and Ann Arbor By the Office of the President, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod This report was publicly promised to the Synod. Since my visitation and delivery of a report to the Board of Regents, the Board of Regents has called Dr. Erik Ankerberg as the new president, and he is already addressing issues I raised in my report. I am very thankful the board of regents resumed the process outlined by our governing documents. I believe the future of Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor is bright.
Introduction On March 23–25 and April 1, 2022, consistent with the duties and responsibilities given my office by the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), which also govern Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor (CUWAA), I conducted an ecclesiastical visitation of the university. This is a summary of the report I sent to the CUWAA Board of Regents (BOR) and an update on progress made since that visitation. I announced my intention to conduct this visitation in a March 9, 2022, letter to CUWAA Interim President Dr. William Cario. I wrote, in part: I am taking this action because Concordia has been such a precious blessing to the LCMS, to her Gospel-defined mission, and to countless thousands. I am also acting because of a consistent and growing number of concerns addressed to me by lay and clergy members of the Synod, district presidents, regents, CUS representatives, faculty, and students of CUWAA. On October 13, 2021, I emailed the entire CUWAA Board of Regents that, because of bylaw violations in the search process and because of “persistent complaints from the campus about attitudes, actions and events which are not in harmony with the public teaching, doctrine and practice of the LCMS, if you act to terminate the [presidential] search process and do not proceed in clear accord with the Bylaws, I shall be forced to exercise my responsibility with respect to .” In that same email, I stated, “I shall form a task force to perform a visitation of the campus and speak to all concerned. And I shall report accordingly to the church, including the Synod in convention.” CUWAA has been established by the congregations of the Synod, and its Board of Regents and administration are responsible to them for its faithful operation. The congregations allow the school great freedom in accomplishing its mission, but that mission is defined “within the broad assignment of Synod” (). Concordia, as an “agency” of the Synod, has a sacred responsibility to operate in accord with the bounds of the confession of Synod (“the written Word of God as the only rule and norm of faith and practice,” and in accordance with the Symbolic al Booksof the Evangelical Lutheran Church), as expressed in Article II of our Constitution. The President of Synod “has the supervision regarding the doctrine and administration of … all such as are employed by the Synod” (Article XI B 1 b). “It is the President’s duty to see to it that all the aforementioned are acting according with the Synod’s Constitution, to admonish all who in any way depart from it, and, if such admonition is not heeded, to report such cases to the Synod” (Article XI B 2).
Composition and Methods of the Visitation
The visitation team: Rev. Dr. Jon Bruss, Board of Directors, Concordia University System Rev. Paul Dare, pastor, Zion Lutheran Church and School, Alexandria, Minn. Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Michelle Kaz mie rc zak, JD, Board of Regents, Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill.; Dr. Leo Mackay, Board of Regents, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Dr. Gerhard Mundinger Jr., chairman, Board of Directors, Concordia University System Rev. Dr. Paul Philp, director of institutional research and integrity, Concordia University System Rev. Dr. Dean Wenthe, president, Concordia University System Rev. Dr. John Wohlrabe Jr., second vice-president, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Over the course of the three days on the Mequon campus and one day on the Ann Arbor campus, we interviewed 113 individuals, attended chapel, and ate lunch in the campus dining halls. Interim President Cario was very accommodating of our requests, and his executive assistants are to be especially commended for their tireless work helping to schedule interviews; communicate with administrators, faculty, and staff; and assist the visitation team. The visitation team asked questions related to Lutheran identity, the mission of the university, the faculty’s use of a biblical worldview in their approach to controversial topics, concerns regarding the presidential search, campus life, and other related topics. At the end of many interviews, I asked how loved and supported students and faculty felt on campus. The visitation team did not argue with the interviewees and did not push back on answers given. The team asked clarifying questions when appropriate or necessary. Summaries from the interviews and related comments were included as an appendix to the report given to the BOR.
