"I say e-sports!" "I say get an education!" "I say e-sports!"
"Not specifically Valpo related, but another sign of the growing trend perhaps: In conversation with some friends over the weekend we learned that Wittenburg University an ELCA school in Ohio has done away with their entire music department, including all ensembles. On the heals of that announcement it was also announced that they would be building a multi-million dollar e-sports complex."
I did not know what e-sport$ were until I found the above from the ALPB Ovaltines.
This agrees with the blind-following-the-blind vision of the Lutheran denominations, large and small. Like the Church Growth Movement, this tired fad appeals to the stupidity and negligence of the Sect Presidents, District Potroons, Circuit Creampuffs, and Board Reprobates.
The ELS and WELS dinky colleges have reached across 30 miles of highway to have two $15 million gyms while dissolving academic program. Valpo is getting the flack at the moment, but more will come along.
"It looks like we are going to need a bigger mask!"
"The president of Valpo announced today that the theology major and minor will be discontinued. If you read his announcement closely, you will see that what will replace that major and minor will be something dealing with "religion," but it is unclear to the theology and philosophy faculty how this new, reimagined program will look or how it will be taught, given the serious faculty reduction in the theo/phil dept. The only remaining philosophy faculty member was informed this morning that his position will be terminated at the end of the next academic year. With my departure, the dept. has just three remaining tenured faculty members whose graduate degrees are in Christian theology.
Unclear to me is how theology will continue to be a required component in the gen. ed. curriculum, given the very small size of the dept. Perhaps the administration intends to hire cheap labor to teach those required courses? (I think we had as many part-time and adjunct faculty teaching theo courses this past year as we had full-time tenured theo faculty.)
Among the other programs that will be discontinued are the bachelor of music (all concentrations), the German major, philosophy major and minor, and the theology and ministry major. Christ College lost its secondary humanities major. It now looks like the admin. plans to shutter the Brauer Art Museum for good, perhaps selling off the art collection to raise money for dorm renovations (?). It is very difficult for me to fathom the end of theology and German at Valpo, two historically stellar depts--both tied to German Reformation history and American church history--but that's the current situation.
I heard this morning that enrollments are significantly down." Matt Becker
***
"This turn at Valpo is truly disturbing, and matches ironically with the impending demise of Concordia Ann Arbor. The Concordia Matters Official Page at Facebook keeps documenting the incredibly awkward and mission-absent methodologies being pushed on Ann Arbor.
One thing that might have been a great next step would/could have been a decided effort by Valpo to reach out to these many stranded students and families with Valpo's quality Lutheran/Christian theology programs including music, German, philosophy and the like. Which no longer exist.
Both places have that downside feel of a fire sale. Everything must go. It's just going to take awhile. We're running out of legacy institutions.
And if you take the blinders off, that includes the local congregation as well. I still like the advice given by Paul Hinlicky - work as hard as you can on the local Gospel mission. It will be tougher than ever, but it will remain the beating heart of the Church. Even when steeples and classrooms are closing."
Dave Benke It's OK To Pray
***
"Valpo is in the news this morning for breaking ground on the new Rafi Interfaith Center. President Padilla joined our U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan (D) and the guy paying for it for the front page first shovel photo. The donor's daughter, aVU grad, led a Muslim prayer to kick off the event. Apparently the donor owns the land and is paying for the building, so Valpo is really just putting their name on it and incorporating into their programming.
Unfortunately, the article seems to be behind a paywall.
GJ - The elderly ALPB Ovaltines have posted the reality of Valparaiso University and Ann Arbor. The same is happening at Bethany Lutheran College/Mini-Seminary and Martin Luther College School of Ministry. The ELS and WELS colleges are 29 miles apart, but they have spent about 30 million dollars on their two, gigantic gyms. "Build it and they might come."
Among the schools appearing on The Princeton Review’s “The Best 389 Colleges”list, eight institutions — including New York University, Tufts, Brown, Yale and Washington University in St. Louis — have a sticker price of more than $90,000 for the 2024-25 academic year, according to data provided to CNBC."
Not surprisingly, this isn't the first time that Martin Luther College (MLC) students' self-expression ran into disapproval by the WELS faithful.
