliasunt,duoparentes,DonetCharlotte,etsexliberi:Johannes,Olaf,Kirsten,Sonja,Stephanie,etPhilip,inordinetemporis.OmneshabitavimusincivitateOregon,inoppidoLakeOswego,quodpropePortlandest.Hocinlocohabitabamusmultosannos.Omnesliberiadultifactisumus.Egoprofessortheolgicussum.HabitoOppidoWayniensicumfeminameaquaenominaturSara.MeusfraterOlafestmedicus.

HabitatincivitateCalifornia.Eisuntfeminaettresfiliae.Paucisdiebushoshominesrursumvidebo.OmnesurbemSpokaneiterfaciemusutparentiummeorumdiemanniversariummaritalemconcelebremus.Finis.4

“I ask another question of you: which person is my father? A: Behold! This man is my father. His name is Don Gilbert Nordling. In the image we see him about XLV (45) years old. He married my mother. The name of my mother is Charlotte. She is about XLIII (43) years old. In this image we see my parents, Don and Charlotte Nordling. “I ask a last question of you: what are my brothers and sisters’ names? A: my brothers and sisters’ names are Olaf, Kirsten, Sonja, Stephanie, and Philip. I am the eldest son of my parents. My name is Professor John Nordling. What is that which you see on my arm? A: on my arm I am wearing a Horologium. Horologium is in English ‘watch.’” 4 A Brief Story about the Nordling Family “Today we have seen an image which shows the Nordling family. There are eight people in the family, two parents, Don and Charlotte, and six children: John, Olaf, Kirsten, Sonja, Stephanie, and Philip, in the order of time. We all lived in the state of Oregon, in the town Lake Oswego, which is in the vicinity of Portland. In this place we used to dwell for many years. All of us children have become adults. I am a theological professor. I dwell in Fort Wayne with my wife who is named Sara. My brother Olaf is a doctor. He dwells in the state of California. He has a


III. ASpecialBonus

2017marksthe500thanniversaryoftheReformation,andinpreparationforthat

greatoccasion,theRev.DanielHarmelinkhaspreparedasplendidnewbook,The

ReformationCoinandMedalCollectionofConcordiaHistoricalInstitute:AStrikingWitnessto

MartinLutherandtheReformation(St.Louis,MO:Concordia,2016).Thebookcontains

facsimilesandlegendsof834coinsandmedallionswhichrangeindatefrom1521to2015.

SomeoftheimagesinthebookareavailablebytrackingdownRev.Harmelink’scontact

informationinTheLutheranAnnualandmakingarequestofhimfortheimages.Quitea

fewofthesecoinsandmedallions

haveimagesandLatinwritingonthem—whichcouldbeagreatboonforchildrenlearning

Latin,orindeed,forhomeschoolers.Fornotonlydothesesplendidimagesreinforcethe

wife and three daughters. Within a few days I will see these people again. We will all travel to Spokane in order to celebrate my parents’ wedding anniversary. The End.”


Latinlearned,buttheyalsoconveythetruthsoftheReformation,fromoneagetoanother.

ItseemstomethatseveralofthesecoinslendthemselvestospokenLatinandcanbeused

toconsolidateone’sgraspofthelanguage.Plus,theyarebeautifulandjustthetypeofthing

childrenmightenjoyplayingwithanyway.

Letmeillustrate.ButbeforeIdo,allowmetosharesomevocabulaLatinathatwill

makepossibleyourappreciationofthemedallioninthespokenlanguage:

nummus–i,m.,coin,cf.Engl.“numismatics,”“numismatist”o nummussplendidissimus,amostspectacularcoin

turris–is,f.(cf.τύρσις,‐ιος,f.),tower magnusignisflagratinsummaturri,agreatfireblazesatthetopofthetower insinistra/dextraparteimaginis,intheleft/rightpartoftheimage… videmusurbemincolle,weseeacityonahill videmusnaveminportu,weseeashipintheharbor …inscriptionemquampossumuslegere,…aninscriptionwhichwecanreadEcce!NummumsplendidissimumReformationisvidemus.

