A letter from Joe and Hannah Kang in Russia
November/December 2010
Привет! Уважаемые дорогие друзья! (Privet! uvajaem darogie druzia! - Warm greetings to you, dear friends!)
Snow-covered seminary.
When we returned from the States for the summer extension program, a record-breaking heat wave that had hit most of Russia had begun to subside. But severe drought continued to affect southwest Russia and disastrous forest fires raged near Moscow. You may have seen news coverage of how Russia’s capital was covered by unhealthy smoke for many weeks this past summer.
Although the weather forecast predicts a comparatively mild winter this year, compared to last year’s record-breaking cold and heavy snow, global climate change might prove such predictions wrong. This past week, this part of Russia has already been hit by severe snowstorms. Temperature has dropped to -10 degrees Celsius, but Russians say, “It is normal!”
Dr. Herman Waetjen teaching
The summer extension program was held for two weeks in August, prior to the beginning of the fall semester. It was a great privilege and joy for us and for seminary students to receive as our guest lecturer Dr. Herman Waetjen, who had served as Joe’s doctoral adviser at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He came with his wife, Mary, all the way for this special course. It was amazing to see that his passionate teaching has not changed even at the age of 81. He didn’t even mind the jet lag after the long flight from San Francisco and plunged in to many hours of intensive teaching the day after he arrived. We are so grateful to him and Mary; he is such a wonderful teacher and, more than that, they are good friends who have modeled for us how we are to live as followers of Jesus, the bringer of new humanness. His close reading of Pauline texts, especially Romans, was very challenging and refreshing to our students (his writing on the Romans will soon be published by Sheffield).
The fall semester is now ending as students prepare for exams. Joe has been teaching two Bible courses this semester: Deuteronomistic History for Old Testament and, from the New Testament, the General Epistles and Revelations. As indicated in our previous letter, Lena Bondarenko, Joe’s interpreter, has been taking over biblical subjects Joe used to teach. By the end of next spring semester when Joe retires, she is going to be in full charge of the Bible department. This semester she has been successfully teaching Introduction to the Bible and The Synoptic Gospels.
During this semester the seminary faculty has finished drafting a proposal for a new module system of theological education. It has been under consideration for the past several years to make theological education compatible to the Russian context. Approved by the recently held bishops’ council and the seminary board, this new system will be launched in September 2011. Then all current on-site students and those in the extension program will be integrated into this new system. According to this new plan there will be about 10 two-to-three-week interdisciplinary thematic modules a year. Students seeking the major diploma are required to take more than 30 thematic modules, in addition to the introductory module, write a thesis and take comprehensive final exams.
Allow me to share what a couple of students wrote about their experience at the seminary for their English class:
Third-year student Victor Weber delivers a sermon on Advent at seminary chapel.
“My name is Victor Weber. I found my congregation in a very difficult time of my life. I was looking for the meaning of my life. When I was helping my pastor during my free time, I began to realize that I liked it very much. I got interested in Lutheran traditions and theology. And I decided to change my life and to go to study at Theological Seminary. I had a strong sense of calling. I decided to continue, to develop evangelical confession in my homeland, where we have many Lutheran congregations and Lutheran groups who need pastors. Theological Seminary with its wonderful teachers gives a lot of new information, which is modern and developing. I am very thankful to those who helped me have this chance to study in very good conditions.”
Oleg Zeitler, second-year student.
“My name is Oleg Zeitler. Before coming to Theological Seminary, I was working at a chemical plant for six years. This seminary has been encouraging me to serve the Lord and to help people with the Christian kindness and mercy. Theology has helped me change my attitude and understanding of the Bible and helped me in formation of my personality as a whole. Through theological studies here at seminary I began to understand and realize what it means to be Christian and live as a true human being as well.”
With this brief note on events in this part of world, we extend to you our sincere season’s greetings as the joyful birth of the Prince of Peace approaches. We would also like to express our deep gratitude for your ceaseless prayers and support of our ministry. Our retirement is approaching, but the ministry in which we have been engaged needs to continue. Our partnership with ELCROS and its theological seminary has become strong during these 10 years and it needs to be strengthened in the coming years even after our departure.
In our next letter we hope to be able to update you on our retirement plans. In the meantime we wish you all blessings and joy from our Creator, the Lord of life!
До свидания (Do svidanya, Bye for now)!
Yours in Christ,
Joe and Hannah
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 195