Party in the MLC
Rummaging through MLC closets, Bluestem has stumbled over an old social media tale that involves student self-censorship after a popular dorm homecoming video hit YouTube. The September 18, 2009 MLC Update High School edition reported in Dorm Videos:
For Homecoming festivities, the four dorms put together a video to entertain the student body. (Well, not Augustana— they must have forgotten.) Concord, the frosh and sophomore men, starred NateWordell(West) in a series of misadventures to arrive at chapel on time. Centennial, the frosh and sophomore women, featured Claire Czaplewski (KML) and a team of students on a missionto conquer the Swine Flu Sprite. By far the crowd favorite was the Summit men’s video rendition(pictured) of “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.
That sounds innocent enough in the pre-twerking days of 2009.
The Martin Luther College (MLC) parody of a Fire Island Pines (FIP) parody
The "Party in the MLC video was based on the Fire Island Pines (FIP) parody tribune video of the Miley Cyrus music video for "Party in the USA." Fire Island Pines:
. . .has been a jewel in the gay community for over 60 years, and continues to be the premier vacation destination for residents and vacationers. Located just 50 miles east of New York City, The Pines is home to the most expensive real estate in Fire Island.
Here's the FIP version:
While both videos are silly rather than sexy, the fact that the MLC version was based on a gay-friendly video didn't escape notice long from either the LGBT community online nor from the WELS faithful.
To what cultural aspersions do we owe the phenomenon of remaking the remakes of music videos? The Fire Island Pines boys, who created the Miley Cyrus send-up “Party In The F.I.P,” receive their own homage with “Party In The MLC” from a bunch of dormmates at a “homecoming summit.” At, uh, Midland Lutheran College [sic]?
Keep watching, ’cause there’s a blooper reel.
Those commenting are divided about whether the video is homage to the FIP video, insulting to gay men because of the fem stereotypes that the schoolboys prance around, or totally inappropriate because the young Lutherans just aren't cute enough to be in front of a video camera.
A WELS member sent me the link to this video, which makes the previous one (the statue fight) look positively confessional in comparison.
Familiar names like Huebner and Krause star in this travesty, which includes prissy lip-synching and crotch grabbing. I thought Michael Jackson was sick when he felt compelled to do the same, but this is worse and comes from the WELS "College of Ministry."
Read the comments on the video and notice the great impression made on the audience.
The Wisconsin Lutheran College (WELS when raising funds) student newspaper, "The Sword," ran a Front Page! editorial / story on the MLC video, quoted in part (blue type in original):
But once the video left the context of the MLC campus, it came under unforeseen criticism from some who failed to see the humor in the video.
The most pronounced critic of the video was independent Lutheran pastor and blogger Gregory Jackson. Posts from Jackson, as well as comments left by the blog's readers, labeled the actions of the MLC students featured in the video unbecoming to future WELS pastors and teachers.
These claims were based on the video from which the creators of "Party in the MLC" took their inspiration--a previous YouTube video known as "Party in the FIP." Set to the tune of "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus, "Party in the FIP" shows a group of men performing choreographed routines on a beach while lip-synching the lyrics of the song."
"Party in the MLC" is a parody of the video, using the same soundtrack and many of the same routines.
The controversy over MLC students parodying "Party in the FIP" is derived from the lifestyle associated with "the FIP."
But makers of the "Party in the MLC" agree with other viewers that none of the actions in the "Party in the FIP" video would be considered blatant homosexuality. They also admit no previous knowledge of the reputation of Fire Island Pines. Ben Reichel, MLC student and video contributor, revealed, "We didn't find out until two or three days after we posted it that that's what it stood for. After we learned that we were kind of taken aback."
After learning of the offense caused by the video, the students decided to remove the video "out of Christian love" for those who found the video inappropriate. The decision to remove the video was a personal decision made by the creators of the video.
Reichel stated, "We all got together as a group --the guys who were in the video--and we realized that this caused way too much commotion and way too much negativity, and we all decided together that we were going to take it down."
After meeting amongst (sic) themselves, the students sought the advice of college administration. Reichel continued, "We went and talked to the administration here at MLC--the president and vice-president--and we got their thoughts on it too. But we knew before we even talked to them that we were going to take it down."
Matt Rothe, classmate of Reichel and video contributor, along with the rest of the students involved with the video, are ready to put "Party in the MLC" and the attention it has received in the past; "The group of guys who made this video only wished for good to come out of this video, and I must express firmly we wish for no more negative attention from it."