Inmedionummovidemusmagnamturreminquacruxest.Insummaturrimagnusignisflagratintenebris.InVerboDeiignisflagransexprimitlucemevangelii,exempligratia,“inlucetuavidemuslucem”(Ps36:9).Insinistrapartenummividemusurbemincolle.Indextrapartenummividemusnaveminportu.Inextremapartenummividemusinscriptionemquampossumuslegere:NOMENDOMINIESTTURRIS


FORTISSIMA,quaetranslataAnglicesignificat“thenameoftheLordisaverymightytower.”5WhyuseLatinintheclassroom,andwhatcanbeaccomplishedbyspeakingitto

others?ByspeakingLatinwedemonstratetoothers—perhapstoourselvesmostofall—

thatLatinisanactuallanguagethatconveysalotofinformationtoothersstilltoday:

linguistic,theological,historical,andnumismatic.AyoungmindretainsLatinvocables

morereadilythanadultmindscan,andsochildrenlongtohearit,singit,speakit,andplay

withitjustforfun.Isithardworktocomeupwithsuchscriptedtalksinhopesofplacing

Latinatthelevelofourstudents—sothattheycanlearnitbetterandrejoiceinit?Yes,

goingtheextramilerequiresmuchhardworkandpractice.ButthemoreweuseLatinthe

easieritbecomes:LinguaLatinaquosaepius,eofaciliusutimur.IbelieveLatinasasubject

isworthyofsuchdiligence,andthosewhocommittoitaremanifestlyblessed.Our

students,too,aregreatlyblessedwhenLatinispresentedtotheminthemannerwhereby

itwasoriginallymeanttobetaughtandcommunicatedtoothers.Latincaninfactbeused

effectivelyintheclassroom,anditsrewardfaroutweighsanyburdensincurred.

CLEJ

Rev. Dr. John Nordling serves as Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary. With two earned degrees in Classics (M.A., Washington University in St.

Louis, 1985; and Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, 1991), he developed “Lutheranism & the Classics,” an every-other-year conference wherein pastors, classicists and educators

consider how the classical languages have influenced Lutheranism in the past, and how Greek and Latin are poised to enrich church, academy and culture in the future.

5 “Behold. We see a most splendid coin of the Reformation. In the middle of the coin we see a great tower upon which there is a cross. On the top of the tower a great fire is blazing in the darkness. In the Word of God a blazing fire represents the light of the Gospel, for example, ‘in Thy light we see light’ (Psalm 36:9). In the left part of the coin we see a city on a hill. In the right part of the coin we see a ship in a harbor. At the outer part of the coin we see an inscription which we can read: NOMEN DOMINI EST TURRIS FORTISSIMA, which, translated into English, means, ‘the name of the Lord is a very mighty tower’.”


TheGospelandGoodness:LettingtheGospelPredominateinourClassroomsbyRev.AlexanderRing

Lutherhadhismomentstudying

Romans1:17,IhadminestudyingStLuke2:41‐52.Formysophomorecollegeclass,FoundationsofChristianEducation,aseminaryprofessorwasbroughtintoteach.Iwaspre‐sem,soIhadaleguponallthosemereeducationmajors.Idutifullypreparedmylesson,neatlytypedandorganized.NeverwasIsowell‐preparedtohandinahomeworkassignment.

Ashebegantodiscussourhomework,Iwasdelightedwhenmyhomeworkwashisfirstexample.HepointedouthowIhadidentifiedthe3rdand4thCommandmentsinthestory,andthenhesummedupbysaying“Thisanexcellentexampleofatraditionalapproachtothisstory.ThislessonhasnoGospel.”Intheend,hecontinued,“Thisisreallyanexampleofhownottoteachthisstory.”

TheprofessorsalvedmyfeelingsabitbypointingoutthatnoneofthepapershadanyGospelinthem.WehadallpresentedthestoryoftheBoyJesusintheTempleasamoralitylesson.Jesuswenttochurchasachild,soshouldyou.JesuslovedtohearGod’sWord,soshouldyou.

1 Thesis XXV of Walther’s Law and Gospel.

JesusobeyedHisparents,soshouldyou.Whenweonlyteachinthismanner,weareonlyteachingtheLaw,andweneedtodomore.Namely,ourtaskistobringoutthemessageoftheGospelinthesestoriesandmakesureitistheprimarymessageheardbyourstudents.