The Good
The team found much that was good and worthy of celebrating. Both campuses are beautiful, with stunning chapels at the heart of each. Both have vibrant student communities composed of a mixture of Lutherans, other Christians, and non-Christians. Both campuses have pastors on staff who seek to be attentive to the spiritual needs of the students. Many CUWAA students are preparing for careers in church work alongside students preparing for secular occupations where they can and are bringing the light of the Gospel to
their corners of the world. Despite the financial challenge of merging Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA), Ann Arbor, Mich., into Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Mequon, Wis., in 2013, the Ann Arbor campus is now achieving positive financial results. CUWAA is expanding its academic programs and seeking ways to grow and remain competitive amid the uncertainty facing higher education in the country. Many students told us how they had grown in their faith during their time at CUWAA. They praised the theology faculty for their compassionate engagement with their students and their fidelity to the truths of sacred Scripture and the distinctiveness of the Lutheran confession of the faith. In Ann Arbor, we heard of 90 students baptized since the merger of CUAA and CUW. We also heard good reports about many professors in the science departments, which include faithful LCMS men and women, who teach according to the biblical understanding of creation and the fall. We consistently heard of the professors’ dedication to their students. There are many good faculty members, diligent administrators, and hardworking staff who could probably make more money in other universities or in the secular marketplace but who choose to work long hours, teach more classes, and make less money because they value the mission of Concordia and want a share in God’s work to deliver His Word to young people. Interim President Cario is conscientious, kindly serving at a difficult moment of transition. Many faculty are deeply committed to the institution and its historic mission, and they demonstrate competence toward this goal. The visitation team’s specific objective was to evaluate the university in light of concerns raised to me in recent years, concerns that escalated and were exacerbated during the presidential search. In our interviews, we asked questions related to these concerns. The fact that we found so much praiseworthy about Concordia should encourage readers of this report that, despite the problems noted, there is hope for the future of CUWAA. In fact, CUWAA is a great university.
The Presidential Search and Bylaw Violations
The visitation report to the BOR discussed, at length, events surrounding the presidential search process; the inadequacies in the presidential search process, including deviations from the Synod Bylaws and Synod doctrine; and the need to correct those failures. We detailed concerns that arose in the presidential search regarding use of secular buzzwords with no theological redefinition of these terms and laid out a detailed explanation showing how the BOR had abdicated its Bylaw authority and responsibilities. In particular, the report detailed how the visitation team found that the BOR violated the Bylaws in three significant ways: (1) failing to oversee the carrying out of the university’s Lutheran mission, (2) delegating authority to the Executive Committee of the BOR, and (3) failing to participate fully in the presidential search process and to maintain supervision over the Search Committee. As a result of these very serious concerns, I called on the BOR to return to a presidential search process undertaken in accordance with the Synod Bylaws. We are grateful that, following our visitation and the delivery of the report to the BOR, the regents complied with our exhortation and re engaged the process for selecting a president laid out in the Synod Bylaws. From the list of eligible candidates, the BOR called Dr. Erik Ankerberg, who accepted this call. I remain tremendously hopeful that Dr. Ankerberg will address other concerns uncovered by the visitation team and outlined in the full report given to the BOR.
One purpose for the BOR as a whole to exercise its ruling authority as directed by Synod Bylaws is to ensure that the minority voices on the Board are at least heard. Until our visitation and simultaneous scrutiny from stakeholders throughout the Synod, the regents consistently rejected the input of the elected pastors on the BOR as well as the district president and my appointed representative. These men are seasoned pastors. They know the Scriptures and are deeply concerned about mission drift at the university. Some of these regents shared in the interviews their concerns that the Executive Committee may be seeking to distance itself from Synod oversight and affiliation. Bylaws are not Scripture. Violating them is not the same as breaking the Commandments. But they represent the way in which we have agreed to walk together as a Synod. They guide us to our common mission, which is the proclamation of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sinners. They are also the expressed will of the congregations of the Synod, the congregations to whom all members of the LCMS and all of the Concordia universities, as institutions of the Synod, are accountable. That a return to the process for selecting a president outlined in the Bylaws yielded such a candidate as Dr. Ankerberg is a testament to the value of following the process laid out for all of us by the collective will of the congregations of the Synod.
