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Institute for the Study of Christian Origins

E-mail newsletter—1st Quarter, 2006

www.institut-urchristentum.org

Dear Friends:
February 4 was the 100th birthday of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  This month the world remembers the life and faith of this remarkable man:   pastor, educator, and theologian.  On December 19, 1944, less than four months before he was executed by the Nazis in the closing days of the war, from his prison cell Bonhoeffer wrote Christmas greetings to his fiancé and his family. That letter included the now famous text, "von guten Maechten" (“By Gracious Powers”).  Now set to over 50 tunes and used in church hymnbooks around the world, the verses still convey comfort and strength in the face of adversity.  An English translation of the title section reads, "By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered, and confidently waiting come what may, we know that God is with us night and morning, and never fails to greet us each new day." (for full text, see below)*

Since he studied for a while in Tuebingen, the University is the site of a memorial for Bonhoeffer and several of his classmates who died at the hands of the Nazis.  Protestant churches across German had official observances on February 4.  A local Landeskirche congregation, named in Bonhoeffer’s honor, offered special services and programs marking the anniversary.  At the Institute this month we remembered Bonhoeffer, singing together as our table blessing the German text of “von guten Maechten” during the Colloquium gathering at our apartment (one of the two tunes in the Evangelisches Gesangbuch).  We also used the English translation at Vesper Service.  In the Theological German class this semester we again read through Bonhoeffer’s Nachfolge (“Cost of Discipleship”) as one of our texts.

Recent activities  

• Historically a fortnightly meeting, the Graduate Colloquium has in the last couple semesters been meeting every week, if possible.  This semester we started off a bit slow, but picked up some new participants after Christmas, with all five of the remaining sessions filled in January and February.  Since Christmas we have heard presentations on Pauline Christology, the church father Antonius, inclusivism at Qumran, the Kingdom (Reich) of God, and the German Reich, and a paper comparing passages in Romans to some in a 1st century Jewish apocalypse.  On February 4 we hosted at our apartment 13 Colloquium members (including a couple spouses), for supper.
• Theological German met again on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, with three American master’s students in the class.  The group was more advanced than some semesters, and we finished all of our assigned material plus some.  In January I drove the group to Stuttgart to visit the German Bible Society museum and book store, and a well-known theology used book store.
• Theological English started with seven members, though we had to say good-bye to a student who left at Christmas for an exchange program in South Africa.  Each participant took a turn providing readings and leading the discussion.  The international flavor of the group was reflected in the class presentations, which included such topics as “Eastern Orthodoxy,” “Christology in Germany and England,” “The Thomas Christians of India,” “The Book of Kells,” and “the Writings of C. S. Lewis.”
• Next semester I will teach an Uebung on 2 Peter and Jude within the New Testament department at the University.  An Uebung is an “exercise” which will include some in-class work on the text and translation of the letters, along with some seminar-style work on the critical issues. 

Along with the Colloquium and Theological German, Theological English is now a recognized course.  Together with the class on 2 Peter and Jude, these are all now listed as official courses in the new catalog.  The Institute has also been given two pages in the back of the catalog to detail the rest of our program.

• English Vesper Service   Our attendance has been small this semester, but remains enthusiastic.  We enjoyed a surprise visit by long-time friends of the Institute Art and Brigitte Thomas, who were in town and “popped in” for a Vesper Service.  They also recently donated a couple pieces of furniture for the Institute.

Of course further contributions toward replacement of the furniture are most welcome, especially to help us cover expenses for which we dipped into our line of credit at the bank.
Ministry Developments   

• Academic Internship:  The EES Board approved plans for an “academic internship,” aimed primarily at masters level students interested in pursuing graduate theological education.  The internship provides an avenue for students pursuing a call to the ministry of Christian scholarship to spend a time of focused learning at the Institute for the Study of Christian Origins under the direction of the Institute Director.  More information is available at the Institute website, www.institut-urchristentum.org   Application and information available through the EES office in Atlanta (see address below).
• Campus Ministry:  This July we will again host a group of students from Christian Missionary Fellowship/GlobalScope (here with EES Executive Director Wye Huxford).  The group, which sponsors campus ministries around the world, will be partnering with us in a new campus ministry effort here.  This summer they will spend some time and resources working on a new kitchen for us.
• Church Plant:  an oversight team has been appointed and charged to oversee the development of a strategy that will lead to a successful church plant in Tübingen.

More information on all these developments is available at www.eesatlanta.org   Please pray for these exciting new plans!
Financial Needs:  new opportunities create new financial needs.  The EES board has secured a loan to purchase the apartment we are living in.  They have rented this apartment since the building was new in the early 70s, and now the opportunity has arisen to buy it.  This is to our advantage in the long run, but in the short run creates some new financial burdens.  In addition, everything has gone up in cost here, most noticeably utilities, but everything else from bus fare to journal subscriptions for the library.  Please pray for the financial support of this work, and please prayerfully consider increasing your giving to the EES (information below).
Family News:   Since returning from the States in January, Cherie has been working on refinishing the used chairs we bought for the worship room and library.  She is also in the process of stripping the old Tapete (heavy wall paper) off walls and ceilings in the Institute building.  During the semester break she will texture the walls and ceiling in the worship room, and repaint.

While Cherie, Alisha, Marty and Pyper flew to Seattle for Christmas with Cherie’s family (and also visited my family in Oregon), Justin and I spent Christmas in Tuebingen, and then enjoyed a couple days in Dublin, Ireland.  Ryan Air cheap flights made it affordable.  Unfortunately, the Trinity College Library was closed (Book of Kells), but we did get to the Chester Beatty Library (Bible manuscripts), among several other things. 

Alisha and Marty are doing well managing their busy schedules.  Alisha is writing her Master’s thesis at Emmanuel School of Religion, in addition to taking regular classes, and is working several evenings in the library, with Pyper sometimes in tow.  Afternoons Marty continues to take care of Pyper in his office at the seminary.  Pyper—our genius granddaughter!--is now walking behind a push toy.  Pretty soon she will want her own car.
Justin  is enjoying the practicum with the Berlin Sinfonie Orchester, and he even has a little time to do some touring with other groups.  We got to hear him perform with BSO in Berlin in January, and then February 1 in Salzburg with Camerata Academica Salzburg, during “Mozart Week.”  Most recently he played a series of concerts with Mahler Chamber Orchestra in Turin, Italy.
love,

English translation: F. Pratt Green

Items for your prayer list:
·  New Colloquium and Vesper Service participants
·  Theological German; Theological English, 2nd Peter/Jude
·  plans for campus ministry and the church plant
·  Academic Internship
·  Increased financial support; rising costs, and the continuing exchange rate problem

visit the EES web site at www.eesatlanta.org

If you would like your name removed from this mailing list, please e-mail me at scott.caulley@oe.uni-tuebingen.de and put "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

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