Faculty Leaders

Dr. Roy Hammerling, a Ph.D. graduate of the University of Notre Dame in church history, was a professor of religion at Concordia College for more than 25 years. His books include "A History of Prayer: The First to the Fifteenth Century" and "The Lord’s Prayer in the Early Church: The Pearl of Great Price." He has written articles and lectured on Martin Luther and Lutheranism, Christian spirituality, religion and film, the church in Nazi Germany, Islam, religion in modern culture, the history of wine, and more. He travels regularly with students and alumni groups for Concordia College across Europe, Turkey, and Egypt. He is also an ELCA pastor and the son of German-Russian immigrants.

Dr. Larry Papenfuss is the director of the Dovre Center for Faith and Learning at Concordia College, where he serves as the administrative liaison to the president for the college’s faith expression programs. He also serves as a major gifts officer in the Office of Advancement. In his more than 25 years at the college, he has served as a faculty member, department chair, and athletic director. His wife, Dawn, is director of music at St. John Lutheran Church in Fargo. His son, Luke, is a 2016 graduate of Concordia and his daughter, Hannah, is a 2021 graduate of Concordia. Both are currently employed at the college.