Previous symposium essays are available in the WLS library’s Essay File under the name of the essayist and found below.
2024 Lutheran Worship Turns 500
Jacob Behnken
Reformation: Rediscovered Worship Principles and Practices That Call for Thanksgiving
Tyler Peil
Worship Developments after the Reformation That Call for Careful Appraisal
John Bortulin
Rededication: Embracing Our Lutheran Identity in Our Current Context
2023 The Two Kingdoms
Wade Johnston
Church and State Throughout the Centuries: Tales of Conflict and Confusion
2022 Compassion Ministry
Keith Wessel
See How They Love One Another! The Ministry of Compassion in Scripture and Early Christianity to 300 AD.
Glen Thompson
Chrisitan Compassion Through the Centuries
Ryan Kolander
Cultivating a Culture of Compassion: The Opportunity is Ours
2021 Pastoral Wellness
Mark Paustian
I Am Convinced: A Devotional Appropriation of Romans 8 to the Life of the Pastor
Jonathan Scharf
I Believe that I am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The Pastor Cares for His Body
Benjamin Kohls
Emotional Wellness: Holistic Care for God’s Workmanship
2020 Martin Luther’s 1520 Treatises
Jason Oakland
Luther’s Call to Action: A Consideration of To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation
James Danell
The Freedom of a Christian and Treatise on Good Works
Benjamin Schaefer
“Breaking Free”: Martin Luther’s Babylonian Captivity of the Church in Context
2019 Christian Apologetics
Michael Berg
An Introduction to and Defense of Apologetics
Luke Thompson
Disclosing the Hidden God: Confessional Lutheran Doctrine and Christian Apologetics
Justin Cloute
Apologetics in a Postmodern World
2018 The Pastor as Shepherd-Leader
David Scharf
St. Paul and Martin Luther: Paradigms of Shepherd-Leaders
Jonathan Schroeder
Shepherds Under the Cross
Jonathan Hein
The Shepherd-Leader at Work: Moving Forward (The Need for Careful Listening & Careful Reasoning)
2017 Reformation 500 (Martin Luther)
Kenneth Cherney Jr
Core Like a Rock: Luther’s Theological Center
Paul Wendland
Martin Luther–God’s Voice
Mark Zarling
Luther and the Saints: The Priesthood of All Believers – A True Treasure of the Lutheran Reformation
Mark Braun
Martin Luther and the State
2016 Hermeneutics
Steven Lange
The Value of Hermeneutics
Benjamin Tomczak
Hermeneutics and the Confessions
Daniel Waldschmidt
The Hermeneutics of the New Perspective on Paul
2015 Pastor as Teacher
Aaron Mueller
Jesus Taught The Way of Life — and So Do We
Daniel Habben
St. Augustine Taught the Catechumens and So Do We
Paul Prange
Luther Taught the Children—and So Do We
2014 Preaching
Michael Jensen
Christ, the Preacher: Tracing Our Preaching Roots to Jesus
Andrew Bauer
An Evaluation of Modern Evangelical Preaching
Phillip Sievert
A Paradigm for 21st Century Lutheran Preachers
2013 Pastor and His Seminary Training
Harland Goetzinger
The Pastor as Exegete
Michael Seifert
The Pastor as Dogmatician
Bart Brauer
The Pastor as Church Historian
2012 Brotherly Admonition
John Koelpin
Brotherly Admonition in the Congregation: God’s Seeking Grace
Earle Treptow
Brotherly Admonition in the Ministerium
James Huebner
Brotherly Admonition that Encourages Accountability
2011 Lutheran Schools
Mark Braun
What Our Fathers Taught Us about Lutheran Schools
Donald Patterson
What Practical Experience Teaches Us about Lutheran Schools
2010 Worship and Outreach
Aaron Christie
Worship and Outreach: An Observable Synergy – “The Gospel Goes to Work”
Adam Mueller
Worship & Outreach: The Evangelical Strategy
Jonathan Schroeder
Worship & Outreach: A Lutheran Paradigm
2009 Congregational Health
David Kolander
God’s Bible Men Assess Congregational Health
Thomas Kock
21st Century Pastors Address Congregational Health
Kenneth Fisher
Brothers in Ministry Arrange for Congregational Health
2008 The Church
Jonathan Hein
The Church and her Members
Thomas Nass
The Church and its Ministry
Charles Degner
The Church and its Ministers
2007 Christian Stewardship
David Valleskey
Laying the Foundation: The Scriptural Basis for Godly Giving
Ronald Muetzel
Facing the Challenges: Hindrances to Godly Giving
Forrest Bivens
Seizing the Opportunities: Ways to Encourage Godly Giving
2006 Christian Vocation
Steven Degner
Understanding Our Calling: The Doctrine of Christian Vocation in the Holy Scriptures
Kenneth Cherney
Uncovering Our Calling: Luther’s Reformation Re-emphasis on Christian Vocation
Mark Paustian
Unleashing Our Calling: Today’s Christians Find Fulfillment in Their Vocations
2005 Lutheran Confessions
Arnold Koelpin
The Book of Concord: Sources and Story
Paul Naumann
The Role of the Lutheran Confessions in Establishing the Teachings of the Church
Joel Otto
The Augustana and Lutheran Worship
2004 Pastoral Education
Paul Kelm
Priorities in Pastoral Education: 1929 and 2004
Joel Gerlach
Two Pastoral Educators: John Meyer & Carl Lawrenz
John Brenner
Commitment to Pastoral Education
2003 Holy Communion
Joel Fredrich
The Lord Jesus Institutes Holy Communion
Stephen Valleskey
Luther Celebrates Holy Communion
Jonathan Micheel
The Church Offers Holy Communion
2002 Holy Baptism
Mark Lenz
The Scriptures Establish the Purpose of Holy Baptism
Charles Cortright
Ego Te Baptizo: The Church’s Liturgy as Instrument of the Baptizing God
John Vieths
The Church Encounters Attacks on Holy Baptism
2001 Christian Freedom
John Braun
Christian Freedom: The Struggle to Remain Free
Curtis Jahn
Christian Freedom: Lessons from the History of the Church
Michael Schultz
The Scriptural Foundation for our Christian Freedom
2000 Forward in Christ at the Dawn of a New Millennium
Joel Prange
Forward in Christ at the Dawn of the First Millennium
Keith Wessel
Forward in Christ: At the Dawn of the Second Millennium
Paul Wendland
Forward in Christ at the Dawn of a New Millennium: Changing Contexts – Eternal Word