Mission Drift Three different adverse forces seem to be pressing on the university simultaneously: (1) fear of the “demographic cliff” threatening institutions of higher learning, (2) rapid and broad expansion of CUWAA, and (3) a push by some in the administration for a more progressive agenda. Several administrators spoke of the looming “demographic cliff” threatening higher education. Since the recession of 2008, higher education pundits have been wringing their hands about the declining birth rate and the looming decrease in undergraduate enrollments, which threaten traditional four-year colleges and universities. The danger is real. Since 2016, 75 universities have closed. Those closures are largely the result of an inability to match income to expenses. Among that list of 75 shuttered universities are three of our own Concordias: Concordia College Alabama, Selma, Ala; Concordia University, Portland, Ore.; and Concordia College New York, Bronx ville, N.Y. Despite millions of dollars loaned by Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) and the CUS, as well as financial support provided by the LCMS and generous donors, each of these schools closed because the financial obstacles simply became too great to overcome. We would have mourned the loss of any Concordia, but we have had to grieve the loss of three in quick succession. In 2012, Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA) was also in an unsustainable financial situation. Instead of letting the institution close, though, Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) proposed a merger that would assume CUAA into CUW and allow CUAA to operate as a campus of the combined CUWAA. This move saved CUAA by leveraging CUW’s stronger financial stability, and it demonstrated the strength of the partnerships within our CUS. We are grateful to God for the courageous leadership of CUW in this matter. Prior to the merger, CUAA was losing millions of dollars annually. Before the merger, CUW was profitable at $15 million per year. After the merger, CUWAA was losing a few million dollars a year while paying off CUAA’s significant debts.
Several interviewees expressed fears over the survival of CUWAA. This deep concern over the future of CUWAA’s place in higher education is the first force pushing the institution off course. Fear of the future was a common theme in our interviews. The second adverse force is related to the first. To contend against these threats to the institution’s survival, CUWAA has sought to expand its degree offerings in an effort to maintain a sustainable student base. CUW addressed its slow decline in church work students since the 1970s by adding programs (nursing, pharmacy, health, and others not inherently incompatible with a Lutheran mission) that could keep the university profitable. This is not at all unique. All our Concordia universities have followed a similar course. Adding programs is not wrong or necessarily detrimental to a university’s mission. But the push for growth at CUWAA seems to have come at a significant cost to the institution’s Lutheran identity. We repeatedly heard the concern from interviewees across the board (faculty, staff, administration, and students) that the driving force at CUWAA was “growth at all costs.” The rapid expansion of the university by means of ever-growing curricular offerings has caused a significant obstacle. New programs necessitate rapid new hires. New hires need to be taught the biblical and confessional theology of the LCMS and how to integrate that teaching into their discipline. The effort to familiarize new instructors with the biblical and confessional theology of the LCMS is sorely inadequate. As noted above, the team learned that instruction for faculty in Lutheran doctrine and practice has been reduced from “formal ongoing training” in Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions to a mere one-hour exposure to Lutheran doctrine. Nascent efforts to correct this situation were unknown to the theology faculty. In contrast, other Concordias have more robust programs for catechizing new faculty, with at least one requiring additional study in Lutheran doctrine for faculty advancement. The third adverse force is the introduction (sometimes inadvertent) of progressive ideologies of diversity. The Gospel is for all people. Forgiveness in Christ truly puts all people on the same level; the blood of Jesus is the price paid for every human being, with no discrimination. All are created in the image of God. Initiatives designed to draw more people to a place where they can hear the Gospel, regardless of the color of their skin, are laudable. Intentional efforts to make minority students feel welcome at our universities are divinely driven acts of Christian hospitality. But words are not neutral. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) is a phrase with a well-known secular meaning. In the workplace and in academia, DEI initiatives are not limited to race and culture. They aim to diversify not just the ethnicity of their populations but also the gender identities, sexual preferences, abilities, neuro diversities, and more. CUWAA’s diversity initiatives have been hindered and have caused consternation in the church because these terms were used without being defined, leaving students, faculty, administrators, and stakeholders with no reason to believe they were being used in any way other than the common understanding of “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” From many interviewees, we heard, “We did not do a good job defining these words.” Some students and faculty reported un biblical ways in which diversity was being taught in some classrooms. Books with messages opposed to a biblical worldview have been suggested as diversity resources.
