Luther Classical College (LCC) is pleased to announce the reception of an academic mace, generously designed, crafted, and donated by Mr. Phil Stout, elder at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ocala, Florida. He and his wife, Jan, reside in The Villages, Florida. Prior to retirement, they lived in Casper, Wyoming, where they were members of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. A native of Casper, Mr. Stout continues to hold both the city and LCC close to his heart.
During a visit to Our Redeemer in Ocala in November 2024, Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau, Walter C. Dissen Chair of Confessional Lutheranism at LCC, discovered the woodworking talents of elder Phil Stout. At Dr. Ristau’s request, Stout agreed to design and craft a ceremonial mace and display case for LCC. He enlisted the assistance of his friend and mentor, Craig Biddle, a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Eustis, Florida, whose woodworking contributions to his parish include a pulpit, baptismal font, and paschal candle stand. Guided by input from Dr. Ryan MacPherson, LCC’s academic dean, Stout and Biddle dedicated many hours to the project. Their work stands as a gift to the Church and an offering to the glory of the Triune God.
No classical college is complete without an academic mace, borne by a designated faculty member in the processionals of official ceremonies. Originating as a weapon, the mace was repurposed in the early modern period as a symbol of authority and protection for parliaments and institutions of higher learning. In the medieval university, which often held a charter distinct from that of the surrounding town, the mace signified the academy’s independence. Similarly, the modern college seeks insulation from the pressures of politics and commerce in order to cultivate a contemplative life, one that evaluates and critiques the surrounding world rather than merely echoing it.
The new academic mace incorporates several distinctive features that highlight the foundation of all teaching and learning. In addition to the college seal, the head of the mace bears the acronym VDMA, abbreviating the historic Lutheran motto derived from 1 Peter 1:25, Verbum Domini manet in aeternum (“The Word of the Lord endures forever”). A third panel displays the seal of the Wyoming District of the LC—MS, which references the Great Commission and the five solae of the Reformation. The final panel contains a jade cross, signifying the death of Christ through which forgiveness was won for the whole world. Between the two handgrips of the shaft, a freely hanging ring symbolizes Christ’s union with the Church (Eph. 5:25–27).
The mace will be formally introduced during the college’s opening service at the Beech Street campus on Sunday, August 24, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. LCC is honored to welcome Phil and Jan Stout for this historic event.
