St. Louis seminary to present ‘Gospel of Mark’

Concordia Seminary in St. Louis is offering three performances of its drama, “The Gospel of Mark”:

during Holy Week — 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at Epiphany Lutheran Church in St. Louis.

6:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth, Mich.

“The Gospel of Mark” is a dramatic presentation of the second book of the New Testament by Concordia Seminary faculty and alumni who are Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod clergymen. The presentation uses principally the English translation of Mark by the Rev. Dr. James W. Voelz, the Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Professor of New Testament Theology at the seminary.

Scholars have increasingly placed the Gospel of Mark in an oral context, believing it to be a written document intended to be read aloud to an audience, according to a seminary news release. Concordia Seminary’s presentation is intended to reenact the Gospel in the way in which it might have impacted those who first received it in the first century.

“Allow yourself to hear the Gospel of Mark and to be confronted by it orally,” Voelz said. “It is not that silent reading is wrong, but such a reading will not reveal to you the depth of beauty and drama of this outstanding Gospel.”

The presenters include Voelz and three other Concordia Seminary faculty members: the Rev. Dr. Dale A. Meyer, seminary president; the Rev. Dr. Kent Burreson, the Louis A. Fincke and Anna B. Shine Professor of Systematic Theology and Dean of Chapel; and the Rev. Dr. David R. Schmitt, the Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Professor of Homiletics and Literature. Also presenting will be two St. Louis pastors: the Rev. Ron Rall of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, and the Rev. Michael Zeigler of Epiphany Lutheran Church.

“The Gospel of Mark” runs around 2 hours, 30 minutes, including intermission.

The performance is free and open to the public, but reservations are encouraged. To make a reservation or learn more, click here.

Posted March 11, 2016