ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University

E. EDWARD HACKMANN:
AN APPRECIATION
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in
his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after
him'! (Ecclesiastes 3:22 KJV)
Retirement. What does it mean? How is it done? Our estecmcd colleague, Dr. E.
Edward Hackmann, has embarked on that portion of his pilgrimage, along with his
life's companion, Pa~rline. This has meant leaving St. Catharines, where Ed served
Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary as Professor of Systematic Thcology for
about a decade. It has meant moving into a new house in Albuquer-que, New Mexico,
Ed's boyhood home, "where the sun shines 360 days a year." It has meant caravanning
(in an Air Stream trailer) under that sun, and having time for reflection on the beauty
oS everything which God has madc and continues to make "in its season."
It is good, sail11 Koheleth, indeed: nothing is better than to rcjoice in onc's works
which have been his portion. Ed Hackmann's "portion" has been the noble calling, a
vocation to sellre the Lord in His Ministry. This he did, with faithfulness and integrity,
for nigh unto fifty years, as a parish pastor in Iowa and Nebraska and as a professor at
Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Illinois; Concordia Teachers' College,
Sewwd, Nebraska; Capital University, Columbus, Ohio; Concordia College, Ann
Arbor, Michigan; and Concordia Lulheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines.
The fruits of his labours in his vocation arc many. Scores of colleagues remember
him with respecl and affection; his st~tdents, trained to think clearly and to take every
thought captivc to Christ, are legion. The crisp reasoning of his clear mind lives on in
things he has written, including a number of contributions to this journal.
This is how retirement is done: to rejoice in those labours, not with a wrongf~d
pride, but not with a falsc humility, either. There is a genuine and appropriate joy in
recalling the encouragement given, the love shared, and yes: the doctrines taught. To
attain to that joy is a gift from God, amongsl the best of the gifts He gives "under the
SUII."
"Who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?" No one can tcll what lics
ahead for Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, SOS Lutheran Church-Canada or
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. These instit~ltions, for whose weal Ed laboured
and in whose fellowship Ecl and Pauline served and still are serving, are entities of this
age. But all of his preaching and teaching, all of their counseling and encouraging, yes:
even all of those meetings attended contributed to thc building up of the Church, the
Body of Christ. Concerning the Ch~~rch, there is One who has caused us to see what
shall be after all of this: the Lord Jesus Himself brings revelation hom beyond the sun
and shows to us all our glorious future in Him.
There is joj7 in retirement under the wn ... and joy beyond that in the life of the world
beyond the sun.
Wilh this issue OS Lutherzlri Theological Review the faculties of Concordia Lu-