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A group will be gathering at 9:30 a.m. for no more than one hour on Monday mornings for the remainder of the spring term to support each other in our independent study of the German language. For more information reach out to ccarter001@luthersem.edu or kbaptiste001@luthersem.edu. All levels of German knowledge are welcome! Feel free to bring any learning tools/resources you find helpful.

In this devotion, David Haven ’86 M.Div., asks if you’re holding on to things that don’t need to be saved. Read today’s God Pause.

The Bible Division invites graduating M.Div. and M.A. students to submit papers for the Milton Prize in Old Testament and/or the Bruce Prize in New Testament. Prizes will be awarded at commencement to the students submitting the best papers in the areas of Old Testament and New Testament studies. The prizes include monetary awards. Papers written by graduating M.Div. or M.A. students during their seminary careers are eligible (both December 2025 and May 2026 graduates). These may be course papers, independent study projects, or papers written for this occasion. Papers should not exceed 6,000 words in length. Papers are due by email to Kathryn Schifferdecker, chair of the Bible Division, by Wednesday, April 15 (kschiffer@luthersem.edu). Learn more on these webpages about the criteria the Bible division uses to judge the papers: Milton Prize in Old Testament and Bruce Prize in New Testament. Winners of the Milton and Bruce prizes will be recognized at the commencement ceremony. (And did we mention there are monetary awards?) Talk with your Bible professors or Kathryn Schifferdecker for more information.

For an easy way to stay informed about upcoming events, check out the Luther Seminary Community calendar. The calendar shares information about any seminary event open to the entire Luther community, to all students, or to all faculty and/or staff. Examples include chapel, community meals, social events, and important dates like upcoming Residential Focus Sessions. You can add the calendar to your regular Google calendar view and submit events via the community announcements submission process. (Note this calendar is for informational purposes only and does not reserve a room for you—use Coursedog to reserve a space on campus. Contact communic@luthersem.edu with questions.

In this devotion, David Haven ’86 M.Div., considers the importance of breakthrough moments in our lives. Read today’s God Pause.

Bryant Kumlin, Ph.D. Candidate – Friday, April 10, 2026 | 1–3 p.m. Gullixson Hall 103
The oral examination is a public event open to faculty, students, and staff. Other than the candidate, only faculty members have speaking privileges. What is a Ph.D. oral defense? The oral defense is the final step for Ph.D. degree candidates before graduation. The student has finished all research and is presenting a thesis that is an original contribution to the field of scholarship. A copy of the completed thesis is available prior to the defense for those in the Luther Seminary community. Read “The Spirit of Love Speaks: The Personal and Communal Mysticism in the Inspired Testimonies of Barbara Heinemann and Christian Metz, 1817-1883” in this shared Google doc.