ThismomenthelpedcrystalizemythinkingontheimportanceoftheGospelinteachingandpreaching.ContrarytoeveryotherChristiandenomination–andeveryothermajorreligionaswell–Lutheransdonotdefinegoodnessbybehavior,butbyJesus.WhentheEvangelicalschoolintownsaystheywanttheirstudentsto“begood,”whattheymeanistheywantthemtobehavewell.Wewantourstudentstobehavealso,butwealsounderstandthattheLawhasnopowertoeffecttruegoodness.OnlytheGospelcandothat,whichiswhy,asC.F.W.Walthersays,wearenotdoingourjobasLutheranteacherswhentheGospeldoesnot“haveageneralpredominancein[our]teaching”.1

HowDoestheGospelPredominateintheClassroom?

InYourDevotions

MostChristianclassroomsbeginthedaywithadevotionofsomesort.Thenatureofthedevotionvaries,butwhatshouldnotvaryisthemessageofJesus’forgivenessastheprimarymessageofthedevotion.ThisrequiresvigilanceonthepartoftheteacherbecausethedefaultmodeforteacherstendstobeMakeThe


ChildrenBehave.ThetemptationisoftengreattousethedevotionasanotherMakeThemBehavetool,asifweaddressspecificsinsamongthestudentsby“fixing”themwithadevotiononthosesins.Whileitisnotalwayswrongtousedevotionaltimetoaddressaparticularsinstudentsarestrugglingwith,ateachershouldrealizethateverytimetheydothistheyareindangerofdepartingfromtheprimarypurposeoftheirdevotion.Devotionaltimeisnotforlecturingchildrenonhowtobehave,buttotellthemwhatJesushasdoneforthem,howHeisgoodforthemandforgivesthemtheirsin.

Justasyouplanyourcurriculumfortheyear,alsogivesomethoughttothedevotionsyouwilluse.Examinedevotionalmaterialthewayyouwouldexamineanyothercurriculum.WatchformaterialthatisheavyonmoralizationorneverexpoundstheGospelclearly.2EspeciallybewareanythingthatmakesJesusintoanewMoses,ateacherwhogivesusnewrulestoliveby.Thesinyouseeeverydayinyourstudentsremindsyouthatthosestudentsarerealsinners,andasrealsinners,theyneedarealSavior.

InYourDiscipline

Oneofmyseminaryprofessorstoldusthatweshouldnotbesurprisedwhenwediscovertherearesinnersinour

2 I was warned in seminary about “fuzzy Gospel”; a proclamation where some of the elements were there but it was either incomplete or unclear if it was meant for me. Phrases like “We all know what

congregations.Thesamecouldbesaidtoteachers.Weshouldnotbesurprisedtodiscovertherearesinnersinourclassrooms,orthatsimplytellingstudentstobehaveisnoteffective.“It’slikethey’veforgottenthe4thCommandment,”oneteachercommented,asifsurprised.

BeforeItalkaboutclassroommanagementinthesesituations,Iusuallybeginbyaskingiftheycoveredthetopicoforiginalsinintheirtraining.Becausetheproblemisusuallynotforgetfulness;itisRomans7:19:“IdonotdothegoodIwant,buttheevilIdonotwantiswhatIkeepondoing.”.Thereisanoddcomfortinthisverseforteachers.Studentsaresuccumbingtoafamiliarcondition:struggleswiththeirsinfulnature.Moreoftenthanthey(andwe)wouldlike,theylosethatstruggle.WeneedtotreatthemasstrugglingChristians.

SohowdoyouhelpstrugglingChristians?

YoubeginwiththepremisethatyourbaptizedstudentsareChristians,andthustheywanttodorightbeforetheLord.Unlessyouhaveclearevidencetothecontrary,assumetheirsinisaresultofthemlosingthestruggleofRomans7:19.

Youaddressspecificsin.Oneofthe

mostfrequentsuggestionsImaketo

Jesus did”, or “We have comfort because of the work of Jesus”, or even “Jesus died on the cross” are meaningless by themselves since they doesn’t tell me what this means for me; they don’t apply the Gospel.


teachersaboutclassroommanagementis“Givespecificinstructions.”Itisnotenoughtotellstudents“Begood”;youneedtotellthempreciselywhatyouwantthemtodo.Forourpurposesthisalsomeansthatindiscipliningastudentyouneedtobespecificwiththemwhatsin(s)theycommitted.NotonlydoesthishelpfocusthepreachingoftheLaw,butittellsthestudentwhatbehaviorneedstobecorrectedtodobetterinthefuture.Mostimportantly,ithelpsfocusthenextpoint.

