LCMS World Mission Blog

The “Seminar on Hinduism and Praxiology of Community Outreach to the Hindu Community” was held in June 2008 at Concordia College—New York, Bronxville, N.Y. Sponsored by the Concordia Institute for World Religions and Evangelism (CIWRE), this meeting brought 46 participants and presenters from as far away as California, Oregon, Washington, Nebraska, Illinois, and Missouri—and there was also a visitor participant from Kazakhstan.

Participants equally represented clergy, laity, seminarians, and students. One commented, “This was an outstanding seminar on evangelism and church outreach that would be useful information to many parishes.”

All the presenters were top-notch mission scholars who are also engaged in mission outreaches locally, regionally, and globally. Daily topics included: “Indigenous Christianity—South Asian Perspective,” “Churchless Christianity and Yeshu Baktha (Jesus Devotees) Movement,” “Yeshu Samaj—Reaching the Diaspora South Asians and Personal Testimony,” “Indian Christian Ashram (Monastic) Movements,” and “Text and Context of Indian Christian Theology.” Each session started with devotions, followed by the presentations and field visits to different neighborhoods, and concluded with dinner at an ethnic restaurant. Rev. Dr. David Benke, president of the Atlantic District LCMS, and Dr. Viji George, president of Concordia College—New York, brought greetings and wishes respectively during the seminar.

Attendees included Rev. Herb Hoefer, Rev. E. Johnson Rethinasamy, and Rev. David Born. Hoefer, LCMS World Mission’s area facilitator for India and Sri Lanka, also serves as Mission Department chair at Concordia University, Portland, Ore. Rethinasamy is director of the CIWRE and the urban mission strategist for LCMS World Mission in New York City. Born is the LCMS World Mission regional director of missions in the U.S. Northeast.

The Concordia Institute for World Religions and Evangelism (CIWRE) is funded and supported by LCMS World Mission and Concordia College—New York, Bronxville, N.Y. The seminar was sponsored by grants and donations from Lutheran Crusader Fund, LUHI, Brookville, N.Y., Our Savior Lutheran Church, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, the Atlantic District LWML, and other individual supporters. The June 2009 seminar is scheduled to focus on eastern religions.