GJ - The WLC student newspaper has a lot of facts wrong. They did not make any effort to seek clarification. They are now drawing even more attention to the video and revealing that the students were not at all repentant, just resentful they got caught.
First of all, a WELS layman was furious over the video, which was posted on You Tube for all the world to see. Many people provide information to this blog so the rest of Lutherdom can see it. This layman was unable to watch more than a minute of it. I posted the video so people could see for themselves, as he wished.
The MLC students jumped in to defend the video right away, and now WLC has joined them. Their defense is to attack me, but the video stands on its own as a dubious production, whether I like it or not.
The defense of the video was so ridiculous that I did a little more research and found the original, "Party in the FIP." They knew what they were copying, and they acknowledged it rather quietly in the notes. Apparently the original went viral right away, thanks to various homosexual websites.
College students know how to use Google. Where else would they copy their homework from? Kelm, Parlow, and Limmer have shown that slavish copying is a good career move in WELS. To plead ignorance about Fire Island Pines is a bit absurd. All of the sudden these guys just fell off the haywagon when they landed in Metropolitan New Ulm.
And they thought the FIP video was straight? They should be on SNL, in a skit about their lack of gaydar. . . .
Bluestem is left to ponder what it means that "Party in the MLC" was the overwhelming favorite of Homecoming Dorm Videos at Martin Luther College. We couldn't possibly comment on that.
An academic colleague (name withheld) was applying for a teaching job in science. One Christian school was cited and in the process of being considered. The entire department was dropped before it even got started, and I said, "Great! Do not count on a small college. Look for state jobs." That happened for this person and led to tenure, which is almost meaningless for small schools.
The Boomer era peaked a long time ago, so no one should be shocked by the closing or selling of colleges with spiraling costs upward and enrollment figures downward. Gone is the fantasy that simply going to college and getting a high-priced, loan-encumbered degree will promise prosperity.
The Lutherans - ELCA included - are closing or merging programs with haste, smoke, and mirrors. ELCA seminaries are easy to find but have devious statistics. Lots of seminaries claim distant students, so someone taking a single course is listed. In the golden days, someone was either a full-time student or not. The facilities remain while the cost of maintenance soars. No thought is given anywhere about spending on tuition reduction rather than polishing the marble in their beloved mausoleum.
Federal student loans are just too juicy for the schools to ignore - instant cash for the managers, lifelong debt for the eventual graduates and for the numerous dropouts.
The LCMS has been selling off its colleges wherever they can. HotChalk did not save one school, but the liabilities and lawsuits remain.
WELS and the Little Sect on the Prairie should have prepared for this, but no, they had the eternal gusher of Marvin Schwan money -
In short, the failing ELS and WELS have three liberal arts colleges within a short driving distance, from Milwaukee to Mankato, a five-hour drive, not unlike the S.S. Minnow, and not including the CLC (sic) summer camp in Eau Claire.
In ancient days, higher education depended on the professors, not the buildings. A beautiful gym does not teach students - and sadly - there are bigger, better gyms all over.
The biggest weakness is leadership. The ones pulling the strings are not capable, scholarly, or frugal. They grab for the short-term so the next generation can accelerate the closings.
30 Colleges That Aren’t Worth the Tuition They Demand
By Oliver Hamilton -
Martin Luther in Minnesota is the home of one of the most peculiarly active campuses in the U.S. A third of the under 900 students play varsity sports, while two-thirds play intramural sports. That definitely has a lot to do with how happy the students look all the time.
As in shape as the students are while they are in school, they are apparently not that equipped for the real world. Tuition costs $93,300 for four years, but after 20 years there’s -$123,200 return on investment on average.
I saw several notices about a newly forming university that will try to be more conservative - the University of Austin, Texas. The ALPB Online Forum principals looked up from their Ovaltine to discuss the possibilities there. One the most liberal college presidents, Nunes, came from the LCMS or ELCA, or both. You can tell where that is going if he is going to be a leader there.
Grand Canyon University has shown that a tiny school, mired in debt, can steal a march on established institutions by breaking with all the assumptions of modern education - by being Christian, retro, and not saddling students with enormous loans to pay for a country club campus. School spirit comes from an accepting and inviting student body, great leadership, and an attitude about doing things a new way.
