S-S is for
"So, Schroeder," what do you have to say?
Since this is our last tribute to this year-long celebration of the Crossings Community, here's what Ed has responded in two of his Thursday Theologies (you can read the whole texts on-line). Still dying and rising in the promise of his baptism, Ed still has a way with words, and the Word:
November 10, 2005
I told them not to do it, but they wouldn't listen. So Sunday last, November 6, the actual date of my 75th birthday, the Crossings folks confected a celebration. It started with a 3 p.m. "Festival Eucharist," so they called it, at our home congregation, Bethel Lutheran here in St. Louis. Up front were my ELCA bishop Jerry Mansholt presiding, Fred Niedner-Valparaiso University theology department chair, and one of the gospeliest proclaimers around these days-in the pulpit. For evidence of that "gospeliest" adjective see the ThTh posting of just one year ago, Fred's sermon at David Truemper's funeral, http://www.crossings.org/thursday/Thur110404.htm. There was even a new hymn (from Jerry Burce) cum new music (by David Gooding) for the occasion. In addition, special musical treats from Stephen Mager, Robert and Joan Bergt, Robert Souza, and the Bethel Chancel Choir.
Niedner began his homily noting that the day was All Saints in our Lutheran calendar and the lessons plus the music in our liturgy might signal something funereal. As did his sermon title: Buried, Blessed and Edified. He was not going to deny that, so he started with the "buried," and proceeded to do his own "gospel-blazing" through all three passive participles-bury-ed, bless-ed, ed-ify-ed. The Crossings folks most likely have some plans for making Fred's sermon available, but I don't know the specs about that yet. [The specs are now evident.]
 |
| An almost speechless Ed with Marie at the reception |
After the liturgy there came some less holy hoopla including a fresh-flowers-decorated art-nouveau cake with 75 tapers (product of cuisine-artist sister-in-law Linda Schroeder), verbal and posted kudos and finally a Festschrift presentation [=German tradition for aging profs, a volume of essays by colleagues for the occasion]. Eighteen writers contributed to the tome. Its title is the opening line of Burce's hymn: "Gospel Blazes in the Dark."
You dear readers probably don't need to be told that EHS is not usually speechless. But this time it came close. I did mumble something at the end, but it was not epic. And I'm still working on ingesting-and enjoying-it all.
December 29
Festschrift Benefactors, all Dear,
Two days after Christmas and high time to write those thank yous for the presents, those hand/head-crafted gifts you sent my way on November 6. Yes, I am about a month overdue from the time I did indeed read through the whole volume.
Part of it is being tongue-tied. What to say for this bundle of benefactions? Part of it is the slow-down that's coming with those three-and-one-half score years. Even if Thursday Theology postings still making their weekly appearance-pretty soon, d.v., 400-might suggest the contrary. And I won't mention sloth and procrastination.
I recite the long list of folks, real theologians, who didn't get Festschrifts as far as I know, and that pushes the question: Why me? What I come up with is that you, you all, are the answer. I've been blessed-mirabile dictu-with different students and colleagues than those other folks have had. If not, then their students/colleagues would have done likewise for them. But they didn't and you did. Y'all are something else. And that goes doubly for the really crazy ones, you editors, Steve, Sherm and Robin, who engineered it all, who oozed the buckets of sweat equity to put this marvel into my hands.
I imagine, though I'm not sure, that in the German tradition whence Festschrifts come, the honored one writes a letter-(hand-writes, I betcha, in the old days) a separate letter to each author. I may well be considerably "Kraut-ish," but that Teutonic I am not. Thus what I say to one below, I say to all. And this I say to all: I'm smitten, thrilled, carried away (here I will jump into German) "hingerissen" by your Festschrift gift to me. With this (no surprise) homiletic add-on, that you gift-givers are the loftiest gifts of all.
Ed Schroeder
