Concordia Theological Seminary facts for kids
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| Type | Seminary |
|---|---|
| Established | 1846 |
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Religious affiliation
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Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod |
| President | Jon S. Bruss |
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Academic staff
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26 |
| Students | 294 |
| Location |
,
,
United States
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| Campus | Major city, 191 acres (77 ha) |
Concordia Theological Seminary is a special school in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It trains people to become clergy (pastors) and deaconesses for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). Students can earn different kinds of degrees here, including master's and doctoral degrees.
Contents
History of Concordia Seminary
Starting in Fort Wayne
The seminary began in 1844. A pastor named Frederick C. D. Wyneken started teaching two young men in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He wanted to help them become pastors. When Wyneken moved, another pastor, Wilhelm Sihler, took over the teaching.
In 1846, eleven more students and a teacher arrived from Germany. They were sent by Wilhelm Loehe, who wanted to help German Lutheran immigrants in the United States. This is when the seminary officially started. Wilhelm Sihler became its first president. Classes were held in his home, and a small house was rented for the students to live in.
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod was formed in 1847. Loehe then gave the seminary to this new church group. He kept supporting the school by sending money, books, and more students from Germany. A few years later, the seminary bought land and built its first campus building.
At first, this school was called the "practical seminary." Its main goal was to quickly train pastors for churches. It taught both high school-level subjects and theology. This helped graduates serve congregations, even though they didn't learn ancient languages like Greek or Hebrew at that time.
Moving to St. Louis
During the American Civil War, the seminary moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1861. This was to protect students from being forced to join the army. Missouri allowed theology students to avoid the draft, but Indiana did not.
C. F. W. Walther, who was already president of another seminary in St. Louis, also became president of this practical seminary. However, there were some disagreements between the two schools. They had different ways of teaching and different goals. Also, both schools grew, and the campus became too crowded.
Moving to Springfield
Because of the crowding, the seminary moved again in 1874. The high school-level students and one teacher went to Springfield, Illinois. The next year, the rest of the seminary moved there too. F. A. Craemer became the new president.
At first, students didn't need any special grades to get in. But over time, the school became more challenging. By 1918, students had to have finished eighth grade. They also added more years of study. This helped pastors get teaching certificates. Even so, many graduating pastors in the 1920s had about the same education as a high school graduate, plus their pastoral training.
Some people in the church thought the seminary should close because its academic level was not very high. But the school decided to make changes instead. They started requiring Greek language classes. New students had to have at least two years of high school. They also worked to get official recognition from the state of Illinois.
By 1941, all new students had to be high school graduates. This meant the seminary no longer needed to teach high school classes. Over the years, the school kept raising its academic standards. They started preferring students who had finished college. Professors were also expected to earn doctoral degrees. In 1968, the seminary became a member of the American Association of Theological Schools. The degrees they gave became fully recognized, and in 1973, they started giving out Master of Divinity degrees.
Returning to Fort Wayne
The seminary stayed in Springfield until 1976. Then, the church decided to reorganize its schools. The seminary moved back to Fort Wayne, Indiana. It took over the campus of another Lutheran college, Concordia Senior College. This campus was known for its beautiful design by a famous architect named Eero Saarinen.
Presidents of Concordia Seminary
Concordia Theological Seminary has had many leaders throughout its history. Here are the presidents:
- Wilhelm Sihler, 1846–1861
- C. F. W. Walther, 1861–1875
- F. A. Crämer, 1875–1891
- R. Pieper, 1891–1914
- R. D. Biedermann, 1914–1921
- H. A. Klein, 1922–1935
- H. B. Hemmeter, 1936–1945
- G. C. Barth, 1945–1952
- W. A. Baepler, 1952–1958
- George Beto, 1959–1962
- J. A. O. Preus II, 1962–1969
- Richard J. Schultz, 1970–1974
- Robert D. Preus, 1974–1989
- Norbert H. Mueller, interim president 1989–1992
- Robert D. Preus, 1992–1993
- David G. Schmiel, 1993–1995
- Dean O. Wenthe, 1996–2011
- Lawrence R. Rast Jr, 2011–2024
- Jon S. Bruss, 2024-
Academics
Concordia Theological Seminary has four main departments. These are Exegetical Theology, Historical Theology, Pastoral Ministry and Mission, and Systematic Theology.
The seminary teaches a traditional view of theology. It focuses on studying the Bible and the Book of Concord, which contains important Lutheran beliefs. It is also a place of daily worship. Students and faculty pray together each day. They also celebrate the Lord's Supper every week.
Notable Alumni
Many people who studied at Concordia Theological Seminary have gone on to do important things. Here are a few examples:
- Dan Cloeter, a Lutheran pastor and marathon runner.
- Patrick Ferry, who was president of Concordia University Wisconsin.
- Daniel L. Gard, a high-ranking chaplain in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps.
- Matthew Harrison, a past president of the LCMS.
- Joel D. Heck, a professor of theology.
- Scot Kerns, a member of the Montana state legislature.
- Gerald B. Kieschnick, a past president of the LCMS.
- Donald K. Muchow, a former Chief of Chaplains for the United States Navy.
- Andrew Schulze, a Lutheran pastor and civil rights activist.
- Andrew Steinmann, a professor of theology and Hebrew.
- Gordon Winrod, a Lutheran pastor.
