Gary Simpson | Luther Seminary Faculty Web Page

Courses

CL8950	Trinity and Mission	Fall 2009
IC2620	Lutheran Confessional Writings with Dirk Lange	Fall 2009
IC2643	The Gospel and Global Media with Mary Hess	Fall 2009
ST3421	Ethics II: The Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer	Spring 2009
IC2630	Confessing Christ with David Fredrickson	Spring 2007
CL7512	Pastoral Identity, Leadership, Spiritual Life	Fall 2007
ST3433	Ethics II: Ethics of Martin Luther King, Jr Nonviolent Direct Action (ppt)	Fall 2007
CL7511	Integration of Theology and Ministry	Sum 2007
IC1615	Reading the Audiences	Fall 2004
ST1410	Overview of Christian Teaching	Fall 2005
ST2420 F6	Ethics I: Introduction to Ethics	Fall 2005
ST3431 F6	Ethics II: Christian Ethics and	Fall 2004

CML
CL7531	Theological Foundations for Congregational Vitalization - Pt 1 with Mary Sue Dreier	Apr-Sept 2009

Publications

Books

	War, Peace, and God: Rethinking the Just War Tradition. Augsburg Fortress Press. 2007 What do people mean by a "just war"? What are the moral criteria for justifiably going to war and fighting in war? Can Lutheran congregations be peace churches and be within the JWT? These are the important questions explored and addressed in this timely book. Includes additional resources and questions for reflection and discussion. Excerpt: Chapter 7: Four Global Challenges
	The Missional Church in Context: Helping Congregations Develop Contextual Ministry (Missional Church Network) edited by Craig Van Gelder. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (November 15, 2007) ISBN-10: 0802845673 Excerpt: "A Reformation is a Terrible Thing to Waste: Promising Theology for an Emerging Missional Church,"
	Living Out Our Callings in the Community This volume contains edited transcripts of the plenary addresses for the 2006 Mid-Winter Convocation, Living Out Our Callings in the Community. Contents include: -God in Civil Society: Prophetic, Sapiential, and Pacific by Gary Simpson -Church as Public Companion: Entering God's Pacific Mandate by Gary Simpson -"And you didn't say no": Living Our Faith in Community by Diane Kaufmann -Reflections on a Pastoral Journey: From the Inner City to the "None Zone" by Raymond Bakke -Going Glocal: Theology and Ministry in a "Flat-Earth" World by Raymond Bakke
	Critical Social Theory: Prophetic Reasoning, Civil Society and Christian Imagination. Fortress Press. 2002 Critical theory explained and espoused Simpson ably introduces critical social theory, the German-born intellectual movement that has spawned sharp criticisms of modernity, its use of reason, and our highly technological, bureaucratic culture. Part 1 recounts the emergence of critical social theory within the Frankfurt School of Social Research and the theological stirrings that the Frankfurt project sparked, especially in Paul Tillich. Part 2 explores Jürgen Habermas' reconception and expansion of critical social theory, especially his ideas about hermeneutics, praxis, communicative action, and civil society as the locus of prophetic social movements. Finally, in Part 3 Simpson shows how Christian theology employs critical social theory for the tasks of prophetic reason in a global civil society. Excerpt

Essays & Articles

“Being Neighbor in the Coming Pandemic Crisis: Thinking with Luther in the 21st Century.” Caring Connections: An Inter-Lutheran Journal for Practitioners and Teachers of Pastoral Care and Counseling 4.4.(2008)

“‘Changing the Face of the Enemy”: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Beloved Community.” Word & World. 28/1 (Winter 2008): 57-65.

“‘Africa is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof;’ Praise Be the Lord.” In “So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth’: Poverty and the Mission of the Church in Africa. Eds. Karen L. Bloomquist and Musa Panti Filibus. Geneva: The Lutheran World Federation. (2007)

“A Lutheran Social Policy Convoy.” Journal of Lutheran Ethics 6.11 (November, 2006). (http://www.elca.org/scriptlib/dcs/jle/search.asp).

“‘God is a God who bears’: Bonhoeffer for a Flat World.” Word & World 26 (Fall, 2006):419-428.

“Serving the Promise of Confidentiality: Reformation Theology for a Professional Ethic of Soul Care,” Caring Connections: An Inter-Lutheran Journal for Practitioners and Teachers of Pastoral Care and Counseling 3.2 (Summer, 2006): 10-12.

Speaking & Travel

“Christian Faith and Freedom in American Public Life.” Lakeside Theological Convocation. Lakeside, OH. 2007

“Lutheran World Relief—Your Passport to Global Citizenship.” Virtual University, Lutheran World Relief. 2007

“Seven Biblical Features for Leadership in a Shared-Power World.” Lutheran Services in America, Annual Assembly. Baltimore, MD. 2007

“Sex on Purpose and Promise.” Lutheran Ethicists Gathering, Society of Christian Ethics. Dallas, TX. 2007

Education/Curriculum Vitae:

A.A.	Concordia Junior College Ann Arbor Michigan	1970	Biographical Notes Photo (suitable for publication) Profile
B.A.	Concordia Senior College Fort Wayne, IN	1972
M.Div.	Christ Seminary-Seminex St. Louis, MO	1976
Th.D.	Christ Seminary-Seminex St. Louis, MO	1983

Resources

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Last updated: December 10, 2004.