Blessed Eastertide to each of you!
At Luther Seminary, we continue to reimagine leadership for the sake of the church and the gospel. We are propelled in this work by the seminary’s commitment to broadening access to theological education.
As I have shared before, more and more of our students are distance learners, take classes part-time, and are engaged in non-degree programs. From a Minnesota carpenter exploring his call to ministry with Faith+Lead to a digital ministry influencer and sports writer working toward an M.A. in Justice and Reconciliation from her home in Montenegro—our students are literally and figuratively all over the map.
For years now, we have met challenges to deliver education with creativity and innovation. Luther Seminary’s growing constellation of digital ministries, available to learners and learning communities everywhere, is a tremendous asset and a central aspect of responding to the needs of the church both now and in the future. With over eight million unique users in 2024, our online resources reach every part of the world, serving students, pastors, scholars, everyday disciples, and many others whose primary work is to share the gospel. As library circulation rates for physical materials have declined, digital utilization has increased—and our digital presence is a resource for the whole church.
Our students tell us they need more community, not less—a cohort of peers they can rely on as they become leaders, prepare for ministry, and face many challenges professionally and in other facets of their lives. So we gather regularly throughout the academic year on campus and stay connected during the intervening times, offering teaching, advising, worship, and social opportunities both in person and online. In supporting our world-class faculty to teach in new ways and maintaining expert staff, we are constantly exploring opportunities to provide theological education to new communities in new and sustainable ways.
In these rapidly changing contexts, our goal remains the same: to sojourn together and educate leaders who will ask hard questions about what it means to lead others to follow Jesus.
Where will our students need to be tomorrow to serve God’s changing church? Well, everywhere. We look forward to accompanying them on this journey, trusting the Spirit’s leading toward a renewal in theological education.
Peace,
Robin Steinke
President
Read other installments in our winter 2025 series on how Luther Seminary continues to lead in providing theological education for the church:
Disruptions and Discernment in Theological Education – January 2025
What a Strong Seminary Can Offer – February 2025
One Mission, Many Ways – March 2025