Youabsolvethemwhentheyare

penitent.Mostschools,evenmostChristianschoolsseedisciplineasabalancingofthescales.Nowcertainlytherearemanytimeswhenastudentwillhavetobearaconsequencefortheiraction.Itisevengoodclassroommanagement.ButasLutheransweknowthatthiscancurbbehavior,butitcanneverchangehearts.Andthusitshouldneverbeourlastword.Absolution,theGospel,shouldbethelastword.Whenastudentrecognizeshissinandapologizes,heshouldbetoldheisforgiven,andthatJesushaspaidthepriceofhissin.

3 I’ve gotten more than a few consternated looks when I tell teachers not to worry too much about how sincere an apology sounds, whether the child is apologizing to you or to another child. But we should keep in mind that just like learning secular things, the early efforts of students learning of spiritual things is going to be imperfect, and we want to be careful in what we correct. The goal is to teach how Christians deal with sin. We don’t deal with it through revenge, or hiding it, or rationalizing it. We

Thislastpartissoimportantthatitbearsexpansion.Again,ourdefaultsettingasteachersisMakeTheChildrenBehave.Weknowweshouldimpartconsequences.Wealsoknowweshouldsay“Iforgiveyou,”butbyitselfthatoftendoesn’tseemeffective,soitiseasytosuccumbtothetemptationtofollowupthewords“Iforgiveyou”withalecture.Weseemtowanttomakesuretheyrealizetheimmensityoftheirsinandknowjusthowbadtheiractionsreallywere.Wedoneedtobeclearwithstudentsonhowtheyhavesinned,andconsequencesfollow;however,“Iforgiveyou”shouldnotbefollowedwith,“Areyousure?BecausefromwhatI’veseen….”

Theremaybetimeswhenyouwonderhowsincereastudentwasintheirapology.3Butasyoudisciplinestudents,especiallyone‐on‐one,bearinmindthewordsoftheSmallCatechism:

WhatisConfession?

Confessionconsistsoftwoparts:Onethatweconfessoursins,theotherthatwereceiveabsolutionorforgivenessfromthepastororconfessorasfromGodHimself,andinnoway

deal with it through confession and absolution, because that puts our sin with Jesus on the cross where sin is truly and forever dealt with. Then when you factor in the various personalities of children and developmental stages, and determining sincerity really becomes an impossible task. So take a note from pastoral theology courses: As a rule, treat every confession as genuine and let the Holy Spirit teach sincerity.


doubtbutfirmlybelievethatoursinsaretherebyforgivenbeforeGodinheaven.

ThatsectiononConfessionintheSmallCatechismisoneofthegemsofLutheranism,andoneofthebestwaystolettheGospelpredominateinourclassrooms,becauseitencapsulatestheanswertosin.Wedonotwantouractionstoteachathirdpart,thatapersonisnotreallyforgivenuntiltheyhaveaddedtheirsincerity,theiractofpenance,orsomeothersatisfactiontoGod.Soworkhardatmakingthewordofforgivenessyourlastwordinadisciplinesituation.Clarifythesin,giveconsequencesandgooverstrategiestodobetternexttimefirst,andthenendwithanapologyandforgiveness.Childrenspendsomuchtimehearingabouttheirbehaviorandbeingtoldhowtodobetter,andconsciouslyorunconsciouslyworkingtoearntheattentionandloveoftheirparentsandteachersthatitisveryimportanttheyarehearingthemessagethattheydonotneedtoearntheloveofJesus,thatHelovesthemevenintheirimperfection,evenintheirsin.

InYourDemeanor

OneofmyfavoriteBiblestoriestoteachisfromNumbers20.ThepeoplecomplaintoMosesaboutalackofwater,andGodtellsMosestospeaktotherockanditwillgivewater.Moses,inhisfrustration,yellsatthepeople,then

strikestherocktwice,probablyforemphasis.Therockgiveswater,butthenGodtellsMosesthatbecauseofhisactionshewillnotbeallowedtoenterthePromisedLand.

