Dr. David Yeago has been appointed to the faculty of the North American Lutheran Seminary and Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, as Professor of Systematic Theology and Ethics.
“I am honored and delighted to join the faculty at Trinity School for Ministry in partnership with the North American Lutheran Seminary,” said Dr. Yeago. “Trinity’s commitment to the historic Christian faith, focus on Biblical theology, and passion for the mission of the Gospel correspond to my own priorities as a Christian theologian. I look forward to new friendships with new colleagues as we work together to form students for service to Christ and his Gospel in the Church and in the world.”
I always felt that when David Yeago was still in South Carolina he was the finest theologian in the state.
He is tremendous, Kendall. And that’s very humble of you. I too rejoice at this good news. The growing partnership between the ACNA and the NALC is a great harbinger of hope, like the arrival of robins indicating that spring is here after a long, hard winter.
Regular readers of the outstanding journal Pro Ecclesia will know what a fine theologian David Yeago is. Others may want to check out his sterling address back in June, 2010 to a mixed Lurthan audience over why the 2009 decision by the ELCA to support the pro-gay cause was such a horrible disaster. It’s not alarmist by any means. It’s very carefully stated and well argued. Back then, Yeago rightly insisted that the catastrophic 2009 decision by the Church Wide Assembly created a situation of serious “internal impaired sommunion.” At that point, it wasn’t yet broken communion, but it was seriously impaired. Worse yet, he foresaw that things had been on a negative trajectory for some time and that unless some corrections were made the situation was only going to go from bad to worse.
Alas, his fears did come to pass. Things did get worse in the ELCA, just as in TEC. And what was already severely imparied communion did degenerate into broken communion. Hence the existence of the NALC and the new Lutheran program in Ambridge. Yeago used to be able to function at the Lutheran Seminary in Columbia (the most conservative ELCA seminary in the US). Now he can’t. The new “inclusive” ELCA isn’t big enough or roomy enough to include staunchly orthodox guys like him anymore.
That is the tragedy that has befallen oldline denominations like TEC, the ELCA, and the PCUSA. And those old, historic denominations are getting older and grayer with each passing month, as the most conservative leaders and churches gradually flee, as individuals or in groups of various sizes. Contrary to what our foes on the left suppose, the future belongs to the orthodox, not to them. Their churches are in hopeless decline. Ours are just beginning to get established.
Don’t “follow the money.” Follow the signs of life and growth. The ELCA and its seminaries are dying, just like TEC and its seminaries are dying. The ACNA and the NALC have just begun to grow, and this new effort at jointly training the next generation of Anglican and Lutheran clergy together in Ambridge points to the real ecumenism that is quietly emerging in North America.
The old ecumenism of the NCC sort is dead. That top-down style attempt at fostering Christian unity got hijacked by the well-intentioned but misguided social activists who turned the NCC into just a chaplaincy for the left wing of the Democratic Party. The new grassroots ecumenism that is quietly taking its place is emerging into the light at places like Ambridge. Thanks be to God.
David Handy+
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