Rev. Kent A. Heimbigner, Ph.D. has left a new comment on your post "Baptist Theologian Takes Congregation Out of LCMS:...":
Hi Greg:
Thank you for your interest in what my good and faithful congregation has done. I have met you, and certainly appreciate your sense of humor, but for the sake of those who may not understand it, I offer a couple of points of clarification:
1) There is no such thing as "Baylor Baptist University." There is only "Baylor University," which has a Baptist history, but is not affiliated with any Baptist denomination.
2) I am not a "Baptist theologian," nor am I going to join the Eastern Orthodox. I am getting a chuckle out of putting those together and imagining what it would be like to be an Easternizing Baptist. I guess they are both synergists, but I'm not. I will remain Lutheran. At ordination, I swore an oath. It matters to me. And my beloved congregation is on that same "we've got to stay Lutheran" page with me.
BTW, for my response to Fr. Fenton heading east, check out my blog on the website, http://www.confessionallutheran.org/content/view/142/91/
Todd, thanks for your clarifying posts. Greg, it's been too long, and I hope our paths cross again in due course. Peace be with you both.
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GJ - Actually, Kent, you asked to stay here for the LCMS conference and didn't show up or explain.
I see you share Todd Wilken's sense of humor. Or, as Bruce Church suggested, "What's the point?"
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GJ -
2016 Update.
Here is the original post, which still bothers ELDONA seven (7) years later.
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2009/01/baptist-theologian-takes-congregation.html
Baylor University in Waco, Texas, is a private Baptist university, and a nationally ranked liberal arts institution. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, Baylor is the oldest, continually operating university in the state. Though 80% of our students come from within Texas, we are home to students from all 50 states, and 70 countries.
Rev. Kent A Heimbigner, Ph.D., Senior Pastor
Home: 817-426-0783
Email: icxcnika@flash.net
Pastor Kent A. Heimbigner was born on 08 October 1961 in Anaheim, CA. He was baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost two weeks later, on 22 October 1961 at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Fullerton, CA. He was confirmed in that same congregation in 1975.
Pastor Heimbigner was installed as the Pastor of Charity Lutheran Church, Burleson, TX in October of 1997. He was ordained and installed at Grace Lutheran Church, Marlin, TX on 22 August 1990. Pr. Heimbigner served there as Pastor for seven years, prior to becoming Pastor of Charity Lutheran in Burleson.
A graduate of Point Loma College in San Diego, CA, Pr. Heimbigner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. Thereafter he enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, receiving his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in 1989 and a Master of Sacred Theology degree (S.T.M.) in 1991. With a concentration in Dogmatic Theology, his primary research had to do with the relation of the Office of the Holy Ministry to the celebration of the Lord's Supper in Scripture and in the early liturgical writings of the ancient church.
While serving full-time as a Pastor, Pr. Heimbigner worked part time as a student at Baylor University in Waco, TX, earning a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in 2001, with a concentration in church history and a teaching minor in philosophy. His dissertation focused on the relation of Christ to Baptism and the Lord's Supper in selected dogmatic and devotional writings of Johann Gerhard (17th century orthodox Lutheran theologian).
As a clergyman of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod from 1990 through the end of 2008, Pr. Heimbigner served the Synod in various capacities, including being a member of the Texas District floor committee on theology and church relations for the 2003 Texas District convention, LWML zone counsellor, LFL pastoral advisor, Lutheran Music Enrichment instructor, and currently instructor for all religion and philosophy classes offered by Concordia University at Austin's extension campus in Fort Worth, TX. In November of 2008, he received the "Excellence in Teaching" award from the Commission on Accelerated Programs (CAP). Three times, he has been given the opportunity (and accepted it) to teach Reformation History at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia. Pr. Heimbigner also served on the working group for Eucharistic Liturgies in connection with the Lutheran Hymnal Project, which project has now resulted in the production of the "Lutheran Service Book."
In his community, Pr. Heimbigner has long been a member of the Rotary Club, first in Marlin and now in Burleson. He has served on the board of directors of the Burleson Rotary Club in several different capacities. Pr. Heimbigner has also served as President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of the Dallas / Fort Worth Area Metro Beekeepers' Association.
Pastor Heimbigner has published one book (a reworking of his S.T.M. thesis), and anticipates publication of his Ph.D. dissertation in the not too distant future. He has also published articles in the Lutheran Witness, Logia, TableTalk, and other venues. Pastor Heimbigner occasionally is asked to be a guest on the radio talk show Issues Etc.
Pr. Heimbigner and his wife, Denise, celebrated their 22nd anniversary in August of 2008. They have five children, and live in a home they are purchasing in north Burleson.
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GJ - Kent was on his way out of Missouri some years ago. He has been seen around ELDONA events. His bio says he worked on the new LCMS hymnal. Will he join the Eastern Orthodox, like Fenton?
The reasons given are here.