My sister-in-law almost fainted when she heard Augustana College in Rock Island is now charging about $55,000 a year for room, board, and tuition. The tuition fee was about $1,000 per year when we were all there (Christina, Maria, and I) 50 years ago.
The mainline denominations (which include LCMS-WELS) have made the same mistake as the old universities. They have invested far too much money in buildings while expecting students to pay for elegance and comfort through outrageous, constantly increasing tuition costs.
WELS' Martin Luther College currently has basic costs of $27,000 per year. The 2022-23 year will be closer to $30,000. That makes people wonder whether they want to invest their loan money in a school that may not last.
The variables include the net cost with scholarships. One young lady turned down the $100,000 sports scholarship she was offered at GCU because her "friends" wanted her to go to "their" school. No, she did not tell her parents before sending the rejection letter.
Everything is political and based on family ties in WELS, so the right last name is the key to scholarships and perks, not to mention immunity from discipline.
Matt the Fatt, LCMS, did not have a beard for this photo, or did he?
Time of Grace
So that's what they call it - grace. What better place for a mattress room!
Kilcrease teaches at a Catholic girls' convent school. His Christology is rejection of Justification by Faith.
Martin Luther College
Martin Luther College
Martin Luther College
WELS parish - pastor and lay leaders cross-dressed and posted the photos on the Net: Wayne Mueller's son, a Church and Changer.
Martin Luther College
It takes $30,000 a year to make that rainbow connection, Martin Luther College.
The best-selling YouTube is still on the Net, thanks to their fans. Martin Luther College
Stowe and Birner came out a few minutes after graduating from Martin Luther College, the WELS School of Ministry.
This predatory Roman Catholic archbishop was invited to speak to the public at Wisconsin Lutheran College, WELS. At least ELCA admits to spooning with the Antichrist.
What better way to make the Gospel real, relational, and relevant!
Martin Luther College is around $30,000 a year in cost.
Yale Divinity's tuition is $25,000 a year, but the net cost paid by each student is about $1,500 annually. YDS gives tuition support to over 90% of the students.
Yale Divinity has endowed student scholarships - over 12 new ones this year.
Yale Divinity School has had its own campus, faculty, and degree program since 1869.
Yale Divinity does not have a hazing tradition where newcomers are insulted, physically harmed, abused, and manipulated with lies. Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary both do.
How is a field house a mile away from campus going to help in the middle of winter when moststudents don't have cars?
They forgot to mention that part... It isn't ON CAMPUS, it's OFF CAMPUS at the Athletic Fields site.
"Sports Complex
• Shared locker rooms for field sports - home & visitor
• Indoor practice turf
• Game day support - concessions, restrooms, coaches,
and officials
• Team rooms
• Satellite training room"
Martin Luther College now costs over $30,000 a year, and the average student leaves with more than $50,000 in debt. That may be a reason why students pick Granger Community College instead. Another reason is WELS protecting felons, denying anything happened, and treating so many students like dirt under their Stormtrooper boots.
WELS stole a march on ELCA, doubling down with Satanism and gender bending.
When Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm absorbed Northwestern College in Watertown, everything was supposed to be glorious:
Men and women together
Separate tracks for teachers and future pastors
Decreased alcoholism
No more Cattle Crossing signs popping up when the NWC students were visiting.
I have been reading Augustana College (Rock Island) history lately. The Swedish Augustana Synod, after some years of doctrinal difficulties, established their synod and college in 1860. Northwestern College began in 1865.
The differences are enormous today, because the Swedes took higher education seriously, instead of putting incompetents in teaching roles. Andreen, an early Augustana College president, left his comfortable job as head of a language department at Yale University to get the Rock Island campus on solid ground. He was pummeled in Sweden for asking for funds and succeeded in winning over the opposition. He cultivated the prosperous Swedes in the Midwest and strengthened the faculty.
"Augustana ranks among the top 40 U.S. liberal arts colleges in the sciences, based on the number of graduates earning Ph.D.s. Students accepted to Augustana typically rank in the top 20% of their high school classes." (Wiki)
Similarly, Gustavus Adolphus in Minnesota is one of the top music schools in America. I remember when a prominent ELS pastor sent his daughter there for music.
Christina and I graduated early from Augustana, Rock Island, November, 1969. We got married 10 minutes later.
The Augustana Synod abhorred slavery, unlike Walther's sect, where slavery was practiced from the beginning and supported by CFW Hisself.
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