Concordia St. Louis seminary professor Rev. Dr. Peter Nafzger gives guest presentation at Concordia Nebraska

Rev. Dr. Peter Nafzger presents in the Thom Leadership and Education Center auditorium.

Photo credit: Alison Galchutt

By Alison Galchutt

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis professor Rev. Dr. Peter Nafzger presented on Tuesday about the importance of the Christian community and how Baptism and the Lord’s Supper create and foster that community.

Nafzger’s presentation, titled “Beyond the Mirage: Love and Friction in the Christian Community,” drew an audience of more than 50 people from the Concordia University, Nebraska community to Thom Auditorium on Tuesday night.

In his presentation, Nafzger said that Christians do not have the option to withdraw from their community, even when things are hard. He said that “to be Christian is to be brought into a community by definition.”

Freshman Emma Fiala said that Nafzger did not necessarily present information that was new to her but rather made her think about what she already knew from a different perspective.

Sophomore Noah Niederklein talked about how it was good to be reminded of the value of Christian community.

“It is important to have this community where you can trust each other and bear another’s burdens,” he said. “It’s something we often forget that we need to be reminded of and encouraged to participate in, especially as a Christian community.”

Nafzger began his presentation by talking about the problem of loneliness in American society. He cited technology like television, cars and the internet, among other things, as factors in the problem of loneliness. With ever-advancing technology, Nafzger noted that people may be caught in echo chambers where they don’t need to experience the “friction” that comes with a true relationship with another person.

Nafzger said that “friction” or some level of conflict is inevitable in any human relationship, because of sin. What is important is not to avoid friction, according to Nafzger, but to see one another as baptized children of God. In addition to talking about Baptism, Nafzger pointed to the Lord’s Supper as a practice of fellowship with others.

This emphasis on the sacraments is something that sophomore Eunice Clausing specifically wanted to remember from Nafzger’s presentation.

“We have kind of lost a little bit of the emphasis on how communion is a meal that you share with all believers, where you are, like, recognizing your baptism into Christ and how you are all in Christ, but then also you are all part of each other,” said Clausing.

Nafzger emphasized that, while the sacraments deliver tremendous blessings in the forgiveness of sin, life and salvation, the sacraments are also a means by which the Christian community may be built up.

Nafzger graduated from CUNE in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in behavioral science, and he holds a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

He has been a Concordia Seminary, St. Louis faculty member since 2016, where he works as associate professor of Practical Theology, Coordinator of Seminary International Exchange Programs and Director of Student Life.