Iliketeachingthatstoryforanumberofreasons,oneofwhichisthatitprovidesgreatthinkingquestionsforthem:WasitunfairtopunishMoseslikethat?Afterall,whathadhereallydonewrong?Notfolloweddirections?Losthistemper?Aftersomedialogue,welookatthetext.Godsays,“becauseyoudidnot…upholdMeasholyintheeyesofthepeople”(Numbers20:12).WediscoverthatMoses’sinisthathemisrepresentsGodtoHispeople.TakenwiththewholecounselofScripture,weseethat,intheend,GodwantstoberepresentedprimarilyastheOnewhoshowsmercy.Wemustdothiswithourstudentseachday.

ForatleastsixhourseachdaywerepresentJesustoourstudents,andwewantourconducttoreflectthecomfortinghopeoftheGospel.Thusasmuchasitmightbestressedinseculartraining,itisevenmoreimportantforusasLutheranteacherstobeawareofourdemeanorwithstudents.Wecandothiswithgooddisciplinealongwithourteaching.Considertheseguidelines:

PlanforStrongClassroomManagement.AsLutherans,weofallpeopleshouldunderstandthatthedoctrineoforiginalsinmeansthatwalkingintoaclassroomofchildrenmeanswalkingintoaclassroomofsinners.Postingrulesonthewalland


givinganoverviewofclassroomrulesorproceduresatthebeginningoftheyearisnotsufficientpreparationforthiscircumstance.Youneedtoplanlessons,planroutines,andplanformisbehavior.Goodclassroommanagementisthecommondenominatorincalmclassrooms.Whenyouarecalm,yourteachingismoreeffective,yourstudentsarehappier,andyourinteractionwithstudentsisbetter.BookssuchasTeachLikeaChampion4canhelp.Findonethatsuitsfityourpersonalityandstyle,andbeginputtingitintopractice.TheteacherwhoattemptstomanagestudentsbyyellingisprobablymakingthemistakeofMoses.

BeVeryCarefulWithSarcasmand

Teasing.Theoldadvicegiventonewteacherswas“Don’tsmileuntilafterChristmas.”Myadviceis“Don’tusesarcasmorteasinguntilafterChristmas.”Sarcasmandteasingaredeeplyreliantonyourrelationshipwiththerecipientandwiththeirunderstandingoflanguage,humor,andintent.Sarcasmistrickyenoughwithadults.Attemptingitinaroomofstudentswhohaveonlyknownyouafewweeksandarestilllearningtheclassroomlanguagecancreateaminefield.Beforeyouventureintosarcasmorteasingyourstudents,youneedtoestablishagoodrelationship

4 Doug Lemov. Teach Like a Champion 2.0 Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass, 2015.

withthem.Theyneedtoknowyoulovethem,thatyouareontheirside,andthatyouareunlikelytobemeantothem.Eventhen,useitsparingly,onlywhenitisobvioustoallthateveryoneisinonthejokeandwearealllaughingtogether.Theyoungerstudentsare,thelesssarcasmandteasingyoushoulduse.

AdmitMistakesandApologize.The

doctrineoforiginalsinshouldmakeusawarethatwearesinnerstoo.Wearenotonlygoingtomakemistakesintheclassroom,butattimeswewillevensinagainstourstudents.Whenthishappens,apologizesincerely.Askforgiveness.IfyoulostthestruggleofRomans7:19,thennowisyouropportunitytomodelthewayaChristiandealswiththatloss.Receiveforgiveness.

AfewyearsagowhenBethanyLutheranCollege’seducationprofessorDr.PollyBrownetookasabbatical,shevisiteddozensofschoolsacrosstheUnitedStates,religiousandsecular,privateandpublic.ShesharedthatoneofhermostdisturbingfindingscameinvisitingChristianschools.WhileschoolleadersproclaimedtheirultimategoalasteachingstudentsthatJesusastheSaviorfromsin,theschools’classroomsandhallwayspostedBibleversesandslogansdepictingLaw.Postersandbulletinboardshighlightedbehavior,notChrist,


andmottosequatedtheChristianfaithwithlittlemorethanGoodBehavior,eveninmissionstatementsattimes.Sadly,thiswastrueeveninLCMS,WELSandELSschoolsshevisited.

