08 December 2009

Baltic Bishops with Bishop Jobst Schoene

as they gathered to celebrate his golden jubilee of ordination. (Thanks, Dr. Stephenson!)

12 comments:

Mike Keith said...

I had the uncommon privilege of meeting Bishop Schoene at a convention a number of years ago as he brought greetings to Lutheran Church Canada. I was in the Ministry all of two years and was sitting beside an older man whom I had not met. I introduced myself to him and he told me he was Jobst Schoene and I alost fell over. I had just finished reading his "The Office of the Holy Ministry and the Priesthood of All Believers." We then had a wonderful evening of conversation (at least I thought so :-)). He was gracious and humble and thoroughly saturated in the Gospel. His words of wisdom and encouragement for a young pastor were marvelous. It is a conversation I greatly treasure to this day.

Pastor Peters said...

I had a similar surprise meeting with the man...this one through our common association with my old friend and long time mentor Charles Evanson...

Doorman-Priest said...

Where are the women?

William Weedon said...

Doorman,

These Churches, in fellowship with Missouri, do not practice the ordination of women.

Anonymous said...

I had the immense pleasure of attending St. Mariengemeinde church in Berlin, where Bishop Schoene is the pastor emeritus, during my last semester of school. (It was a study abroad in Berlin.) He is truly a faithful and admirable servant of the Lord!

Bryce P Wandrey said...

William,
That isn't completely true is it?

William Weedon said...

Yes, it is completely true as far as I know, Bryce. Certainly the Latvians DID ordain women; but Archbishop Vanags halted all such ordinations upon his election and consecration.

Bryce P Wandrey said...

What happened to those ordained women?

William Weedon said...

I believe that the Archbishop has let them continue to serve; but I'm not sure in what capacity. He felt that the Church owed them a living since they had sought the priesthood in good faith. Dr. Tighe had an interview with the Archbishop some time ago in Touchstone, I think, in which this was discussed.

Bryce P Wandrey said...

I probably shouldn't have said anything in the first place. But thanks for the response.

Carl Vehse said...

According to an August 3, 1994, NY Times article, "A Latvian Bars Ordaining Women", only 9 women were ordained after the Synod in Latvia voted to ordain women, but before Archbishop Janis Vanags took office in 1993, after which no women have been ordained.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Latvia website, states that in 2007 the ELCL had 136 ordained pastors and around 70 evangelists.

Doorman-Priest said...

Belatedly returns to conversation:

My Bishop is a Latvian woman.