Convention Workbook

traditional undergraduates has been revised, and a
core curriculum has been implemented. The core
curriculum pairs courses in biology/theology,
philosophy/mathematics, and history/literature.
First and second year students take these courses
in linked pairs to foster cross-discipline thinking
and inquiry.
New academic offerings have been established in
Graphic Design, Registered Nurse to Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (RN – BSN), Healthcare
Management, and Industrial/ Organizational
Psychology. Two new regional centers have been
established in San Diego and San Bernardino
counties (in addition to the existing regional
centers in Arcadia and Temecula), and two more
are under consideration in Ventura and Palmdale.
Reflecting our strong commitment as The Great
Commission University, Concordia University
Irvine added a number of new global programs.
Twenty-five students and two faculty members
completed an “Around the World Semester” in
fall, 2010. They traveled to ten countries on five
continents, reading, studying and partnering with
local Christian agencies to work on service
projects. We will offer a second Around the
World Semester in fall, 2012. Twenty-five new
students have applied and been accepted into the
program. They began their preparations for the
trip in spring, 2012.
Through the new Office of Global Programs,
Concordia students, faculty and staff will
participate in trips this summer to China, Ghana,
Haiti, Costa Rica and Korea. We also offer
students the opportunity to spend a semester in
Australia, England, France, Ghana, Italy and
Korea.
Ministries and Programs
Christ College, Concordia University’s School of
Theology, Philosophy, and Church Vocations, has
experienced some changes in the past three years.
Several faculty members have been called to new
areas of service in the church and one, Dr. Eshetu
Abate, was called to glory. Thanking God for
their service and his faithfulness, we continue to
Concordia University Irvine
see our Lord’s guiding hand as he continues to
bring us new colleagues who are well qualified
academically, experienced in ministry, and zealous
for the Gospel.
We are proud that, in addition to their faithful
professorial service, our faculty are also dedicated
servants of the broader church. Dr. Korey Maas
served as a member of the LCMS Commission on
Theology and Church relations and Dr. Steve
Mueller as a member of the Commission for
Doctrinal Review. Our faculty remain busy as
speakers, guest preachers, consultants, and interim
pastors in our district’s congregations.
They continue in our strong tradition of
scholarship and publishing. Dr. Scott Ashmon’s
book, Birth Annunciations in the Hebrew Bible and
Ancient Near East is soon to be published by
Edwin Mellen Press. Dr. Mike Middendorf has
authored a volume in the Concordia Commentary
Series on Romans 1-8 with anticipated release in
2013, and has begun work on the second volume,
Romans 9-16. Dr. Steve Mueller is general editor
of Concordia Publishing House’s Reformation
Heritage Bible Commentary series, and Dr. Mark
Brighton is writing the second volume in that
series, Revelation.
Our theological faculty have also contributed
chapters and articles to numerous other
publications including Learning at the Foot of the
Cross: A Lutheran Vision for Education (Concordia
Academic Press, 2011), Natural Law: A Lutheran
Reappraisal (Concordia, 2011), The Encyclopedia of
Christian Civilization (Blackwell’s, 2011), The
Apocrypha: Lutheran Edition with Notes
(forthcoming, Concordia), Concordia Journal,
Concordia Pulpit Resources, and The Lutheran Witness.
We continue in our calling to prepare future
church workers including pastors, teachers,
Directors of Christian Education, Directors of
Parish Music, pre-seminarians, and predeaconesses.
We are blessed to be able to form
these future servants of the church in the context
of the Pacific Southwest District and beyond. Our
Cross-Cultural Ministry Center (CMC), working in
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