Lutheran Ping!
I met Herb Brokering several times, and mainly know him in the context of Lutheran involvement in the anticommunist movements of the 1980s, which were an important factor in bringing down the Berlin Wall. It was confessional, orthodox Lutherans who made that happen, while US Lutheran feminazis and revisionists bashed Eastern European Lutherans as supposed communist dupes.
Here is a remembrance (tinged with “peacenik” ideology), which mentions Herb in a note at the end:
Yes, I endured that “Earth and All Stars” hymn with patience, because it was always the kids’ favorite. But I mainly remember Herb in connection with Eastern Europe.
Back in 1989, I was a very proud Lutheran, celebrating the role of confessional Lutherans in several Eastern European countries in bringing down communism and establishing freedom. Communism seemed dead as a dodo, except in China (which was and is also capitalist), Cuba, Vietnam, etc. I called Lutheranism a “rising culture”.
Now Lutheranism is in decline, both in its European homeland and in the US. (Perhaps it will become an African church body like Anglicanism.) I am an Orthodox Christian. And communism is in control of our very own US government. Kyrie eleison!!!!