Schaff series is March 19

Staff report

youngstown

Dr. Craig R. Koester will be keynote speaker at the David S. Schaff Lecture Series planned March 19 at First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave.

Registration will be at 3:30 p.m. followed by a clergy/lay leaders seminar at 4 when the speaker will address the subject “The Book of Revelation and Popular Culture: Experiencing the Last Book of the Bible.”

The session is free, but reservations are requested.

The lecture will be followed by a catered buffet supper at 5:30 p.m. Paid reservations of $10 must be at the church office by March 14. For information, call the office at 330-744-4307.

A lecture is set for 7 p.m. on “The Open Heaven and the Chaotic Earth: The Book of Revelation and Christian Worship.” The lecture is open to the public with no reservations required.

Dr. Koester is a professor and Asher O. and Carrie Nasby Chair of New Testament at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. He earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Olaf College, a master of divinity at Luther Theological Seminary and doctorate at Union Theological Seminary in New York.

He is the author of scholarly and professional articles and study materials for general readership. Recent publications include “The Word of Life: A Theology of John’s Gospel,” “Anchor Bible Commentary on Hebrews” and “Revelation and the End of All Things.”

An ordained Lutheran minister, he served churches in New York and Minnesota. He lists music, especially American folk tradition, among his avocations. He and his wife, Nancy, enjoy favorites from American folk and Gospel with shape-note singing as a specialty.

The David S. Schaff Lecture Series is made possible by the late Mrs. Philip H. (Jane Booth) Schaff, who died in 1981. In her will, she provided for the completion of the endowment of the previously established David S. Schaff Lectureship at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. It was stipulated that the Schaff lecturer would give one address in Youngstown. Mrs. Schaff’s father-in-law, professor David S. Schaff, taught church history at Western Theological Seminary, a forerunner to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Historically, the series has been sponsored by First Presbyterian in conjunction with Eastminster Presbytery, Mahoning Valley Association of Churches and the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.

The educational program is open to all denominations.