This language was used in the Presidential Prospectus as well, demonstrating the degree to which it had saturated the ethos of the university. The Presidential Prospectus called for the next president to have “a demonstrated record of promoting and achieving diversity in all of its myriad forms” and “demonstrated belief in and commitment to equity and inclusion,” language and terminology borrowed without qualification or theological nuance from secular DEI initiatives that do not distinguish between cultural diversity and diversity of gender identities. To contend, as some interviewees did, that diversity initiatives at CUWAA were merely aimed at cultural diversity, while the document guiding the search for the academic and spiritual head of the institution called for someone who embraces diversity “in all its myriad forms,” is an untenable argument. These forces pushed CUWAA off course. If the university is focused on surviving, it is not focused on a thriving Lutheran identity. The rapid addition of programs and the treatment of all departments as equals diminished the influence of the Lutheran theological faculty. As one visitor observed, “If you are trying to have a Lutheran school, [Lutheran] identity is not [going to come] out of the pharmacy school.” In other words, the pharmacy school and all others must be thoroughly informed and shaped by our biblical and Lutheran substance. Many interviewees pointed to a change in CUWAA’s branding and marketing about five years ago that seemed to them a deliberate attempt to downplay or obscure the university’s Lutheran identity. Even administrators acknowledged that a genuine Lutheran identity was obscured or altogether missing from the website. “Live Uncommon” was introduced in CUWAA’s promotional materials and strategic marketing in 2018. Though “uncommon” could be a way to talk about a distinctly Lutheran identity, in two brochures for potential students no reference was made to CUWAA being a Lutheran university. Interviewees regularly defined Lutheran identity at CUWAA in terms of teaching and preparing students for “lives of service.” While “lives of service” can be understood within the Lutheran doctrine of vocation, this is not the Gospel, nor is it what it means to be Lutheran. Except for the theology faculty, too few faculty members, staff, or administrators articulated anything approaching “Christ crucified for sinners” as the heart of a Lutheran confession of the faith. This mission drift away from a distinctly Lutheran ethos is apparent in the five-year Strategic Plan for CUWAA titled Together We Will, along with its Executive Summary. The Strategic Plan and Executive Summary call for more growth, diversified income streams (including seeking multi million-dollar partnerships from corporations), change and agility, additional online programming, and an emphasis on post-traditional learners. Large corporations are not driven by fidelity to confessional statements and would likely base such partnerships on profitability metrics. What happens when adherence to scriptural truths is at odds with the bottom line? Online-only degree programs may be valuable, and they bring significant revenue to the university, yet these programs also limit participation in the healthy spiritual life of the campus, preclude chapel attendance, do not allow interactions with Lutheran faculty outside the classroom, and keep its users away from face-to-face interaction with students in church work programs. They also require more significant care in exposing students to Jesus and His mission. Nothing in the Strategic Plan is distinctly Lutheran. In fact, its aim to “increase market share within high potential Chris-
tian (non-Lutheran) markets” is a worthy goal, but also problematic without laser-like focus on biblical and Lutheran foundations. The Strategic Plan aims to “strengthen our Christian ethos through changing cultural norms,” but a generically Christian ethos is not a distinctly Lutheran ethos. The Executive Summary at least mentions the Lutheran identity of the institution, seeking to be a “21st century Lutheran Christian university,” but it ultimately reduces Lutheran identity to “uncommon lives of purpose, service, and leadership for the good of self and society, all for the sake of Christ.” Vocation is a Lutheran category, to be sure, but not the Gospel heart of a Lutheran identity. With the exception of the phrase “for the sake of Christ,” nearly any secular university could embrace CUWAA’s mission to “develop students (mind, body, spirit) for uncommon lives of purpose, service, and leadership.” And even with the phrase “for the sake of Christ,” there’s nothing distinctly Lutheran about that mission. The rest of the Executive Summary reads like the Strategic Plan, emphasizing growth, new programs, online learning, vague diversity and inclusivity goals, and new funding models. Despite the commitment that “we will not sacrifice our brand identity of Lutheran Christian higher education purpose to achieve increased enrollment,” the perception of most interviewees indicates that this is exactly what is happening—growth at the expense of a distinctly Lutheran identity. If CUWAA continues with the 2021–2026 strategic plan, all indications point toward continued mission drift, obfuscation of a clear Christo centric Lutheran identity, and an increased alienation of Lutheran contributors and stakeholders.