Onequestionprospectiveparentsaskwhenvisitingaschoolisthis,“Whatmakesyourschooldifferent?”,whichisoftenamorepolitewayofasking,“WhyshouldIsendmychildtoyourschool?”Theclassicaleducationanswerisagoodanswer,butanincompleteanswerbecauseourchildrenarenotonlyintellectual,butspiritualbeings.Nomatterhowthoroughorwell‐receivedtheireducationitcannevermakethemtrulygood.Forthat,theyneedtheGospel.TheyneedJesus.

And that is what makes us different,becausewehavetheGospel,untaintedandunmingled.We send students out of our

doors who are truly good because theyhavebeenmadegoodbytheOnewhowasgoodforthem,whodiedfortheirsins,andwho covered them in His righteousness.Thisisthegoodnessthatwillsanctifytheirlives as citizens in their communities,churches and ultimately, citizens ofheaven.LetusbecertainthatthisGospelismanifestinourdevotions,ourdiscipline,and our demeanor for true and lastinggoodforourstudents.

CLEJ

Rev. Alexander Ring is a graduate of Bethany Lutheran Seminary in Mankato

MN. He currently serves as Academic Dean and an Assistant Pastor at Parkland Ev.

Lutheran Church & School in Parkland, WA.


TackingtoGlorybyRev.Dr.StevenHein

HowmightChristianswhoembrace

Luther’sTheologyoftheCrossdepicttheprogressoftheChristiantranslatingfromCrosstoGlory?Whathelpfulmetaphorsmightbeemployedinteachingourchildrenandadultsthatwouldillustratethenatureofthejourney,themeansoftransportation,andwhatitmeanstomakeprogress?ThepeopleofGodintheChurchMilitanthaveoftenbeendepictedastravelersinthisworldontheirwaytoGlory.AugustinedescribedChristiansascitizensoftheKingdomofGod;sojournersjustpassingthroughthelandsofthisworldtotheirHeavenlyHome.Othershaveemployedthemetaphorofcrossingwatertotheothersideofariver,orinthecaseofthepoetryofHenryWadsworthLongfellow,onavoyagetravelingtoadistantshore.In“TheCelestialPilot”fromVoicesoftheNight(1839),LongfellowpresentedDante’spictureofthewingsofanAngeloftheLordpilotingthebelieverstraightawaytothedistantshoreofHeavenlybliss.

Inmyrecentwork,ChristianLife:CrossorGlory?IobservedthatthebaptismallifeoftheChristianinvolvesalifelongjourneytoGlorythattakesplaceentirelyinthecrossofChrist.YoucannotfudgeGloryinthislife.YougetthereonlyontheBetterDaythatiscomingandnotonedaybefore.Thecrossisnotsimplytheendofthejourneyinourquestforrighteousness‐notsimplythedestinationofahappyoutcomeoflifewithGodforusdeadsinners;itisalsothemeansbywhichthejourneyismade,andtheexperienceofthejourneyitself.(15)Inotherwords,paradoxically,theonlywayyougettoGloryistobeonajourneythatneverleavesthecross

ofChrist.And,sincethisjourneyinallitsphasesisshapedbyyourBaptism;imageryinvolvingwater–works!

InthewatersofBaptism,weunitewithChristthecrucified,dyingtosinandemergingforthwithaNewLifelivedinHisrighteousness.However,ChristianBaptismisnotaone‐and‐done,we‐move‐on‐from‐heredeal.ThecrosslifeoftheChristianinvolvesapresent‐tenseofBaptismthatcontinuallyshapesthelifeoffaith.DyingtosinandrisinginChristisintendedtobeadailyregimenthatproducesthedeathoftheoldsinfulselfandtherenewaloftheNewCreation.Forthisreason,Lutherobservedthatprogresstowardgloryinvolvesawateryjourneyinthecrossthatalwaysinvolvesstartingoveragain.TheChristian’sbaptismallifeofdyingandrising,repentanceandfaitharetobedailyaccomplishedbythekillingoftheLawandtherisinguntonewnessoflifebytheGospel.

