Companions on <strong>the</strong> journeyAn interview with James Nieman“You have put me in my place <strong>at</strong> LSTC. And <strong>the</strong>reis no o<strong>the</strong>r place I would ra<strong>the</strong>r be,” James Niemantold <strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>red assembly after his install<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>at</strong>Rockefeller Chapel on October 28. He continued,“Wh<strong>at</strong>’s left is <strong>the</strong> glad task <strong>of</strong> living out this callwith you.” Listen to his remarks online <strong>at</strong> www.lstc.edu/voices/videos/2012-10-28-inaugural.php.Shortly before <strong>the</strong> install<strong>at</strong>ion weekend,President Nieman took time for a convers<strong>at</strong>ion tohelp us get to know our new companion on <strong>the</strong>journey <strong>of</strong> sharing <strong>the</strong> good news <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christthrough LSTC.For <strong>the</strong> first two years <strong>of</strong> your tenure, you planto commute between Chicago and Connecticut.Please tell us about th<strong>at</strong>.James Nieman: Our younger daughter, Madelene, isa junior in an excellent urban school th<strong>at</strong> she likesand w<strong>here</strong> she has good friends. JoAnn and I wouldlike her to be able to complete high school <strong>the</strong>re.JoAnn is able to remain pastor <strong>of</strong> ConcordiaLu<strong>the</strong>ran Church in Manchester and I’m able todo my work from two or more places—Chicago,Connecticut, and <strong>the</strong> places I will be visiting LSTC’salumni and friends. It’s easier now to do this byusing an iPhone and iPad to keep in touch with bothmy family and with colleagues <strong>at</strong> LSTC.The broad plan is th<strong>at</strong> every three weeks or so,I’ll spend about 10-14 days in Chicago and <strong>the</strong>n 5-7days in Connecticut. Wh<strong>at</strong>’s messier is th<strong>at</strong> whichdays I do th<strong>at</strong> will be ra<strong>the</strong>r irregular so th<strong>at</strong> I can bepresent <strong>at</strong> LSTC when I need to be for meetings ormajor events.Would you tell us more about your daughters?Clara is 24 and she lives in Rochester, N.Y. Shestayed <strong>the</strong>re after earning a master’s degree in vocalperformance from <strong>the</strong> Eastman <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Music.She’s still based <strong>the</strong>re because her “rent-paying”jobs are <strong>the</strong>re. She’s able to get to New York City forauditions. She regularly auditions for programs andperforms in <strong>the</strong>se, eventually seeking to get into aPresident Nieman’s fa<strong>the</strong>r, Robert, and his spouse, P<strong>at</strong>ricia; JoAnn Post, James Nieman, Clara Nieman, Madelene Nieman6
young artists’ program somew<strong>here</strong>. All this seemsjust fine with her.Our younger daughter, Madelene, is 15—she’llbe 16 in December. As I’ve said, she’s a junior inhigh school. She is very interested in tying toge<strong>the</strong>r<strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> history and film and o<strong>the</strong>r media. Theschool Madelene is in has a classical curriculum—she takes L<strong>at</strong>in, philosophy, and English liter<strong>at</strong>ure.Madelene also plays several instruments includingpiano, saxophone, accordion and guitar. She is anavid canoeist, and has gone on canoeing trips withsmall groups on <strong>the</strong> Allagash River in Maine and on<strong>the</strong> Riviére Coulonge in Quebec. She’s tough as nailsand totally hilarious.You’ve had an unusual first 90 days <strong>at</strong> LSTC. Howhas th<strong>at</strong> affected you?These first 90 days have been colored by complic<strong>at</strong>ionswith JoAnn’s health. In September she neededto have surgery for a fast-growing tumor and <strong>the</strong>rewere complic<strong>at</strong>ions following <strong>the</strong> surgery.Everybody I talk with has faced similar complic<strong>at</strong>ionsin <strong>the</strong>ir own health or <strong>the</strong> health <strong>of</strong> someone<strong>the</strong>y love. At <strong>the</strong> same time JoAnn was in <strong>the</strong> hospital,several staff people <strong>at</strong> LSTC were also dealingwith urgent health issues for <strong>the</strong>mselves or familymembers. So we’re not unusual. It just came <strong>at</strong> anodd time for us.Through this, I’ve met people on a differentlevel. We have been shown compassion and kindness.And I’ve shown a different side <strong>of</strong> myself thanI would have without <strong>the</strong>se complic<strong>at</strong>ions. Peoplehave seen w<strong>here</strong> my priorities are. My primary voc<strong>at</strong>ionis with my spouse. This has been good for meto think about. It has also allowed me to give permissionto o<strong>the</strong>rs to fulfill <strong>the</strong>ir primary voc<strong>at</strong>ions.I’ve realized in a way th<strong>at</strong> I hadn’t fully expectedth<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> president is symbolic. Of course Iknow th<strong>at</strong> how I act reflects on <strong>the</strong> school, but thishas been ano<strong>the</strong>r kind <strong>of</strong> symbolism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> limitsand frailties th<strong>at</strong> I bear in my voc<strong>at</strong>ion, and th<strong>at</strong>each <strong>of</strong> us has in however we’re called by God.You’ve been a faculty member or administr<strong>at</strong>or <strong>at</strong>three schools. Could you tell us about <strong>the</strong>ir similaritiesand differences?Wartburg Theological Seminary, Hartford Seminary,and LSTC, on <strong>the</strong> surface, look very different, butI find a surprising continuity among <strong>the</strong>m. Here’show: Each school knows its niche.I was surprised to find myself teaching <strong>at</strong>Wartburg. I never thought I’d teach <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> place Ifinished my M.Div. In any case, Wartburg’s nichewas well-suited to wh<strong>at</strong> I had been studying [ingradu<strong>at</strong>e school.] Its <strong>at</strong>tention to rural ministry andsmall-town and rural settings in <strong>the</strong> upper Midwest,its deep roots in liturgics and social ministry madeit a good place for me to be. I care very much aboutsmall, resource-poor congreg<strong>at</strong>ions. Many peopledon’t realize th<strong>at</strong> Wartburg also has a global senseabout how it approaches ministry. It was foundedas a Missionseminar. For Wartburg, to be part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>church is to be part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> global church.Hartford Seminary, with a quite differentniche, provided me with a research opportunitythrough its Hartford Institute for ReligiousResearch. I was able to do congreg<strong>at</strong>ional researchand to deepen and refine wh<strong>at</strong> I was workingon. Hartford’s niche is th<strong>at</strong> its programs are orientedtoward leadership. It has also been focusedon Christian-Muslim rel<strong>at</strong>ions going back to <strong>the</strong>19th Century. T<strong>here</strong> are students <strong>at</strong> Hartford fromIndonesia, Singapore, Turkey, and elsew<strong>here</strong> whoare observant Muslims or Christians. It gave <strong>the</strong>school a very global perspective. It was fascin<strong>at</strong>ingto have colleagues and students who were observantMuslims. I had to rethink my approach towh<strong>at</strong> I was teaching.LSTC has still ano<strong>the</strong>r niche: urban and multiculturalwhile also being intentionally confessional—Lu<strong>the</strong>ran,preparing ministers and teachers. It,too, has a global perspective on things. It is sendingout teachers, bishops, leaders <strong>of</strong> schools and seminariesaround <strong>the</strong> world. For LSTC to have an activeinvolvement in preparing <strong>the</strong>se leaders is an importantrole in <strong>the</strong> global church.Wh<strong>at</strong> do you see as LSTC’s strengths?I wrote this for <strong>the</strong> c<strong>at</strong>alog and my greeting on <strong>the</strong>website and I really believe it’s true: it’s <strong>the</strong> humanstrengths—<strong>the</strong> people.LSTC has remarkable students. As I read throughAdmissions reports on <strong>the</strong> students who have started<strong>at</strong> LSTC this fall, I see a diversity <strong>of</strong> age, gender, geographicalorigin, intern<strong>at</strong>ional distribution. Havingmet our students, I find <strong>the</strong>m intelligent, inquisitive,and committed to <strong>the</strong>ir call. As (Director <strong>of</strong>Admissions) Scott Chalmers has said, <strong>the</strong>y havemade a choice to come to LSTC because <strong>the</strong>y likewh<strong>at</strong> we’re about.LSTC has a gre<strong>at</strong> faculty—<strong>the</strong>y’re smart andactive scholars in <strong>the</strong>ir fields. Even though <strong>the</strong>y’restretched a little thin right now, I think <strong>the</strong>y alsohave a lot <strong>of</strong> untapped cre<strong>at</strong>ivity.7
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