PhD graduate learned the language and earned her degree(s): ‘God prepared the way’ Montira “Niko” Junnawatt will graduate with her PhD in May, but she’s already in Thailand as a faculty member at the Bangkok Institute of Theology. Bangkok is back where she was born and raised, in a bicultural and bi-religious family—her mother is […]
Podcast with humble beginnings surprises & delights When Kimberly Wagner, Marvin Wickware and their podcast editor Eric Fowler bounced around names for what would become “An Incomplete Field Guide to Ministry,” Wagner says they wanted the name to reflect what the podcast is about, but also “have a little humor, humility and honesty. Hence the […]
Ji Bu: from Myanmar to Chicago to become a theologian Only a few months into her studies at LSTC, Ji Bu was eager to share gratitude for the chance to be here. Bu was born and brought up in the Mungbaw Village along the China hill border in Myanmar, the eighth child of a Kachin […]
Juan Perea takes distance learning to a new level To say Juan Manuel Arias Perea is taking an unusual path to his MDiv degree at LSTC is an understatement. Perea, who is Cuban, was a pastor for five years in his home county—a small, rural congregation he misses. But he now lives in Russia with […]
Kilian Schrenk: A voyage to study, learn and experience American Lutheranism Kilian Schrenk, 23, came from Wurttemberg, Germany to Chicago for a semester as an exchange student at LSTC to learn and experience Lutheran theology in contexts. Schrenk first had dreams of becoming a medical doctor, but he was also influenced by his family’s Christian faith. Schrenk was baptized and confirmed in the Südgemeinde in his hometown of Heilbronn. […]
Speaking truth to the church: three global theologians reflect on LSTC, TEEM and joy in the midst of struggle June 30, two esteemed global theologians, José David Rodríguez and Javier “Jay” Alanís, retired from full-time duties at LSTC and the Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest (LSPS). Rodríguez began teaching at LSTC in 1981 and […]
Maddie Tallman & Corey Bergman: ‘Getting married during seminary was a hoot’ Maddie Tallman, from Maryland, and Corey Bergman, from Minnesota, met on a CTA bus as their Orientation groups returned to campus from excursions showing students how to use public transit. They had a lot of classes together and their core group grew closer, “especially as we navigated […]
Adam and Elle Dowd: ‘Our work will always be collaborative’ Adam and Elle Dowd came to seminary together—Elle on the track for an MDiv since age 7, Adam with not nearly that destination history. They met as undergrads at Iowa State in an Old Testament class. Adam was an art and design major who had […]
Liz Kuster: ‘Glad to be on this journey within this community’ Liz Kuster comes to LSTC from Bettendorf, Iowa, right on the Mississippi River in Eastern Iowa. A member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, she was drawn to LSTC by the sense of community. “Even in difficult situations, the student body seemed to […]
Lora Salley’s internships prepared her for Word and Service chaplaincy Lora Salley (2020, MAM) recently finished her internships—at a church and as a hospital chaplain—but she can still be found walking the hallways as a registry chaplain as she plans her future as a deacon (Ministry of Word and Service). Her recently completed internships have […]
