Introducing Dr Rich A. Jensen

Dr. Richard A. Jensen, a native of Fremont, Nebraska, graduated from Dana College, Blair, Nebraska and from Trinity Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. He holds an S.T.M. degree from the Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary and received his Ph.D. in the field of Systematic Theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology, a Dominican seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.

Dr. Jensen's service to the church includes a four-year term in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the auspices of the Division of World Missions of the American Lutheran Church. In Ethiopia he served on the staff of Mekane Yesus Seminary and as the Assistant Pastor of the International Lutheran Church.

Upon return to the United States he served as pastor of the Dana College Congregation, 1965-68; as Asssistant Professor of Religion as Dana College 1968-70; as Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, 1972-81, and at Luther/Northwestern seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, before assuming his duties aas director and speaker of Lutheran Vespers in June, 1982.

On September 1, 1993 began serving a joint Call from Wartburg Theological Seminary and Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago to serve as the Director of Joint Cluster Planning. He also teaches courses in preaching at both seminaries.

Dr. Jensen is the author of "Touched by The Spirit" (Augsburg, 1975); "Telling the Story" (Augsburg, 1980); "What is God's Will for My Life?" (Augsburg, 1988); "Thinking in Story" (C.S.C., 1993) and sermon booklets published by Lutheran Vespers. He has also written adult education materials, articles and book reviews.

In 1957 Jensen married Bonnie Hagedorn. They are the parents of three children, Doron, Dodelle, and Derek. Bonnie is serving as Director of Planning & Evaluation and Program Director for Papau New Guinea in Southeast Asia Division for Global Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.