Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger and wife, Victoria. Photo: Jill Gray

History was made Aug. 27 as faculty, staff, students and friends gathered in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus for the inauguration of Dr. Thomas J. Egger as the 11th president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The inauguration also was live streamed.

Egger was presented for inauguration by Dr. Timothy Saleska, co-chairman of the Presidential Search Committee and dean of Ministerial Formation.

“I trust that the Lord has fitted Tom for this task,” Saleska said. “I know that Tom wants the very best for all of us here at the Seminary and for the people of our church, and he will work hard in service to our Lord.”

Dr. Todd A. Peperkorn, chairman of the Board of Regents, performed the Rite of Inauguration.

“Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the Light no darkness can overcome, as St. John attests,” said Peperkorn, speaking to Egger. “It is that light of Christ given to us in the sacred Scriptures which shapes everything we are, everything we do here at Concordia Seminary. The world needs that light of mercy and the forgiveness of sins today more than ever. And God has put you at this place, at this time, so that light with shine forth in every graduate at this institution.”

Afterward, Egger delivered his inaugural address.

“Our Seminary motto is well-put: Light from above,” said Egger. “As we reflect on the heart of our work and the reason for our existence as a school, the summons of Isaiah really is foundational: to the Torah and to the testimony! Listen to the Spirit-inspired authors of the Bible. Listen to the prophets and the apostles. They must sit on our lecterns, and we and our students sit down below and listen to them.”

Following Egger’s speech, greetings were presented by:

• Dr. Douglas L. Rutt, Provost
  On behalf of the faculty of Concordia Seminary
• Donald Stein, fourth-year seminarian
  On behalf of the students of Concordia Seminary
• The Honorable Michelle Harris, Mayor, City of Clayton, Mo.
  On behalf of the civic community
• Dr. Michael Kumm, Chairman, Board of Directors,
  On behalf of the Board of Directors of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
• Dr. Lawrence J. Rast, President, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.
  On behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s universities and seminaries
• Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
  On behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

In the final greeting, Harrison said, “There have been times when I sensed that I was being carried along by the prayers of thousands upon thousands of people. And I pray that you have that same sense – whether you do or not, it’s true – as you go around the church, you’re going to hear people saying all over, ‘We’re praying for you. We’re praying for the faculty. We’re praying for your work.’ That is the highest honor among God’s people.”

A recorded video of the inauguration is available on the Seminary’s YouTube page. Viewers can also learn more about Egger by watching a recently produced biopic.

About Concordia Seminary

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit csl.edu.