LSTC Announces Robert O. Smith as Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is pleased to announce the appointment of The Rev. Robert O. Smith, Ph.D, as the seminary’s new Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, effective January 12, 2026. Dr. Smith currently teaches at the […]
What a Return on Your Investment Looks Like The faithful formation of the ELCA’s next presiding bishop By Rhiannon Koehler On the night he was elected Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Bishop Yehiel Curry, then serving as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, limped to the podium (golf mishap, he confessed) […]
May 2025 Board Highlights: Strategic Progress, Stewardship & Transition at LSTC The May 2025 Board of Directors meeting of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, held May 19-20 in the LSTC Chapel, marked a decisive moment of governance and transition. Framed by institutional change and a commitment to long-term sustainability, the meeting highlighted LSTC’s […]
Creating New Pathways for Innovation in Theological Education By Alisha Green Over the last three decades, Rev. Dr. Christian Scharen has seen a precipitous decline in the church and theological education. Younger people in particular have shown increasingly high rates of disaffiliation. These discouraging trends sparked Scharen’s ongoing research journey to seek new approaches and […]
Faith in Action: How Our Theological Principles Drive Social Justice At LSTC, our adherence to key theological principles forms the foundation of both academic and communal life, with social justice at the heart of our mission. We spoke to faculty members across disciplines to better understand how the seminary’s commitment to justice, inclusivity, and community […]
LSTC Faculty, Board Reaffirm Commitments to Anti-Racism, Diversity, Justice At its February meeting LSTC’s Board of Directors unanimously endorsed a statement by the faculty, which underscores our school’s unwavering support for students and staff, especially those targeted by the current administration in Washington. The statement reiterates LSTC’s commitment to anti-racism, social justice, eco-friendly measures, and […]
Plan Overview Plan Development and Features The 2024-2029 Strategic Plan guides the school’s health, growth, and direction during the next five years. It began on 1 July 2024 and concludes on 30 June 2029. It was developed with careful consideration of our current and evolving mission, values, marks, and vision, all set within today’s rapidly […]
Register to join this year’s celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues as a reminder that “trouble don’t last always.” In a speech, Dr. King stressed the need for continuous action despite the challenges when he said: “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. […]
LSTC Students Meet with Rev. Jesse Jackson at Rainbow PUSH Coalition Headquarters A group of LSTC students had the incredible opportunity earlier this fall to meet with esteemed civil rights leader and theologian Rev. Jesse Jackson. The students, as part of Dean Linda Thomas and Dr. Francisco Herrera’s Public Church II class, traveled to the national […]
Finding a New Home The Manz Organ is dedicated at a ceremony at Blessed Sacrament The historic Ruth and Paul Manz organ, housed at LSTC for almost 20 years, has found a new home at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Seattle, Washington. The organ was designed to suit the Augustana Chapel space, and named in […]