Withthisunderstanding,wemightimagineourbaptismaljourneytoGloryassomethingliketakingavoyagetoadistantshoreinasailboat.WewouldbethepassengersonasailingvesselboundforGloryandpilotedbyourLordJesus.ThecourseHetakes,however,canbeverypuzzlingtomanywhoarenotfamiliarwithDivinesailing.FromvisionsofthedistantshoreofGlorysuppliedbytheScriptures,itcouldbesaidthatfromthedeckoftheboat,youcanseeitfromhere.However,whatmayappearconfusingtosomeisthatthebowoftheboatneverseemstobeheadingtowardourintendeddestination.WeseeGlorystraightahead,butJesusisintentjusttosailbackandforthtotheleftandthentotheright,asifHewerealways


changinghismindaboutwhereHewantsustogo.Insailinglingo,Heinsistsontackingbackandforthfromtheportsideofglorytothestarboard.Tackingorcomingaboutisasailingmaneuverbywhichasailingvessel(whichissailingapproximatelyintothewind)turnsitsbowintothewindthroughtheno‐gozonesothatthedirectionfromwhichthewindblowschangesfromonesidetotheother.Tosaildirectlyintothewindistoinvitegettingcapsized‐deadinthewater.Forthisreason,Jesusbeingasavvysailorneveraimsthebowoftheboatstraight‐awayatthedistantshore.ForsomeoftheignorantChristiansonboard,thisisconfusingandtheydoubtthatthiskindofnavigationismakinganyprogressatall.

Extendingthisimagery,wecanenvisiontheLordsailingusthroughthewatersofourBaptismtackingbackandforth,sendingustotheLawandthentheGospel.Hesailsusfirstintofull‐strengthLaw,crucifyingusandproducingarepentantdeathtosin.Butthentackingbacktheotherway,weareraisedupagainuntonewlifeinChristandHisrighteousnessbyfull‐strengthGospel.Porttostarboard,repentancetofaith,dyingandrising,backandforth,alwaysstartingoveragain–JesusourpilotsailsusinthewatersofourBaptismtackingtoGlory.

Thevoyage,however,isnotwithoutitsdangers.TheDevilisastowawayandheiscontinuallyseekingtopersuadewhomeverhecantomutiny.OnedevastatingapproachhasbeentoenticeChristianstoleavethewatersoftheirbaptismbehindandtraveloverlandtowardtheblissofGlorywiththepromisethatyoucangetbitsofblissasyougoifyoutaketherightroute.However,ifyouinsistonsailing,theDeviltriestoconvinceyouthattackingbackandforthwillnevergetanyone

toGlory.WhensailingintothedarkwatersoftheLaw,hewouldhavesensitiveChristiansrefusetotacksotheymightcrashontherocksoftheIslandofDespair.Or,whensailingintotherefreshingwatersoftheGospel,theDevillovestoenticeespeciallyLutheransnottotackbacktotheLaw–let’snotgetnegative!Justkeepsailingonwarduntiltheyaredeadinthewater,caughtinthedoldrumsofcomplacencyandingratitude.Eitherway,Glorybecomesjustastoryandnooneevergetsthere.

SolettheGlorystoryandourvisionofthatdistantshorerenewourconfidencethatweareoncourse;andwiththeLordatthehelm,we’regonnagetthere!ThisheavenlyPortO’CallweshallsurelymakesolongaswetrustinourBaptismwhereourLordiscontinuallytackingusbackandforthfromtheLawtotheGospel.Itissinandgrace,repentanceandfaith,dyingandrising,anddéjàvualloveragain.Hereintheeverpresent‐tenseofourBaptism,ourlifeinChrististrulymakingprogress,asourPilotknowsjusthowtosailuswhereweneedtogo,tackingtoglory.

CLEJ

Dr. Steven Hein is the author of The Christian Life: Cross or Glory? (NRP Books,

2015). As Director of Concordia Institute for Christian Studies, Dr. Hein has offered

educational services to Lutheran congregations and church gatherings across

the country. He currently serves as associate pastor at Shepherd of the Springs Lutheran

Church, contributing editor of Logia: A Journal of Lutheran Theology, and for over

two decades as a professor of Theology at Concordia University, River Forest.


Classical Lutheran Education Journal - CCLE · Classical Lutheran Education Journal, Volume X, 2016 Page 3 As an important side note, we wish to thank Dr. Nordling for his faithful

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