Luther Classical College (LCC) concluded a successful first week of classes on Friday, August 29. The week began with the dedication of the Wilhelm Löhe Chapel at a Sunday vespers service, with over 200 supporters of the college present. Attendees included members of the Casper community plus representatives of Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis and the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Classes began the following Monday morning. Already, students were discussing the dangers of literary criticism in Hesiod’s Theogony, the difference between norma normans and norma normata in theology, and Herodotus’s role as the first historian. They read Caesar in Latin prose, prayed the Pater Noster in Latin, and translated passages about the Trojan Horse. “Students have shown themselves to be more than ready for the challenges they face in their studies,” reflected Dr. Ryan MacPherson, academic dean and professor of humanities. Under the guidance of Dr. William Lipke, professor of music, the student choir has begun its service to the college. Attendees of the opening service were blessed by the choir’s performance of Dr. Lipke’s arrangement of the Magnificat.
Students and faculty gathered in the chapel twice daily for matins and vespers. The chapel will soon be further enriched by the installation of a pipe organ, and it will also serve as a venue for recitals and public concerts. “It is a beautiful and godly thing to see and hear our entire student body in chapel, daily beginning and concluding their studies with the Word of God and prayer,” said Rev. Joshua Hayes, interim president and dean of chapel.
Rev. Dr. Aric Fenske, executive director of Lutherans for Life, traveled to Casper to deliver the inaugural Christian Culture Seminar. Faculty dined with students throughout the week, modeling the close fellowship of the campus community. “It was such a wonderful blessing for my wife and me to be able to get to know a small group of students in a more casual setting,” Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau, Dissen Chair in Confessional Lutheranism, commented. “The tradition in my household is to end the evening with a sung compline service. They were all so eager to join and pray together in that fashion, and it touched our hearts in a special way.”
In addition to academic pursuits, the inaugural class has been tasked with drafting a student constitution and establishing a government for future classes. The students have already elected a five-member constitutional committee to research and propose a governing framework. The opening week also saw the launch of LCC’s first gun safety course, held at the Wyoming Gun Company.
“Within the first week of class, students were already drawing connections from across the curriculum: discussions in Literature 121: Greek Literature were filled with references to philosophy, theology, rhetoric, and history courses,” remarked Rev. Jacob Benson, director of admissions and assistant professor of humanities. “One of the highlights has been the creation and discovery of student traditions and inside jokes. Academically, spiritually, and socially, we are incredibly blessed by this first cohort.”
Beyond their studies, students have quickly embraced life at Beech Street Campus. “Students are making great use of the Beech Street Campus’s amenities,” observed Dr. Caleb Karges, dean of students and associate professor of humanities. “I regularly hear them practicing piano in the classrooms, enjoying air hockey and ping pong in the lounge, or using Martin’s Mess Hall as a study hall.”
The inaugural week has set the tone for life at LCC: a community rooted in worship, devoted to learning, and united in the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty under Christ. To learn how you can become an LCC student, contact Rev. Jacob Benson, director of admissions, at admissions@lutherclassical.org.