Faculty Frustrations It became apparent to the visitation team that many of the faculty of CUWAA are deeply frustrated. The theological faculty in particular feels marginalized. Two prominent members of the theology department have left for other institutions; others may depart soon. LCMS Lutherans in other departments have expressed similar concerns. Several of the faculty feel overworked and underpaid. Many of them feel their concerns are unheeded by the administration. An alarmingly high number of them answered “no” when asked if they feel loved and supported by the administration. Since the visitation, several faculty members have reached out to the CUS BOD and members of the visitation team to voice their concerns over new language in the updated faculty contracts, which they feel makes them more disposable and susceptible to firing without due process. As a university in the CUS, CUWAA has enjoyed a strong theological and philosophy faculty. The science faculty is also strong and faithful. But an alarming number of the faithful among the faculty are considering employment elsewhere. Though the open letters published by a now-suspended faculty member were not the cause of our visitation, those letters and the administration’s handling of the situation were a source of deep concern to almost everyone to whom we spoke during our visit. Many faculty expressed empathy for their colleague. Though they did not all agree with the way he aired his concerns, they understood that he felt his concerns were not being heard and addressed by the administration for so long that he had no other recourse than to make them public. Many interviewees shared his concerns, noting that there is validity to many of his concerns. One interviewee called him “a canary in a coal mine.” The visitation team perceived
that the situation exposed a breakdown of communication between faculty and administration and is indicative of the perils of what many faculty described as a “growth at any cost” mentality. Members of the faculty, especially those faithful to the Scriptures and LCMS doctrine, are deeply worried about the Lutheran identity of CUWAA. Many of them are worn out and frustrated. Commenting on CUWAA’s Strategic Plan, one faculty member wished that the university focused as much on faculty development and retention as it does on student recruitment and retention. A minority faculty member forthrightly described the identity problem as a “fear of letting prospective students know who we are” and what the LCMS teaches on the issues of sex, marriage, and biblical views of diversity.
Trust from the Synod As a result of these significant concerns, some of which have been made public across the Synod and in news reports beyond the church, there is a risk of pious laypeople and congregations of the Synod losing trust in the university’s faithfulness to genuine Lutheranism, her mission to raise up both church workers and faithful citizens in other vocations, and her efforts to reach the lost with the true and full Gospel of Christ. However, there are wonderful things happening at CUWAA. In addition to the core LCMS faculty, there are many biblically minded, non-Lutheran Christians, who truly love the university and its mission and who desire to grow in their knowledge and practice of the Lutheran confession. I have great hope that CUWAA can perform the necessary course correction, play to its strengths, and embrace a Lutheran identity and ethos that pervades every program and saturates every syllabus. This is a critical moment. What the BOR and university administration do with this report will determine both the health of the university and the trust that congregations, pastors, laypeople, faculty, students, and alumni place in the institution. Steps can be taken to strengthen trust. Here’s how.
Call for Action 1. Acknowledge both the anemic Lutheran identity and the current mission drift. The joy and confidence of being Lutheran is more than knowing that one’s life is to be lived in service to others. The Gospel, the full and free forgiveness from Jesus, delivered to undeserving sinners in the Lord’s Means of Grace, is the heart of our Lutheran identity. Utilize the theology faculty, not just the chair of the department or campus pastors, to catechize non-Lutheran faculty.
giving careful and deliberate attention to the university’s Lutheran identity is more dangerous than any demographic cliff. Seek growth at a pace that does not overwork faculty or jeopardize fidelity to the mission of the university. Empower the new president to bring theological clarity and vision for the university. We are pleased to report that other action items previously communicated to the BOR have been largely accomplished with the resumption of the presidential search process and the call and installation of Dr. Ankerberg.
An Uncommon Vision for Concordia CUWAA will weather looming demographic challenges by clarifying, strengthening, and embracing her Lutheran identity, not by increasing curricular diversity, multiplying programs and schools, and expanding at the expense of that Lutheran identity. Fidelity to what makes Concordia truly uncommon will attract students, faculty, staff, and donors. Incorporating the same diversity, equity, and inclusion language as other midwestern, four-year universities does not make CUWAA uncommon but, rather, common. Increasing online options for graduate degrees is common. Seeking business partnerships to fund endowments is common. Reducing core liberal arts requirements at the request of new degree programs is common. Catering program offerings to market demand and profit opportunities is common. “Common” is not how CUWAA identifies itself. But chasing “growth at all costs,” a regular refrain we heard from the people we interviewed, is common among institutions of higher education, especially those concerned with survival. Hand-wringing is common. Fear of the demographic cliff is common. What is uncommon? The Gospel—not merely “lives of service,” but drawing students into the life of the Savior. Forgiveness is uncommon. Jesus as the only Savior is uncommon. Distinguishing between the Law and the Gospel is uncommon. Fidelity to the confession of a university’s founding church body is uncommon. We know that these are deep desires of many at CUWAA. CUWAA does not just need more programs or a larger endowment. What it needs is clarity of purpose. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” ().
