The third Multi-Ethnic Symposium will be held Jan. 30-31, 2012, at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. This year’s topic is “Gifts of Hope,” which will identify the gifts of cultural diversity that inform and enliven the fullness of the Body of Christ in a unity not bound to one culture but embodying the contributions of many cultures.

The symposium will begin with worship in the Seminary’s chapel at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 30 and conclude at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

The keynote introduction on theology and culture will be given by Dr. Leopoldo Sánchez, director of the Center For Hispanic Studies, with reaction and further presentation from the perspective of the social sciences by Dr. Jack Schulz (Concordia University-Irvine) and from a missiological perspective by Dr. Douglas Rutt (Lutheran Hour Ministries).

Reflections from cultural backgrounds will include: Rev. William and Mrs. Patricia Main, co-directors of the Haskell Lighthouse Campus Ministry; Rev. John Deang, Missionary-at-Large to African immigrants for the Nebraska District; Ms. Melissa Salomon, mission planting team of Concordia Lutheran Church, Chula Vista, Calif.; and Rev. Andrew Okai, Rev. Kou Seying, and Rev. Andy Wu, among others.

The symposium will be followed on Tuesday evening by the 7th Annual Lecture in Hispanic/Latino Theology and Missions. The topic will be “Dealing with Culture in Theological Formation,” led by Rev. Gregory Klotz, associate professor at Taylor University. This lecture is open to the public and will be held at 7:00 p.m. in Werner Auditorium on the Seminary campus.

Rev. Klotz lived as a missionary in Latin America from 1980-2000 with the mission board of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He served as a church planter in Panama, then as coordinator of theological studies in Caracas, Venezuela, and Antigua, Guatemala. Upon his return from Latin America, Klotz taught courses at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. He is pursuing a Ph.D. at Indiana University in Folklore and Ethnomusicology. Klotz is currently in candidate status working on a phenomenological study of funeral music of Guatemalan Holy Week processions. He joined the Taylor faculty in 2007 teaching first and second-year Spanish classes.

Congregations and church leaders are encouraged to attend. To register, please visit www.csl.edu and fill out the registration form found under “Continuing Education.” For more information, contact the office of continuing education and parish services at 314-505-7486, or ce@csl.edu.