David Benke
Encyclopedia
David Benke is a Lutheran pastor and the current president of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
.
) in 1966. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree with honors from Concordia Senior College
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
. On August 17, 1968, he married Judith Platt, a teacher who graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. Benke earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary
and was ordained a pastor at his boyhood church in Milwaukee on June 15, 1972. His career as an ordained pastor included time as an assistant pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in St. Louis and a religion teacher at Martin Luther High School in New York City
. He became pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Brooklyn
, and he served as pastor there from 1975–1991 and from 1998–present. While at St. Peter's, Benke earned his Doctor of Ministry
degree from the New York Theological Seminary
in May 1983.
Benke was elected president of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in 1991 and has been re-elected six times, most recently in 2009.
, 2001, he participated in an interfaith worship service for the victims that took place at Yankee Stadium
and included high-profile speakers of many different religious denominations. His participation in this event was met with opposition by some Missouri Synod Lutherans, who claimed that his participation constituted syncretism
and unionism
. One such individual was Dr. Wallace Schulz, who was at that time the host of The Lutheran Hour
and Second Vice President of the Synod. For several months following the Yankee Stadium event, Schulz tried to negotiate with Benke for a public apology. Schulz conducted an investigation into the allegations and found that Benke had violated synodical teachings in several areas. As Benke offered no apology publicly or privately, on July 6, 2002 Schulz suspended him. However on April 10, 2003 the President of the Synod, Gerald B. Kieschnick
, reinstated Benke. The charges against Benke were eventually withdrawn because an investigation determined he had received permission to attend the Yankee Stadium event from Kieschnick, his ecclesiastical supervisor.
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...
.
Education and career
Benke was born on May 5, 1946 in Milwaukee, WI as the first child of Raymond and Dorothea Benke. He attended Lutheran schools in Milwaukee and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Concordia College, Milwaukee (now Concordia University WisconsinConcordia University Wisconsin
Concordia University Wisconsin is a private liberal arts college located in Mequon, Wisconsin. The school is an affiliate of the 10-member Concordia University System, which is operated by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod ....
) in 1966. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree with honors from Concordia Senior College
Concordia Senior College
Concordia Senior College was a liberal arts college located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod...
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. On August 17, 1968, he married Judith Platt, a teacher who graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. Benke earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary is located in Clayton, Missouri, an inner-ring suburb on the western border of St. Louis, Missouri. The institution's primary mission is to train pastors, deaconesses, missionaries, chaplains, and church leaders for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod . The current president of...
and was ordained a pastor at his boyhood church in Milwaukee on June 15, 1972. His career as an ordained pastor included time as an assistant pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in St. Louis and a religion teacher at Martin Luther High School in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He became pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, and he served as pastor there from 1975–1991 and from 1998–present. While at St. Peter's, Benke earned his Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
degree from the New York Theological Seminary
New York Theological Seminary
The New York Theological Seminary was established as a non-denominational institution in 1900 with the founding of the Bible Teachers’ College in Montclair, New Jersey by Wilbert Webster White. President White moved the school to New York City in 1902, when it was renamed the Bible Teachers’...
in May 1983.
Benke was elected president of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in 1991 and has been re-elected six times, most recently in 2009.
Events following September 11 attacks
Following the attacks of September 11September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, 2001, he participated in an interfaith worship service for the victims that took place at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
and included high-profile speakers of many different religious denominations. His participation in this event was met with opposition by some Missouri Synod Lutherans, who claimed that his participation constituted syncretism
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
and unionism
Unionism
-Trades:*Community Unionism, describes the various ways in which trade unions can work with communities and community organizations*Craft unionism, an approach to union organizing in the United States and elsewhere that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the...
. One such individual was Dr. Wallace Schulz, who was at that time the host of The Lutheran Hour
The Lutheran Hour
The Lutheran Hour is a U.S. religious radio program that proclaims the message of Jesus Christ on nearly 800 stations throughout North American, as well as by weekly audiences on the American Forces Network and XM Satellite Radio FamilyTalk 170...
and Second Vice President of the Synod. For several months following the Yankee Stadium event, Schulz tried to negotiate with Benke for a public apology. Schulz conducted an investigation into the allegations and found that Benke had violated synodical teachings in several areas. As Benke offered no apology publicly or privately, on July 6, 2002 Schulz suspended him. However on April 10, 2003 the President of the Synod, Gerald B. Kieschnick
Gerald B. Kieschnick
Gerald Bryan Kieschnick was the 12th president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He served 3 terms starting in 2001, re-elected in 2004, and again in 2007. He was defeated in his bid for a fourth term by the Rev. Matthew C...
, reinstated Benke. The charges against Benke were eventually withdrawn because an investigation determined he had received permission to attend the Yankee Stadium event from Kieschnick, his ecclesiastical supervisor.
External links
- http://home.gwu.edu/~brianjac/writing/LCMS.htm (Academic paper detailing the Yankee Stadium incident)
- http://www.ad-lcms.org/anniversary/presidents.htm (Official Atlantic District biography)
- http://home.netcom.com/~jrhowell/rel/lcms.htm
- http://ctlibrary.com/7004
- http://www.consensuslutheran.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=219&mode=thread&order=0