2. Engage diversity from a biblical perspective. Clearly and carefully define the words being used. Ground these definitions in Scripture. All our Concordias are dealing with similar pressures from secular DEI agendas. Collaborate with them or take the lead in speaking of the sin of racism, the brokenness of humanity because of the fall, the great equalizing force of the death of Christ, and the wonderful unity people have in Him. Work together with the Office of the President of the Synod and utilize the theological resources of the church and her seminaries and universities to define a truly winsome biblical, Lutheran, and unique view of the diversity issues and related questions.
Talk about racism as sin—as a violation of the Commandments, as an affront to God, who made all people in His image. Talk less about diversity and more about the unity we have in the accounts of creation and the fall, in the common price—the blood of Jesus— paid for each person regardless of race. Talk about the plurality of languages at Pentecost and the diversity of tribes but also the unity of the confession of the church in . Diagnose sin, not with un biblical bias reporting, but with God’s Law. And cure sin, not with secular buzzwords and market-driven initiatives, but with the balm of God’s life-giving Word, the Absolution and the medicine of immortality, the Lord’s Supper. Shift the identity conversation away from identity politics to baptismal identity. Talk more about the Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, not less. Strive for an uncommon Christian and Lutheran worldview in the social and health sciences. Be truly uncommon in the peculiarity of a robust Lutheran identity, not just a link to the LCMS website.
3. Scrap the strategic plan until there’s a new president and the church is assured of the university’s clear Lutheran identity and mission. Rapid and aggressive pursuit of the plan before
Be truly uncommon by elevating what students cannot get at almost any other university in Wisconsin or Michigan: the certain hope and comfort of Lutheran theology, which is simply Christian in the best sense. Pursue, retain, and appropriately compensate theology professors. Place them at the center of the university’s life. Let them bring theological insight to administrative decisions and student concerns. One of your theology faculty spoke at length with members of the Black Student Union and was well received by these Christian students. He helped them to see the goodness of the Bible’s perspective on race and racism and to understand that diversity need not include errant views of marriage and human sexuality. Be uncommon by requiring regular catechesis for all faculty in Lutheran doctrine. Catechesis takes years, not a single hour in a day of new faculty orientation. Be uncommon by calling a theologian pastor to be the next president of CUWAA. Let him fill his cabinet with the people he needs to assist him with the knowledge and experience he lacks. That worked for President Ferry, and the institution was blessed remarkably because of it. It can work for the next president too. Be uncommon by focusing on what Concordia can do better than all other universities, not by trying to look like all the other universities. Be competitive by being truly uncommon. Double down on the liberal arts. Emphasize philosophy, languages, rhetoric, critical thinking, ethics, and biblical humanism. Read the Scriptures, Luther, Dante, Milton, Aristotle, and C.S. Lewis more than Kendi, Hannah-Jones, Di Angelo, and Gladwell. Emphasize the uncommon nature of a science faculty that values science and confesses a Creator. Celebrate and strengthen what Concordia has, before looking to acquire what it does not have. Be uncommon by training students not primarily for careers but for vocations in the God-ordained estates of church, family, and society. I know you believe this. Concordia can thrive. It can be a modest-sized but mighty institution that exposes students awash in secular ideologies and identities to the washing and renewal of the Holy Spirit, giving them eternal baptismal identities. It can be a powerhouse in the LCMS’ wonderful CUS, churning out zealous and faithful church workers and pious, well-rounded, deep-thinking laymen and laywomen who will be assets in their Lutheran congregations and broader communities. It can draw students seeking an excellent liberal arts education free from the narrow-mindedness of modern progressivism, and then graduate them equipped with the knowledge of genuine truth, beauty, and goodness. It can do all this and weather the storms threatening higher education. But its current trajectory is too common. What it needs is something truly uncommon: a crystal clear confession of Jesus Christ. By God’s grace, Concordia can be an uncommon beacon of hope, a university set on a hill, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. As the CUW seal says, Timor Domini principi um sapientiae. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”