Community Traditions

Traditions

Alumni and friends of the College are invited to attend several hallmark events each year including the Luther Lecture, Luther Bach Choir concerts, and our Advent Service of Lessons & Carols.

Luther Lecture

The Luther Lecture was created to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of both the university and the broader community. Each year, we invite a distinguished scholar or leader to deliver a lecture on a topic of significance, one that resonates with audiences in Saskatchewan and beyond.

A Tradition of Excellence

Over the years, the Luther Lecture has featured some of the most brilliant minds, including Northrop Frye, Helen Caldicott, John Ralston Saul, and Margaret Somerville. Despite the prominence of these speakers, the lectures are always designed to engage a general audience, addressing issues that matter to the wider community.

Through the Luther Lecture, Luther College at the University campus fulfills its mission to inspire wise thinking and encourage constructive action in the service of humanity.

2023 – Dr. Regan Shercliffe, United Nations World Food Programme – “Humanitarian Aid Work: (Another) Impossible Profession”

2021 – Dr. Azza Karam, Secretary General of Religions for Peace – “Religions and the Pandemic: Sobering or Hopeful?”

2018 – Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb – “Faith in the Face of Empire: A Palestinian Christian Perspective.”

2017 – Dr. Nicholas Terpstra – “Reframing the Reformation: Religious Refugees in the Early Modern World”

2015 – Dr. Pamela Dickey Young – “Sex, Religion and Canadian Youth: Identities Under Construction”

2014 – Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda – “Climate Justice: Love as Ecological-Economic Vocation”

2013 — Dr. Martin E. Marty – “The Artful Liberation of the University: Practical Education for the Common Good”

2012 — Bishop Michael Ingham – “Finding the Postmodern Balance: evangelical, catholic, liberal”

2011 — Senator Lillian Dyck –  “Following the footprints of my Cree mother: Dreaming of gender and racial equality”

2010 — Dr. Roland Miller – “Daring to be Global Citizens: De-radicalising Christian-Muslim Relations”

2009 — Larry Rasmussen – “Earth Healing for Justice-Minded Christians”

2008 — Don Franklin – “Bach to the Future: What we can learn from the past when performing Bach’s music today”

2007 — Margaret Somerville – “Challenging ‘The God Delusion’: The Search for a Shared Ethics”

2006 — George Elliott Clarke – “The Problem of Pluralism: Anti-Social Attitudes in African-Canadian Literature”

2005 — Stanley Hauerwas 

2004 — Margaret Miles 

2003 — Margaret Wertheim 

2002 — Rudy Wiebe 

2001 — Carol Meyers

2000 — Ronald Cole-Turner – “Playing God Or Serving God? Cloning, Designer Children And Gene Therapy In Religious Perspective”

1999 — Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen – “Faith, Feminism And Family In An Age Of Globalization”

1998 — John Ralston Saul – “The Layering of Canada: Founding Myths in the Construction of a Complex Civilization” 

1997 — Jean Bethke Elshtain 

1996 — Nicholas Wolterstorff 

1995 — Rosemary Radford Ruether 

1994 — Langdon Gilkey

1993 — James Cone 

1992 — Ursula Franklin 

1991 — Reginald Bibby 

1990 — Lois Wilson 

1989 — John Polanyi

1989 — Edna and Howard Hong 

1988 — Dr. Henry Taube 

1987 — Wilfred Cantwell Smith 

1986 — Hans Küng 

1985 — Paul Wee 

1984 — Helen Caldicott 

1983 — George Forell 

1982 — Northrop Frye 

1981 — William Foege 

1980 — Roland Bainton 

1979 — Krister Stendahl 

1978 — Dr. Martin E. Marty 

1977 — Jaroslav Pelikan

Our Supporters

The Luther Lecture is made possible in part by the generous support of Faith Life Financial members and the James Kurtz Memorial Trust Fund.

Student in costume singing

Luther Bach Choir

For over 40 years, the Luther Bach Choir has enriched both the university and the Regina community through its annual concerts, representing Luther College. True to its name, the Choir focuses on music from the Baroque period (1600-1750) but also includes sacred music and hymnody from various eras. Traditionally, the Luther Bach Choir presents concerts during Reformation/All Saints (late October or early November), Advent (early December), and Passiontide (Palm Sunday).

Membership:

The Luther Bach Choir is composed of Luther alumni from both the High School and University campuses, students and faculty, parents, friends of Luther, and experienced choral singers from the Regina community.

Director:

William Ireton (U’18) took on the role of Director for the 2023-2024 season. Will holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Fine Arts (Music Concentration) from the University of Regina through Luther College and a Master of Conducting from the University of British Columbia. He has previously directed choral ensembles at First Presbyterian Church in Regina and worked with the UBC Chamber Choir, Oriana (Treble Chorus), and the UBC University Singers.

Past Directors:

  • Dr. Carl Cherland (1982-2008)
  • Dr. Melissa Morgan (U’01, 2008-2009)
  • Jonathan Achtzehner (HS’98, U’04, 2010-2020)
  • Michael Angell (2022-2023)

The Lutheran Choral Tradition:

Martin Luther (1483-1546) saw music as a powerful tool for fostering active participation in faith and for teaching and expressing it. He believed that singing sacred music brings scripture to life for ordinary people. In this tradition, Lutherans have always cherished choral music, and the Luther Bach Choir proudly continues this legacy of singing to the glory of God with both enthusiasm and humility. Soli deo gloria. To God alone the glory.