If there's a T-shirt for it, I must be in the right place

Thirty years ago, probably almost to the day, my dad first sat down in a Lutheran Confessions class taught by Jim Nestingen, a young instructor whom none of the students at Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary knew anything about.

This morning, I sat down in a Northwestern Hall classroom flooded with around 100 students, most of whom displayed an energy atypical for an 8 a.m. class and many of whom were wearing a T-shirt custom-made for the occasion of this, Professor Nestingen's final course at Luther Seminary.

I had never been in a class like this. Ever. Many of the students, most of the ones wearing the T-shirts (the back of the shirt reads, "Er Lebt," German for, "He Lives"), had already taken the course and were just sitting in to experience Nestingen one last time. There were also an emeritus professor and a Ph.D. graduate who now teaches at Augsburg College, among other high-ranking fans. There was applause when Professor Steven Paulson turned the lecture over to the man of the hour. This was more like a farewell concert for a rock 'n' roll legend than a seminary class. And this was only the first day.

In short, it didn't take me long to realize that there was nothing unusual about my dad considering Nestingen his favorite professor. Having heard so much about him over the years, there was no small kick for me when Nestingen began to lecture, complete with his trademark Norwegian accent. Everyone was hanging on his every word, joke and personal anecdote as he provided an overview of the documents that define Lutheranism and of the crucial doctrine of Justification by Faith. He even threw in his trademark "crap detector," a phrase that my dad has used for as long as I can remember, though he apparently forgot where he got it from.

Although I came to Luther Seminary to follow the calling of my Heavenly Father, there is also always some joy in moments when I get the chance to follow in the footsteps of my dad — not to mention my mom. Many times when I walk through the lower level of Northwestern Hall, I consider in a bit of awe that this is where my mom, then a Master of Arts student studying Christian Education, first recalls meeting my dad, then a first-year Master of Divinity student on janitorial duty.

I apparently came to what's now Luther Seminary just in time to relive my dad's study under Nestingen. I realized just weeks ago that this would be not only Nestingen's only course this year but also his final course. I actually snagged the last of the 90 official seats for the class. I know there's some controversy with Nestingen's retirement, and he's apparently no stranger to controversy. My dad, as he told me just tonight, actually led his Confessions classmates in circulating a petition to confront rumors that the seminary might let Nestingen go at that time. My dad, for the record, was as excited as he has ever been over the phone tonight as I shared a couple quips from the lecture, and I promised to e-mail him my lecture notes throughout the semester.

Just as Professor Nestingen told us how thankful he was for one more opportunity to teach, I feel blessed for this opportunity to learn from this man from whom my dad learned so much. Certainly the one we're really celebrating is Jesus Christ, but it was certainly fun today to be a part of this little celebration for one of Luther's many legendary instructors.

I even bought a T-shirt. Now I just need to figure out whether I'm going to give it to my dad or keep it for myself.